FAQ

FAQ

Do I have to go to GitHub or OpenDesktop every update?

No. Conky Studio is integrated with Griffin Updater. That tool (also by the same author) downloads/updates from the app.json registry. See the Griffin Updater repo for details.

Is the live preview a mockup?

No. Preview runs a real Conky process on the same generation pipeline as Build. What you preview is what you ship (for the graph currently on the canvas).

Do I need to know Lua to use Conky Studio?

No, for getting started. Sources, logic, and visuals cover common HUDs. Use Custom Lua or plugins when the palette is not enough.

Do recipients need Conky Studio to run my theme?

Not if you share the built theme folder (start.sh, conky.conf, render.lua, scripts, images). They need Conky. Studio is only required to edit the graph.

Project JSON vs built theme; which should I share?

Goal	Share
Someone only wants to run the HUD	Built theme folder
Someone wants to edit/remix in Studio	Project JSON + assets + any required plugins
Public release	Prefer built package; optionally attach JSON for remixers

See Sharing Projects.

Where are themes installed?

Typically ~/.config/conky/<ThemeName>/. Manager scans that area (and related Conky paths). Studio itself does not require root.

Why is my HUD blank?

Common causes: Conky missing or wrong build; canvas/alignment off-screen; weather/scripts still warming up; Wayland/compositor limits (especially GNOME); theme missing start.sh. See Troubleshooting and Troubleshooting Themes.

Does it work on Wayland?

Depends on the compositor and your Conky build. wlroots-based sessions and KDE Plasma Wayland are typical targets. GNOME (Mutter) is a poor fit for this kind of overlay — that is a Conky + GNOME limitation. Some distro packages ship X11-only Conky. Use Tools → Hardware & Session.

Can I import my old Conky theme?

Yes via Project → Import Legacy Theme…. Import is semantic, not a guaranteed pixel clone. Current and older conf syntax are both handled with limits (e.g. images/media are not fully imported as drawable assets). See Legacy Import.

What are plugins?

JSON packs that add logic or visual node types (Lua templates, no plugin Python). Install only packs you trust. See Plugins.

Music node shows nothing

The music/now-playing path expects something like playerctl and a supported player. Install playerctl and ensure a player is active.

Can I group nodes or add notes on the canvas?

Yes (editor-only): multi-select → group; collapse/expand groups; free-form labels. These do not change generated Conky output.

Where is the full feature list?

See Features.

How do I get help?

Help → Support Discord, YouTube, or Support.

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Community Store & OpenDesktop/Pling

What is the difference between the Community Store and OpenDesktop/Pling?

	Community Store	OpenDesktop/Pling (OCS)
Source	Static store.json / index.json you (or the project) control	Live OCS API (api.pling.com, opendesktop.org, …)
Curation	Explicit list + optional SHA-256 checksums	Search/browse the whole network
Trust model	Index + checksums	Provider + download links (often short-lived)
Offline/mirror	Easy to fork and rehost	Depends on provider uptime
Best for	Official/trusted theme packs	Discovery of third-party content

Both install into the same Manager root (~/.config/conky/), so you have one place to start themes.

How do I use the Community Store?

1. Open the Store tab → Community.
2. Confirm or edit the Index URL (default points at the project’s store.json on GitHub).
3. Click Browse — Studio downloads the index over HTTPS and lists themes.
4. Select a theme to read the name, author, version, tags, and description.
5. Click Install — Studio downloads the archive, optionally verifies SHA-256, then unpacks it with the same installer used for local theme archives.

Installed themes appear under Manager and can be started like any other theme. If the default URL is empty or the host is offline, Browse shows an error; you can still paste another index URL.

What does the Community Store index look like?

A single JSON file:

{
  "api_version": "1.0",
  "updated_at": "2026-07-30",
  "themes": [
    {
      "id": "aurora-hud",
      "name": "Aurora HUD",
      "author": "example",
      "version": "1.2.0",
      "description": "Minimal top-bar system monitor with soft glow.",
      "tags": ["hud", "minimal", "cpu", "ram"],
      "preview_url": "https://example.com/previews/aurora-hud.png",
      "download_url": "https://example.com/releases/aurora-hud-1.2.0.zip",
      "sha256": "abcdef0123456789..."
    }
  ]
}

• download_url is required for Install to work.
• sha256 is strongly recommended; a mismatch aborts the install.
• Anyone can host a compatible index (GitHub raw, GitLab Pages, any static HTTPS host).

See COMMUNITY_STORE.md for the full schema and publisher checklist. This will change in the future in the 1.1 update; 1.0.7 already has the skeleton for this.

Can I point the Community Store at my own index?

Yes. Paste any HTTPS URL that serves a compatible store.json / index.json into the Index URL field and click Browse. The default ships as:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bobbycomet/Conky-Studio/main/store.json

How does OpenDesktop / Pling integration work?

Studio includes a minimal OCS (Open Collaboration Services) client. It can:

• List categories and search content on providers such as Pling / openDesktop.
• Fetch content metadata and download links.
• Prefer Conky-related results via simple keyword heuristics (conky, system monitor, desktop widget, hud).

Public list/get endpoints usually work without authentication. Rate-limit responses (OCS statuscode 200) are surfaced to the UI.

What are ocs:// and ocss:// links?

They follow the OCS-URL specification. Example:

ocs://install?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com%2Ftheme.tar.gz&type=conky&filename=theme.tar.gz

Studio can:

• Parse the URL, download the file, detect a Conky theme (conky.conf, .conkyrc, start.sh, render.lua, theme.json, …), and install it under ~/.config/conky/.
• Register as the desktop handler for x-scheme-handler/ocs and x-scheme-handler/ocss (see the packaging helpers).
• Forward an incoming ocs:// link to an already-running instance via a local socket so a second process does not open.

If you click an Install button on an OCS-compatible site and Studio is registered, the link is handed off automatically.

What happens during an OCS/Community Store install?

1. Download the archive (or direct file) to a temporary location.
2. Optionally verify SHA-256 (Community Store entries).
3. Extract .zip / .tar* archives.
4. Locate a directory that looks like a Conky theme (markers above, or a single top-level folder).
5. Copy it into ~/.config/conky/<safe-name>/ (a numeric suffix is added if the name already exists).
6. The theme appears in Manager and can be started normally.

If no theme markers are found, the install fails with a clear message, and nothing is left half-installed.

Is it safe to install from the Store or OpenDesktop?

• Treat downloaded themes and plugin packs like any script you run: Lua and shell execute under your user inside Conky.
• Prefer known authors and indexes that publish SHA-256 checksums.
• Prefer built themes from strangers if you only need to run a HUD and are not auditing a graph.
• The Community Store index is untrusted input; only point the Index URL at sources you believe.

Can I host my own Community Store index?

Yes. Put a valid store.json (or index.json) on any static HTTPS host, point download_url entries at the archives, and publish the Index URL. GitHub raw content or Releases work well. Users only need that URL in the Store tab.

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