Top and Bottom Panels in Linux Mint 13 / Mate

Top panel won't retain apps

[dstiles]

I know there are some Mint experts here. :)

A couple of months back I installed a Top Panel on Mint Maya / Mate - my bottom bar was getting over-populated with open apps and I needed somewhere to put the apps tray itself.

I added an extra panel using right-click on the Bottom Panel and selecting New Panel, assigning this to the top of the screen. Somehow I managed to move all of the running apps such as Time/Date, Update, KAlarm, Gnome RDP, Klipper, Sound and others to the top bar, where they have stayed for the intervening months.

A couple of days ago I had cause to re-boot Mint - first time since the Top Panel.

Most, but not all, of the icons in the Top Panel tray disappeared and apps such as klipper, update and RDP appeared in the Bottom Bar tray, back at the right whence I'd moved them. About the only things that stayed at the top were Time/Date and a couple of actual Launch icons (eg caja and terminal).

Easy to reassign them: close apps in lower tray, Add to Top Panel, which as far as I recall was how I originally got them there.

No. The ones in the Top tray are now launchers, not "re-openers" (eg klipper starts a new instance instead of popping up the already-open clipboard manager). When the icon is clicked on a new instance of the app is generated AND the app's re-opener icon appears in the Bottom tray - I currently have three instances of RDP there!

Anyone have any ideas about getting the correct function for the icons back into the top tray, please? I've gone through Gnome Config, Mate Config, DConf - even installed the more or less useless gnome-tweak-tool - and spent two days "spare time" generally messing about.

A down-side of playing is: I changed the Windows Manager via KDE System Settings / Default Applications from Default KDE (Kwin) to Gnome Metacity and can't get it back - all my apps top bars are now not-quite-full-width green striped instead of the nice rounded full-width green bars I had before. When I try to change it back it says the change failed and the default KDE manager was re-applied - it lies! I can probably fix that but if anyone knows how before I get around to it, thanks!

[dstiles]

Haven't yet found the answer to the top-panel problem BUT...

I rebooted today because Firefox's tab-mix-plus refused to show me values - none of the tick-boxes showed tick/no-tick - and I thought a full reboot would fix my problem with the metacity problem (last para above).

Well, it did sort-of solve the metacity problem (though not the firefox/tab-mix problem). When the screen returned after reboot it was a bright blue instead of my orange image background. And there were no menus or panels - just the desktop! In short, no way to navigate. Scary!

Tracked down a useful site from another machine (newly-installed Mint yesterday, was Ubuntu 10.04). Ctrl-Alt-Del and logout. On being presented with the login panel select the Sessions icon on it. This gives a menu of desktops. I selected Mate (my original) and got back everything just as it used to be - except for the top panel, of course. :(

Now to solve the tab-mix problem. :(

[Leosghost]

Sorry ..I only ever use maya / mate with a bottom bar..I would suggest asking in the mint fora [forums.linuxmint.com...] ..you have a good chance that Clement might be around there, and give you the required fix faster than any user..

[dstiles]

Thanks. I've monitored various Mint (and Ubuntu) forums but nothing useful so far. A lot of the stuff I've seen on the topic applies to Cinnamon and xfre (sp?) and has no relevance to Mate. I'll try, though.

I solved the tab-mix-plus problem by installing the latest version - I had a stop-gap beta version, installed to fix an annoying problem. Strange, though: this copy of Firefox does not show tab-mix-plus in add-ons search. I had to go to the site for it.

[AmiKP]

From what I have read, you exactly face the same problem to me. Run my machine using Maya_Mate. First of all, I tried creating new panel on the top screen without deleting bottom panel but after several hours customization on that panel I take reverse steps and feel happy to use default panel on bottom. Since there are no problem yet and ended the hours session by shut-it down. Later, on next login on my computer, I realized that that my active application icons does not show up on the bottom panel either the application has been maximized or minimize.

I installed Docky panel as an option to encounter the problem. Through out Docky, I capable to view my active application's icons. It is like temporary solution but I need solid solution. I have post the prob on linux-mint google+ community but there, still no answered by the correct solution yet. I hope for any Linux-Mint member who encountered the same prob or expert person to considered and share for any solution.

[dstiles]

My requirement is actually for two panels but seems similar. I tried DockBarX but not suitable for my application.

Not sure what the "linux-mint google+ community" is but anything google I keep well away from! :)

Haven't found time to post to the linuxmint forum yet but will as soon as I can find the time.

[dstiles]

Found the time!

Of course, I reviewed the forum first, searching for suitable phrases, and found the obvious (hadn't found this via SE searches):

Go to the bottom bar and right-click on the tray (sub-panel) marker - the tray that actually holds the update, klipper etc icons. Unlock this tray. Right-click again and select Move, then drag the tray to the top bar. Lock the tray in its new position.

I now have two trays at top-right but that's not a bad thing at this point - one contains open apps, the other launchers. Ok, I have two sound icons with different displays (one has a Mute option) but again not a real problem.

Whether this is permanent or not I won't know until the next reboot - could be weeks or even months with linux! :)

[Leosghost]

Told ya :)..Go to the mint forums ..and read ..or post..



G+ forums ( on any subject )! ..

Why talk to the monkeys ..when you can talk to the organ grinder..

You have a problem with anything, software, OS etc ..you ask in the "original" forums/fora..not the facebook, twitter, G+, middlemen ( can we monetise your problem ) crap..*

*yes dichotomy ..but BIM ..here ( WebmasterWorld ) is a real "community"..not some search engine , marketroids ersatz lie of a hyped community..

[AmiKP]

Thanks ya..it really work.Now, I can see the icons appears as usual even after I restart the computer session. I will put the Linux-community and forum as my first choice for reference better than quick search via SE. Give me everything info(s) since the journey to the open source GNU as a new user and yes I am.

[dstiles]

Leosghost - yes, well. there are so many online forums for Mint, never nind linux in general, I was still trying to work out which one is best. :(

Many thanks for your input on this.