Ubuntu Karmic Koala Netbook Remix 9.10 Regression: No Add to Panel

[Dylan Taylor]

Binary package hint: gnome-panel

In Ubuntu Jaunty Jackelope 9.04, there was the right click option to add things to the gnome-panel. In Karmic Koala 9.10, this option is no longer present, however it is possible to remove things from the gnome-panel. This is a SERIOUS problem, and this problem has the potential to affect the overall experience of Ubuntu users, including myself. In my case, because I'm on a netbook, it's more difficult to precisely click things than on a full-scale desktop computer. While right clicking the icon (not sure what it's called exactly, it's the one that looks like an envelope and allows you to interact with Empathy and Evolution), I accidentally clicked the "Remove From Panel" option. Now this icon is gone, and unless I find and modify gnome-panel configuration files, which is a HUGE PAIN, there really isn't any way to get it back unless I reinstall the operating system or do remove gnome-panel, with the purge option to get rid of any configuration files, and then re-install it, hopefully with all the settings properly configured for the netbook version of Ubuntu. This really needs to be fixed.

[Dylan Taylor (dylanmtaylor)]

It is very possible that a user could click remove from panel and have no way of getting the removed item back.

[Dylan Taylor (dylanmtaylor)]

Ok... after playing around with the panel, I found a workaround, but this still needs to be fixed. Heres how to get (bad) add to panel support: First, remove the Window Picker applet (yes, you CAN get this back!), and go to the home screen using the "Go Home" button. Now, you should be able to right click the blank space and choose add to panel. Add a seperator somewhat to the right of where you think the edge of the window picker will be when you have the most icons you will have open, and then add the window picker applet all the way to the left, aligned with the go home button. You should now be able to use add to panel on the home screen. This however, is a terrible fix, and I hope Canonical fixes the problem. It would appear that even though the window picker only takes up the space of the windows that are open, even when on the home screen, when clicking on blank space, there is no add to panel icon, because gnome-panel treats that space as "part" of the window picker applet.

[Dylan Taylor (dylanmtaylor)]

The issue is more specific to the Window Picker Applet than to gnome-panel.

[Kemel Zaidan aka Legendario (kemelzaidan)]

I confirm the bug but couldn't readd window-picker-applet after removing it. It does not seem to appear in my applets list.