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Menu edit & main menu, Ubuntu 11.04

Asked by Ric Erickson

6 oct 2011 -

Long-time Mac user, using Ubuntu 11.04 for first time, on a netbook. Unity desktop system accessories include a Menu Editor and a Main Menu, but I assume these are for a Gnome desktop rather than Unity. Or, is there some way within Unity to turn on Main Menu? For ease of use instead of Dash.

I have selected English as the system language but it has to cohabit with netbook's AZERTY keyboard, for French. Both of these are selected through preferences, but the keyboard defaults to QWERTY on shut down and start up. How to fix these system items?

bestregards, rico

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

Unity is only a shell, Gnome desktop is running when you use Unity. You should be able to use alacarte to edit the items.

There is a regional settings which can be used to switch between the layouts. You can also add a panel item to switch easily between the layouts too.

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Ric Erickson (radiorico) said : 		#2

Reverse to one issue at a time - this Main Menu business. In system settings there is a Main Menu and somewhere else there is a Menu Editor. Fine. I found both of these. I edited the 'Main Menu.'

However if I 'right-click' near the top of the screen, there is a sort of menubar, but 'right-click' produces nothing. No response.

There are supposed to be 'panels.' If I have a 'panel,' it is the left-side 'launcher?' However I have no 'panel' on bottom, none at top, no other 'panel.' Or is the top menubar a 'panel?'

It seems to me that common system, UI, items have multiple names - the system uses one name, the documentation has another - like 'alacarte' in documentation, but 'Menu Editor' on the system. The text editor app is not called 'Gedit' but simply 'text-editor.'

Is the left-side 'Launcher' a 'panel?' Is it in fact the 'Main Menu?' Or is the 'Main Menu' accessed only through system settings?
As far as I can tell, there is no menu or panel containing the same items as the Main Menu in the UI. I would like to turn it on.

Puzzled, rico. PS - thanks for the swift initial replies actionparsnip and marcobra

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Best Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#3

> Unity desktop system accessories include a Menu Editor and a Main Menu, but I assume these are for a Gnome desktop rather than Unity. <

Correct.
Gnome-classic
- still available with Natty 11.04 uses menu-editor (alacarte) because it has 'classic' menus
- aka gnome-session-fallback with Oneiric 11.10
http://www.ubuntu-corner.com/2011/09/classic-gnome-desktop-in-ubuntu-11-10/

Unity terminology.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/10228/whats-the-right-terminology-for-unitys-ui-elements/19166#19166
https://help.ubuntu.com/11.04/ubuntu-help/index.html

> sort of menubar, but 'right-click' produces nothing

They're 'indicators' e.g.
indicator-session
indicator-sound
indicator-datetime
http://askubuntu.com/questions/30334/list-of-application-indicators

Background.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Ayatana
http://askubuntu.com/tags/ayatana/hot

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Ric Erickson (radiorico) said : 		#4

Ola Sam & and-sam -

--Right you are, no MainMenu for Natty. But some kind of 'launchbar' a la Unity coming in Gnome 3.

--Found "ClassicMenu Indicator" hack and installed it. Puts a Ubuntu icon in the menubar, to the left of the other indicators, from which classic menus descend. Will try it.

--Unity terminology, even official, is confusing to me, a newbie - but with 20-year-old experience with HyperCard. There's nothing wrong with using standard terminology with Linux. Unity has a launch dock, filled with shortcut app and file icons.

--Some problems I have may be due to the small size of my netbook screen. Some of the bottom items of Dash windows may be invisible.

--Thanks for the speedy reply.

Revision history for this message
Sam_ (and-sam) said : 		#5

> small size of my netbook screen

Known issue which is still under review, in case add your comment to linked bug report.