Application List not showing gnome-tweaks

[johnnymcc]

Sorry. It's gnome-tweak-tool.

john@desktop02:~$ dpkg -l | grep tweak
ii gnome-tweak-tool 3.34.0-2ubuntu1 all adjust advanced settings for GNOME - transitional package
ii gnome-tweaks 3.34.0-2ubuntu1 all tool to adjust advanced configuration settings for GNOME
ii mousetweaks 3.32.0-2 amd64 mouse accessibility enhancements for the GNOME desktop
john@desktop02:~$

I've tried the extensions web site. I don't remember exactly why I bailed on it. I'll try it again.

[Dennis N]

look at: apt show gnome-tweak-tool
Essentially, it's a package that installs gnome-tweaks. It exists just to provide smooth upgrades from previous Ubuntu releases where Gnome Tweaks was named Gnome Tweak Tool.
You can remove gnome-tweak-tool package without any harm.


Extensions that won't turn on: If you upgraded from 19.10 some extensions may carry over and require updating or no longer be supported and should be removed (check status from the extensions web site, look at 'Installed Extensions'). If so, they might not turn on, but that's just speculation on my part.

[johnnymcc]

My mistake. it was "gnome-tweak-tool".

In the process of trying to get something working right, I had installed "gnome-shell-extensions". That's why I had so many extensions listed. None of them would turn on in the Extensions app. So I purged gnome-shell-extensions and the list shortened back to what I originally had after the Ubuntu install. I went into the Extensions web site, found the Applications Menu and installed it. I can turn the switch to On in the web site, but if I leave the page and go back it's off again. At the end of the line after the On/Off switch is a red X box whose hover says Uninstall. The new extension is listed in the Extensions app but also won't run on there. I've got to be missing something.

[Dennis N]

When switched on, you should see 'Applications' on the top panel on the left (see screenshot). Sometimes you may have to reboot to get an extension to work. Try that. (Note: 'Places' in the screenshot is from a separate extension that I installed, not part of the applications menu). The 4 dots at extreme left are the shortcut to overview screen.

There are many different menus styles to choose from - all are extensions. Just search for 'menu' on the gnome shell extensions web site to find them.

[johnnymcc]

I can install an extension with the web site, but they won't turn on, even after a reboot. This is a fresh 20.04 install. I'm not worried about any tweaks app until I can figure out why I can't get new extensions to work. I've uninstalled both tweak packages. Interestingly enough, the Extensions app is still there.

With the extensions web site, there appears to two ways to install an extension. One is to specify Gnome and extension version and a download of tar starts. I didn't know what to do with that, but then I found that if you just click the On switch it offers to install the extension. When I do that it's added to the list and the switch appears to turn on but it's not real. If I go to my installed list, the switch is off and there's a red X box to uninstall. Needless to say, I never see the 'Applications' since the extension is never really on.

Since you've been helping me with this, I assume you've sucessfully done this on 20.04. There's nothing I can think of to do as far as diagnosing what is happening. Can you think of anything to check? If I knew that this was something that doesn't work on 20.04 yet, I could wait, but if this should work for me now, I've got something wrong that could bite me later.

[Dennis N]

just click the On switch it offers to install the extension.

This is the way to go. It gives you a correct and latest version of the extension to match the gnome-shell version in your Ubuntu. And installs it too, as you said.

If you try a different menu, do you still have a problem?
Try Arc Menu. I have it working on another OS. It's similar to Applications Menu (maybe even nicer), and I like it as well.

Other actions:
Wait until another user gives you better advice.
Google your problem and see if anything useful appears.
Drastic, but a reinstall may do it.

[johnnymcc]

I've tried other extensions. None work. I Googled first and came here to the forum later. Your help is greatly appreciated, but I think I have really two options left. They are to wait and see if updates fix it or reinstall Ubuntu. Since all of my applications work, I'd rather wait and hope no other issues will appear. Just a gut feel tells me a reinstall won't be any different.

[Dennis N]

Ubuntu 20.04 comes with Extensions 3.36.1
I notice there is a newer version 3.36.2 available as a Flatpak package. Visit Flathub for quick Flatpak setup instructions if you want to give it a shot. Possibly a bug fix. I have it installed now. I didn't do anything about the older version, and notice there is still only one 'Extensions' Icon, so the old one is suppressed somehow. Proof of new version attached. This should update as newer versions appear. Ubuntu version may not.

[johnnymcc]

Thanks, I made another thread since this thread started about tweaks. I'll see if anyone else has any ideas before I try a Flatpak. I've been using Ubuntu for over 10 years and I've never heard of it.

[Dennis N]

Thanks, I made another thread since this thread started about tweaks. I'll see if anyone else has any ideas before I try a Flatpak. I've been using Ubuntu for over 10 years and I've never heard of it.

I see it. I hope someone steps up. Flatpak is a packaging system similar in purpose to Snap, just made differently. It's well supported by Ubuntu.