Linux in a Nutshell, Third Edition

The Panel

The GNOME panel can contain several different types of objects. The most obvious are the buttons for the menu and application launchers. You also can use a button to open a drawer, which is like a subpanel containing additional launchers. There are a few special types of buttons used for logging out of the session and locking the screen. Finally, small programs called applets can be run on the panel. The Desk Guide and the clock are examples of panel applets.

Settings for the panel are found in the Panel menu on the main menu or by right-clicking on the panel. This menu offers options to add new launchers or applets to the panel; adjust the style, size, and display of the panel; or create new panels on the desktop.

Additional Panels

You can create more than one panel on your desktop. This is useful if you have different sets of applications used for specific but common tasks. For example, if you do a lot of work on graphics, you can dedicate a panel to launch your favorite graphics tools. To create a new panel, right-click on the default panel and select Add New Panel. Or from the main menu, select Panel→Add New Panel. There are five different types of panels available from the submenu:

edge panel

The style of the default panel. It stretches across one entire edge of the screen. Arrow buttons on each end of the panel are used to collapse the panel to the side of a screen. Clicking on the remaining visible arrow button of a collapsed panel will cause the panel to appear ...