Cardapio Gets An Avant Window Navigator Applet

Cardapio is a simple menu for the GNOME desktop that comes with a lot of useful plugins. It can launch applications, run a command, pin items, search through your Firefox bookmarks or Ubuntu Software Center, includes a file search and full text search and more.

After getting a Docky helper two weeks ago, an update today brings a Cardapio Avant Window Navigator applet too so you can finally use Cardapio like any other AWN applet (it was previously possible to use Cardapio in AWN by using a small "hack").

Install Cardapio Avant Window Navigator applet:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cardapio-team/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cardapio cardapio-awn

If you've already had Cardapio installed, make sure to upgrade to the latest version before installing the AWN applet.

Thanks to Thiago for the tip!

Cardapio Menu Update Brings Docky Helper, Minimode

Cardapio, one of the best main menu applets available for Linux has just been updated, bringing some very cool new features:

(Cardapio Gnome panel applet - minimode)

Minimode is a new option to reduce the size of the Cardapio main window which saves a lot of space, very useful for netbooks (but not only).

(Cardapio running as a Docky Helper)

Docky Helper: clicking the anchor icon in Docky will open Cardapio.

Other changes in the latest Cardapio include reduced memory usage and the search box is now sensitive to Cardapio's location (if Cardapio is launched from the top panel, the search box is on top and if Cardapio is launched from the bottom panel, the search box is at the bottom).

Install Cardapio in Ubuntu

To install the latest Cardapio in Ubuntu, use the following commands (will add the PPA and install Cardapio):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cardapio-team/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cardapio

Once installed, right click a Gnome panel, select "Add to panel" and add Cardapio.

To also install the Cardapio Docky helper, use the following command:

sudo apt-get install cardapio-docky

Thanks to Thiago Teixeira for the tip! Docky Cardapio image credits: tvst3000 (as I don't use Docky)

Cardapio (Application Menu) Gets A System Menu, New Plugins

Cardapio is a simple menu for the GNOME desktop that can work in two modes: as a standard menu - applet on the GNOME panel or as a stand-alone launcher (which you can use to launch it from any Dock or panel).

The latest Cardapio 0.9.132 was released earlier today, bringing a system menu - something a lot of us were missing in Cardapio. The new version also comes with some new web search plugins for Bing, Yahoo, Wikipedia and Youtube.

Install Cardapio in Ubuntu

The 32bit version is not ready yet - it's in the Launchpad queue for a day and it hasn't been built yet. But you can install an older version (if you're not using Cardapio already) and wait for the Update. If you're using Ubuntu 64bit then you're in luck - the 64bit Cardapio package is ready.

To add the Cardapio plugin and install it, use the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cardapio-team/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cardapio

Then simply right click the GNOME panel, select "Add to panel" and add Cardapio.

To use Cardapio with Docky, Avant Window Navigator or Cairo Dock (or basically any dock out there), see our post: How To Use Cardapio Menu With Docky And Avant Window Navigator.

The Best Linux Main Menu

Another week, another poll. This time you can vote for the best Linux (main) menu. I didn't include all the menus out there in the poll, but there are more options than we usually use for our polls. The contenders are: MintMenu, Lancelot, Main Menu (the main GNOME menu), Slab, Menu bar (the Ubuntu default menu), Kickoff, USP (Ubuntu System Panel), GnoMenu, K-Menu and Cardapio.

As usual, you can vote for something not among the default options by choosing "other" and then entering your answer.

You can vote for the best Linux menu below:

Note: I've added MintMenu even though it's a USP fork and Lancelot which I believe is a Slab fork because they are somewhat different.


Don't forget to tell us why you like a certain Linux menu or suggest some other menus, in the comment form below!

How To Use Cardapio Menu With Docky And Avant Window Navigator

Cardapio is a main menu replacement for GNOME which comes with a lot of useful features and plugins. It can run as a GNOME panel applet or as a stand-alone application.

This post will explain how to use Cardapio in Docky or Avant Window Navigator (thanks to a comment from tvst).

Before proceeding, make sure you have the latest Cardapio version:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cardapio-team/unstable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cardapio

1. Use Cardapio with Docky

To use Cardapio with Docky, simply paste the following command in a terminal:

gconftool -s --type string /apps/docky-2/Docky/Items/DockyItem/DockyItemCommand 'cardapio show-near-mouse'

Now clicking the Docky icon on the left of Docky will launch Cardapio.


In case you want to reset this, use the following command:

gconftool -s --type string /apps/docky-2/Docky/Items/DockyItem/DockyItemCommand ''

2. Use Cardapio with Avant Window Navigator (AWN)

To use Cardapio with Avant Window Navigator, right click on the desktop, select "Create launcher", under "Name" enter "Cardapio" and under "Command", enter:

cardapio show-near-mouse

You can also customize the icon: simply browse for any icon you want such as "/usr/share/pixmaps/gnome-gmenu.png" or whatever icon you want.

Now drag-and-drop the newly created launcher onto Avant Window Navigator.

Faster Cardapio

For both Docky and Avant Window Navigator: the first time you launch Cardapio, it takes some time to start but then it launches really fast. To make it work fast from the first time you launch it, create a new Startup Applications item (System > Preferences > Startup Applications), under "Name" enter "Cardapio" and under the command field, enter:

cardapio hidden

Thanks to tvst for the tip!