Working With MenusThis chapter describes how to use menus in the GNOME Desktop.Introduction to MenusmenusintroductionYou can access all desktop environment functions through menus. The
panels contains menus, so you can use a combination of menus and panels to
perform your tasks. You can perform various actions on your menus, such as
copy menu items to panels.You can access the following menus in your desktop environment:Applications menu: You can access many
of your applications, commands, and configuration options from the Applications menu. You can also access the desktop environment preference
tools from the Applications menu.Actions menu: You can access various commands
that enable you to perform desktop environment tasks from the Actions menu. For example, you can start the Search Tool
application, or log out of the desktop environment. Main Menu: You can access the items in
the Applications and Actions menus from
the Main Menu. You can have many Main Menu
buttons in your panels. Menu Bar: You can also access the
items in the Applications and Actions
menus from the Menu Bar. You can have many Menu Bar objects in your panels. You can also right-click on the desktop to open the Desktop menu. The Desktop menu enables you to perform
desktop-related tasks. All of these menus provide you with multiple ways to perform your tasks,
and enable you to work in the way that you prefer.Menu FeaturesmenusfeaturesMenus can contain the following items: SubmenusLaunchers or menu itemsAn arrow to the right of an item in a menu indicates that the item is
a submenu. When you point to the submenu, the submenu opens. You can choose
items from the submenu. When you choose a launcher, the launcher starts an application or runs
a command. You can also right-click on a launcher to open a popup menu. The
popup menu enables you to add the item to a panel, and perform other tasks.
For more information on the popup menu, see the next section. You can change the theme for your session to change how all your menus
look. To change the theme, use the Theme preference
tool.Menu Item Popup Menumenusmenu item popup menumenu item popup menudescriptionItems in menus have an associated
popup menu that enables you to perform tasks related to the item. When you
right-click on an item in a menu, the popup menu for the item opens. The popup
menu also contains a submenu that allows you to perform menu-related tasks. You can use the menu item popup menu to perform the following tasks: Add menu items as launchers to panels. Remove items from menus.Open the Run Application dialog with
the menu item command in the dialog.Add menus to panels. You can add a menu as a menu object or
as a drawer object. Add new items to menus.Change the properties of submenus and menu items. shows the popup menu. describes menu item popup menus. launchersadding to panel
Menu Item Popup MenusItemDescriptionAdd this launcher to panelAdds the launcher to the panel from which you open
the menu.Remove this itemRemoves the launcher from the menu.Put into run dialogDisplays the Run Application
dialog with the command from the Command field of the
launcher in the command field on the Run Application
dialog. Help on application-nameOpens the online help for the application.PropertiesDisplays a dialog that enables you to edit
the properties of the launcher.Entire
menuAdd this as drawer to panelAdds the submenu as a drawer to the panel from which you open the menu.Entire
menuAdd this as menu to panelAdds the submenu as a menu object to the panel from which you open the menu.Entire menuAdd new item to this menuEnables you to add an item to the submenu.Entire menuPropertiesDisplays a dialog that enables you to edit
the properties of the submenu.
menusadding to panelApplications MenumenusApplications menuThe Applications menu contains a hierarchy
of submenus, from which you can start the standard GNOME applications and
preference tools. The Applications menu contains the Desktop Preferences menu. You can use the Desktop Preferences menu to start the desktop environment preference tools. The Applications menu also includes the file manager and the help browser.The Applications menu resides in the following places: Main MenuMenu BarStart Here location in the file managerActions MenumenusActions menuThe Actions menu contains various commands that enable
you to perform desktop environment tasks.
describes the commands in the Actions menu.
Actions Menu CommandsMenu ItemFunctionRun ApplicationOpens the Run Application dialog.
Use the Run Application dialog to run commands. For more
information, see .Search for FilesStarts the Search Tool
application. For more information, see the Search Tool
manual.Open RecentDisplays a submenu of the last ten files which
you saved.Take ScreenshotTakes a screenshot of the screen, and opens the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot
dialog to save the screenshot.Lock ScreenLocks your screen. Log OutLogs you out of the current session.
