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Currently, I am using the Unity Qt panel in my Gnome desktop, and when I press the Windows key, the Unity's dash launches, and I can't use any compiz based shortcuts.

Same behaviour is exhibited when I log in to Unity 2D as well, as the Windows key launches the dash.

I have no desire to change my Compiz shortcuts, so is there any way to change the keyboard mapping of Unity 2D's dash to something other or disable this shortcut completely?

Jorge Castro
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LFC_fan
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5 Answers5

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You can disable the super key using the command:

gconftool --set /desktop/unity/launcher/super_key_enable --type=bool 0

(Since GNOME 3 settings are in dconf instead of gconf, and unity became a plugin. The method thus became: dconf write /org/compiz/profiles/unity/plugins/unityshell/show-launcher '""')

Then you can define a keyboard shortcut with your preferred method to launch the following command:

dbus-send --type=method_call --dest=com.canonical.Unity2d /Dash com.canonical.Unity2d.Dash.activateHome

This will trigger Unity Home Dash

Tankman六四
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the brx in the walls
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9

I just installed Ubuntu 11.04 and I was able to use gconf-editor to change the shortcut key.

Make sure you're not running gnome-do! (If it's set to use your key combo, the Dash won't be able to bind to those keys.)

Open a terminal and run gconf-editor

Navigate to this key:

/apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/show_launcher

Modify the show_launcher key to a single key value.

The key in gconf-editor

I set the value to <Super>space and now Super+space opens the dash instead of Super. Note that if you use a key combo, it seems to take a minute before you can use that to invoke the Dash. You also need to complete the key combo quickly.

If you want a more user-friendly interface, you can use the command line:

gconftool --set /apps/compiz-1/plugins/unityshell/screen0/options/show_launcher --type=string "<Super>space"

Or use compizconfig-settings-manager 

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

In the Desktop section, select Ubuntu Unity Plugin. Set Key to show the launcher to be your desired keys. Again, it takes a minute before you can invoke the Dash.

Zanna
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idbrii
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6

It is not planned for now to make it configurable though it is planned to deactivate that shortcut by default, see bug #705076

Kaleo
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Run (Alt+F2 or Synapse) gconf-editor. Navigate to Desktop>Unity>Launcher. Uncheck the box for super_key_enable.

Derek Lamarr
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    You should improve your answer by adding more details or screenshots to help take this from "an answer" to an "awesome answer" – Marco Ceppi Feb 06 '11 at 21:48
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For Unity-2D in Ubuntu 12.04, the following command worked for me:

dconf write /com/canonical/unity-2d/launcher/super-key-enable false

see http://wtanaka.com/node/8025

demestor
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