GNOME Do is one of those tools that should be rolled into GNOME by default. This tool allows for the search and launch of applications or files. The new Ubuntu take on the desktop, Unity, has this feature baked in, but it’s not nearly as flexible as is in GNOME Do. Fortunately, the application will still work once you’ve transitioned from the standard GNOME to Ubuntu Unity.
Getting GNOME Do to work in Unity is not even remotely challenging. But if it’s installed without understanding how to get it to work properly, GNOME Do will simply not do. Here’s how to install and configure GNOME Do to work in the Ubuntu Unity desktop.
Installing and launching GNOME Do
The installation of GNOME Do is simple:
Open the Ubuntu Software CenterSearch for “gnome do” (no quotes)Click the Install buttonEnter your sudo password
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Using and configuring GNOME Do
As I mentioned earlier, GNOME Do is quite a bit more flexible than the standard Unity search. How? GNOME Do can be configured to work in conjunction with external applications, such as Google Calendars. To make GNOME Do aware of your Google Calendar, do the following:
Open the Gnome Do Preferences windowClick on the Plugins tabScroll down to the Google Calendar entryEnable the plugin by clicking the check boxClick the Configure buttonIn the Google Calendar Configuration window, enter the credentials for the calendar to be associated with GNOME DoClick ApplyClose the Preferences window
Appearance and other configurations
Naturally, GNOME Do needs to fit in with the scheme and style of the desktop. Fortunately, it is possible to theme GNOME Do. Bring up GNOME Do and click on the drop-down menu to gain access to the Preferences window. Once the Preferences window is open, click the Appearance tab where Do’s appearances can be configured. There are four themes to choose from, as well as a few other options that effect appearance.
There is one particular preference that will not work with Ubuntu Unity. In the General tab, you will see an option to Show Notification Icon. This is not compatible with the Unity panel, as third-party panel applets are not installable. One particular plugin will also no longer work — Twitter. The Twitter GNOME Do plugin still uses basic authentication, which Twitter dropped a long time ago. This has yet to be fixed.
Extended usage
If the results that GNOME Do pop up do not seem to be locating files and folders, it is because the directories have not be set up. GNOME Do has to be made aware of the directories it has available to search. To do this, open up the Preferences window, choose the Plugins tab, select Files and Folders, and click the Configuration button. When the new window opens, click the Add button and add the directories that GNOME Do must be made aware of for searching purposes. With the necessary folders added, the GNOME Do search results will be much more effective.
Let GNOME Do
I was very pleased to find out that GNOME Do could work in conjunction with Ubuntu Unity. GNOME Do is an incredibly powerful and handy tool that makes working on the desktop so much faster. You might be happy with the way Unity searches and launches applications and files; but if not, let GNOME Do it!
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