Cairo Dock 3.0 Released With GTK3 Support, Other Enhancements

Cairo Dock (or GLX Dock) is an animated application launcher (dock bar) for Linux that runs under GNOME, KDE or XFCE.

Cairo Dock 3.0 has been released recently, getting GTK3 support and many enhancements:

• A new Twitter applet lets you tweet in one click
• A new applet to inhibit the screensaver
• Cairo Dock now uses GTK3
• The Log out applet has been rewritten, now allowing you to switch users
• Much better keyboard support: you can activate a launcher by pressing a shortkey and its number (like in Unity) and also, there are many new keyboard shortcuts
• Enhanced taskbar
• The Ubuntu Sound Menu has been integrated into the Sound-Control applet
• Separators are transparent to click in 'Panel' mode
• Text drawing (e.g. with Clock) has been improved
• The new default theme with a panel is now included in the core package

Starting with version 2.4.0, Cairo Dock comes with its custom GNOME Session so you can use it as a stand-alone "shell". In version 3.0, a new session has been added which lets you use Cairo Dock with the Unity 2D top panel:

Here are a few more screenshots and a video with the latest Cairo Dock 3.0 in action:

(direct video link)

Install Cairo Dock 3.0

Ubuntu users can install the latest stable Cairo Dock 3.0 from its PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cairo-dock-team
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cairo-dock cairo-dock-plug-ins

There's also a Debian repository available for Cairo Dock - see THIS page.

For other Linux distributions, see the Cairo Dock installation page.

Thanks to Matthieu Baerts for the tip! Info via glx-dock.org

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Cairo Dock To Get A Global Menu Applet

Cairo Dock is evolving to something more than just a dock. After getting its own custom GNOME session a while back, the latest alpha got a feature that I for one didn't expect to see in a dock: global menu (Application menu).

The Cairo Dock global menu applet works with a patched GTK+ (already available in Ubuntu) and is available in the Cairo Dock Weekly PPA. All the applications that support a global menu in Unity should work with the new Cairo Dock Application Menu applet too.

Cairo Dock now has most of the Unity features (and more), except everything is customizable so if you like flashy docks, you should really give it a try.

To test the latest Cairo Dock 3.0 alpha in Ubuntu, you can use the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cairo-dock-team/weekly
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cairo-dock cairo-dock-plug-ins

Then add the new applet, called Application Menu (there's another applet called "Applications Menu" - that's a regular menu, so don't confuse them).

Report any bugs you may find @ Launchpad.

image / news via Cairo Dock @ Google+

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Elegant Brit Theme For DockBarX

Starting with version 0.47, DockBarX supports separate themes for DockBarX, DockX and window list and some cool new themes have already started to show up on websites like DeviantArt.

One theme I really like is called "Brit" (inspired by "Elegant Brit" GTK theme) and comes with everything you need: DockBarX and window list themes as well as two dock (for DockX) themes.

The theme has been created by BigRZA, who has previously created some beautiful DockBarX themes like TonkyBar or the DBX big dock pack.

Brit for DockBarX screenshots:

To install Brit for DockBarX, extract the downloaded archive to your home folder. If this is the first time you're installing a new DockBarX theme manually, there's nothing else you need to do because extracting the archive automatically creates the folder structure (~/.dockbarx/themes).

If not, press CTRL + H to be able to see hidden folders and copy the contents of the themes folder inside .dockbarx to ~/.dockbarx/theme .

Then, launch the DockBarX Preferences window and apply the new theme on both the Appearence tab (for "Theme" and "Window list style") and Dock tab if you use DockX.

Download Brit for DockBarX 0.47+

Oh, and if you want to use the GTK theme for which this DockBarX theme was created, get it from here: Elegant Brit for GNOME 2 | Elegant Brit for GNOME 3 (includes GTK and GNOME Shell themes).

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DockBarX Live Window Previews Finally Work With Compiz 0.9.x

DockBarX is a lightweight taskbar / panel replacement for Linux. It works as a GNOME panel applet (for GNOME 2.x), as an Avant Window Navigator applet or as a stand alone dock (called DockX) that you can use in any desktop environment: KDE, XFCE, GNOME 3 (with GNOME Shell), etc.

DockBarX has been updated today with a work-around for the bug that caused live windows previews not to work with Compiz 0.9.x in GNOME (well, for most of us anyway because it seems it worked for some of you).

However, the live window previews still don't work in GNOME Shell (because this feature requires Compiz).


