How to configure Dash to not start in fullscreen?

Question

I have an older screen with a max resolution of 1024x768. According to all that I have found, Dash will always open full screen with a height of less than 799. That makes it very hard to drag things from Dash to the desktop when the desktop cannot be reached when Dash is open. I need to make Dash use less than the full screen so I can drag things to the desktop. This method (drag to desktop) seems to me to be the only viable way for non-techies to get things on the desktop.

I seem to be able to drag from Dash to the application bar on the left of the screen. Why can't I drag something from there to the desktop?

Answer 1

If you drag a thing from the dash to the right screen border the dash in Unity 3D (but not in Unity 2D) closes so you can drop that thing on the desktop.

Run

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity form-factor Desktop

from the command line if you don't want the Dash to open in full screen mode.

Answer 2

It setting the form-factor doesn't help & if the Dash doesn't close when dragging because you can't reach the edge you can try a little trick.

Grab the icon & start dragging with cursor. Then tap the super button which should close the Dash & expose your desktop where you can then drop the icon.