[Solved] Missing open window tabs on taskbar

Alan Meyer · 2011-11-15 00:51:23

I installed Xfce on my Ubuntu 11.10 system at home. It has a taskbar that contains various items - application menu, clock, indicators of various type, workspace switcher, application launchers that I installed, and it has a rectangular button for each application that I launched, like the task buttons on the Windows taskbar. That's all good and is what I want.

I then installed Xubuntu on a computer at work. It has a taskbar with all the same items on it except that there are no buttons for open applications. If I minimize a window, or hide it behind another window, there is no way for me to get to the minimized or hidden window with a mouse. My only option either to see what applications are open or to switch to one is to use Alt-Tab - a significant inconvenience I think if there are many applications open.

I've tried both Xubuntu and Xfce sessions, and tried every GUI Settings applet that seemed even remotely relevant - panels, window manager, display, appearance, window tweaks, etc., and I can't find any way to enable the application window buttons.

Is there something I can do about this? Is there a configuration manager I can download to fix it? Have I hit an exotic bug that doesn't affect anyone but me? This doesn't render the system unusuable, but it is a significant annoyance - enough that I might try Gnome 3 again - though I like Xfce better and like it much better than Unity.

There is another oddity in my setup that may be relevant to what I'm seeing. When I installed the system the launchers, indicators, clock, etc., were on the upper right side of the taskbar. Very early in my configuration process I clicked something, I don't recall what, and everything shifted to the left side of the task bar. I prefer to have these widgets on the right but haven't found any way to move them back there. Perhaps they are now occupying the space where the open application window buttons should go but won't because these other things are there.

Can anyone suggest a fix?

Thank you very much.

angstrom · 2011-11-15 01:13:22

What you are searching is the "Window button" plugin for xfce panel. Open the panel properties (right-click on the panel, go in the preferences). In the "Items" tab, click on "+" button on the right to add new plugin, search for "Window button". If not present, it means that it is not installed.

Alan Meyer · 2011-11-15 01:24:10

Perfect! That was exactly what I needed. It also solves the positioning problem for the other icons since I can now move them to the right of the Window buttons.

Thank you very much!

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#1 2011-11-15 00:51:23

[Solved] Missing open window tabs on taskbar

#2 2011-11-15 01:13:22

Re: [Solved] Missing open window tabs on taskbar

#3 2011-11-15 01:24:10

Re: [Solved] Missing open window tabs on taskbar

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