Here is a video I've recorded with DockBarX running in AWN (and live window previews activated of course):

Install DockBarX in Ubuntu

As usual, the latest DockBarX is available in the main WebUpd8 PPA for Ubuntu 11.10, 11.04, 10.10 and 10.04 - add the PPA and install it using the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

To install the AWN applet, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applet-dockbarx

Once installed, look for "DockBarX Preference" in the menu / dash to configure how DockBarX or DockX looks and behaves.

To launch DockBarX in the stand-alone mode, press ALT + F2 and type: "dockx". If you use Gnome2 panel or Avant Window Navigator, DockBarX should show up in the applet list so add it like with any other applet.


If you're not using Ubuntu, download DockBarX via Gnome-Look.

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Cairo Dock 2.4.0 Released With Custom GNOME Session, Support For Unity Quicklists, More

Cairo Dock is a highly customizable launcher / task manager for Linux which comes with a huge list of themes and plugins, being able to fully replace / replicate the functionality of an old GNOME 2 panel.

It includes plugins / applets such as: keyboard indicator, weather, Messaging Menu, system monitor, stacks, notification area, a recent events plugin that makes use of Zeitgeist, clipboard manager, note taking applet, screen luminosity, terminal and many more.

A new Cairo Dock version - 2.4.0 - has been released today, bringing a custom Cairo Dock session for Ubuntu Oneiric so you can select Cairo Dock from the GDM, LightDM, etc. login screen, better XFCE integration, support for Unity quicklists, better window manager integration (for example, Cairo Dock uses the Scale effect in Compiz or KWin) as well as a new view for the desklet-rendering: Panel.

Other changes in Cairo Dock 2.4.0 include:

• a re-write of the power manager applet
• fixed Ubuntu Messaging Menu for Ubuntu Oneiric and Natty
• better Gnome 3 tools support
• MPRIS2 support for the MusicPlayer applet
• updated default theme
• new applets like Gmail, etc. - see http://glx-dock.org/mc_album.php?a=7

The official Cairo Dock 2.4.0 presentation video:

Install Cairo Dock in Ubuntu

Cairo Dock 2.4.0 is available in its official PPA, for Ubuntu 11.10, 11.04, 10.10 and 10.04 - add the PPA and install Cairo Dock using the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cairo-dock-team/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cairo-dock cairo-dock-plug-ins

If you are not using Ubuntu, download Cairo Dock 2.4.0 via Launchpad.

[via glx-dock.org]

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DockBarX 0.47 Released With Themeable Window List And Custom DockX Themes

DockBarX is a lightweight taskbar / panel replacement for Linux. It works as a GNOME panel applet (for GNOME 2.x), as an Avant Window Navigator applet or as a stand alone dock (called DockX) that you can use in any desktop environment: KDE, XFCE, GNOME 3 (with GNOME Shell), etc.

DockBarX features:

• pin applications to the taskbar
• quick access to recent, related and most used documents with the help of Zeitgeist
• Unity quicklists, badges and progress bars support
• Window previews like in Windows 7
• DockManager support (so you can use Docky helpers in DockBarX)
• Media buttons support (play/pause, etc.)
• Highly configurable, both in appearence and functionality (keyboard shortcuts, etc.)
• DockX (DockBarX as a stand-alone dock) can be positioned anywhere on the screen, comes with autohide, dodge active window or all windows, can be resized and more

New features in DockBarX 0.47:


- You can now use separate themes for DockX (DockX is the stand-alone mode). DockBarX already comes with 4 built-in themes - here are a couple of them:

(DockX Folded theme)

(DockX Invisible theme)

You can configure the background color for the new themes but if you want to customize them further, have a look under /usr/share/dockbarx/themes/dock/

- Also, DockBarX window list is now themeable and you can specify a different style on the appearence tab in the DockBarX preferences. There's one more change made to the window list: active and urgent windows are now highlighted with background colors instead of simply changing fonts.

(One of the new DockBarX window list themes)

With these changes, DockBarX (and DockX) become fully theamable and customizable and even though the cool window previews feature doesn't work in Ubuntu 11.04 or 11.10 (due to a Compiz bug) (a work around for this bug was released in DockBarX 0.48), DockBarX is now one of the best lightweight docks / panel replacements for Linux.

Here are a two older screenshots with DockBarX running as a GNOME panel / AWN applet too:

Install DockBarX in Ubuntu

To add the WebUpd8 PPA and install DockBarX 0.47 in Ubuntu Lucid, Maverick, Natty and Oneiric, use the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

To install the AWN applet, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applet-dockbarx

Once installed, look for "DockBarX Preference" in the menu / dash to configure how DockBarX or DockX looks and behaves.

