unable to remove the "Apps Available for Download" section from Applications Lens

[Thor Arne Kolberg]

Binary package hint: unity

I am unable to remove the "Apps Available for Download" section. The section is really annoying for normal use. We don't have to know why we can download some random games every time we want to start an application. Also, it makes my netbook PC much slower than with Lucid Lynx.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.12-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-9.43-generic 2.6.38.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-9-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Architecture: i386
CompizPlugins: [core,bailer,detection,composite,opengl,compiztoolbox,decor,imgpng,mousepoll,vpswitch,resize,gnomecompat,snap,move,regex,wall,animation,unitymtgrabhandles,expo,place,grid,workarounds,session,ezoom,staticswitcher,fade,scale,unityshell]
CompositorRunning: compiz
DRM.card0.LVDS.1:
 status: connected
 enabled: enabled
 dpms: On
 modes: 1024x600
 edid-base64: AP///////wAiZOkD+EYAACIUAQOAFg14CoyFl1tTjicYUFQAAAABAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBAQEBLBUAMEFYUCBdI5UI3n0AAAAZAAAA/gAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/ABIU0QxMDFQRlcyCiAgAAAAEAAKICAgICAgICAgICAgAKc=
DRM.card0.VGA.1:
 status: disconnected
 enabled: disabled
 dpms: Off
 modes:
 edid-base64:
Date: Thu May 19 13:15:53 2011
DistUpgraded: Log time: 2011-04-30 12:11:19.040433
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 2.6.35-29-generic, i686: installed
 bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 2.6.38-8-generic, i686: installed
 bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 2.6.38-9-generic, i686: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Intel Corporation N10 Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:a011] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:148a]
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company Device [103c:148a]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Netbook 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu-Netbook 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu-Netbook 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
MachineType: Hewlett-Packard HP Mini 110-3100
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=nb_NO:en
 LANG=nb_NO.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-9-generic root=UUID=880ecf84-6374-47e6-a5df-527d6cefd903 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-9.43-generic 2.6.38.4
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-9.43-generic 2.6.38.4
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-04-30 (18 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/17/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.bios.version: F.13
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: 148A
dmi.board.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.board.version: 79.49
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Chassis Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHewlett-Packard:bvrF.13:bd08/17/2010:svnHewlett-Packard:pnHPMini110-3100:pvr058F110000202B00000300100:rvnHewlett-Packard:rn148A:rvr79.49:cvnHewlett-Packard:ct10:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: HP Mini 110-3100
dmi.product.version: 058F110000202B00000300100
dmi.sys.vendor: Hewlett-Packard
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

[Harry van Haaren (harryhaaren)]

Could you provide a screenshot of where that "Apps available for download" thing appears? I checked the global menu, but it doesn't appear there for me.. (Unity 3.8.10). Marking as opinion

[Thor Arne Kolberg (tagreblok)]

Sorry no, because Ubuntu wont let me make a screenshot while in the global menu. :P
But press the magnifying glass with a + sign in the standard Unity menu that says "Programs" (at least in my Norwergian version).

[Marco Biscaro (marcobiscaro2112)]

This is a valid issue. There is another discussion here in launchpad about the search results in "Available for Download" section (like PornView being shown when you search by 'movie').

Marking as need-design, but I think that a checkbox in ccsm to disable this feature will be welcome.

[Jeroen (08gr10)]

Totally agree, the "apps available for download" addition to the Applications section is highly annoying. At least make it an option somewhere in System Settings to hide this.

[EddyGz (eddy-goedzak)]

The inflexibility of the dash is a big problem for me. Are there alternates?

[LostOverThere (lostoverthere)]

This is definitely a huge issue and one that needs addressing for 12.04. The Apps available for Download make the Dash look very unprofessional and visually cluttered.

Likewise, the "Frequently Used Apps" list in the Dash is useless too, as these applications almost always just mimic those seen in the launcher.

There should be an option to disable Frequently Used Apps and Apps Available for Download in ccsm.

[Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen (kamstrup)]

If anyone is willing to put in the work I'll gladly accept a patch to lp:unity-lens-applications that uses GSettings to enable/disable searching in Most Used and/or Apps Available for Download.

Ping me on IRC , kamstrup, on the #ayatana channel on FreeNode if you need help.

[Mister Hat (misterhat)]

This shouldn't even be here in the first place.

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

I've just linked to https://code.launchpad.net/~ockham-razor/unity-lens-applications/lp785101 -- that branch introduces two gsettings options, hide-available-apps and hide-most-used-apps.
There's one big caveat, however: as I'm running natty, I could only build it, but not run or test it. So if you adventurous enough, feel free to try it out under oneiric or precise -- build and install it, and in a terminal, run

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.ApplicationsLens hide-available-apps true

or

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.ApplicationsLens hide-most-used-apps true

respectively.

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

If you're trying out my unity-lens-applications branch (seet comment #10), you'll probably also need my unity branch which I just linked to this bug report.

