Window List problem on Jaunty: Window List buttons tiny, no icons, no text

[K7AAY]

Have a laptop with a short, wide screen, so I consolidated the top and bottom panels in Jaunty (Ubuntu 9.04). The result works OK, except the Window List buttons are so narrow I can't see which app is associated with the button. (See pic below).

How do I widen the buttons of the Window List?

Did check all posts here associated with GNOME's Window List and reveiewed the official documenta..tion, as well as asked on #ubuntu

[undecim]

It seems there is something preventing your window list from expanding. (perhaps a launcher without an icon, or a failed applet?) try right clicking on the blank area just to the right of your window list and see if you get a "Remove from Panel" option. (though make sure you aren't clicking ON your window list.)

If that doesn't work, try moving your window list. Right click on the blank space just to the left of your window list and unchecking the "Lock to Panel" option if it is checked, then use the "Move" option to move your window list to the other side of the empty space on your panel.

[K7AAY]

<snip>
try moving your window list. Right click on the blank space just to the left of your window list and unchecking the "Lock to Panel" option if it is checked, then use the "Move" option to move your window list to the other side of the empty space on your panel.
That did the trick.

However, it now appears the area available to the Window List is severely constrained. There's a big margin between the last item and the start of the Window List, and if I move another icon in that space, the margins shifts to the right. There's a marker of three stacked short dashes at the end of the margin. See fractional screenshot below.

How do I reduce that margin?