Gnome

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Introduction

This page stores useful information related to the Gnome desktop environment for Linux.

Configuration

  • Check the nice utility GNOME Configuration Editor (eg. gconf-editor /apps/gnome-terminal )
  • Editing a file Open With list in Nautilus: right click on file → properties → go to Open With panel. Add new applications and/or select default application.

Show Home Icons (and others) on Desktop

This tip can be used to show miscellaneous icons on the desktop:

  • Open gconf-editor → apps → nautilus → check the appropriate boxes.

Configuring the Window List Panel

To configure the Window List Panel, one must right-click on the bottom left corner, right in the space that separates the Show Desktop button and the first window button. Interesting options are:

  • Window List Content → Show windows from all workspace
  • Restoring Minimized Windows → Restore to native workspace

An alternate solution is to use the GNOME Configuration Editor (gconf-editor) in folder /apps/panel/applets/window_list_screen0/prefs/display_all_workspaces

Editing preferences of root

  • To edit Appearance Preferences: gksudo gnome-appearance-properties

Desktop Theme

Apple OS X Tiger-like theme

Startup programs

  • To edit startup programs in Gnome, go to menu SystemSystemSessionsStartup programs.
  • One can also create a script to wait a certain amount of time before launching the program (script command sleep).
  • Startup programs are also listed in user home, in folder ~/.config/autostart. A typical entry looks like this:
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=1.0
Name=No Name
Name[en_US]=Firefox
Comment[en_US]=Web Browser Firefox
Comment=Web Browser Firefox
Exec=firefox-2
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

Change the last line to false to disable an autostart entry, or even override an system-wide auto-start entry.

Applications

Gnome DO

 sudo ln -s /opt/kde3/share/applications/kde /usr/share/applications/kde
  • My default configuration:
    • Start Gnome DO at login
    • Hide window on first launch (quiet mode)
    • Show notification icon
    • Launch key: <alt>+space
      But 1st disable Gnome shortcut for Activate the window menu (System → Preferences → Keyboard shortcut - restart Gnome DO afterwards for change to take effect)

Gnome Terminal

  • Changing default window size (system-wide)
 sudo gedit /usr/share/vte/termcap/xterm
A few lines from the top, edit :co to change the default width, and :li to change the default height.
:co#80:it#8:li#24:\
  • Changing default window size (Panel launcher)
    • Right-click on launcher, Properties, change command to gnome-terminal --geometry=150x50+100+100.
  • Changing default window size (Application Menu)
    • Same as above, but need to edit Application Menu (use Main Menu - System View).
  • Changing default window size (Terminal preferred application)
    • Open GNOME Configuration Editor. Go to desktop/gnome/applications/terminal, edit value exec-args=-x --geometry=150x50+100+100.
    • This is same as changing the settings in System → Preferred Applications → Terminal.
  • Q? Is there any use to change the file /usr/share/applications/gnome-terminal.desktop? I hoped that it would change the default settings in Gnome DO, but it doesn't :-(...

Nautilus

  • To change icon size:
    • Change the zoom level (in the preference window, or in the toolbar)
    • Or right click on an icon, select Stretch icon, and drag icon corner to desired size ([1]).
  • To prevent Nautilus to draw the desktop, use Configuration Editor [2]:
gconftool -t bool /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_desktop -s false