Organize your Tasks with Virtual Desktops
Virtual Desktops allow you to group applications of a certain type on one desktop and those of a different type on another. You have initially four virtual desktops, but you can change this number.
The pager gadget on the shelf shows small graphics of the available desktops with the applications running in each.
There are several ways to switch among them:
- With the Pager Gadget, simply click on the graphic of the Desktop you wish to be in.
- Use the keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Alt + <ArrowKey> in the direction you wish to move.
- Choose your desired desktop via Main Menu -> Desktop -> Virtual (with classic menu module only!).
The Entire Desktop is the Menu
A click on any empty space of the desktop will bring up the
Main Menu, where you can launch applications, adjust settings,
shutdown the system, and so on. This is the standard on a
fresh Bodhi installation. Most consider it very convenient. For
the few that do not, the mouse-binding "Show Main Menu", can be easily removed/configured in:
Main Menu -> Settings -> Settings Panel -> Input -> Mouse Bindings,
along with any other mouse-bindings.
Right-clicking an empty space on the desktop will
bring up the Favorites Menu. Since there are no favorited applications
on a fresh Bodhi installation,
the Favorites Menu will show the empty list. It is waiting in anticipation for you
to add applications! To do this, go to the Main Menu -> Settings -> Settings Panel -> Apps -> Favorite Applications
Many Gadgets Show System Info
Gadgets perform a wide variety of functions. Many display system information, such as battery level, time or CPU frequency. Others allow you to interact with the system in some way, such as adjusting the volume or the screen brightness. Most allow multiple instances in different locations, for instance on a shelf as well as on the desktop.
They can be found and added to the Desktop via:
Main Menu -> Settings -> Gadgets

Modules Control Gadget Availability
A gadget will be available only if its module is loaded. Put simply, a gadget is an instance of a module. To load/unload modules, go to Main Menu -> Settings -> Modules.
Bodhi comes with a wide selection of modules installed by default, and more can be installed at your discretion through the Bodhi AppCenter, Synaptic Package Manager or terminal.
Shelves - The Taskbar/Systray/Dock's Home, Sweet Home
Moksha provides shelves to house your gadgets and launchers - a convenient alternative to having them on the desktop (most gadgets can be added to shelves). Shelves can be located anywhere on a border of your desktop and you can have more than one shelf on a desktop as well as different shelves on different virtual desktops.
Managing the number of shelves as well as their location, size and other attributes is done under
Main Menu -> Settings -> Shelves. To manage the content of a shelf (i.e. its gadgets), right-click on the shelf and choose
Shelf -> Contents.
Shading - Alternative to Minimizing
Want to get a window out of your way but don't want to minimize it to the
taskbar? Then Shade it! Just double click the title bar of any window
to "roll it up", and double click the title bar to "roll it down"
again.
The screenshot here shows two instances of Terminology, one
that is Shaded and one that is not. Terminology is currently the default terminal in Bodhi.
Some Handy Shortcuts:
Shortcuts are referred to as Bindings in Moksha and can be actioned by e.g. clicking the mouse at an edge of the screen, pressing a key combination, or pressing a key + mouse-click. They are categorized as follows:
- Edge Bindings (edges of screen)
- Key Bindings (keyboard)
- Mouse Bindings (mouse+key)
- ACPI Bindings (events)
You can set up your own bindings, but many have already been set up by default. These include:
Alt+<left-click> (mouse)
allows you to click anywhere in the window to grab it and reposition
<left-click> (mouse)
on an open portion of the desktop, opens the Main Menu
<right-click> (mouse)
on an open portion of the desktop, opens the favorites menu
Ctrl+Alt+X (key)
closes a window
Ctrl+Alt+<ArrowKey> (key)
switches to the Virtual Desktop in the direction selected
Ctrl+Alt+M (key)
brings up the Main Menu
Shift+F10 (key)
maximizes a window vertically
Alt+Shift+F10 (key)
maximizes a window horizontally
Alt+Tab (key)
switches between windows on the same desktop
All bindings can be located and configured at:
Main Menu -> Settings -> Settings Panel -> Input -> Key Bindings
For more information and a comprehensive list of all default keybindings, see our Wiki.