Ubuntu: Unity Hints Tweaks and Tips

Where you see the following above a command this is to tell you to open a terminal:

Linux Terminal:~$

In Unbuntu Unity editions the 'gconf-editor' has been replaced by the 'dconf-editor', a small difference but a frustrating one the first time you want to tweak the system. The dconf-editor retains the same look as its predecessor but many of the entries have changed names.

Autorun Media - Disable: How To
By default items such as optical media will autorun when placed in a drive, to disable this behaviour open 'dconf-editor' and locate the following key:

org.gnome.desktop.media-handling

Tick the box for 'autorun-never'

DConf-Editor - Install: How To
The dconf-editor is an essential tool for configuring Ubuntu, however it does not come installed by default.

terminal:~$ sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

After installation run from the launcher:

dconf editor

Desktop Switcher - Remove Icon: How To
This works for those who only require one workspace, if you want multiple workspaces but no icon this is not the fix for you.

Install compiz:

terminal:~$ sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

In the Unity Launcher search for compiz and launch the manager application.

Under 'Category' click 'General' then 'General Options' click the 'Desktop Size' tab, then move all the available sliders to '1'.

Logging out then in should remove the icon from the launcher, if not reboot.

Cribbed here.

Global Menu - Disable: How To
 NOTE: 

There are things you should do however before disabling the Global Menu Support (GMS). Most programmes will revert to individual menus however there are exceptions and if these are not sorted before you remove GMS you will be left without the buttons to close/minimise/maximise:

 Firefox:  You need to disable the add-on/extension for Global Menu Support before remove un-installing the items above.

Linux Terminal:~$ sudo apt-get remove appmenu-gtk3 appmenu-gtk appmenu-qt sudo reboot

Global Menu - LibreOffice - Enable: How To
While LibreOffice is Ubuntu's default office suite does not come with Global Menu support for Unity out of the box. To enable support open the Software Centre and search for:

lo-meunubar

Highlight the result and click 'Install'.

Lock Screen: How To
CTRL + ALT + L

Login Sound: How To Disable
Go to the system icon in the top right hand corner of the screen (the icon to the left of your username), click on it and then click on 'Startup Applications'

In the 'Startup Applications Preferences' window under 'Additional startup programs' locate 'GNOME login sound' and untick the checkbox.

12.04 - Login sound has now been removed by default.

Multiple Instances Of A Programme - View All Instances: How To
Open the Unity Launcher

Click once on the programme you want to see all instances of

Click once more, all the instance of the programme should now tile on the screen while all the other programmes minimise

NFS Automounted Home LightDM Broken Login: How To Fix
terminal:~$ sudo apt-get install gdm

Choose gdm instead of lightdm, then reboot. If it does not ask you first time (or if you want to change it back to lightdm), run

terminal:~$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure lightdm

Quicklists: An Overview
It is possible in Unity to edit the information seen when you right click on a launcher icon.

 NOTES: 

You can add whichever folder shortcuts to the launcher just ensure you follow the same formatting, i.e.

[Writer Shortcut Group] Name=Writer Exec=libreoffice -writer %U TargetEnvironment=Unity

The entries at the end of the line 'X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=' can be edited to show the shortcuts in whatever order you require; i.e. alphabetically.

The '[.... Shortcut Group]' entries do not have to match the order shown in the 'X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=' line.

After editing Quick Lists you will need to log out/restart after your final edit before the tweak will become live.

Quicklists: Google Chrome
'''Linux Termainal:~$ sudo cp /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop ~/.local/share/applications gedit ~/.local/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop

Add the following code to the end of the file:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;Incognito [NewWindow Shortcut Group] Name=Open New Window Exec=google-chrome TargetEnvironment=Unity [Incognito Shortcut Group] Name=Incognito Mode Exec=google-chrome --incognito TargetEnvironment=Unity

Save and close the file. Restart Unity

'''Linux Termainal:~$ unity --replace

Quicklists: Home Folder
Copy 'Home Folder' launcher file to your home directory:

terminal:~$ mkdir ~/.local/share/applications cp /usr/share/applications/nautilus-home.desktop ~/.local/share/applications

Open the file for editing in gedit:

terminal:~$ gedit ~/.local/share/applications/nautilus-home.desktop

In the existing text find and delete the following line: OnlyShowIn=GNOME;

At the bottom of the existing text add the following, then close and save:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Videos;Documents;Music;Pictures;Downloads [Videos Shortcut Group] Name=Videos Exec=nautilus Videos TargetEnvironment=Unity [Documents Shortcut Group] Name=Documents Exec=nautilus Documents TargetEnvironment=Unity [Music Shortcut Group] Name=Music Exec=nautilus Music TargetEnvironment=Unity [Pictures Shortcut Group] Name=Pictures Exec=nautilus Pictures TargetEnvironment=Unity [Downloads Shortcut Group] Name=Downloads Exec=nautilus Downloads TargetEnvironment=Unity

Log out and log in again to see the changes.

