Why can't I use the Unity launcher icon to minimize applications/windows?

Question

I don't know if this is a feature or a bug, but clicking on an active application's launcher icon doesn't minimize it. It is terribly inconvenient for folks using a persistent Unity bar to click minimize button every time. Is there any way to add minimize functionality to the launchers?

Answer 1

Because Mark Shuttlewoth decided it, at least for now?:

no, clicking on the icon will not minimise the app. We have a minimise button for that, it's prominent.

But at least, that bug has now the status opinion which means the develeopers won't fix it for now, but wait for community discussion.

So if you would like minimize on click, too, make a clear statement at launchpad.

Answer 2

There is quite a heated debate about this missing feature on launchpad:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ayatana-design/+bug/733349

In response to the expose mode for multiple windows, this can be easily adapted for with a second click to minimize all windows as there is currently no further function for that extra click in launcher.

If you want to minimize all the application's windows, I do not think there is an easy way currently so this functionality would help in that instance too.

Answer 3

I've made a script to workaround this issue.
See this working here.

Instructions

1. You will need Xdotool and Compiz Config Settings Manager from the Ubuntu Software Center

2. Create a new file named '.minimize' in your home folder (gedit ~/.minimize). Copy & Paste the following text into it and save:

   #!/usr/bin/env python
   # by desgua
   # version 0.1.3 - May 06 2011
   # To minimize with unity Launcher
   ##################################
   import os
   import wnck
   import gtk
   stream = os.popen("xdotool click --clearmodifiers 1")
   screen = wnck.screen_get_default()
   
   while gtk.events_pending():
       gtk.main_iteration()
   
   windows = screen.get_windows()
   active_app = screen.get_active_window().get_application()
   
   for w in windows:
       if w.get_application() == active_app:
           w.minimize()
   

3. Make the script executable: (More Info)

   chmod +x ~/.minimize
   

4. Open Compiz Config

   Use Run Command, Alt + F2, and type ccsm

5. Enable 'Commands' plugin then add the above script ~/.minimize to one of the empty command lines.

   

6. Change to Button Binding tab and make a button shortcut for the corresponding command line number above.

   The screenshot example is using Alt + Button1 which corresponds to Mouse left click with the Alt button held down.

   

7. Enjoy! ;-)

UPDATE: You can do this without a script, as Unity has a built in keyboard shortcut to minimize the window. By default it's now Ctrl-Alt-0 (Refer to Settings -> Keyboard, (NOT Keyboard Layout, that's different (and confusing)). Note that this means the NUMERIC KEYPAD zero key, and that the regular zero key will NOT work. (Should probably be corrected) Then with xdotool you just add a command 'xdotool key Ctrl+Alt+KP_Insert' (Yes, it's the numeric keypad zero, which xdotool knows as 'KP_Insert') and assign it anywhere you like. You can even add it to an app's quick-list (Using MyUnity to define the quick list entry).

Answer 4

This is just a workaround for the real problem, but there is a keyboard shortcut for minimizing windows, Alt + F9

It only closes the active window though and not all windows of an application.

This one and many other keyboard shortcuts are, however, configurable through the keyboard shortcuts application gnome-keybinding-properties. It is part of the system settings application that can be launched via the logout menu on the far right side of the panel.

I use this, for example, to be able to lock the screen via the pause button on my keyboard.

Answer 5

Clicking on a launcher icon of a running app displays the windows of that app in exposé mode, provided there's more than one window. So either that functionality would have to go in favor of the minimizing, or minimizing by clicking the launcher button would only work if the app does not have more than one window. The latter would be two functionalities for the same action, so I don't think that's gonna happen.

Answer 6

• alt+f9 - minimize current
• alt+ctrl+d- minimize all
• alt+ctrl+d- reopen minimized

I think, this is default behaviour, so there is no need for another scripts or modifications.

• What are Unity's keyboard and mouse shortcuts?

Answer 7

There is an experimental patch for 12.04 that enables this behaviour. It is for testing purposes only.

Since it wasn't even considered adding minimize on click as an option, Jonathan French has created a PPA with the minimize on click patch.

https://launchpad.net/~ojno/+archive/unity-minimize-on-click

Installation:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ojno/unity-minimize-on-click
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Removal:

sudo apt-get install ppa-purge
sudo ppa-purge ppa:ojno/unity-minimize-on-click

Please read the Web Upd8 article on the subject for more information.

---

Update:

There is now support available for 11.10 in the same PPA.

Excerpt from Package changes file:

Version: 4.28.0-0ubuntu2+ojno3
Distribution: oneiric

Changes: 
 unity (4.28.0-0ubuntu2+ojno3) oneiric; urgency=low
   * Apply minimize on click patch

Source: Web Upd8

Answer 8

I'm currently complementing my Unity launcher with a gnome-panel, this gives me the minimize behavior I want. It seems absurd, but the space in the top center of the screen is wasted otherwise anyway.

When you login to unity in 11.10, you can simply start gnome-panel (if you installed it via apt-get). I found it difficult to configure that panel initially so I logged out and then into the gnome classic session where I configured it to not expand and removed all the applets until I was left with just a panel with a window list. Then I used Ctrl + Alt + Delete to logout and log back into the Ubuntu/Unity session.

I found that adding the gnome-panel directly to the Startup Applications list caused it to land behind the Unity bar at the top so I added this instead: bash -c "/bin/sleep 2 && /usr/bin/gnome-panel&".

Edit: It looks like there are some bugs in the way gnome and unity interact. But making the panel auto-hide seems to work ok.

Answer 9

To change back (Oneiric 11.x): Shutdown button -> System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts -> Navigation -> Hide Normal Windows (instructions for changing the shortcut are at the bottom of the settings window).

Hope this helps someone because it really annoyed me for a while (mainly due to name being changed to "Hide Normal Windows").