`Window Applets`, Finally Available For GNOME 3 (Classic / Fallback)

Window Applets is a pack of two GNOME panel applets that lets you put the window title and buttons on the top panel. Since GNOME 3, Window Applets stopped working but today, a new version has been released with support for the GNOME 3 classic / fallback panel.

The Window Buttons applet is basically like the Ubuntu window buttons displayed on the top panel for maximized windows, except it's for the classic GNOME session and it's highly customizable:

• you can move it anywhere you want on the panel
• many built-in themes, more available on Gnome-Look.org
• select if you want it to control all windows or only maximized windows
• automatically hide for non-maximized windows
• change the button order
• hide some of the buttons
• more!

Window Title applet supports the same customizations as the Window Buttons applet, except it's, well, for the window title.

For now, the Window Applets pack only works with the classic GNOME 3 session (GNOME Panel), but according to its developer, this will change:

The new version has been ported to Gnome 3 classic. It is not yet possible to run it in Gnome Shell or Unity, but this will change!

I'm not sure how it could work with Unity since the top panel is not a GNOME panel and it can't be customized (fork it?), but we'll see. Until then, there is a GNOME Shell extension for this, though it's not as customizable as Window Applets: Get Unity-Like Window Buttons On The Top GNOME Shell Bar

Window Applets video

To see exactly what "Window Applets" is and how it works, here's a video I've recorded (in Ubuntu 11.10):


(direct link to video)

Install Window Applets in Ubuntu 11.10 or 12.04

Firstly, you'll need the GNOME 3 Classic / Fallback session - to install it in Ubuntu 12.04 or 11.10, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback

Just like the GNOME 2 version (still available for Ubuntu Lucid, Maverick and Natty), the latest Window Applets for GNOME 3 is available in the main WebUpd8 PPA so if you're using Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot or 12.04 Precise Pangolin with the classic GNOME session, install it using the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnome-window-applets

Once installed, ALT + right click (if that doesn't work, try ALT + SUPER + right click) a GNOME panel, select "Add to panel" and add "Window Buttons" and/or "Window Title".

Note: by default, Window Buttons applet is set to show up on the panel for all windows, but it only controls maximized windows. You can change this and other settings by right clicking the applet and selecting "Preferences".

By the way, to get Indicator Applet for GNOME Classic in Ubuntu 11.10, see THIS post (this is already available in Ubuntu Precise, there's no need for a PPA).

For other Linux distributions, download the Window Applets source code via GNOME Look.

0 comments

» read more....

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/

0 comments

» read more....

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.

0 comments

» read more....