The Actions menu resides in the following places: Main Menu. The items in the Actions menu are at the top level of the Main Menu.Menu Bar. Using the Run Application DialogRun Application dialog, usingThe Run Application dialog gives you access to the command
line. When you run a command in the Run Application dialog,
you cannot receive output from the command.To run a command from the command line perform the following steps: Display the Run Application dialog. You
can display the Run Application dialog in any of the
following ways:From any panelAdd the Run button to a panel. Right-click on
the panel, then choose Add to PanelActionsRun.
Click on the Run button.From the Main MenuOpen the Main Menu, then choose Run
Application.From the Menu BarChoose ActionsRun
Application.Use shortcut keysThe default shortcut keys to display the Run Application
dialog are AltF2. You can change the
shortcut keys that display the Run Application dialog
in the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool.From a menu item popup menuRight-click on an item in a menu, then choose Put into run
dialog from the popup menu. The Run Application
dialog opens with the command from the menu in the command field.The Run Application dialog is displayed.Enter the command that you want to run in the blank field.
Alternatively, to choose a command that you ran previously, click the down
arrow button beside the command field, then choose the command to run.Alternatively, select the Show list of known applications option to display a list of available applications.You can also use the Run with file button to
choose a file to append to the command line. For example, you can enter emacs as the command, then choose a file to edit.Select the Run in terminal option to run the application
or command in a terminal window. Choose this option for an application or
command that does not create a window in which to run.Click on the Run button on the Run Application dialog. To Take a Screenshotscreenshots, takingYou can
take a screenshot in any of the following ways:From the Menu BarTo take a screenshot of the entire screen, choose ActionsTake Screenshot.
A Save Screenshot dialog is displayed. To save the screenshot,
select the Save screenshot to file option. Enter the
path and filename for the screenshot in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively,
to save the screenshot to another directory, click Browse.
When you select a directory, click OK. You can also save the screenshot to the desktop. To save the screenshot
to the desktop, select the Save screenshot to desktop
option. From any panelAdd the Screenshot button to a panel. Right-click
on the panel, then choose Add to PanelActionsScreenshot. Click on the Screenshot button to take
a screenshot of the entire screen. Use the Save Screenshot
dialog to save the screenshot.Use shortcut keysTo take a screenshot, use the following shortcut keys:Default Shortcut KeysFunctionPrint ScreenTakes a screenshot of the entire screen, and
displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.AltPrint
ScreenTakes a screenshot
of the window to which the mouse points, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to
save the screenshot.You can use the Keyboard Shortcuts preference
tool to modify the default shortcut keys.Use a commandYou can use the gnome-panel-screenshot command to
take a screenshot. The gnome-panel-screenshot command takes
a screenshot of the entire screen, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to
save the screenshot.You can also use options on the gnome-panel-screenshot
command as follows: OptionFunction--windowTakes a screenshot of the window that has
focus, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.--delay=secondsTakes
a screenshot after the specified number of seconds, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot
dialog to save the screenshot.--helpDisplays the options for the command.Main MenumenusMain MenuMain
MenuMain MenuintroductionOpen Main Menu. Menu items: Applications, Run Application, Search for Files, Open Recent, Take Screenshot, Lock Screen, Log Out.The Main Menu provides access to the Applications menu and the many of the items in the Actions
menu. You can access almost all of the standard applications, commands, and
configuration options from the Main Menu. You can add Main Menu buttons to your panels. By
default, the Main Menu is represented on panels by a stylized
footprint icon, as illustrated in the graphic above.To Open the Main MenuMain MenuopeningYou can open the Main Menu in the following ways: From a panel with a Main MenuClick on the Main Menu. Use shortcut keysYou can use shortcut keys to open the Main Menu.
