Unity Ubuntu Tune Ups

Most of the following is best done as root, so you will want to login to a root desktop.

• Your /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf file needs to look something like ...

  [SeatDefaults]
  greeter-session=unity-greeter
  user-session=ubuntu
  greeter-hide-users=true
  greeter-show-manual-login=true
  allow-guest=false
  

  Some systems can use this and have a GUI for updates: apt install slick-greeter
  apt install lightdm-settings 'apt install| yum install' slick-greeter lightdm-settings

  Debian (even with install 3rd party checked) doesn't give wireless drivers: apt-get install bcmwl-kernel-source

• There are several interfaces that can be used to manage UNITY aka UbuntuDesktop
  • http://unity.ubuntu.com/
    
  • Ubuntu-Tweak ubuntu-tweak.com/
  • MyUnity myunity
  • Compiz wiki.compiz.org/CCSM
  • Unity Custom Guide
  
   
  
• Change Unity Launcher Size for 2D
  • cd /usr/share/unity-2d/shell
    1. cp -p Shell.qml Shell.qml.0
    2. vi Shell.qml
       Search for: width: 65
       Change the 65 to 50
    
    
  • cd /usr/share/unity-2d/shell/common
    1. cp -p IconTile.qml IconTile.qml.0
    2. vi IconTile.qml
       Search for: sourceSize.width: 48
       Change the 48 to 32
       Search for: sourceSize.height: 48
       Change the 48 to 32
    
    
  • cd /usr/share/unity-2d/shell/launcher
    1. cp -p LauncherList.qml LauncherList.qml0
    2. vi LauncherList.qml
       Search for: property int tileSize: 54
       Change the 54 to 38
       Search for: property int selectionOutlineSize: 65
       Change the 65 to 50
    
    
  • Logout; Login;
  
  
• Enable Multi-Workspaces (13.04)
  • Get Appearance via Dashboard
  • Select Behavior Tab
  • Click Enable Workspaces checkbox
  
  
• Alternative Bottom Tool Bar with minimized window buttons
  • apt-get install xfce4-panel
    • Provides a bottom bar to see minimized windows
    • Alternative access to applications menu
    • Alternative access to workspace windows
    • This should be added to the set of start up applications
      • /usr/bin/gnome-session-properties
  • apt-get install xfce4-goodies
    • Right button to add ...
      • Workplace Switcher
      • Applications Menu
      • Windows Buttons
      ... to the panel
  • Add this to the startup app set so it appears when you login.
    • Go to the Dashboard and enter Startup
    • Click the Startup Applications icon
    • Click the [Add] button
      Full path is: /usr/bin/xfce4-panel
  
  
• Download and install ubuntu-tweeks
  • Ubuntu-Tweak
  • May require other packages to installation
  • Icons in launcher bar can be resized (w/ compatible video)
  • Test things out with tweak running.
  
  
• Remove global file bar - Restore file bar to each app window
  • The following will work for 12.04, 12.10 & 13.04
  • Might also need to: apt-get autoremove appmenu-gtk3 appmenu-gtk appmenu-qt firefox-globalmenu indicator-appmenu
  • To undo this apt-get install <package's removed>
  
  
• Remove global file bar from Firefox and Chromium
  • Type about:config in the Firefox search bar to enter settings
  • Search for ui.use_unity_menubar
  • Click or Dbl-Click to set this item to "false"
  
  
• Set window bar buttons to left or right
  • /usr/bin/gconf-editor
    • apps > metacity > general
      • Look for “button_layout”
      • Look for “:” This controls which side the buttons are on.
        • Left  menu,close,maximize,minimize:
        • Right :menu,close,maximize,minimize
  
  
• Open a window in center of screen
  • /usr/bin/ccsm
    apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
    • Select Window Management from left side.
      • Click PlaceWindows on right side.
        • Change Placement Mode to Centered.
        • Click [Back] button on left.
        • Click [Close] button on left.
  
  
• Unhide the scrollbars
  • echo "export LIBOVERLAY_SCROLLBAR=0" > /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80overlayscrollbars
  
  
• Add System Monitor to the panel

  Install

  1. add-apt-repository ppa:indicator-multiload/stable-daily
  2. apt-get update
  3. apt-get install indicator-multiload

  Start

  1. Go to Dashboard
  2. Search for indicator-multiload
  3. Double click icon

  Configure

  1. When it appears on top panel
  2. Right Button
  3. Click Preferences

  • Customize!

  The graphs are Processor, Memory, Network, Swap Space, Load, HDD
  

  
  
• Remove dots from grid
  • su - lightdm
  • gsettings set com.canonical.unity-greeter draw-grid false
  • ctrl d
  
  
• Change Greeter Background Image
  • su - lightdm
  • gsettings set com.canonical.unity-greeter draw-user-backgrounds 'false'
  • gsettings set com.canonical.unity-greeter background 'file:///root/Pictures/<image name>'
  • ctrl d
  
  
• Hot-Keys
  • [Flag Key] keyboard short-cut cheat sheet
  • [alt][tab] App changer
  
  
• Create a Launcher
  • /usr/bin/gnome-desktop-item-edit --create-new /root
    Might need to apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-panel to find that.
  
  
• Search don't Navigate to objects (apps, menue's, dirs, etc.)
  • Right button the top icon on the Launcher (Ubuntu logo)
  • Select Dash Home aka Dashboard
  • Type the app name you are looking for.
  • Click it when it appears in the lower portion of window.
  • Can't find it and want to Navigate …
    • That is why we installed XFCE4.
      • Go to the Applications Menu on the bottom panel.
        This is a classic navigation interface.
  
  
• Create a Desktop Icon
  • Go to the Dashboard
  • Find an application
  • Drag it to your desktop
  • Make sure it is executable
    • chmod u+x ~Desktop/<app name>
  
  
• Add App to Launcher
  • Start an app and it will appear on the launcher
  • Right button the app icon and select Lock to Launcher
  • To change the app icon location.
    • Grab with the mouse
    • Drag to new location
  
  
• Remove App from Launcher
  • Right button icon on launcher
  • Select Unlock from Launcher
  
  
• If you just can't stand UNITY there are several other desktops you can install and then select them as you login from lightdm.
  • Cinnamon           apt-get install cinnamon
    http://cinnamon.linuxmint.com/
  • GNOME Classic   apt-get install gnome-panel
  • GNOME 3            apt-get install gnome-shell
  • XFCE4                  apt-get install xfce4 xfwm4 sfwm4-themes
    You really only need xfce4 xfwv4 and sfwm4 add useful objects.
  • Remove Unity and add Gnome
  Exporting a calendar under Thunderbird and Lightning
  1. Open the Thunderbird instance.
  2. Click Events and Tasks.
  3. Use the Export command to open a selection dialog.
  4. Select the calendar you want to export and click OK.
  5. Specify the file name of the exported calendar, where the exported calendar will be stored.