Gnome

From Indie IT Wiki

What Desktop Session Am I Using?

echo $DESKTOP_SESSION

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

Alt+F9 - Minimise current screen

Alt+10 - Restore/Maximise current screen

Alt+` (or Alt + the key to the left (on a UK keyboard)) of the Number 1 Key ==

This appears to work in Gnome 3 and Unity. Pretty much everyone knows the classic Alt+Tab to scroll through the list of open applications, however the Alt+` will scroll through the open windows of a particular programme, e.g. Evolution mail with an opened message and a compose window.

Gnome Terminal

Opening

You can tweak certain attributes of the Gnome Terminal when it is opened, edit the shortcut properties.

Multiple Tabs All As Current User:

gnome-terminal --tab --tab --tab

Multiple Tabs With One Tab As Root:

gnome-terminal --tab --profile=Root --tab --tab

Note: The above does not appear to work with Ubuntu.

Specific Size

gnome-terminal --geometry="175x30"

Web Site Links / URL Handler

Hold the CTRL key down when clicking a link in the Gnome Terminal.

Gnome 3 Specific

How To Disable AutoMount Of Drives

dconf-editor > org.gnome.desktop.media-handling > automount (untick)

http://askubuntu.com/questions/89244/how-to-disable-automount-in-nautiluss-preferences

Tip and Tricks and Cool Stuff

http://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:GNOME_3_Guide

https://live.gnome.org/GnomeShell/CheatSheet

http://tinyurl.com/cbmsox5

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GNOME

Shell Extensions!

http://www.fpmurphy.com/gnome-shell-extensions/

Things that don't seem to work or need fixing

  • Keyboard set it as UK
  • Turn off Accessibilty
  • Gnome Screenshot
  • Viewing graphics files in Nautilus

Themes

http://abhizweblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/gnome-3-themes-how-to-install-gnome-3.html

http://www.webupd8.org/2011/10/4-beautiful-gnome-32-compatible-gtk.html

Nice - Zukitwo - http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Zukitwo?content=140562

Keyboard set it as UK

User Menu > System Settings > Region and Language

However, it does not give me the £ pound symbol!

SOLVED

In Gnome Terminal it would not show me the £ pound symbol, but I had to update my Gentoo Locale Settings to en_GB.UTF8 and then change the Terminal Character Encoding as follows:-

Terminal > Set Character Encoding > Unicode (UTF-8)

Turn off Accessibilty

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=261291

Gnome Screenshot

emerge gnome-extra/gnome-utils

Viewing graphics files in Nautilus

Install the new Gnome 3 'Eye of Gnome' application.

emerge media-gfx/eog

System Key

System Key (Windows Key) - Switches to the overview of open windows/applications

Delete Key Functionality

In Gnome 3 the DELETE key no longer functions instead you have to use a combination of CTRL+DELETE, to restore Gnome 2 functionality open a terminal and type:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface can-change-accels true

In Nautilus select a file to delete, go to the 'Edit' menu on hover the mouse over 'Move to Wastebasket', it will still show CTRL+DELETE, press the DELETE key twice and the legend will change to 'DELETE'.

To change back the behaviour to default open a terminal and type:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface can-change-accels false

Power Off or Restart: How To

Click on the User Menu, default top right hand corner where your user name is displayed

Press and hold down the ALT key (also known as the modifier key)

The menu option 'Suspend' will change to 'Power Off' for as long as the modifier key is held down

Click on 'Power Off' then on the new dialogue window that appears select 'Cancel' 'Restart' or 'Power Off'

Google

Calendar

http://www.webupd8.org/2011/09/google-calendar-gnome-shell-integration.html

Startup Applications

gnome-session-properties

Custom Application Launcher

Graphical

emerge x11-misc/alacarte

http://blog.randell.ph/2011/08/01/how-to-create-custom-application-launchers-in-gnome-3/

Manual

You will need to be root to edit / create .desktop files - all you app launchers can be found in /usr/share/applications.

e.g.

$ cat /usr/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop 
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Mozilla Thunderbird
Comment=Mail & News Reader
Exec=/usr/bin/thunderbird %U
Icon=thunderbird-icon
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Calendar;Office;Network;Email;
MimeType=text/calendar;x-scheme-handler/mailto;