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Working With Menus

This chapter describes how to use menus in the GNOME Desktop.

I.5.1. Introduction to Menus

You can access all GNOME Desktop functions through menus. The panels contains menus, so you can use a combination of menus and panels to perform your tasks. You can perform various actions on your menus, such as copy menu items to panels.

You can access the following menus in the GNOME Desktop:

  • Main Menu: You can access the items in the Applications menu from the Main Menu. You can have many Main Menu buttons in your panels. You can also access the items in the Actions menu from the Main Menu. The items in the Actions menu are at the top level of the Main Menu.
  • Menu Bar: You can access the items in the Applications and Actions menus from Menu Bar. You can have many Menu Bar applets in your panels.
  • Applications menu: You can access many of your applications, commands, and configuration options from the Applications menu. You can also access the GNOME Desktop preference tools from the Applications menu.
  • Actions menu: You can access commands that enable you to perform various tasks from the Actions menu. For example, you can start the Search Tool application, or log out of the GNOME Desktop.

You can also right-click on the desktop to open the Desktop menu. The Desktop menu enables you to perform desktop-related tasks.

All of these menus provide you with multiple ways to perform your tasks, and enable you to work in the way that you prefer.

I.5.2. Menu Features

Menus can contain the following items:

  • Submenus
  • Launchers or menu items

An arrow to the right of an item in a menu indicates that the item is a submenu. When you point to the submenu, the submenu opens. You can choose items from the submenu.

When you choose a launcher, the launcher starts an application or runs a command. You can also right-click on a launcher to open a popup menu. The popup menu enables you to add the item to a panel, and perform other tasks. For more information on the popup menu, see the next section.

You can change the theme for your session to change how all your menus look. To change the theme, use the Theme preference tool.

I.5.2.1. Menu Item Popup Menu

Items in menus have an associated popup menu that enables you to perform tasks related to the item. When you right-click on an item in a menu, the popup menu for the item opens. The popup menu also contains a submenu that allows you to perform menu-related tasks.

You can use the menu item popup menu to perform the following tasks:

  • Add menu items as launchers to panels.
  • Remove items from menus.
  • Open the Run Application dialog with the menu item command in the dialog.
  • Add menus to panels. You can add a menu as a menu object or as a drawer object.
  • Add new items to menus.
  • Change the properties of submenus and menu items.

Table I.5-1 describes menu item popup menus.

Table I.5-1 Menu Item Popup Menus
Item Description
Add this launcher to panel Adds the launcher to the panel from which you open the menu.
Remove this item Removes the launcher from the menu.
Put into run dialog Displays the Run Application dialog with the command from the Command field of the launcher in the command field on the Run Application dialog.
Properties Displays a dialog that enables you to edit the properties of the launcher.
Entire menu ▸ Add this as drawer to panel Adds the submenu as a drawer to the panel from which you open the menu.
Entire menu ▸ Add this as menu to panel Adds the submenu as a menu object to the panel from which you open the menu.
Entire menu ▸ Add new item to this menu Enables you to add an item to the submenu.
Entire menu ▸ Properties Displays a dialog that enables you to edit the properties of the submenu.

I.5.3. Applications Menu

The Applications menu contains a hierarchy of submenus, from which you can start the standard GNOME applications and preference tools. The Applications menu contains the Desktop Preferences menu. You can use the Desktop Preferences menu to start the GNOME Desktop preference tools. The Applications menu also includes the file manager and the help browser.

The Applications menu resides in the following places:

  • Main Menu
  • Menu Bar
  • Start Here location in the file manager

I.5.4. Actions Menu

The Actions menu contains commands that enable you to perform various tasks in the GNOME Desktop. Table I.5-2 describes the commands in the Actions menu.

