In Linux Mate, how do you adjust the position of the separators / dividers on the panel?

In the Mate GUI (Linux Mint), my icons by the time are only given half the space of the entire panel / task bar. It really looks like that division of the panel is meant to be much smaller.

Obviously, they don't need all that space. The open program tabs do, however, and they are left with only half the space, on the left.

There is a little gray divider line (three tiny gray dashes). How can I drag it or otherwise unlock/move it?

Jordan Morris

Posted 2015-02-06T08:34:19.280

Reputation: 596

I haven't used MATE or gnome 2 in a while, but doesn't right-clicking some place (try a few different areas) on the panel bring up some options? – Xen2050 – 2015-02-06T09:39:02.950

@Xen2050 there are options in the right-click menus, but none I can see for this. – Jordan Morris – 2015-02-06T09:49:54.080

Hmmm, I'm on XFCE now and most have a "Move" option right there, also a main list of panel items that can be edited/moved/deleted... Maybe there's a main "Settings" somewhere in Mate too? Searched the programs menu for anything like "Settings", "Mate", "Desktop", "Panel", etc? – Xen2050 – 2015-02-06T10:05:48.807

Answers

Right click on the line. Untick the box that says "Lock to Panel". Then grab the divider with your middle mouse button and drag.

Ohnana

Posted 2015-02-06T08:34:19.280

Reputation: 671

If you mean the "little gray divider line (three tiny gray dashes)", I do not get a context menu (or any reaction) when I right-click on it. – Jordan Morris – 2015-02-11T19:48:59.250

Weird. I have the MATE Fedora spin, and I was able to move around my dividers. Then again, as I look closer, my dividers have more than three dashes. What version of MATE are you on? – Ohnana – 2015-02-11T19:53:39.733

This worked in the end, but I had to unlock the left-most divider on the panel first. I also had to right-click multiple times, sometimes directly on the divider, other times in its vicinity. I guess it's just glitchy on Linux Mint/Mate. Thanks @Ohnana – Jordan Morris – 2015-02-15T08:46:33.177

I also had to start from the right-most divider when locking them again. Weird. – Jordan Morris – 2015-02-15T08:47:29.487