How can I get a copy of the Application Menu that I can access on file manager?

Question

I'm a newcomer to Linux world and installed ubuntuStudio, and this distro have many programs for media edit, so I want to investigate them one by one, simultaneously.

I'm having problem about that because it's confusing and uncomfortable to click the menu icon every time I want to open a new program, like 'Application Menu -> Audio Production -> Ardour3' to execute the program and again 'Application Menu -> Audio Production -> Hydrogen'...

·

I want to open the programs in the menu on a more stable place, and by stable I mean clicking the program name doesn't make the menu disappear, so you don't have to start from the very start again. And so I want to make a copy that exactly contains same programs as Application Menu does. Or at least I hope I can copy the link on the menu.

·

So I was tried to open the Menu on the file manager (thought Windows providing the option, exploring Start button), which couldn't be done of course.

The Software Center seems doesn't provide the path for each programs, and I don't know what program on the Software Center are on the menu, so I couldn't tell if it's that program I've seen on the menu.

I've read few answers on this site about 'where's default folder for apps,' or 'What is the equivalent to the Windows "Program Files" folder?' and since I got programs are not stored on a single folder, from the answers, I don't sure I can locate every program on the menu on the file manager. I don't get what kind of file is currently linked to the menu, some of them are having grey square icon and others paper icon. So I doubt I can manually link every items on the menu to somewhere else.

I think there should be not too messy way to achieve having copy of Application Menu, but I just started learning this OS, so I can't get the way by my own.

Answer 1

Customizing the Ubuntu-Studio desktop

By default Ubuntu Studio makes use of the Xfce desktop manager. This is the same as it is used in Xubuntu. Therefore all guides on how to customize our desktop on Xfce or Xubuntu will be applicable too.

Customizing the Xfce-panel

For a quick access to favorite applications we can add any number of Xfce panels on right click on the top panel, then select Panel > Panel Preferences..... Below example shows preferences for the bottom panel (red dashes):

All system wide installed applications will have a .desktop file in /usr/share/applications. These can be viewed using the file manager:

By simply dragging & dropping the icon of any application to the bottom panel we can create a launcher there for quick access.

Alternatively we can also drag & drop the icons on our desktop, or in a newly created folder on our desktop if that met our workflow. Mark .desktop files as "executable" when in a desktop folder:

Add another desktop environment

Of course you can add another desktop manager to your Ubuntu Studio installation in case any of them feels more comfortable to you. For an exemplatory guide on how to install Unity (my favourite default Ubuntu desktop manager) on top of Ubuntu Studio see:

• Can I use other Desktop environment in Ubuntu-Studio and exchange whenever I want?, Xfce to Unity & Vise

Other launcher applications

In addition, you may just want to install an alternative application launcher to ease access to your applications. Depending on your personal preferences this can be just another laucher dock, or a more customizable application launcher.

Examples:

Below some examples what can be done. This list is by no means meant to be complete or give any recommendations - it is all personal preferences that matter.

• Whisker

  Whisker can be added as Applications Menu to the panel. It provides a search function for an application (by name, description, or category) similar to the Xfce Application Finder, but it additionally gives access to recently used or favorite applications.

  

• Cairo Dock

  Cairo Dock is a highly customizable Mac-style dock with a lot of eye-candy to add application launchers or file locations in a free to place and configure panel. On some systems Cairo Dock may have stability issues.