You can add whichever folder shortcuts to the launcher just ensure you follow the same formatting.

 NOTE:  The items at the end of the line 'X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=' can be edited to show the shortcuts in whatever order you require; i.e. alphabetically. The '[.... Shortcut Group]' do not have to match the order shown in the 'X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=' line.

Quicklists: LibreOffice
Copy 'LibreOffice' launcher file to your home directory:

cp /usr/share/applications/libreoffice-startcenter.desktop ~/.local/share/applications

Open the file in gedit:

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/libreoffice-startcenter.desktop

Lastly add the following to the file:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Writer;Impress;Calc;Math;Draw [Writer Shortcut Group] Name=Writer Exec=libreoffice -writer %U TargetEnvironment=Unity [Impress Shortcut Group] Name=Impress Exec=libreoffice -impress %U TargetEnvironment=Unity [Calc Shortcut Group] Name=Calc Exec=libreoffice -calc %U TargetEnvironment=Unity [Math Shortcut Group] Name=Math Exec=libreoffice -math %U TargetEnvironment=Unity [Draw Shortcut Group] Name=Draw Exec=libreoffice -draw %U TargetEnvironment=Unity

Quicklists: Mozilla Firefox
Copy the 'Firefox' launcher to your home directory:

cp /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop ~/.local/share/applications

Open the copied file in gedit:

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/firefox.desktop

Locate and edit the following line:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;

Change it to read:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;SafeMode;ProfileManager;

Add the following to the bottom of the document:

[SafeMode Shortcut Group] Name=Open Firefox in safe mode Exec=firefox -safe-mode TargetEnvironment=Unity [ProfileManager Shortcut Group] Name=Firefox Profile Manager Exec=firefox -ProfileManager TargetEnvironment=Unity

To add a link to open a particular URL: [MakeTechEasier Shortcut Group] Name=Launch Indie IT Exec=firefox "indie-it.com" TargetEnvironment=Unity

Quicklists: Mozilla Thunderbird
Copy the 'Thunderbird' launcher to your home directory:

cp /usr/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop

Open the copied file in gedit:

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop

Locate and edit the following line:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Compose;Contacts

Change it to read:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Compose;AddressBook;ProfileManager;

Add the following to the bottom of the document:

[Compose Shortcut Group] Name=Compose Exec=thunderbird -compose TargetEnvironment=Unity [AddressBook Shortcut Group] Name=Address Book Exec=thunderbird -addressbook TargetEnvironment=Unity [ProfileManager Shortcut Group] Name=Profile Manager Exec=thunderbird -ProfileManager TargetEnvironment=Unity

Reset - Unity: How To
Been tweaking Unity and it has all gone horribly wrong, try the following:

Linux Terminal:~$

dconf reset -f /org/compiz/ unity --reset

Reset - Unity Launcher Icons: How To
Likewise for the Unity Launcher Icons is they have gone squiffy:

Linux Terminal:~$ unity --reset-icons &disown

Root User - Set Password & Allow Login Via LightDM: How To
Unlike many other Linux distributions Ubuntu does not by default come with a Root (super user) account.

Linux Terminal:~$ sudo -i passwd root

Follow the prompts to add the password for root.

Linux Terminal:~$ sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

Add the line:

greeter-show-manual-login = true

Save changes (CTRL+o) press enter, then exit (CTRL+x)

Close the terminal and restart system

The above information gratefully gleaned from here.

Software Sources: How To Add
Software Sources can be accessed via the launcher, the Ubuntu Software Centre or of course via the terminal.

Scrollbars - Revert To Classic Style: How To
Open Synaptic and search for:

liboverlay-scrollbar

Uninstall the above.

Startup Applications - Show Hidden: How To
'''Linux Terminal:~$ sudo sed -i "s/NoDisplay=true/NoDisplay=false/g" /etc/xdg/autostart/*.desktop

Synaptic Package Manager
By default Synaptic Package Manager is not installed, in a terminal:

terminal:~$ sudo apt-get install synaptic

HOWTO USB Drives - Disable Automounting
By default any external USB drive when plugged in will be automatically mounted, to disable this behaviour run 'dconf-editor' locate the following key:

org.gnome.desktop.media-handling

Untick the box for 'automount' and 'automount open'