Linux Mint Forums

by **larrylba** on Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:45 am

My Linux Mint 12 KDE task bar has become scrambled and items seem to be missing.

How can I reset the task bar to factory defaults?

The current task bar shows:
Application launcher at bottom right
Show Desktop
Dolphin
An icon that shows panel options - no tool tip.
Digital clock in middle of screen

Also shown: Several icons in a separate window not part of task bar instead of on left side of clock:
Message indicator
Networking interface
Amarok
Printer applet
Knotes
System notifications
Clipboard contents
Volume control

Also, _none_ of my running applications show on task bar.
They used to start on the right side of the application launcher icons.
Makes it really hard to find running apps.
My normal apps are:
Firefox
Thunderbird
various terminals
Any new programs I invoke.
Amarok tray

I'd like to see all of the above items on the task bar like they used to be.

Thanks for any help.

I'd also like to know how to display the KDE version
so I can see what KDE I'm dealing with.

Larrylba

by **xenopeek** on Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:58 pm

A Google search is suggesting to remove your ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-appletsrc, but that is not the file that changes on my system if I add or remove some widgets. The file ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc changes. Removing that file and login anew gives all kinds of errors and weirdness on the desktop :shock:

And as elsewhere suggested, adding a Default Panel (from the panel right-click menu) isn't giving the same panel as the default

In short, I'd say, just either boot from your installation DVD and then copy the configuration files from there to your hard disk and put the in your users' home folder there. Or create a new user, and copy the default configuration files from that user's home folder to yours. I haven't been able to find template files for these files on the filesystem either (there are a few, but they are different again than the default).

These are the files I'd think you need to copy from the installation DVD or from another user's home folder. I'd backup your current files first (just move them to another folder, or rename them; so you can move these files back if it doesn't work). The files are all in the folder .kde/share/config of each user's home folder.

by **larrylba** on Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:18 pm

Thank your very much for your reply Vincent.

I have two possible directions to go in.

About a week ago I used Clonezilla to clone my entire system.
This was before messing up the task bar items.

So I could use the second drive and copy over any files that I have modifed
from the first disk.

For example, the Firefox and Thunderbird files and any other files I have created.

I would also Clonezilla the 2nd drive giving me a backup in case of another mess up.

The other possability is to simply to operate on the first drive for the taskbar stuff
but I'm unsure of how to go about that.

It also occurs to me that it might be possible to simply "drop" the files I'm missing onto the task bar
but that's another unfamiliar thing.

I'm most familiar with doing things at the command line

Can you tell me any way to examine the KDE version number?
I've used Kubuntu for about 4-5 years but never messed much with KDE.

Larrylba

by **xenopeek** on Sat Mar 10, 2012 6:23 pm

Doing a "dpkg -l kde-runtime" informs me KDE4, version 4.7.4.

You can add any missing widgets. Right-click the panel > Panel Options > Add Widgets. For example the widget for switching between windows is called 'Task Manager". Add it to the panel (double-click it, you can move it afterwards) to restore functionality.

by **ssreddy555** on Sun Apr 01, 2012 3:48 am

All u have to do is, to remove the bottom panel by right clicking & choosing remove panel in panel options & then add panel again by right clicking at the bottom of the desktop, add panel > Default Panel. The default panel will be restored & all the scrambling is gone.

by **Jawz** on Mon May 07, 2012 10:21 pm

Vincent Vermeulen wrote:A Google search is suggesting to remove your ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-appletsrc, but that is not the file that changes on my system if I add or remove some widgets. The file ~/.kde/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc changes. Removing that file and login anew gives all kinds of errors and weirdness on the desktop And as elsewhere suggested, adding a Default Panel (from the panel right-click menu) isn't giving the same panel as the default

In short, I'd say, just either boot from your installation DVD and then copy the configuration files from there to your hard disk and put the in your users' home folder there. Or create a new user, and copy the default configuration files from that user's home folder to yours. I haven't been able to find template files for these files on the filesystem either (there are a few, but they are different again than the default).

These are the files I'd think you need to copy from the installation DVD or from another user's home folder. I'd backup your current files first (just move them to another folder, or rename them; so you can move these files back if it doesn't work). The files are all in the folder .kde/share/config of each user's home folder.
plasma-appletsrc
plasma-desktop-appletsrc
plasma-desktoprc
plasmarc

Your post really helped me, the kids messed up my Default Mint (icon) Panel, so I booted the iso and got the files from the defaultuser home directory, then I copied them to a flash stick, and brought them back, replaced the originals and viola!
Default Mint theme.
Now, I use the 'Lock Widgets' function to lock the Panel.

Peace

by **larrylba** on Sat Sep 15, 2012 5:07 pm

Re: Please help. Mint 12 KDE task bar scrambled

Unread postby ssreddy555 on Sun Apr 01, 2012 2:48 am
All u have to do is, to remove the bottom panel by right clicking & choosing remove panel in panel options & then add panel again by right clicking at the bottom of the desktop, add panel > Default Panel. The default panel will be restored & all the scrambling is gone.

ssreddy555

Hello ssreddy555

I have lost time by messing with Kubuntu trying to get it to work.
Finally, as a last resort I decided to go back to Mint 12

Back to Mint which has a Kubuntu panel on top and Mint on the bottom.

The first thing I did is to follow your advice to remove the bottom panel and choosing remove panel in panel options.
That worked fine. The scrambled Mint panel disappears.

Next I did add panel > default panel.
What that did is quickly to add the Kubuntu icon on top and I can't seem to find what happened to the Mint panel.
It may be covered on top under the Kubuntu panel.

Isn't the Mint panel supposed to be on the bottom?
I probably have 3 or 4 Kubuntu panels up on the top and can't see a Mint panel.

What should I do?

larry