18.04 MATE Workspace names hiding window icons

Question

I am experimenting with having a large number of workspaces (9). I tend to create a number of different views on a project so it is useful to separate these views into workspaces -- as well as keeping a number of projects up.

In this context, it is useful to keep a larger number of workspaces but I have difficulty remembering what I have running in each workspace. A predictable problem I know I know, but anyway...

So it would be useful for me if the panel's workspace switcher displayed the workspace names. However when I select 'Show workspace names', the workspace switcher shows only the names. This is not the outcome I am hoping for and seems to me the wrong effect.It would be better to have a name displayed if there are no windows open in the workspace, otherwise to display the usual window icons.

Is there another configuration option? Is this a bug? Must I go back to a manageable number of workspaces?

Answer 1

Let's start with four workspaces example - Coding (1), Browsing (2), Office (3), Auxilary (4):

• with Show workspace names in switcher checked it do not show application windows and icons.

For me it seems that we can use possible workaround - see hints on mouse over Workspace Switcher applet. With Show workspace names in switcher unchecked you will see application icons and hints on mouse over:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

Also workspace names will be shown after right click on window title in MATE Panel:

---

Notes:
1. I have checked Workspace Switcher 2.32.1 in Ubuntu 11.04, its functionality is the same. So this behavior is inherited by MATE from GNOME.
2. From my personal point of view this Workspace Switcher is more intuitive and user friendly than GNOME Shell. On GNOME 2.32 I have set-up 2x5 grid of workspaces and after some practice did not have any problems with its numbering and naming after remembering.