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5

How to add information indicators to a Launcher icon from a script?

rated 0 times [ 5] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 512 / 2 Years ago, wed, september 14, 2022, 6:00:26

Some applications place informational text over their icons in the Launcher.

For example, Thunderbird shows the unread message count, and Update Manager shows the number of updates available and a progress bar. The image shows these two examples:

Launcher icons with information overlay

I have created some Bash scripts that use yad (a Zenity fork), which adds an icon to the Launcher while running.

I would like to know how I can create my own information overlay within my script for those icons.

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ligdesig

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4 Years ago

answered 2 Years ago eving · Accepted Answer

This is for Python, perhaps something can be found for another language..

From the update-manager source, UnitySupport.py:

You need to:

from gi.repository import Dbusmenu, Unity

to get Unity support.

You can then define a function:

def set_launcher_icon_num(self, num_count):

    self._unity.set_property("count", num_count)

    if num_count > 0:

        self._unity.set_property("count-visible", True)

    else:

        self._unity.set_property("count-visible", False)

Also, to show urgency(shake the icon),

self._unity.set_property("urgent", urgent)

or to create a progressbar,

self._unity.set_property("progress", progress/100.0)

where progress is from 0 to 100. You can then use:

self._unity.set_property("progress_visible", True)

to show the progressbar and use False instead of True to hide it.

As always, searching the source of a program that does what you are trying to do can be worthwhile.

_{These are subject to change at anytime. You can also see the Unity API.}