gnat/expose-ubuntu-mate

👁️ Setup "overview screen" for Ubuntu MATE. Similar to: OS X Expose, KDE Overview, GNOME Activities.

Exposé Overview Screen for Ubuntu MATE 22.04

Enables "overview screen" or "window picker" function. Similar to:

• Apple MacOS X Exposé or Mission Control.
• KDE Overview.
• GNOME Activities.

Quick and Easy Setup

Requires Skippy XD, while works, is unmaintained and can be difficult to find and install.

1. Get a recent build of libjpeg62-turbo: from github or mirror

2. Get a recent build of Skippy XD: from github or mirror

3. Create a file called overview.desktop containing the following.

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=skippy-xd
Hidden=false
X-MATE-Autostart-enabled=true
Name=Overview
Comment=Executes the Skippy XD window picker daemon.
Icon=/usr/share/icons/Yaru-MATE-dark/256x256/actions/blueman-plugin.png

4. Drag overview.desktop wherever you desire a clickable button, such as into your MATE panel.
5. Optionally, assign a keyboard shortcut to run skippy-xd such as SUPER-Z (can be done in the control panel).

Why?

The information available to do this at the time of writing was non-trivial, so I've simplified it here for my own reference as well as anyone else who wants to benefit from an Expose / Mission Control UX in MATE.