To launch DockBarX in the stand-alone mode, press ALT + F2 and type: "dockx". If you use Gnome2 panel or Avant Window Navigator, DockBarX should show up in the applet list so add it like with any other applet.

If you're not using Ubuntu, you can download DockBarX via Gnome Look. Since it's python, you don't have to compile it and you can directly run DockX using "./dockx", but make sure you've installed all the required dependencies (see the readme).

As usual, remember to report any bugs you may find @ Launchpad.

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DockBarX 0.46 Released With New Autohide Options, More

DockBarX, a task manager that works as a GNOME Panel applet, as an Avant Window Navigator applet or as a stand-alone dock, has reached version 0.46. The new version comes with new autohide options for the dock: dodge windows or dodge the active window, Unity progress bars and badges support as well as dynamic quicklists.

The new autohide features also work in AWN (since the AWN "dodge active window" and "intellihide" only work if the AWN taskbar is used).

Other changes in DockBarX 0.46:

• Dockmanager progress bars and urgent signals are supported now. The badges are rewritten and have a new improved look.


• The mouse cursor is changed to the wait cursor when a program is launched from dockbarx.

M7S, the DockBarX developer has created a video in which he shows why DockBarX is great - watch the video below:

Install DockBarX 0.46

To add the WebUpd8 PPA and install DockBarX 0.46 in Ubuntu Lucid, Maverick, Natty and Oneiric, use the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

To install the AWN applet, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applet-dockbarx

To run it as a stand-alone dock, press ALT + F2 and type "dockx".

If you're not using Ubuntu, you can download DockBarX via Gnome-Look - you don't have to compile it, but make sure you install all the required dependencies before trying to run it.

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5 Beautiful Plank Themes

Plank is new dock for Linux written in Vala, developed by the Docky team.


1. Glass Pill:

Download



2. Ubuntu Panel:

Download



3. HUD:

Download



4. Froyo:

Download



5. Rounded Glass:

Download

Usage

To install Plank in Ubuntu, use the commands below (this will add the Plank/Docky testing PPA):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ricotz/docky
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install plank

The above PPA is available for Ubuntu Oneiric, Natty and Maverick.


To use a theme, make a backup of the original Plank theme under ~/.config/plank/theme/ and then extract the downloaded theme into this folder (~/.config/plank/theme/), replacing the already existing files. Note: ~/.config/ is a hidden folder in your home directory so press CTRL + H to see it.


Themes thanks to Cassidy James; via elementaryositdev

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A Cool Dock For GNOME Shell: Unity 2D Launcher

There's a new cool dock in town and it works perfectly with GNOME Shell. Actually, it's not new and you've seen it in lots of screenshots or you may even use it already but maybe you didn't know that you don't have to run Unity 2D to use it: the Unity 2D Launcher.

Yesterday I've tried the Unity 2D Launcher in GNOME Shell (Ubuntu 11.10) and it works great (thanks to Luigi for the idea). Not only you can use quicklists and various custom launchers or lenses, but you can also use Ubuntu's Dash:

Further more, the Unity 2D launcher is automatically hidden when entering the activities overview so it doesn't interfere with GNOME Shell's Dash (the dock in the Activities Overview).

I did encounter a bug though: the spread mode uses a different wallpaper (using the Unity 2D Launcher workspace switcher), as you can see in the video below. But this can probably be tweaked, I really didn't look into it.

Here's a video I've just recorded in which I'm using Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot with GNOME Shell and Unity 2D Launcher:

To use it, make sure Unity 2D is installed installed (available in the Ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10 official repositories) and then run the Unity 2D launcher using the command below:

unity-2d-launcher

Thanks to Luigi for the idea!

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Autohide Added To DockBarX v0.45

 

(DockBarX running as an Avant Window Navigator applet)

DockBarX is a GNOME Panel / AWN applet and last month it also got an option to run as a stand-alone dock (run "dockx" to launch it) but it was missing autohide, a very important feature for a dock.

Well, autohide was added to DockBarX 0.45, released today. There's no intellihide and you can't customize the autohide behavior yet, but this is an important step and we might see this in a future release.

DockBarX 0.45 also comes with lots of bug fixes such as crashes or quicklists being displayed in random order.

