[Post-Install] Can't add to panel can only pin

[Rich Oliver]

I think this actually started in Kubuntu 24.10, but I can only pin applications to the panel, I can't add them any more. This is pretty crucial to my work flow as I like to be able to open new windows for firefox, dolphin and terminal. I work on 3 screens so I have plenty of screen space to use and I find it much easier to use windows rather than application tabs, then I can see everything I've got open at the bottom of the screen. I've been installing the latest Kubuntus, but going back to my 24.04 install, where I can still easily use my own workflow.

Is there anyway to get this feature back with the latest plasmas?

[claydoh]

I can only pin applications to the panel, I can't add them any more

If you want to add application icons to a panel instead of pinning them to the task manager widget:
Just drag an application to the panel, somewhere outside the Task Manager -- you should see a space slide open to drop it:

Now, if you want to have the rectangular task manager items, with text beside the icon, you just have to switch the Task Manager widget from Icons Only to Icons-and-Text:

Right-click on the panel somewhere, and select "Show Panel Configuration". Then, hover over the Task Manager widget, click “show alternatives”, and select icon-and-text option.



Now, one thing I did when I used this format was to go into the widget's settings and un-check the option to combine into a single button. This would have an icon, but this would disappear when a window was open. You can open a new window of an open application with a middle lick on a task manager entry.

I liked this for a cleaner look, as I usually have most or all of the few pinned apps open. This middle-click action is a normal option for the task manager widgets.
Here is a quick example:

[Rich Oliver]

claydoh I couldn't quite seem to get your solution to work if I've understood it correctly, but the middle button tip is very useful, so I'll stick with 25.10 as my daily desktop driver and also for laptop, when I get around to installing it. I don't put that much focus on operating system, so I very much appreciate all the work of people like yourself who do put a big focus on our open source operating systems.