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Questions tagged [lenses]

Lenses are elements of the Unity Dash that provide a UI to search both the web and application data. If you have a question related to a specific lens included by default, please use its tag instead.

Lenses were previously known as "Places". They can be used as quick searchable plugins to the Unity Dash. You can make Lenses for your favorite web sites and applications:

Screenshot of a lens on Ubuntu 11.04

A partial list of available lenses can be found here: What lenses for Unity are available?

258 questions
186
votes
36 answers

What lenses for Unity are available?

This question is present as a matter of historical interest. While you are encouraged to help maintain its answers, please understand that "big list" questions are not generally allowed on AskUbuntu and will be closed per the FAQ. What lenses are…
Lincity
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62
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2 answers

How do I install the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens, and how do I use it?

I heard about the Ask Ubuntu Unity Lens over in the chat, and I was wondering how to install it. What are the step-by-step instructions to get it installed, activated and once that's done, how do I use it?
jrg
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27
votes
7 answers

How to disable lenses in the Dash menu?

How can I disable some lenses in the Dash menu?
deonis
  • 301
20
votes
1 answer

Can the parameters of the Music Lens be edited?

I primarily listen to classical music on my laptop. Since I'm obsessed with specifics with my music, I am precise with how I label my genres (Opera, Symphony, Chorale, etc.). Is there a way to edit the Music Lens so that instead of listing "Blues,…
Ryan McClure
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19
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0 answers

How do I start developing a lens for Unity?

I would like to know how to create one of those lenses for unity. I know how to program. but I don't know where to start. Are there certain libraries I should use or docs that I should read? Are there wiki pages that I can reference? My google-fu…
user1974
  • 765
18
votes
5 answers

How to remove "Apps Available for Download" from the applications lens?

Is there some way to modify the Applications lens in Unity so that we can remove the "Apps Available for Download" section? The section is really annoying for normal use. We don't have to know why we can download some random games every time we want…
sarshad
  • 283
18
votes
2 answers

What exactly is a "lens"?

I've seen a number of questions about lenses, and I've picked up enough to work out that it's something to do with the Unity shell in Natty, but I haven't really worked out exactly what is meant by it. So can someone give me (or link to) a good…
Hamish Downer
  • 19,506
18
votes
2 answers

How to make Unity's Dash save the results filtering?

The dash can remember the settings for filtered results for the entire session, but not beyond that. Once the profile is logged out and back in the results would reset to their original settings; displaying all the results without filtering. How can…
Vagrant232
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16
votes
4 answers

How do I remove only shopping searches?

I have a brand new 13.10 install and I want all this shopping spyware nonsense gone. Searching for "Ubuntu shopping spyware nonsense" led me to apt-get remove unity-lens-shopping but I don't actually see a unity-lens-shopping package. How do I…
Amanda
  • 9,723
15
votes
1 answer

What are differences between a lens and scope?

Well it seems those two terms are the most popular ones since 11.04. What truly are the differences and similarities between them (lenses and scopes)?
Mysterio
  • 12,288
13
votes
2 answers

Auto clear search term from lens

There must be a setting or a shell script that would clear the terms from the lens every time it's closed. The behaviour would be: open lens and type a term. reopen the lens with super key. see no search term is pre populating the lens. The…
nullsteph
  • 423
13
votes
2 answers

Sorting Unity 3D Search Results

When I hit the "Windows Key" and search for an application, the order is always incorrect (imo). As a very simple example, I'll search for "calc". The default Ubuntu calculator is 3rd from the left (next to the Calc widget and Libre Office Calc). …
enobrev
  • 241
13
votes
3 answers

Completely removing smart scopes

I want to know if it's possible to remove the Unity Smart Scopes? Basically I like to keep a lean machine. I always remove just about everything I can - I actually only use the app and file lens', I don't use any of the others so I remove them. I'm…
Mo D
  • 275
13
votes
1 answer

Is libunity planning on including functions for Unity Lenses?

I am unclear on this, because I have heard mention of a proposed API for Unity Lenses, and such an API would be extremely useful for projects involving home automation. I am interested in developing in that direction, but I haven't been able to…
SaidKLE
  • 131
12
votes
1 answer

How to let Ubuntu index and find files on a different (Windows) drive when searching?

I love the Unity dash and lenses, but it only finds files that are under /home/mylogin I would like it to find files that are under /media/MyWindowsDrive/Users/MyWinLogin I tried creating a link to the Music, Pictures and Video folders on my Windows…
Han CNX
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