3

Question: How to install gnome extension "workspace matrix" on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS?

Problem: Unable to install "workspace matrix" (or "workspace grid") on Ubuntu 18.04. No packages appear in Ubuntu Software app when I search on "workspace matrix"

Background: Recently managed to get my laptop dualbooted again with Ubuntu. I successfully re-enabled grub2 on my UEFI GPT configured laptop (a Dell m5510) using an NVMe SSD. After a couple days of running the older 16.04 LTS, I decided to update to 18.04 LTS. So far, so good. Welcome back to gnome, goodbye Unity (whatever). Discovered Gnome 3's "dynamic workspace" feature, but wanted 2x2 static. Switched to static, discovered columnar only order. Searched Google... discovered "workspace grid" (deprecated), recommended solution "workspace matrix". Following several web pages, they all simply said "install "workspace matrix" via Ubuntu Software app. No such luck. "aptitude install" and "aptitude search" not revealing.

Do I need to add a repository to be able to add "workspace matrix" on 18.04 LTS? IF SO, which one? I'd prefer a recommended and/or stable PPA, to avoid playing musical repositories in the future, if possible.

TIA.

4
  • Install directly from your web-browser as mentioned in top answers of this question: askubuntu.com/q/75530/480481
    – pomsky
    Jan 29, 2020 at 20:54
  • Yes, looks like what is described at that link is what I stumbled across / discovered myself as I posted below. ONLY possible difference is the referenced web page makes no mention of installing 'gnome-shell-extension.' I believe I read somewhere today that 'gnome-tweak-tool' no longer includes "shell extensions" by default, so 'sudo aptitude install gnome-shell-extensions' may be required before the chrome-gnome-shell package can do its thing inside a browser.
    – Steve Camp
    Jan 29, 2020 at 20:59
  • It should not be necessary to install gnome-shell-extensions in order to install other extensions (I've never installed it, and I install extensions using browser all the time). The package contains a bunch of standard extensions like AlternetTab, Window list etc. (required for the GNOME Classic session). However chrome-gnome-shell is absolutely necessary, the browser needs it to detect the GNOME Shell version.
    – pomsky
    Jan 29, 2020 at 21:17
  • If the objective is to get multiple desktops/workspaces, and Gnome3 is not a hard requirement: another approach is to install ubuntu-unity-desktop to use Unity. For me, after upgrade to Ubuntu-20.04, then following instructions elsewhere to install lightdm along with Unity, lightdm was hanging on boot, but I was able to select gdm3 as display manager, then at GDM3 login screen, after selecting my username, choose "Unity" session from circle at bottom right. Jan 6, 2021 at 15:42

1 Answer 1

3

I was able to successfully install 'workspace matrix' under Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. I had just updated/upgraded to 18.04 LTS from 16.04 LTS a couple days ago, so this is a fairly new or virgin installation, FWIW.

Note that I did not enable or add any PPA's or other repositories.

The instructions I had found on this web page did not work for me: (They appear to have left out important details or steps.)

http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2019/12/enable-workspace-grid-ubuntu-18-04-19-10/

Specifically, in the above web page Step 2 was not working on 18.04 LTS -- no search results were found when I seached for "workspace matrix" via the Ubuntu Software application.

Here is what appeared to work: 1) Install gnome-shell-extensions. Does not appear to be an option via the Gnome Shell Tweaks tool, nor via the Ubuntu Software app. I did it via CLI in a terminal window:

sudo aptitude install gnome-shell-extensions

2) Install chrome-gnome-shell. Again, I used the CLI. Also, I am not using the Chrome browser (is it even available?). I am running Firefox (v72.0.1), but this appears to be necessary to perform the installation.

 sudo apt-get install chrome-gnome-shell

3) With chrome-gnome-shell installed, install workspace matrix directly from the browser. Go to https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1485/workspace-matrix/, ensure JavaScript is enabled (I run NoScript, so I had to make extensions.gnome.org trusted), select the shell version (I chose 3.28 matching my Gnome shell version), and then choose the extension version (only version 11 was listed, so I selected it). At this point, a popup window appeared to download a zip file. I downloaded the zip file and extracted it. But there was NO README file, and no other obvious instructions on how to install it. I went back to the web page listed above in this step, and observed a radio button [ ON | OFF ] in the upper right part of the window. It was OFF. I toggled it to ON, and a popup window appeared asking me if I wanted to install Workspace Matrix? I confirmed (i.e. selected Yes) and... well... I don't recall anything really. How could I tell if it installed?

Two ways: First, SUPER + W popped up a neat little matrix showing my workspaces. (NOTE: I had previously set workspaces to STATIC and specified 4 workspaces via the Gnome Tweaks tool.) Also note: the mouse is not yet integrated with Workspace Matrix... clicking on a different workspace will not switch. Oh well. Use your keyboard arrow keys to select a different workspace, then hit , wala... switched workspace.

The second way is that in Gnome Tweaks, there is now (after having installed gome-shell-extensions) an Extensions tab on the left side of the Tweaks window. Selecting Extensions shows what extensions are installed, and sure enough, Workspace matrix shows up.

So... some command line 'sudo apt-get's and/or "sudo aptitude install's are required, and it appears you install straight from a webpage rather than via a package and PPA, but that is how I managed to install 'Workspace matrix' for Gnome 3.28 for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. Hopefully this helps someone else out.

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