23

In Ubuntu 18.04.1, I would like to use my left Super-key only to simply open the Show Applications menu (aka Dash) like a left click on the dock-icon (with the 9 dots) does and preferably close it again without showing me any open programs.

I can open it with Super + A and even close it again with Super R, but Super L appears to do nothing at all.

In Xfce, something similar was possible by adding a custom keyboard shortcut for Super L and setting the command to xfce4-popup-whiskermenu, which would open and close a menu with favourite applications. Unfortunately, I don't know the command that opens and closes the Show Applications menu.

Is there any way to add such a shortcut in the new Gnome Shell?

3
  • 2
    Default shortcut for "Show Applications" is <Super>+<A> btw.
    – pomsky
    Sep 2, 2018 at 14:38
  • I just verified this and you are right. I was sure to have tried all shortcuts in the table, but I must have missed this for some reason. Sep 2, 2018 at 16:35
  • xubuntu allows changing this natively but of course you are no longer using unity
    – William
    Sep 29, 2018 at 22:43

4 Answers 4

23
+100

Solution 1: Gnome extensions

Install the extension Start Overlay in Application View to use the Super key alone to open the Application overview.

Solution 2: xcape (more universal approach that allows you to do whatever you want with super)

With the utility xcape, you can remap a press/release of the super key alone to any key combination. xcape can be installed with the command sudo apt install xcape.

In this case, you would launch xcape with the command xcape -e "Super_L=Super_L|a". This will remap hitting and releasing super alone to the default key combination for opening the applications menu.

  • Disable the default binding of super to show the overview. You can do this with the command gsettings set org.gnome.mutter overlay-key '', or using dconf-editor.
  • Have xcape autostart using a .desktop file that you place in your ~/.config/autostart folder.

An example of such xcape.desktop file:

[Desktop Entry]
Categories=Utility;
Comment=Map super key
Exec=sh -c 'sleep 0.4 ; xcape -e "Super_L=Super_L|space"' 
Icon=keyboard
Name=xcape
StartupNotify=false
Type=Application
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

Optionally, install the extension ESC to close overview from applications list to have Esc return you to your desktop rather than to the overview. In Ubuntu 20.04, use a forked extension: ESC to close overview from applications list | UPDATED by paperthin or ESCape Overview.

6
  • Hi vanadium, thank you for the hint. I will take this into consideration, but I don't like the fact that I have to download a utility just for this completely simple change of shortcuts and that "The normal operation of super in Gnome Shell needs to be disabled first." Sep 29, 2018 at 20:49
  • Like it or not, that's the only way I know. "Disabling" the normal operation means nothing here. With a single command, you can reset this to default. You also can use dconf-editor. Used this approach myself to launch Albert with <super>.
    – vanadium
    Oct 1, 2018 at 8:33
  • 2
    Found the extension that does the trick. I edited my solution to include that approach, but I left ksuperkey in, because it might be useful for other Gnome Shell tweakers. Thank you for the bounty ;)
    – vanadium
    Oct 1, 2018 at 16:05
  • Well, there you are. I'd still be interested in the dconf solution you were mentionining, if you're considering to expand your answer even more. The extensions work fine, though. How were you able to find them? They don't share a single keyword, but I might also have searched badly and had no time to look any further so far. Oct 5, 2018 at 12:51
  • I am using the second extension. I saw the first extension long time ago, but actually forgot about it. Very much by hazard, I bumped on to it again, and indeed realized my first answer (retained as second option here) was too complex ;) The only thing happening with dconf is that the keybinding of <super> in Gnome Shell is turned off, so that the utility ksuperkey can take over without interference. Works seamlessly, and you can bind anything you want to <super>, Gnome Application view or a launcher of your own or anything else.
    – vanadium
    Oct 5, 2018 at 14:13
7

For Ubuntu 22.04 use these extensions:

0
3

You can also use xmodmap to change what a specific button would do

xmodmap -e 'keycode 68 = Menu'

Here you can find which key triggers the Menu:

xmodmap -pke | grep Menu

1

You can use the following commands:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter overlay-key '' 2> /dev/null
gsettings set org.gnome.shell.keybindings toggle-application-view "['Super_L']" 2> /dev/null
1
  • And then? Reboot/relogon needed ? Cuz it's not working on 22.04.4
    – emoxam
    Mar 22 at 10:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .