Working With Menus
This chapter describes how to use menus in the GNOME Desktop.
Introduction to Menus
menus
introduction
You can access all GNOME Desktop 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 the GNOME Desktop:
Main Menu: You can access the items in
the Applications menu from the Main Menu.
You can have many Main Menu buttons in your panels. You
can also access the items in the Actions menu from the Main Menu. The items in the Actions menu are
at the top level of the Main Menu.
Menu Bar: You can access the items
in the Applications and Actions menus
from Menu Bar. You can have many Menu Bar applets in your panels.
Applications menu: You can access many
of your applications, commands, and configuration options from the Applications menu. You can also access the
GNOME Desktop preference tools from the Applications menu.
Actions menu: You can access commands that
enable you to perform various tasks from the Actions menu.
For example, you can start the Search Tool application,
or log out of the GNOME Desktop.
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 Features
menus
features
Menus can contain the following items:
Submenus
Launchers or menu items
An 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 Menu
menus
menu item popup menu
menu item popup menu
description
Items 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.
describes menu item popup menus. launchersadding to panelmenusadding to panel
Menu Item Popup Menus
Item
Description
Add this launcher to panel
Adds the launcher to the panel from which you open
the menu.
Remove this item
Removes the launcher from the menu.
Put into run dialog
Displays the Run Application
dialog with the command from the Command field of the
launcher in the command field on the Run Application
dialog.
Properties
Displays a dialog that enables you to edit
the properties of the launcher.
Entire
menu
Add this as drawer to panel
Adds the submenu as a drawer to the panel from which you open the menu.
Entire
menu
Add this as menu to panel
Adds the submenu as a menu object to the panel from which you open the menu.
Entire menu
Add new item to this menu
Enables you to add an item to the submenu.
Entire menu
Properties
Displays a dialog that enables you to edit
the properties of the submenu.
Applications Menu
menus
Applications menu
The 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 GNOME Desktop
preference tools. The Applications menu also includes the
file manager and the help browser.
The Applications menu resides in the following places:
Main Menu
Menu Bar
Start Here location in the file manager
Actions Menu
menus
Actions menu
The Actions menu contains commands that enable you
to perform various tasks in the GNOME Desktop. describes the commands in the Actions menu.
Actions Menu Commands
Menu Item
Function
Run Application
Opens the Run Application dialog.
Use the Run Application dialog to run commands. For more
information, see .
Search for Files
Starts the Search Tool
application. For more information, see the Search Tool
manual.
Recent Documents
Displays a submenu of the last ten files which
you saved.
Take Screenshot
Takes a screenshot of the screen, and opens the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot
dialog to save the screenshot.
Lock Screen
Lock Screen locks your screen.
Log Out
username
Logs 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 Dialog
Run Application dialog, using
The 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 Screenshot
screenshots, taking
You can
take a screenshot in any of the following ways:
From any panel
Add 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 keys
To take a screenshot, use the following shortcut keys:
Default Shortcut Keys
Function
Print Screen
Takes a screenshot of the entire
screen, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use
the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
AltPrint Screen
Takes 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.
From Menu Bar
To 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.
You can also save the screenshot to a web page. To save the screenshot
to a web page, select the Save screenshot to web page
option.
Use a command
You 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:
Option
Function
--window
Takes a screenshot of the window
that has focus, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog.
Use the Save Screenshot dialog to save the screenshot.
--delay=seconds
Takes a screenshot after the specified number of seconds, and displays the Save Screenshot dialog. Use the Save Screenshot
dialog to save the screenshot.
--help
Displays the options for the
command.
Main Menu
menus
Main Menu
Main
Menu
Main Menu
introduction
The Main Menu provides access to
the Applications menu and 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. Click
on the Main Menu button to open the Main Menu.
To Add a Main Menu to a Panel
Main Menu
adding to panel
You 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 Bar
menus
Menu Bar
Menu
Bar
Menu Bar
introduction
Menu 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 Panel
Menu Bar
adding to panel
You 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 Menus
menus
customizing
You can modify the contents of the following menus:
Applications menu
Desktop Preferences menu
You use the following GNOME Desktop components to customize menus:
Menus on panels
Nautilus file manager
When 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.
To access menus
in the file manager, access one of the following URIs in the file manager:
Menu
Enter this URI
Applications menu
applications:///
Desktop Preferences menu
preferences:///
For more information on the file manager, see Nautilus File
Manager.
To Add a Menu
menus
adding
To add a menu, perform the following steps:
In a file manager window, access the location where you want
to add the menu. For example, if you want to add a menu to the Applications menu, enter applications:/// URI.
Choose FileCreate Folder. An untitled folder
is added to the menu. 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 Menu
menus
adding launchers to
To 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 Menu
To add a launcher to an empty menu, perform the following steps:
In a file manager window, access the menu where you want to
add the launcher.
Choose FileCreate 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 Menu
menus
copying launchers to
To 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, if you want to copy a launcher from
the Applications menu, enter applications:/// URI.
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 Menu
menus
editing properties
To 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 Item
menus
editing menu items
To 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 Menu
menus
deleting menu items
To 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.