It's no secret that comfortable work on the computer is almost impossible without such an element as the taskbar. In various operating systems, its appearance, functionality and customization capabilities (personal settings) may vary. This article will focus on the taskbar in the Ubuntu OS.
Ubuntu: taskbar
Its purpose, both in this and in most other OSs, is quick access to selected programs, files or folders, as well as displaying information about running applications. Unlike other operating systems, Ubuntu has as many as two taskbars. Each of them has separate functions.
First panel
By default, it is on the screen vertically to the left. On it are those shortcuts that you yourself added to it.
Initially, there are several icons visible: the entrance to the main menu, the default browser, the home folder, the Ubuntu application center, several applications from the office suite, managing system settings, and also the basket.
In addition, there is a button on this panel that allows you to change the virtual desktop to one of four possible ones. Application windows are distributed over four workspaces, each of which is a full-fledged desktop. Switching between them and carries out this button. This feature is the trademark of all systems based on the Linux kernel.
Second panel
This is the horizontal area, located at the top of the screen by default. Unlike the first, it has more informational than functional nature. This taskbar consists of several parts. The name of the currently open application is displayed in the left corner, and regardless of whether it is expanded to full screen or not. When you hover over this area, the menu of this application is displayed to the right of the name (in Windows it is located at the top of the open window).
On the right side is the so-called system tray. There are Internet connection icons, Bluetooth (if available),
sound volume, current time and a quick access button to the main system parameters. Clicking on each of these icons displays additional information and settings related to it.
The taskbar does not work
One of the shortcomings of Ubuntu is that it is designed for advanced users who already have experience with a computer. Therefore, those who began to get acquainted with the virtual world from this operating system can, through inexperience, change the parameters that are responsible for the appearance of the taskbar and make it completely disappear from the screen. If you have the above problem, do not despair! With a few simple steps, you can return the taskbar to its original state:
1) Open a terminal (this can be done with Ctrl-Alt-T).
2) Install the dconf-tools package using the sudo apt-get install dconf-tools command.
3) Reset all settings with the dconf command reset -f / org / compiz /.
4) Now reload the desktop shell by writing the following in the terminal: setsid unity.
Done! Now you can again enjoy the standard view of the Ubuntu desktop and taskbar.