Table I.5-2 Actions Menu Commands
Menu Item Function
Run Application Opens the Run Application dialog. Use the Run Application dialog to run commands. For more information, see Section I.5.4.1 ― Using the Run Application Dialog.
Search for Files Starts the Search Tool application. For more information, see the Search Tool manual.
Recent Documents Displays a submenu of the last ten files which you saved.
Take Screenshot Takes a screenshot of the screen, and opens the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
Lock Screen Lock Screen locks your screen.
Log Out username Logs you out of the current session.

The Actions menu resides in the following places:

  • Main Menu. The items in the Actions menu are at the top level of the Main Menu.
  • Menu Bar.

I.5.4.1. Using the Run Application Dialog

The Run Application dialog gives you access to the command line. When you run a command in the Run Application dialog, you cannot receive output from the command.

To run a command from the command line perform the following steps:

  1. Display the Run Application dialog. You can display the Run Application dialog in any of the following ways:

    • From any panel

      Add the Run button to a panel. Right-click on the panel, then choose Add to Panel ▸ Actions ▸ Run. Click on the Run button.

    • From the Main Menu

      Open the Main Menu, then choose Run Application.

    • From the Menu Bar

      Choose Actions ▸ Run Application.

    • Use shortcut keys

      The default shortcut keys to display the Run Application dialog are Alt+F2. You can change the shortcut keys that display the Run Application dialog in the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool.

    • From a menu item popup menu

      Right-click on an item in a menu, then choose Put into run dialog from the popup menu. The Run Application dialog opens with the command from the menu in the command field.

    The Run Application dialog is displayed.

  2. Enter the command that you want to run in the blank field.

    Alternatively, to choose a command that you ran previously, click the down arrow button beside the command field, then choose the command to run.

    Alternatively, select the Show list of known applications option to display a list of available applications.

    You can also use the Run with file button to choose a file to append to the command line. For example, you can enter emacs as the command, then choose a file to edit.

    Select the Run in terminal option to run the application or command in a terminal window. Choose this option for an application or command that does not create a window in which to run.

  3. Click on the Run button on the Run Application dialog.

I.5.4.2. To Take a Screenshot

You can take a screenshot in any of the following ways:

  • From any panel

    Add the Screenshot button to a panel. Right-click on the panel, then choose Add to Panel ▸ Actions ▸ Screenshot. Click on the Screenshot button to take a screenshot of the entire screen. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.

  • Use shortcut keys

    To take a screenshot, use the following shortcut keys:

    Default Shortcut Keys Function
    Print Screen Takes a screenshot of the entire screen, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
    Alt+Print Screen Takes a screenshot of the window to which the mouse points, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.

    You can use the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool to modify the default shortcut keys.

  • From Menu Bar

    To take a screenshot of the entire screen, choose Actions ▸ Take Screenshot. A Save Screenshot dialog is displayed. To save the screenshot, select the Save screenshot to file option. Enter the path and filename for the screenshot in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively, to save the screenshot to another directory, click Browse. When you select a directory, click OK.

    You can also save the screenshot to the desktop. To save the screenshot to the desktop, select the Save screenshot to desktop option.

    You can also save the screenshot to a web page. To save the screenshot to a web page, select the Save screenshot to web page option.

  • Use a command

    You can use the gnome-panel-screenshot command to take a screenshot. The gnome-panel-screenshot command takes a screenshot of the entire screen, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.

    You can also use options on the gnome-panel-screenshot command as follows:

    Option Function
    --window Takes a screenshot of the window that has focus, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
    --delay=seconds Takes a screenshot after the specified number of seconds, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
    --help Displays the options for the command.

I.5.5. Main Menu

The Main Menu provides access to the Applications menu and many of the items in the Actions menu. You can access almost all of the standard applications, commands, and configuration options from the Main Menu.

You can add Main Menu buttons to your panels. Click on the Main Menu button to open the Main Menu.

I.5.5.1. To Add a Main Menu to a Panel

You can add as many Main Menu buttons as you want to your panels. To add a Main Menu to a panel, right-click on any vacant space on the panel. Choose Add to Panel ▸ Main Menu.

