No option to minimize windows from the Unity panel (e.g. right-click menu)

[Carlos Solís]

When a window is opened, the only way to minimize it is to choose the window and then pressing the minimize button on it. If there are multiple windows for the same program, minimizing them all becomes a hassle, and thus I consider this to be a regression from the old GNOME interface. I would expect to have an option on the right-click menu to minimize some or all of the windows, like most docks do (Cairo, AWN, etc.)

[dwan (dwanafite)]

I agree with this. The windows behavior is not consistent, as you have to click on the "minimize" button in the global menu to make a window disappear, and on the icon in the dock to make it appear. Maybe the "minimize" button should not be in the global menu anymore? Could the dock take care of the appearing/disappearing behavior, and the golbal menu take care of (un)maximize and close ?

[Randy (rcayea)]

I agree that I, a fairly competent computer user, am finding it difficult to utilize Unity with no option to minimize windows. For example, as I use google-chrome to type this, I don't see any way to minimize the window. Unless of course, is there a way to minimize windows? thanks.

[Maxim Levitsky (maximlevitsky)]

Isn't that that difficult to make unity dash minimize the window when you click on one of windows that is not minimized?

[Dylan Weremeichik (dylan.weremeichik)]

perhaps a trigger could be written in so that when an icon on the launcher is double clicked, if the app is not already open, it would minimize it

[Dylan Weremeichik (dylan.weremeichik)]

an addendum to my previous comment, i meant to say that if the app is already open, it would be minimized by double clicking it, however if it was not yet opened, it would open it, or if it was already minimized, it would restore it.

[Marco Biscaro (marcobiscaro2112)]

For minimize all windows functionality, see bug #733349.

About minimize a specific window, I can't see a good solution for this (at least now). Since there is one icon per application, how could I minimize a specific window of that application?

[Marco Biscaro (marcobiscaro2112)]

PS: the minimize all functionality also applies if you have only one window opened (in this case, it will act as the old gnome panel).

[sab (sab-dreamflow)]

Why not use the behaviour like in gnome2 and windows (and probably many other windowmanagers);
Clicking on an inactive app, activates it, and clicking on an active app minimizes it.

[Marco Biscaro (marcobiscaro2112)]

@sab: essentially, this is what is discussed in bug #733349 (and I think this bug is a duplicate). See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ayatana-design/+bug/733349/comments/104

[Maxim Levitsky (maximlevitsky)]

@sab:

"Why not use the behaviour like in gnome2 and windows (and probably many other windowmanagers);
Clicking on an inactive app, activates it, and clicking on an active app minimizes it."

Because that has a potential of not loosing some users, and thats bad.
BTW, I finally took the advice I am constantly given every time I complain about Unity.
I switched to KDE, and boy something incredible has to happen for me to switch back.

[conorsulli (conorsulli)]

Its very annoying, clicking once should minimize open windows.. the only current use for that click is that if there is more than one window open it scales both of them..

Could we not have it that by default it minimizes instead because the amount there are actually more than one window open is very rare unless a dialog is open or perhaps gimp.

With gimp implementing a new single window UI in the works and dialog boxes becoming pinned to apps with the new slate style dialogs for Oneiric this implementation is painfully redundant. That was unless you had 2 banshee's or firefoxes open or something bizarre to that nature?

Not to mention it would make life a lot easier for utouch users trying to minimize.

[Maxim Levitsky (maximlevitsky)]

@conorsulli. Sorry for trolling again, but really you didn't understand that yet?

If this was done as you suggested, Ubuntu developers might be in deep trouble because then they might not be able to complete their annual plan of loosing a predefined amount of users, and that is a disaster. They might even be fired for that.

I know that this is trolling, but I really am frustrated user of Ubuntu that used it for 4 years, and I lost about a full-time week adopting to KDE. But now its all behind me.
I am studying now and that time is very important to me.
However the idea that I am using deprecated UI, just frustrated me too much.

[Marco Biscaro (marcobiscaro2112)]

@Maxim: if you don't have anything util to say, please, be quiet.

What you're saying makes no sense and has no reference or fundament.

The proposed solution is implemented and the merge proposal is waiting for review.

Thank you.

[David Gomes (davidgomes)]

"make unity dash minimize the window when you click on one of windows that is not minimized"

I agree with this, I'd love to see this implemented out of the box, as an option it's ok, but it's a really necessary feature.

[Glenn Chugg (glennlchugg)]

I feel the whole Right Click menu is wasted in what is COULD offer, I think it should read like this:

App Title Here <- Clicking this will restore it (same as left click).
---------
Maximize <- Change to Restore if already Maximized.
Minimize <- Hidden (or grayed out) if already Minimized.
Quit
Force Quit
---------
Keep In Launcher
Edit Launcher
---------
Apps Extra Options here
.
.
.

Force Quit is Needed, at least considered optional (once the Unity team start working on adding options that is). . . All of these things can be optional of course. :)

[muhalifsirin (alperense)]

I agree.

But here is one thing I encounter in my system with Nvidia proprietary drivers that I don't encounter other systems I use. When I click an app's icon on task panel, it will display current windows from that app. And when I click it once more, all windows will be minimized.

This sounds wonderful, but here is the catch : then all of the minimized windows are lost but the most recent one you used. They just disappear and even super+w will not bring them back.

[muhalifsirin (alperense)]

Oh, I am using 12.04 beta 2 by the way.

[jpxsat (jpxsat)]

Nothing's changed in Unity 2d @ 12.04 beta 2 . Should the second click minimize the running app already?