Ubuntu – Will Unity 2d top panel be theme-able and support transparency

Neither Unity or Unity 2D will support applets, see here for more information:

• Can I use GNOME applets in Unity?
• What Application Indicators are available? has alternatives

Unity Lenses might be an option if you'd like to extend Unity.

I confirm that behavior would show up only for Compiz/Dual Display combination. What I've tested so far in VBox with Ubuntu 12.04 32bit:

• Metacity + Single Display (OK)
• Metacity + Dual Display (OK)
• Compiz + Single Display (OK)
• Compiz + Dual Display (Overlapping)

One trick or work around that works for me, adding a top panel to the second display & Auto hide should be disabled for both.

In case you don't want to add a panel to 2nd display, this another hack not fully tested, it just works:

1. Get source:

   sudo apt-get build-dep unity-2d
   apt-get source unity-2d
   cd unity-2d-5.14.0/
   

2. Modify screen top

   nano shell/app/shelldeclarativeview.cpp

   void
   ShellDeclarativeView::updateShellPosition()
   {
   ...
       QRect my_screenInfo = m_screenInfo->availableGeometry();
       my_screenInfo.adjust(0,28,0,0);
       const QRect availableGeometry = my_screenInfo;
       //const QRect availableGeometry = m_screenInfo->availableGeometry();
   

3. Mod Shell height

   nano shell/Shell.qml

   Item {
       id: shell
   ...
       height: declarativeView.screen.availableGeometry.height - 28
   

4. Build it:

   cmake .
   make
   

5. Test it

   ./shell/app/unity-2d-shell
   

You may like to install it then rename it to avoid mess up with official one.

    sudo make install        
    sudo mv /usr/local/bin/unity-2d-shell /usr/local/bin/unity-2d-shell-mod