I.5.6. Menu Bar

The Menu Bar provides access to the Applications and Actions menus. You can access almost all of the standard applications, commands, and configuration options from the Menu Bar.

I.5.6.1. To Add a Menu Bar to a Panel

You can add as many Menu Bar applets as you want to your panels. To add a Menu Bar to a panel, right-click on any vacant space on the panel. Choose Add to Panel ▸ Menu Bar.

I.5.7. Customizing Your Menus

You can modify the contents of the following menus:

  • Applications menu
  • Desktop Preferences menu

You use the following GNOME Desktop components to customize menus:

  • Menus on panels
  • Nautilus file manager

When you use panels to customize your menus, you use the menu item popup menu. For more information, see Section I.5.2.1 ― Menu Item Popup Menu.

When you use the file manager to customize your menus, you must access the Applications menu or the Desktop Preferences menu from within the file manager. To access the Applications menu or the Desktop Preferences menu, open a file manager window.

To access menus in the file manager, access one of the following URIs in the file manager:

Menu Enter this URI
Applications menu applications:///
Desktop Preferences menu preferences:///

For more information on the file manager, see Nautilus File Manager.

I.5.7.1. To Add a Menu

To add a menu, perform the following steps:

  1. In a file manager window, access the location where you want to add the menu. For example, if you want to add a menu to the Applications menu, enter applications:/// URI.
  2. Choose File ▸ Create Folder. An untitled folder is added to the menu. The name of the folder is selected.
  3. Type a name for the folder, then press Return.

The next time that you log out then log in again, the menu is in the assigned location.

I.5.7.2. To Add a Launcher to a Menu

To add a launcher to a menu, perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on any item in the menu to which you want to add the launcher.
  2. Choose Entire menu ▸ Add new item to this menu. A Create Launcher dialog is displayed.
  3. Enter the properties of the launcher in the Create Launcher dialog. For more information on the elements in the Create Launcher dialog, see Working With Panels.
  4. Click OK.

I.5.7.3. To Add a Launcher to an Empty Menu

To add a launcher to an empty menu, perform the following steps:

  1. In a file manager window, access the menu where you want to add the launcher.
  2. Choose File ▸ Create Launcher. A Create Launcher dialog is displayed.
  3. Enter the properties of the launcher in the Create Launcher dialog. For more information on the elements in the Create Launcher dialog, see Working With Panels.
  4. Click OK.

I.5.7.4. To Copy a Launcher to a Menu

To copy an existing launcher to a menu, perform the following steps:

  1. In a file manager window, access the location from which you want to copy the launcher. For example, if you want to copy a launcher from the Applications menu, enter applications:/// URI.
  2. Select the launcher that you want to copy, then choose Edit ▸ Copy File.
  3. In a file manager window, access the location to which you want to copy the launcher.
  4. Choose Edit ▸ Paste Files. The launcher is added to the new location.

Alternatively, you can drag the launcher from one location to another.

The next time that you log out then log in again, the launcher is in the new menu location.

I.5.7.5. To Edit the Properties of a Menu

To edit the properties of a menu, perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on any item in the menu that you want to edit.
  2. Choose Entire menu ▸ Properties. A Launcher Properties dialog is displayed.
  3. Modify the properties of the menu in the Launcher Properties dialog. For more information on the elements in the Launcher Properties dialog, see Working With Panels.
  4. Click OK.

I.5.7.6. To Edit a Menu Item

To edit a menu item, perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on the item that you want to edit.
  2. Choose Properties. A Launcher Properties dialog is displayed.
  3. Modify the properties of the launcher in the Launcher Properties dialog. For more information on the elements in the Launcher Properties dialog, see Working With Panels.
  4. Click OK.

I.5.7.7. To Delete an Item from a Menu

To delete an item from a menu, use the menu item popup menu. To delete an item from a menu, perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on the item that you want to delete.
  2. Choose Remove this item.
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