Ubuntu: Unity Hints Tweaks and Tips

In terminal examples anything shown in bold is a comment and is not to be run, e.g:

sudo apt-get install fish # Then scratch your ear

So in the above # Then scratch your ear is not to be run in the 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In Unbuntu Unity editions the 'gconf-editor' has been replaced by the 'dconf-editor', a small difference but a frustrating one the first time you want to tweak the system.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.

LINK FOR ITEMS TO BE ADDED TO WIKI

http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2014/11/speed-up-unity-dash-response-ubuntu/

http://www.noobslab.com/2014/04/thingstweaks-to-do-after-install-of.html - one click minimize

HOWTO: DISABLE:

Overlay Scrollbars and Revert To Classic Style

sudo apt-get remove overlay-scrollbar

Autorun Media

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'

Keyboard Applet

System Settings -> Text Entry, uncheck "Show current input source in the menu bar".

Also while on this screen if desired you can remove any extraneous keyboard modes.

Global Menu

All Settings >> Appearance >> Behaviour (tab) >> Show the menu for a window >> Select 'In the window's title bar'

Login Sound

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.

USB Drives from 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'

HOWTO: ENABLE:

Root User and Set Password

Unlike many other Linux distributions Ubuntu does not by default come with a Root (super user) account.

sudo -i
passwd root

Follow the prompts to add the password for root.

Lightdm To Allow Manual Logins

sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

[SeatDefaults]
greeter-show-manual-login=true
greeter-hide-users=true

Save (CTRL+o) and exit (CTRL+x)

Close the terminal and restart system

Thanks to Tejas Barot.

HOWTO: RESET:

Unity

Been tweaking Unity and it has all gone horribly wrong, try the following:

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

Unity Launcher Icons

Likewise for the Unity Launcher Icons is they have gone squiffy:

unity --reset-icons &disown

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

HOWTO: SHOW:

Hidden Startup Applications

sudo sed -i "s/NoDisplay=true/NoDisplay=false/g" /etc/xdg/autostart/*.desktop

HOWTO: Multiple Monitors

Move An Open Window Between Monitors [1]

HOWTO: FIX:

Time Indicator Failing to Display

sudo apt-get install indicator-datetime
sudo dpkg-reconfigure --frontend noninteractive tzdata
sudo killall unity-panel-service

HOWTO: INSTALL:

DConf-Editor

The dconf-editor is an essential tool for configuring Ubuntu, however it does not come installed by default.

sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

After installation run from the launcher:

dconf-editor

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'.

HOWTO: Lock Screen (Up to 13.10)

CTRL + ALT + L

HOWTO: Lock Screen (From 14.04)

Super (Windows key) + L

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

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

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:

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

Open the file for editing in gedit:

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