How can I remove the default indicators and add custom ones?
You can no longer add/remove indicators or panels by right-clicking like you used to with older Ubuntu versions before 11.10.
Warning: The default indicators (messages, networking, power, sound, user accounts, etc.) are tightly integrated with Unity since Ubuntu 11.10, and trying to remove them may cause problems.
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You can remove these default indicators without affecting the rest of the system:
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Messages: Remove package
indicator-messages
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Sound: Remove package
indicator-sound
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Power: Remove package
indicator-power
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Print Jobs: Remove package
indicator-printers
- Date/Time: Simply enable/disable from System Settings...Time & Date:
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Messages: Remove package
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Removing these default indicators is NOT recommended or not possible without serious adverse effects:
- Networking: Provided by package network-manager-gnome. DO NOT remove unless you have a desktop with one wired ethernet connection and do not use VPNs.
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User Accounts and System: Both provided by the package indicator-session. Removing this package will remove the Shutdown, Logout, etc. options as well!
- Editing the list shown in the System Menu (Startup Applications, Printers, etc.) is NOT possible without modifying the source.
Adding other indicators
Please see this question for a master-list of all the different indicators -- each answer/comments will tell you if it is available from PPAs or the Software Center:
What Application Indicators are available?
The top panel is static and cannot be moved.
If you would like to add indicators to your system, there are 2 ways:
- Go to the Ubuntu Software Center and search for "indicators". Install the indicators you wish to use.
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Install them via the terminal, for example:
sudo apt-get install indicator-weather
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To remove an indicator, simply use the remove button in the Ubuntu Software Center, or use apt, for example:
sudo apt-get remove indicator-weather