When you use shortcut keys to open the Main Menu, the Main Menu appears at the mouse pointer. The default shortcut keys to open the Main Menu are AltF1. To change the shortcut keys that open
the Main Menu, use the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool.To Add a Main Menu to a PanelMain Menuadding to panelYou can add as many Main Menu buttons
as you want to your panels. To add a Main Menu to a panel,
right-click on any vacant space on the panel. Choose Add to PanelMain Menu.Menu BarmenusMenu BarMenu
BarMenu BarintroductionMenu Bar applet. Menus: Applications, Actions.The Menu Bar provides access to the Applications and Actions menus. You can access
almost all of the standard applications, commands, and configuration options
from the Menu Bar. To Add a Menu Bar to a PanelMenu Baradding to panelYou can add as many Menu Bar
applets as you want to your panels. To add a Menu Bar
to a panel, right-click on any vacant space on the panel. Choose Add to PanelMenu Bar.Customizing Your MenusmenuscustomizingYou can modify the contents of the following menus:Applications menuDesktop Preferences menuYou use the following desktop environment components to customize menus:Menus on panelsNautilus file managerWhen you use panels to customize your menus, you use the menu item popup
menu. For more information, see .When you use the file manager to customize your menus, you must access
the Applications menu or the Desktop Preferences menu from within the file manager. To access the Applications menu or the Desktop Preferences menu, open a
file manager window. Choose GoStart Here. Double-click on the Applications object or on the Desktop Preferences object.
For more information on the file manager, see Nautilus File Manager.To Add a MenumenusaddingTo add a menu, perform the following steps:In a file manager window, access the location where you want
to add the menu. For example, to add a menu to the Applications
menu, choose GoStart Here, then double-click on the Applications object.Choose FileNew Folder. An untitled folder is added to the
view pane. The name of the folder is selected.Type a name for the folder, then press Return. The next time that you log out then log in again, the menu is in the
assigned location.To Add a Launcher to a Menumenusadding launchers toTo add a launcher to a menu, perform the following steps:Right-click on any item in the menu to which you want to add
the launcher.Choose Entire menuAdd new item to this menu. A Create Launcher dialog is displayed.Enter the properties of the launcher in the Create
Launcher dialog. For more information on the elements in the Create Launcher dialog, see Working With Panels.Click OK.To Add a Launcher to an Empty MenuTo add a launcher to an empty menu, perform the following steps:Open a file manager window, then choose GoStart Here. Alternatively,
double-click on the Start Here object on the desktop.
The Start Here location is displayed. In the file manager window, double-click on the object that
represents the menu to which you want to add the launcher. Choose FileNew Launcher. A Create Launcher
dialog is displayed.Enter the properties of the launcher in the Create
Launcher dialog. For more information on the elements in the Create Launcher dialog, see Working With Panels.Click OK.To Copy a Launcher to a Menumenuscopying launchers toTo copy an existing launcher to a menu, perform the following
steps:In a file manager window, access the location from which you
want to copy the launcher. For example, to copy a launcher from the Applications menu, choose GoStart Here, then double-click on the Applications object.Select the launcher that you want to copy, then choose EditCopy File.In a file manager window, access the location to which you
want to copy the launcher.Choose EditPaste Files. The launcher is added to the new location.Alternatively, you can drag the launcher from one location to another.The next time that you log out then log in again, the launcher is in
the new menu location.To Edit the Properties of a Menumenusediting propertiesTo edit the properties of a menu, perform the following
steps:Right-click on any item in the menu that you want to edit.Choose Entire menuProperties. A Launcher Properties dialog is displayed.Modify the properties of the menu in the Launcher
Properties dialog. For more information on the elements in the Launcher Properties dialog, see Working With Panels.Click OK.To Edit a Menu Itemmenusediting menu itemsTo edit a menu item, perform the following steps:Right-click on the item that you want to edit.Choose Properties. A Launcher Properties dialog is displayed.Modify the properties of the launcher in the Launcher
Properties dialog. For more information on the elements in the Launcher Properties dialog, see Working With Panels.Click OK.To Delete an Item from a Menumenusdeleting menu itemsTo delete an item from a menu, use the menu item popup menu.
To delete an item from a menu, perform the following steps:Right-click on the item that you want to delete.Choose Remove this item.