hello,

I am new to ubuntu and would like to have the same aero-like feature as in windows 7. I don't have any graphic card and I have a poor cpu so the solution must not use many resources. The visual effects in system->preferences->appearance are set to none and should stay that way.
I want at least a desktop shortcut (mod4+left arrow, for resizing the current window to fill the entire left-border of the screen; mod4+right arrow for the right-border; mod4+up, for maximizing or restoring to the previous size, depending on which is easier), and if possible also the mouse shortcut, so that if the window is dragged to the left (and right, and up) of the screen, it also resizes it.
If it is easier, I could do without the multiple desktop feature.
I thought of a solution (but maybe there's a better one): using a user-made desktop shortcut in system->preferences->keyboard shortcut->add, with the command wmctrl. But I don't know how to use it, I'm not a programmer.


Thanks

I think compiz can do that, but it would require to change the 'visual effects' option to 'extra', right?

A lot of that, maybe all of that is possible, but you will have to tell us what window manager you're using. On Ubuntu, this could be Gnome, Unity, KDE 4, Openbox (LXDE), XFCE, or maybe even something else. Try to find out and post it here, because the instructions will be different for each one of them. And I just know about Openbox.

Sorry. I'm using gnome.

So is there a solution for gnome ?

I mentionned wmctrl but I actually don't care what is used as long as it works, and doesn't use too much graphical calculation, since I have no graphical card.

Can someone help me please ?

I know how to set up a shortcut, I just need the wmctrl command.

Wow, ok new to linux I see

Best way to monitor resources in linux is Conky, light weight solution. I'm not sure of your skill set, can you do manual installs and edit scripts if so try conky. If not it might be a bit much for a first time user. Others like Cairo-Dock, Gnome-Do, Avant Windows Navigator and Compiz. To name a few...

We call this eye candy. Fancy way to navigate around the operating system.

So I hope you can do apt-get install file name or use apptitude to install manually and text editor such as nano to edit scripts if you choose conky. I would suggest before using any of these extra effects go over to youtube.com and watch videos on what they can do...

Good Luck,

I don't understand this ur using a gentoo system and don't know how to install or edit scripts or edit keyboard shortcuts to point at file location. Are you pulling my leg??? U can use a different windows manager and get better results good luck.

Either u installed gentoo and skipped right past every windows manager possible. Or ur pulling my leg.

Try Fluxbox, Openbox, Xfce, Lxde or other Windows Manager. There is Linux Mint 9 which is a long term distro that has fluxbox support till 2013 and uses minimal resources.

Add Conky and u can monitor system resources on an older machine or one with limited resources. If you used a gentoo system ur familar with command line and can do a apt search filename such as all of the windows managers and get a list of what windows manager you want to install.

Window shortcuts

Alt + Tab - Switch between currently-open windows. Press Alt + Tab and then release Tab (but continue to hold Alt). Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the list of available windows which appears on the screen. Release the Alt key to switch to the selected window.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab - Switch between currently-open windows in all Workspaces. Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the list of available windows which appears on the screen. Release the Ctrl and Alt keys to switch to the selected window.

Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right Cursor - Lets you quickly switch between your Workspaces.

These might not work on every machine, but are reasonably common:

Alt+F7 Moves the current window (can be moved with mouse or keyboard).

Alt+F8 Resizes current window (again,can be moved with mouse or keyboard).

Alt+F9 Minimises current window.

Alt+F10 Maximises current window.

Alt+Space Brings up window menu with with 'Always on Top' and 'Minimise' and 'Maximise' and above commands.

These might change depending on the application you're using, but work for most common applications:

Alt+F5 Returns window to 'normal' or previous size.

Alt+F4 Closes window.

hi culaterout, thanks for the shortcut list. Unfortunately none of them satisfies my needs. I would like one shortcut to automatically resize the current window to fill the entire left part of the screen (and a similar one for the right part - in Windows 7, this would be the window key + left arrow).

Is there no command line to resize the current window to fill the entire height of the screen and half its length, and to position its top left corner to the top left corner of the screen (to fill up the left part of the screen, with the shortcut mod4+left) ?
In other words, is there no way to resize a window and position it programmatically whereever I want, and without my mouse ? I thought linux was all about command line...

Yes, there is in XFCE as shown in this youtube video