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Idea #26065: Should be able to auto hide Unity dock

bug This idea was marked as implemented the 16 March 11. Available starting Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal.
Written by binaryflow the 11 Oct 10 at 18:21. Related project: Ubuntu mobile edition. Status: Implemented
Rationale
The new version of Ubuntu Netbook Edition (10.10) uses the new Unity interface. I like the new look and feel but the dock on the left hand side of the screen takes up too much space.

114
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#1): Add an auto-hide option for the dock
Written by binaryflow the 11 Oct 10 at 18:21.
Please add an option to auto-hide this dock to conserve on horizontal viewing space.
29
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#2): Add a manual hide option for those who don't like or can't use auto-hide
Written by James Haigh the 25 Oct 10 at 12:49.
Auto-hide gets in the way if you have an inaccurate mouse pointer. If you go too far, up pops your panel.

Touch-screen users can't use auto-hide because it's not possible to touch the very edge pixel. Unity aims for use on touch-screen devices in the future.
-3
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#3): Use Top Left Corner or Drag Ubuntu Icon down to unhide
Written by Yas the 30 Oct 10 at 09:30.
As Unity is being designed for touch screen devices in mind as well, the use of edge screen would be difficult to implement. So Why not have 2 methods to unhide. Taking a similar approach from Gnome Shell, either mouse pointer in the top right edge could show the Unity Bar or selecting the Ubuntu Icon and dragging down with pointer could also display the Unity bar. This way we can have auto hide and also cater for different pointer types.
8
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#4): Allow click the ubuntu logo and windows key (Super key) to hide bar
Written by C.H.E.W.S. the 30 Oct 10 at 22:05.
Similar to 3 but more detailed and drawn out. The ubuntu logo on the top left should serve to hide and unhide the side bar in unity. Full screened windows should automatically resize when this is clicked. The window or (super key) should be a hot key for doing this also. The solution is elegant and simple and the menu that clicking the Ubuntu logo brings up currently could be added to the applications button on the bar(which should be on the top of the unity bar.) This section would be called home and then would be followed by all applications, internet, office etc.
3
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#5): Make the Unity dock like a drawer
Written by ginjaninja405 the 2 Nov 10 at 18:09.
This solution only really applies to touch based devices, which is where the problem really lies. Because for keyboard users the super key makes sense, or being near screen edge. But I think, just like hot corners, the user should put their finger on the left edge of the screen, half way up, and swipe their finger towards the centre of the device to pull out the dock like a drawer. This doesn't interfere with web page panning, as most of that is done in the centre of the screen.
1
votes
implemented
Selected solution (#7): Have a hide/show option in the top-left
Written by turbolad the 19 Feb 11 at 21:11.
At the moment, we have a Ubuntu logo in the top-left. Let's replace that with a button that behaves as follows:

* The button says "Hide" when the Unity dock is visible.

* The button says "Show" when the Unity dock is hidden.

Having the button in the top-left keeps it at the top of the screen, which gives you even more screen space when the Unity dock is hidden.

I think this is better than auto hiding, as I think auto hiding could be annoying to some users.

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Comments
Rowan187 wrote on the 20 Oct 10 at 10:04
Yes. Very simple. Just keep the start menu button up there, and have a normal mouse hover over dock. For touch users add a little extra thing they can kind of pull or touch to make the dock appear. I know if they were going to do this they would, but they might as well make it a quick optional feature for the ones that would really like it. The left and top column thing makes a 10.1 inch screen feel cramped.

bluenova wrote on the 21 Oct 10 at 15:34
Unity without auto-hide goes against the main reason Ubuntu Network Edition was created, to save screen real-estate. Why oh why would they let this lose in a final release? What was so bad with 9.04's menu system that it couldn't carry on being used until Unity was complete?

bluenova wrote on the 21 Oct 10 at 15:35
Brainstorm, where's the edit button?

T-Keith wrote on the 23 Oct 10 at 16:05
It would also be nice to eliminate it. When using a netbook you can't have that many things open, so a launcher/dock taking up the left end of the screen is not helpful at all. Unity takes up MORE space than the old netbook interface.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 27 Oct 10 at 06:20
@James Haigh:

> Unity aims for use on touch-screen devices in the future.

And if I am not mistaken for use on Ubuntu 11.04 Desktop Edition....

C.H.E.W.S. wrote on the 30 Oct 10 at 22:11
If they switch to compiz I hope they make a workspace switcher similar to that in gnome shell

Rowan187 wrote on the 6 Nov 10 at 07:18
I'm having trouble finding the source, but I read a Unity Q&A with Shuttlesworth that said the dock will auto-hide for 11.04. Problem essentially solved!

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 25 Nov 10 at 17:00
@Rowan187:

If you find the source please inform me.

Thank you in advance.

Vahan Harutyunyan (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 16 Mar 11 at 12:36
The Unity launcher (in 11.04) has an auto-hide option that is enabled by default. It has a few options:

Never - The launcher will never hide.
Autohide - The launcher will hide automatically based on time.
Dodge Windows - The launcher will hide when a window would overlay it.
Dodge Active Window - The launcher will hide only when an active window would overlay it.


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