Ditch AWN and dock with GNOME Do + Docky

By
Marcel Manning
Published: February 5, 2009Posted in: UbuntuTags:

Docky is a frontend for GNOME Do similar to Avant Window Navigator (AWN) that adjusts to your usage patterns. Your most frequently used programs will show up on Docky for easy mouse access. When you summon GNOME Do using <super>+space, Docky will change into the familiar GNOME Do interface. For more information on Docky, check out the GNOME Do Wiki. So let’s get on with it and install GNOME Do and start using Docky!

Docky Clock Docky Bar Docky Calendar Docky Trash

Installation Procedures for Ubuntu Intrepid:

  1. If you have Avant Window Navigator installed you may want to install it, or disable it from starting at boot, to uninstall it do the following: sudo apt-get remove avant-window-navigator*
  2. Optional: If you want to use GNOME Do without Compiz then you can install Xcompmgr, a simple composite window manager. This works well if you have an ATI video card and are experiencing Compiz related video playback issues.sudo apt-get install xcompmgr
  3. Add the software repositories for GNOME Dosudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/do-core/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list'sudo sh -c 'echo "deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/do-core/ppa/ubuntu intrepid main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list'
  4. Install the key for the repository (optional but recommended)gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /tmp/gnome-do.keyring --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv A5D19FDCAA6ABB440CD3464628A8205077558DD0gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /tmp/gnome-do.keyring --export --armor A5D19FDCAA6ABB440CD3464628A8205077558DD0 | sudo apt-key add -rm /tmp/gnome-do.keyring
  5. Update and install GNOME Dosudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude install gnome-do gnome-do-plugins
  6. Open up gnome do, by going to Applications → Accessories → GNOME Do. When GNOME Do launches, click the drop down arrow in the top right hand corner and select Preferences. Open up the appearance tab and change change the Theme to ‘Docky’

Additional instructions for Xcompmgr

  • If you are using Xcompmgr instead of Compiz you must enable Xcompmgr during statup, you can do this by adding it the Startup Programs in the Sessions window. If you are not sure on how to do this follow the instructions below substituting the gnome-do command with xcompmgr.

Add GNOME Do as a Startup Program

  1. Go to System → Preferences → Sessions
  2. Select Add on the Statup Programs tab.
  3. Search through the list and ensure that it is not already in there. If not continue, otherwise you are done!
  4. Enter a Name such as GNOME Do, for the command enter gnome-do, and optionally enter a relevant comment.
  5. Optionally reboot to ensure everything is working as expected.

Hints:

  • Adjust the size of Docky by holding your mouse over the center divider until the double headed arrow appears and click and drag to resize.
  • Right click the purple gear icon to enable some additional features for Docky, such as ‘Advanced Indicators’ also known as Advanced Window Indicators. These are the little dots under the window icons on Docky, the Advanced Indicators will tell you how many windows of the same application you have open (one or two dots). Unfortunately when you open three or more windows of the same application Docky’s Advanced Indicator will remain at two dots.
  • Right-click any application icon with more then one window open and Docky will give you a context menu with a list of the windows along with the normal extra options
  • Right-click any icon to get a context menu with extra options.

Gripes:

  • Why is there not a context menu for the Trash Bin, allowing you to empty the Trash? This has been added in Gnome-Do version 0.8.1.
  • When you left-click an application with multiple windows open all windows are Maximized or Minimized, why not show a context menu displaying the different windows that are available?

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