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Fix Minimize/Maximize/Close Button Order in Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

by Terry Moore on March 8th, 2010

For some unknown reason the developers of Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx swapped the order of the minimize and maximize buttons.  Here is how to change it back to normal order.

In Gnome hit Alt-F2 to open up the run box.  Once opened type gconf-editor

Once gconf-editor is open navigate to the apps -> metacity -> general and change
button_layout to :minimize,maximize,close

That’s it.
Update: (2010-05-12)

Even easier way and cooler because its done on the command line is to open up a terminal and while logged in as your user account

Type this:

gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout ":minimize,maximize,close"

Update: Thanks to the comment from LMB you can use this command to add the menu icon on the left side of the menu bar.

gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout "menu:minimize,maximize,close"
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12 Comments
  1. Steve Smith permalink

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  2. GerGn permalink

    Also my thanks! Only now I dare to upgrade my wife’s laptop from 9.10 to 10.04.

    She did not notice it when I supergraded from Windows Vista Home Basic to Ubuntu 9.10, but she does closes an application like ThunderBird now and then …

  3. Terry Moore permalink

    @GerGn If she didn’t notice the switch to 9.10 I doubt she will notice the switch to 10.04. So far it has been really stable for me.

  4. Uncle Spellbinder permalink

    The easiest way is with Ubuntu Tweak:

    http://content.imagesocket.com/images/ButtonsOnRight09dc8a.jpeg

  5. Terry Moore permalink

    Uncle Spellbinder :
    Never used Ubuntu Tweak before but I just downloaded it and it is pretty sweet. For those that have never used it before you can download it here: http://ubuntu-tweak.com/

  6. Kim permalink

    Thank you kind sir.

  7. LMB permalink

    this is the command:

    gconftool-2 –type string –set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout “menu:minimize,maximize,close”

  8. Terry Moore permalink

    Yes that will work also. I rarely use that menu therefore didn’t even
    realize it was missing.
    Thanks

  9. Penguine permalink

    Thank you, Terry. That’s much better!

  10. Great information! I’ve been looking for something like this for a while now. Thanks!

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Como mudar os botões de minimizar, maximizar e fechar no Ubuntu 10.04 | Blog do Robson Dantas
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