(DockBarX running as a stand-alone dock)

Install DockBarX

DockBarX 0.45 is available in the main WebUpd8 PPA for Ubuntu 11.10, 11.04, 10.10 and 10.04. Add the PPA and install it using the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

To also install the Avant Window Navigator DockBarX applet, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applet-dockbarx

To run it as a stand-alone dock, press ALT + F2 and type "dockx".


If you're not using Ubuntu, get DockBarX 0.45 via Gnome-Look.


Oh and remember: you can stay up to date with the latest applications uploaded to the WebUpd8 PPAs by subscribing to http://ppa.webupd8.org/

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Pantheon Theme For Plank (Docky v2)

Plank is a new dock written in Vala. It's a Docky team project and it will be the default launcher in the new elementary OS "Luna".

Cassidy James, one of the elementary OS team members has published a theme for Plank to go with Pantheon, the elementary OS desktop environment:

That looks a lot like Docky, doesn't it?


Here's how the default Plank theme looks like:

Plank is not stable and it's nowhere near feature complete, but if you want to install it already, there's a testing PPA you can use:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ricotz/docky
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install plank

And another tip for Plank, also from Cassidy James: if you want to get a "folder" in Plank like you can see in the screenshots above (the one Firefox, UMPlayer, Wuala and Marlin), go to ~/.config/plank/launchers, create a new .dockitem and point it to a folder with .desktop files inside.

Download Pantheon theme for Plank - to use, extract the contents to ~/.config/plank/theme, replacing the original files (make a backup first).

elementary OS "Luna" sounds pretty exiting already, and it gets more interesting by the day. For instance, a new project was registered on Launchpad yesterday for a new terminal written in Vala, designed especially for elementary OS.

Oh, and speaking of elementary OS, the elementaryos.org website was redesigned, getting some new sections like a Developer Journal, Answers, etc so check it out!

[via Dev Elementary OS IT]

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DockBarX 0.44 Can Run As Stand-Alone Dock, Gets Unity Quicklists, More

(DockBarX running as an Avant Window Navigator applet)

After four months of development, a new DockBarX version has finally been released: 0.44. Previously, DockBarX could run as a Avant Window Navigator / GNOME Panel applet but starting with this version, DockBarx works as a stand-alone dock too (run "dockx" to launch it), great for those running GNOME Shell or the classic GNOME session.

This new feature also comes with some options:

• you can position the dock on the left / bottom / right / top
• there are 3 modes: centered, panel or corner
• you can change the dock size
• multi-monitor support: you can specify the number of monitors via command line ("dockx --monitor 1").

(DockBarX running as a stand-alone dock)

There is still a lot of work to do for this new feature though: it doesn't have autohide, etc.


But that's not the only new feature in DockBarX 0.44. The new version also comes with:

• Unity quicklists support
• Another Unity-like feature - number shortcuts: for instance you can press SUPER+1 to select the first group, etc. But unlike Unity, the numbers are not displayed when holding the SUPER key.
• Improved keyboard shortcut handling
• Locked lists: "one click switch solution as long as you are prepared to sacrifice some screen real-estate. By selecting "Use locked list" from the group menu of a group with more than one window, you'll get a window list that stays open indefinitely".

Unfortunately there's a bug in Compiz 0.9.x which makes the DockBarX window previews very dark so if you use Ubuntu 11.04, the window preview feature will not work proprely (unless you use the downgraded Compiz). Also, the window previews feature won't work under GNOME Shell because DockBarX requires Compiz for this feature.

DockBarX screenshots

(DockX - Unity quicklists)

(Media Player controls available in DockBarX)

(DockBarX running as a GNOME Panel applet)

(DockX - recent documents)

Install DockBarx in Ubuntu

As usual, DockBarX is available in the main WebUpd8 PPA for Ubuntu 10.04, 10.10 and 11.04. It also works under Ubuntu 11.10 but not as a GNOME3 panel applet.

Add the PPA and install DockBarX 0.44 using the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install dockbarx dockbarx-themes-extra

To also install the Avant Window Navigator DockBarX applet, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install awn-applet-dockbarx

Then, to use DockBarX:

• with GNOME 2.x Panel: right click the panel, select "Add to panel" and add "DockBarX".
• with Avant Window Navigator: in the AWN preferences, add DockBarX to your dock
• as a stand-alone dock: press ALT + F2 and enter: "dockx".

For configuring DockBarx, a new "DockBarX Preference" entry should be available in your menu.

Arch Linux users can get DockBarX from AUR. Thanks to madek for the heads up!

If you don't use Ubuntu or Arch, download DockBarX via its GNOME-Look page.

Report any bugs you may find @ Launchpad.

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