Ubuntu Dock Customization

Introduction

The Ubuntu Dock is a prominent feature of the Ubuntu desktop environment, providing quick access to your favorite applications and showing which applications are currently running. By default, it appears as a vertical bar on the left side of your screen, but this can be customized to match your preferences and improve your workflow.

In this guide, we'll explore various ways to customize the Ubuntu Dock, from basic settings available through the GUI to advanced modifications using the terminal. Whether you're new to Ubuntu or looking to optimize your desktop experience, these customizations will help you create a more efficient and personalized workspace.

Basic Ubuntu Dock Settings

Let's start with the basic settings that can be modified through the Ubuntu Settings application.

Accessing Dock Settings

1. Click on the "Activities" button in the top-left corner of your screen or press the Super (Windows) key
2. Type "Settings" and open the Settings application
3. Click on "Appearance" in the left sidebar
4. Scroll down to find the "Dock" section

Here, you'll find several options to customize your dock:

Position and Size

You can change where the dock appears on your screen and adjust its size:

bash

# Change dock position using gsettings (terminal)
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dock-position BOTTOM

# Available positions: LEFT, RIGHT, BOTTOM

Through the GUI, you can simply select your preferred position from the dropdown menu.

To adjust the icon size in the dock:

bash

# Set icon size to 36 pixels
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dash-max-icon-size 36

In the Settings app, you can use the "Icon size" slider to adjust this value.

Auto-hide Behavior

You can configure the dock to automatically hide when not in use, giving you more screen space:

bash

# Enable auto-hide
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dock-fixed false

# Configure hide delay (in seconds)
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock hide-delay 0.2

# Configure show delay (in seconds)
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock show-delay 0.2

In the Settings app, you can toggle "Auto-hide the Dock" and adjust when it should appear.

Advanced Dock Customization

For more extensive customization options, we can use the gsettings command-line tool or install additional extensions.

Using dconf-editor

The dconf-editor provides a graphical interface for many advanced settings:

bash

# Install dconf-editor
sudo apt install dconf-editor

# Launch dconf-editor
dconf-editor

Navigate to /org/gnome/shell/extensions/dash-to-dock/ to access all available dock settings.

Customizing Dock Appearance

Let's modify the appearance of our dock with some common customizations:

bash

# Change dock transparency
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock transparency-mode FIXED
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock background-opacity 0.8

# Show application names when hovering
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock show-apps-at-top true

# Enable extended hover duration
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock extend-height true

Customizing Dock Behavior

Let's modify how the dock behaves:

bash

# Enable click actions
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock click-action minimize

# Enable scroll actions
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock scroll-action cycle-windows

The available click actions include:

• minimize: Minimizes the window
• minimize-or-overview: Minimizes if a single window is open, shows overview of all windows if multiple are open
• previews: Shows previews of all windows for that application
• quit: Closes the application

Practical Example: Creating a Custom Dock Profile

Let's create a shell script that applies a custom dock profile. This is useful if you want to quickly switch between different dock configurations:

bash

#!/bin/bash
# File: apply-dock-profile.sh

# Set the dock to the bottom with a small size
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dock-position BOTTOM
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dash-max-icon-size 32

# Configure semi-transparent background
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock transparency-mode FIXED
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock background-opacity 0.7

# Configure behavior
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock click-action minimize-or-overview
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock scroll-action cycle-windows

# Configure auto-hide with quick response
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock dock-fixed false
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock hide-delay 0.1
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock show-delay 0.1

echo "Custom dock profile applied successfully!"

To use this script:

bash

# Make it executable
chmod +x apply-dock-profile.sh

# Run it
./apply-dock-profile.sh

Installing Dash to Dock Extension for More Options

The default Ubuntu Dock is actually a modified version of the "Dash to Dock" GNOME extension. Installing the full extension gives you even more customization options:

bash

# Install GNOME Extensions manager
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extensions chrome-gnome-shell

# Install Dash to Dock via command line
sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-dash-to-dock

Alternatively, you can install it from the GNOME Extensions website.

After installation, you can access extended settings by:

1. Installing GNOME Extensions app: sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-prefs
2. Opening Extensions app and finding "Dash to Dock" in the list
3. Clicking the settings icon

Customizing Dock Shortcuts

You can add custom shortcuts to your dock for quick access to applications:

bash

# Add a custom .desktop file
nano ~/.local/share/applications/custom-terminal.desktop

Add the following content:

ini

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Custom Terminal
Comment=Terminal with custom settings
Exec=gnome-terminal --geometry=80x24+100+100
Icon=utilities-terminal
Type=Application
Categories=System;TerminalEmulator;

Save the file, then drag this application from your Applications menu to the dock.

Troubleshooting

If your dock customizations aren't working as expected, try these steps:

1. Reset dock settings to default:

bash

gsettings reset-recursively org.gnome.shell.extensions.dash-to-dock

2. Restart GNOME Shell (press Alt+F2, type r, press Enter)

3. If all else fails, reinstall the dock:

bash

sudo apt install --reinstall gnome-shell-extension-ubuntu-dock

Summary

In this guide, we've explored various ways to customize the Ubuntu Dock:

• Basic settings through the Settings application
• Advanced customization using gsettings and dconf-editor
• Creating custom dock profiles with shell scripts
• Installing additional extensions for more options
• Adding custom shortcuts to the dock

By customizing your dock, you can significantly improve your workflow and create a desktop environment that suits your specific needs. Experiment with different settings to find the perfect configuration for your workflow.

Additional Resources

• The GNOME Extensions website offers additional dock extensions
• The Ubuntu Documentation provides further information on desktop customization
• The man gsettings command in your terminal provides detailed information about the gsettings tool

Exercises

1. Create a dock profile that automatically hides the dock and places it at the bottom of the screen
2. Customize your dock to show only application icons without labels
3. Create a custom launcher for your favorite application and add it to the dock
4. Configure your dock to use a custom theme or color scheme
5. Set up different dock profiles for different activities (e.g., programming, media consumption, gaming)