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

I've changed the options wording, so now it is

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.ApplicationsLens display-available-apps false

or

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.ApplicationsLens display-most-used-apps false

[Mikkel Kamstrup Erlandsen (kamstrup)]

Moving the gsettings schemas into lp:unity-lens-applications to make things a bit cleaner for Bernhard - see https://bugs.launchpad.net/unity-lens-applications/+bug/890660

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

Thx Mikkel. I'm now using that branch to include my gsettings options, so my unity branch is no longer needed and has been removed.

[dan the person (dantheperson)]

This completely destroys the usability of unity. I'm dropping back to classic gnome shell until there is a sane application launcher. Unity otherwise looks very promising

[Owais Lone (loneowais)]

I'm using unity from ppa:unity-team/staging

I disabled the options in dconf-editor but application lens still shows both the sections.

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

Are you also using unity-lens-applications from that PPA?

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

Hm, I just noticed ppa:unity-team/staging has the 0.4 series of unity-lens-applications. My fix is in the 0.5 series which is going to be in Ubuntu 12.04 (precise), but apparently not being backported to 11.10 (oneiric).

[Owais Lone (loneowais)]

Hi, I installed yesterday's updates from the ppa and it seems to work now. Awesome! Finally got rid of the two unused sections.

Wouldn't it make sense to have the applications lens expanded by default when the 'downlaods' and 'frequestly used' are disabled?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package unity - 5.0.0-0ubuntu1

---------------
unity (5.0.0-0ubuntu1) precise; urgency=low

  [ Didier Roche ]
  * New upstream release.
    - compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in __dynamic_cast() (LP: #853038)
    - unity-panel-service crashed with SIGSEGV in panel_service_show_entry()
      (LP: #861144)
    - unity-panel-service crashed with SIGSEGV in
      panel_indicator_entry_accessible_get_n_children() (LP: #869816)
    - Launcher - Launcher icon for Dash does not highlight when the Alt+F1 key
      shortcut is pressed (LP: #849561)
    - compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in unity::PanelTray::FilterTrayCallback()
      (LP: #868868)
    - [regression] Compiz: Visible tearing is worse in 11.10 than 11.04, even
      when "Sync To VBlank" is enabled, but only when Unity is active.
      (LP: #880707)
    - [regression] All apps have a lower frame rate under Unity. (LP: #861061)
    - compiz crashed with SIGSEGV in
      nux::Property<nux::color::Color>::operator=() from
      unity::switcher::SwitcherController::OnBackgroundUpdate() (LP: #887465)
    - DashSearchBarSpinner.cpp:56: Conditional jump or move depends on
      uninitialised value(s) (LP: #901610)
    - quicklist shows in incorrect position when launched from workspace
      switcher (LP: #914251)
    - Build "show me the desktop" mini-app that adds a show desktop button to
      Launcher (LP: #681348)
    - Select quicklist items with just one right click (LP: #688830)
    - cannot change volume by scrolling on the icon when the SoundMenu is
      opened (LP: #722082)
    - [a11y] Unity launcher buttons are not Actionable (LP: #772573)
    - Ubuntu Start launcher item doesn't start dash with keyboard navigation
      (LP: #825037)
    - multimonitor , window management - Multi-Monitor Maximized Difficulty
      (LP: #843958)
    - [regression] Drag and drop inside dash is very slow with Active Blur
      activated (LP: #851172)
    - Activating an alt-tab icon that holds initially unminimized windows
      should unminimize all windows (LP: #854595)
    - Dash - The Dash category headers are positioned incorrectly
      (LP: #839467)
    - Missing global menu with a semi-maximized window dragged to the right.
      (LP: #861279)
    - Launcher - Dragging and dropping a running application in to the Trash
      should quit the application and (if the app is pinned to the Launcher)
      un-pin the application from the Launcher (LP: #870143)
    - top bar, integrated menu - when a application is first launched, the
      integrated menu should be displayed for 2 seconds before fading out of
      view (LP: #874254)
    - Window control buttons are not shown when an indicator is opened and the
      pointer is over the top-left corner (LP: #890970)
    - Quicklist item using some special chars doesn't show at all
      (LP: #899677)
    - PanelView.cpp:370: Conditional jump or move depends on uninitialised
      value(s) (LP: #901602)
    - unityshell.cpp:1982,1984: Conditional jump or move depends on
      uninitialised value(s) (LP: #901603)
    - Dash Search spinner sometimes doesn't spin at all (LP: #903090)
    - Point of tooltip is misaligned to focused ap...

[MM (mmme)]

I'm running 12.04 LTS if this has been changed, then how do I remove this? I don't see any place in the System Settings or Unity to make a change?

THANKS

[Bernhard Reiter (ockham-razor)]

For step-by-step instructions, see
 http://askubuntu.com/questions/37747/how-to-remove-apps-available-for-download-from-the-applications-lens/100396#100396