Score:0

XFCE (Xubuntu) - How to make launcher only launch when not yet started

co flag

I have been using Ubuntu for 10 years now, always with Gnome and now I tried XFCE I have to say I think it's better.

I learnt how to add launcher in the taskbar to pin my favorite programs, but I find the behaviour a bit strange.

I wish I could have the loader to quickly open my app, but if it's already opened, i wish it could maximize the window or put it to the first level, not to open a new instance...

If you know a way to do that, it would be so perfect...

In fact it would be event better to mix the launcher widgets with the current running windows widgets. This way I would have more space in my taskbar.

Let me show you what I get :

enter image description here

Thanks a lot for your help !

Score:0
ph flag

You can try installing and enabling the Docklike Taskbar plugin:

https://docs.xfce.org/panel-plugins/xfce4-docklike-plugin/start

If doesn't suit your needs, you can try one of the desktop-independent docks available in the repos (Plank, Cairo Dock).

Simon Trichereau avatar
co flag
Thanks i'll give it a try ! :)
Simon Trichereau avatar
co flag
That's a good solution but I prefered not to install extra plugins so I kept the @vanadium solution! But thanks a lot for your help!
Score:0
cn flag

A simple one-line command can already do this. To have run or raise behavior, change the command specified in your launcher to, e.g.,

sh -c "wmctrl -x -a Gnome-terminal || gnome-terminal"

Here, the utility wmctrl (make sure to install it) will raise an existing terminal window to the foreground. If that fails, gnome-terminal will be launched instead.

The tool jumpapp leverages on the above, but provides options to change the behavior and to cover edge cases. It can be neatly and easily installed in Ubuntu as indicated on the website, and is actually a bash script that relies on wmctrl and xdotool.

Simon Trichereau avatar
co flag
Thanks i'll give it a try :)
Simon Trichereau avatar
co flag
Oups, sorry, it works like a charm thanks ! :)
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