Ubuntu – Stop windows from shifting order in Ubuntu Dock

gnome-shellubuntu-dock

Say I have two Chrome windows open like this:

enter image description here
enter image description here

It seems that the most recently used window always appears on top. In other words, the "Apply Digital Signatures" was the window I had open last. If I were to switch to the window showing the new tab, then the order in which the windows are displayed in the task bar suddenly changes.

Is there a way to keep them from shuffling around? I'd like to be able to order them however I want, like tabs in a web browser. (I'd also like to put them across different workspaces.)

Best Answer

The dock in Ubuntu 18.04 is a modified version of the original Dash to Dock gnome shell extension. The order of window previews is hard coded and was recently changed from recently used to when opened in response to this issue.

So no, you can't rearrange the window previews. I don't know when the changed behaviour will be merged into the Ubuntu version, but since it hasn't been included in 18.10, it may take some time, if it will happen at all.

You can, however install the latest version of Dash to Dock by following the instructions on the homepage.

Alternatively, as a user on the github page explained, you can supposedly replace the file /usr/share/gnome-shell/extensions/ubuntu-dock@ubuntu.com/windowPreview.js with this version to make the window previews appear in the order the windows were opened.