Unity desktop integration

Registered by Didier Roche-Tolomelli

We are seeing more and more people integrating on their laptop Unity and their preferred applications:
- drag and drop support
- custom quicklists
- crazy integration patches

It's proably time to get the most interesting one into the distro. Some effort were started to https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/desktop-o-default-apps-unity-integration, but due to lack of time, not anything was integrated in time. It's time to review the list and to push those forwards.

If you have any idea on how to integrate better your preferred application with Unity, do not hesitate to suggest there! What is possible with current launcher is described in the Unity API page: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Unity/LauncherAPI

Blueprint information

Status:
Not started
Approver:
Sebastien Bacher
Priority:
Low
Drafter:
Didier Roche-Tolomelli
Direction:
Approved
Assignee:
None
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
Proposed for raring
Implementation:
Not started
Milestone target:
milestone icon ubuntu-12.10-beta-1

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

Work done in precise:
[didrocks] Nautilus dynamic quicklist: DONE
[bilalakhtar] Finish Software Centre integration (http://bit.ly/vwgIDa is the spec): DONE
[njpatel] BFB quicklists (Lenses as right click on the ubuntu button) (#868452 ): DONE
Transmission quicklist: DONE
Make it easy for lenses to go into the software center: DONE

--- opened opportunity (feel free to grab them):
[?] wget
[?] apt-get
[?] rsync
[?] shotwell import
[?] scp :)
[?] bzr branch
[?] dput
[?] Software center lens? (or is it redoundant?)

pitti, 2012-03-28: Moving to Q, most WIs are still open.
didrocks, 2012-07-11: Moving to R and triaging what's already done. Unlikely to be done for Q.

(?)

Work Items

Work items:
[dobey] quicklists for U1: TODO
[jassmith] Workspace switcher: TODO
[gord] Banshee quicklists, the categories, so like music, podcasts, radio, etc. -- ('open location' to grab a stream): TODO
[johnlea] Q. What do we tell app developers, launcher integration or indicator integration. A. Always integrate with launcher, integrate with indicators where relevant: DONE
[thumper] Think about making writing Quicklist "utilities" easier: TODO
[thumper] Qt API for appindicators (extending sni-qt code to provide this): TODO
[thumper] Remove "whitelist all" since it breaks the entire indicator area, just allow people to explicitly allow apps: TODO
[scottritchie] wine apps need the extended whatever they call it in windows in .desktop files so unity can find: TODO
[jassmith] multiplexing multiple libunity subscribers: TODO
[jassmith] Better ability for apps to say which mimetypes they support for DND: TODO
[thumper] privacy issues with some lenses and scopes, being able to run off apps available for download and the music purchasing thinger: TODO
[jassmith] Be able to drag lenses onto the launcher: TODO
[thumper] Finish API documentation: TODO
[thumper] Auto load Lenses and Scopes when installed: TODO
[thumper] override poor icons from old apps and use the category icon instead: TODO
[johnlea] mockup what an icon override would look like,(an emblem on the ctegory icon perhaps?): TODO
[thumper] Documentation for all of the above, GIR files currently are badly documented (for newbies mainly): TODO