Howto Get Windows 7 Like Taskbar (DockbarX )

I used dozens of docks on Linux and Windows, and as you know there are really good docks like AWN, Gnome-Do with docky interface, cairo dock, kiba-dock and so on linux.Today i tried DockbarX and fall in love :). It is like Windows 7's taskbar except windows' previews, and you can use it with AWN (i did not try this but i will write the installation guide).Since i am using one gnome panel, it is better for me to delete all the docks i have and add it to my top panel (I am using 12" notebook with Ubuntu Karmic Koala so i gain more visual space with this task bar ;) ).You can read the features and changelog from here.You can use experimental or stable build, you can install it from Scott Barnes's Launchpad repository, or you can compile latest branch.Since it is actively developed, the package at Launchpad repository is a little old and at this howto we will compile(we won't even compile, just a couple of cp commands :) ) it from branch.

For the ones who want to install ubuntu package or from repository, here is Scott's repository :

https://launchpad.net/~dockbar-main/+archive/ppa

For the others who want to install from the branch, let's start :

We are going to create a SVN/DockbarX directory on your home, and install required packages :

$mkdir -p ~/SVN/DockbarX
$sudo apt-get install bzr python-gnome2-desktop python-numpy

Now navigate to ~/SVN/DockbarX and download the branch :

$cd ~/SVN/DockbarX && bzr branch https://code.launchpad.net/~dockbar-main/dockbar/experimental && cd experimental

Instead of compiling we will move a couple of files, and create some directories etc :

$sudo cp dockbarx.py /usr/bin/
$sudo cp GNOME_DockBarXApplet.server /usr/lib/bonobo/servers/

Now we will create a folder (~/.dockbar) and copy launcher_icon.png to this folder.For sistem wide installation you can copy it to /usr/share/pixmaps/dockbar (create if it does not exist : $sudo mkdir -p /usr/share/pixmaps/dockbar ) :

$mkdir ~/.dockbar && cp launcher_icon.png ~/.dockbar

After this, right click to a gnome panel, and select "Add to Panel".Then select Dockbar Applet and click "Add".You can move it to anywhere you want and you can find its preferences menu via right clicking the applet.

Here are some screenshots from Karmic Koala with Windows 7 theme (default properties , i did not touch anything at preferences for now.If it looks ugly, please blame the author of the Windows Vista icon pack :)) :

AWN installation guide (i did not try this, i am taking it from gnome-look's page) :

1. Do a normal install (no need to add dockbarx to panel if you don't want to, of course).

2. Copy everything from the AWN folder to ~/.config/awn/applets
3. Remove original taskbar/launcher applet from awn (optional, but recommended)
4. Set 'Icon offset' parameter to 0!
5. Restart AWN
6. Add DockBar applet