Dash to Panel: A Comprehensive Overview
Dash to Panel is a versatile and highly customizable extension for the GNOME Shell, designed to enhance user experience by transforming how the desktop environment is organized and interacts with applications. It brings a new level of organization to the GNOME desktop, reminiscent of the layouts found in KDE Plasma and Windows 7 and newer.
Introduction
This extension reimagines the traditional GNOME layout by integrating application launchers and the system tray into a single, unified panel. This design eliminates the need for a separate dock, providing a streamlined method for managing running and favorite applications directly from the main screen.
Features
Dash to Panel offers a plethora of features to allow users to personalize their desktop environment:
- Customizable Appearance: Users can adjust the size, position, and color of panel elements, making the desktop uniquely theirs.
- Running Indicators: The extension offers various styles for indicators that show which applications are running, helping to quickly differentiate between focused and unfocused apps.
- Live Previews: By hovering over an app's launcher icon, users can see a live preview of the window, enhancing navigation efficiency.
- Launch by Number: Users can launch their favorite applications using keyboard shortcuts, streamlining workflow.
- Panel Intellihide: The panel can automatically hide and reveal based on user preferences, minimizing distractions.
- Additional Features: These include the ability to add a "Show Desktop" button, isolate running apps by workspaces, integrate app menus, and support for multiple monitors among others.
Installation
To install Dash to Panel, users can visit the official GNOME Extensions website. For a development version, instructions are available on the Installation wiki page.
Themes and Compatibility
While compatible with most GNOME Shell themes, Dash to Panel has optimal custom styling with themes like Ciliora Tertia, Ciliora Secunda, and Plano. It is fully functional with GNOME versions 3.18 and above, maintaining compatibility with other GNOME top bar extensions.
Contributing
The development of Dash to Panel thrives on community contributions. Potential contributors can find more information on the Contributing wiki page and help improve or add new features.
Acknowledgments
Dash to Panel is the brainchild of developers @jderose9 and @charlesg99, with contributions from many community members. The extension has benefited from insights and codes of other projects and individuals, making it a robust tool for enhancing GNOME desktops.
License
Dash to Panel is distributed under the GPL-v2 or later license, ensuring that it remains free and open for continuous development and innovation. For more details, users can refer to the COPYING document in the project's GitHub repository.
Dash to Panel transforms the GNOME Shell experience, providing users with an efficient, organized, and aesthetically pleasing desktop environment.