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I'm working on a desktop machine with plenty of screen real-estate, so I don't need my windows' title bars to merge with the global menu bar when the windows are maximised. Moreover, I'm working on a dual-screen set-up, so the fact that a window is maximised doesn't mean that it's the only window visible.

Before Unity I'd switch to a maximised window by clicking on its title bar, or close the window, even though it isn't focused, by clicking on its close button; I can no longer do this because the title bar is missing and the global menu bar is empty on that screen. This isn't a huge problem - I can click on some of the window's chrome to focus it - but it's unintuitive and it's forcing me to relearn my mousing behaviour.

I'd like to turn-off the merging of title and global menu bars, but how?

EDIT:

I simply want the title bar of the window NOT to merge with the top panel whenever I maximize a Window. The global menu should stay in the top panel as far as I am concerned. Current it maximizes like this

enter image description here

I want it to maximize like this (In that screeny the unmaximized Window has been resized to take rest of the space)

enter image description here

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Is using the classic Gnome 2 desktop not a better option perhaps? – Benjamin Sep 1 '11 at 9:38
5  
No, Classic GNOME 2 isn't a better option. Lots of stuff in Unity isn't bad, but with a multi-monitor set-up it's useful to be able to click on a window's title bar to focus it, even if that window is maximised. Unity's merge-the-title-bar-into-the-panel behaviour prevents one from being able to do that. That's not a reason to throw the baby out with the bath water though. – Richard Turner Nov 3 '11 at 10:49
It can be done using a custom session, but it won't work as you hoped because the global menu is only visible during mouseover afiak, like your second screenshot shows. You'll just end up with 2 copies of the title bar. – Veazer Apr 18 '12 at 23:16
@Veazer Well, that's a start; at least then the remaining problem is just how to patch the global menu to be displayed all the time instead of only on mouse-over. Care to submit an Answer explaining how to achieve this using a custom session? – Richard Turner May 29 '12 at 9:30
Are you using Unity 3D or 2D? If 2D, would you want metacity or compiz for the window manager? – Veazer May 30 '12 at 10:45
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5 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

ctrl + alt 5 seems to be your best bet as of right now. Sorry. Perhaps to remove temptation you could remove the maximize button in Ubuntu-Tweak but as of right now if you maximize the window, it simply will merge the titlebar with the menubar

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up vote 2 down vote

Source: http://ubuntuguide.net/unity-2d-how-to-removeenable-maximized-window-titlebar

This can be handled by gconftool. If you have the GUI frontend "gconf-edtor" installed, just launch it and navigate to /apps/metacity/general, then un-check “show_maximized_titlebars” to remove the maximized window titlebar.

Or, you can execute this command in terminal to remove it:

gconftool --type bool --set /apps/metacity/general/show_maximized_titlebars false

Run this to re-enable it:

gconftool --type bool --set /apps/metacity/general/show_maximized_titlebars true
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1  
I hadn't used Unity for a long time since I posted this question, so I've been unable to test people's responses. I had high hopes for your answer, but in full-blown Unity on Ubuntu 12.10 it doesn't work. Perhaps it only ever worked for Unity 2D.... – Richard Turner Mar 22 at 18:30
Yes, this only works for Unity 2D. Notice apps/metacity. Unity 3D uses Compiz, Unity 2D uses Metacity. – Seth yesterday
up vote 1 down vote

You can disable window maximize to title bar when a titlebar is dragged near to the Unity Top/Superior bar.

Visit: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1743309 ( Note post #6 by stevecomrie )

  • Open CompizConfig Settings Manager
  • Click on the "Grid" in the "Window Management" category
  • Click on the "Edges" tab
  • Open the "Resize Actions" drop down
  • Change the "Top Edge" drop down to "None"
  • Close CompizConfig and you're all done.

This is only a partial solution. Some applications will still launch themselves into the merged state when you run them. And, you can still inadvertantly cause a merge by double-clicking on the title bar of an an unmerged application. Anybody with a clue as to how to completely disable any and all variations of unity panel merging with an application's title bar would be appreciated!

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This solution can also be used to disable the left/right edge behaviour as well. – ImaginaryRobots Mar 30 '12 at 20:46
up vote 0 down vote

Remove it

sudo apt-get remove appmenu-gtk3 appmenu-gtk appmenu-qt

Log out and back in and the menu merge will be gone

Install it back

sudo apt-get install appmenu-gtk3 appmenu-gtk appmenu-qt

Log out and back in and the menu merge will be back

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3  
Well that removes the menu from the top panel. But I don't want this. I simply want the title bar of the window NOT to merge with the top panel whenever I maximize a Window. The global menu should stay in the top panel as far as I am concerned. Current it maximizes like this - i.imgur.com/eoWdI.png I want it to maximize like this - i.imgur.com/3QMDh.png (In that screeny the unmaximized Window has been resized to take rest of the space) – LFC_fan Oct 31 '11 at 14:57
3  
pictures are worth a zillion words :D – Bruno Pereira♦ Oct 31 '11 at 20:00
up vote 0 down vote

As far as I understand, this is not yet possible (there is some talk of bringing it to Ubuntu 12.04 or 12.10, but we will have to wait and see). A possible solution in the here and now is using Emerald as the window decorator, but I don't know if that will work 100%.

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1  
any updates on this answer? :) – fossfreedom♦ Apr 29 '12 at 10:26

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