How to make the left Super-key open "Show Applications" menu as a shortcut?

In Ubuntu 18.04.1, I would like to use my left Super-key only to simply open the Show Applications menu (aka Dash) like a left click on the dock-icon (with the 9 dots) does and preferably close it again without showing me any open programs.

I can open it with Super + A and even close it again with Super R, but Super L appears to do nothing at all.

In Xfce, something similar was possible by adding a custom keyboard shortcut for Super L and setting the command to xfce4-popup-whiskermenu, which would open and close a menu with favourite applications. Unfortunately, I don't know the command that opens and closes the Show Applications menu.

Is there any way to add such a shortcut in the new Gnome Shell?

Solution 1:

Solution 1: Gnome extensions

Install the extension Start Overlay in Application View to use the Super key alone to open the Application overview.

Solution 2: xcape (more universal approach that allows you to do whatever you want with super)

With the utility xcape, you can remap a press/release of the super key alone to any key combination. xcape can be installed with the command sudo apt install xcape.

In this case, you would launch xcape with the command xcape -e "Super_L=Super_L|a". This will remap hitting and releasing super alone to the default key combination for opening the applications menu.

• Disable the default binding of super to show the overview. You can do this with the command gsettings set org.gnome.mutter overlay-key '', or using dconf-editor.
• Have xcape autostart using a .desktop file that you place in your ~/.config/autostart folder.

An example of such xcape.desktop file:

[Desktop Entry]
Categories=Utility;
Comment=Map super key
Exec=sh -c 'sleep 0.4 ; xcape -e "Super_L=Super_L|space"' 
Icon=keyboard
Name=xcape
StartupNotify=false
Type=Application
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

Optionally, install the extension ESC to close overview from applications list to have Esc return you to your desktop rather than to the overview. In Ubuntu 20.04, use a forked extension: ESC to close overview from applications list | UPDATED by paperthin or ESCape Overview.