`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....

Guide To Classic GNOME Session In Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot

Dmitry Shachnev has written a small guide to get a fully working classic GNOME session in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot, similar to Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal.

The guide includes: use the GTK3 indicator applet instead of the standard systray, fix the panel background for Ambiance, get Compiz to work and use the Ubuntu logo in the applications menu applet.

Check out Dmitry's guide @ http://mandriver.users.sourceforge.net/classic-gnome-guide.html

0 comments

» read more....

Indicator Applet Ported To GNOME 3, Can Already Be Used In Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot Classic GNOME 3 Session

Jason Conti has ported Indicator Applet to GNOME 3. That means that you can now get almost the same classic (fall-back) GNOME 3 session look in Ubuntu 11.10 like in Ubuntu 11.04.

With this, you'll be able to use all the applications that come with an Ubuntu Appindicator, Indicator Date/Time, the session indicator, network, Ubuntu Sound Menu, Messaging Menu and even the Global Menu (optional) in the classic (fallback) GNOME 3 session, just like in Unity. However, unlike in Unity, the Global Menu doesn't hide automatically for maximized windows and there are no buttons on the top panel.

Here is a video (includes the applets you need to remove and add to the panel to get an Ubuntu 11.04-like look) demoing the GNOME 3 Indicator Applet running in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot (classic session):

The GNOME 3 Indicator Applet has been proposed for merging in Ubuntu, but most probably it will only be available starting with Ubuntu 12.04. But you can already install it in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot by using a PPA.

Install Indicator Applet with GTK3 support (for GNOME 3 classic session) in Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot

To install Indicator Applet for GNOME 3 (classic/fallback session) in Ubuntu 11.10, use the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:jconti/gnome3
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install indicator-applet indicator-applet-complete indicator-applet-session

To also install the Global Menu indicator applet for GNOME 3 classic session, use the command below:

sudo apt-get install indicator-applet-appmenu

Once installed, you can remove the existing applets that you don't need such as the clock or user menu from the GNOME 3 classic session top panel - to do this, ALT + right click them and select "Remove".

Then, to add the GNOME 3 Indicator Applet to the panel, right click the top panel while holding the ALT key and select "Add to panel" and from the applets list, add "Indicator Applet Complete". To get a Global Menu, also add "Indicator Applet Appmenu".

Please note that if you don't remove the notification area (systray) from the top panel, you'll get an extra sound icon. Unfortunately I couldn't find a fix for this. Also, if you want to move/remove the systray, don't ALT+RIGHT CLICK on it but in front of it (there's a very small invisible area).


And a final tip: to fix the panel, ALT + RIGHT CLICK it and for the background, use "#303030" color (for Ambiance theme). Alternatively, install a GTK theme that supports the new GNOME 3 panel such as Zukitwo (I've used Zukitwo Dark in the screenshots / video in this post).

To install Zukitwo from the WebUpd8 Themes PPA, you can use the commands below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/themes
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install zukitwo-theme-all

Then use GNOME Tweak Tool (available in the Ubuntu repositories) to apply the new theme.

0 comments

» read more....