1

I'm looking for a GUI application which works as nicely as Ubuntu's system settings, except that it lets me remove some of the items in it without the whole thing crashing.

In the current GUI, removing one of the modules (for devices like bluetooth, printers) has -in the past- made the whole system settings (GUI) application disappear.

I want to make it more difficult for anyone to use such devices (printer, bluetooth) through my computer (until -if ever- I decide otherwise).

aksub
  • 53
  • I am afraid I have no idea what you mean; how: remove one of the devices? From the launcher? – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:20
  • I edited it. I hope it's clearer. Is it? (@Jacob Vlijm) Thanks. – aksub Feb 27 '15 at 07:24
  • I think I got it, you want to remove items from the settings manager (System settings >), not from Unity. The crashing is obviously not the "normal behaviour. maybe worth to try to fix it? – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:27
  • Hm. Not sure. I thought there'd be another program wich didn't crash. Didn't know it was NOT the usual behavior, but saw others asking similar questions, so I figured I wasn't the only one having problems with that part of System Settings. A plain "no" might do for an answer :) Thanks, though. – aksub Feb 27 '15 at 07:33
  • Is this what you mean? http://askubuntu.com/questions/442520/is-it-possible-to-remove-items-from-system-settings – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:36
  • I am afraid I am lost, obviously I don't understand the question, maybe someone else will? – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:45
  • I removed them from the "Ubuntu Software Center" individually, but the System Settings disappeared. Let me hope someone will understand my question. Thanks, though. – aksub Feb 27 '15 at 07:48
  • Ah, I see (chat). In the link above, you can read how to remove them from System settings. – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:50
  • Might just be getting too late for me. Not quite willing to read it in detail. Might have overlooked it. Thanks again (@Jacob Vlijm). Have a good one. – aksub Feb 27 '15 at 07:53
  • OK, last thing that might restore your System settings: http://askubuntu.com/questions/466720/system-settings-icons-missing-in-14-04 (not sure if that is what you are looking for as well) – Jacob Vlijm Feb 27 '15 at 07:54
  • I seems to me that you want to hide or remove some modules (not devices) from GUI (Control Center, not its backend, gnome settings deamon). Right? – user.dz Feb 27 '15 at 08:14
  • 1
    Yes. (@Sneetsher) I guess that's what that's called...just to make it more difficult for anyone to use such devices (printer, bluetooth) through my computer. – aksub Feb 28 '15 at 21:45

1 Answers1

0

  • unity-control-center relys on .desktop files and their commands existence to show UI modules.

    1. That's what I got from tracing it.

      strace -o Desktop/trace_control_center.txt unity-control-center

    2. Click on printer then close it

    3. Check for operations: stat,if successful followed by open, itself if successful followed by read

      grep -i printer Desktop/trace_control_center.txt

  • So, Just remove their .desktop file or change its permission:

    sudo chmod -r /usr/share/applications/unity-bluetooth-panel.desktop
sudo chmod -r /usr/share/applications/system-config-printer.desktop

    BTW, unity-control-center is forked from gnome-control-center, same as unity-settings-daemon from gnome-settings-daemon. You may have both on same system:

    sudo chmod -r /usr/share/applications/gnome-bluetooth-panel.desktop

    Printer configuration wizard is common.

  • Or you may instead change commands permission, if you want to disable both GUI/CLI:

    sudo chmod -x /usr/bin/system-config-printer
user.dz
  • 48,105