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In XFCE's windows settings, there is a command called Show Desktop. It minimizes all windows and well, shows the desktop. A more detailed description can be found here, for example.

Is there a command available that will show all windows again, i.e. a command that essentially serves as the counter-part by way of a toggle?

henry
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  • https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/how-to-show-desktop-in-xfce4-601161/#post2967109 – Artem S. Tashkinov Apr 14 '22 at 12:08
  • @ArtemS.Tashkinov What _exactly_ is the solution here? :) Could you post it as a full answer, so I can mark it as solved? – henry Apr 14 '22 at 16:14
  • It's a program which needs to be compiled. Sorry, I won't get credit for someone else's work. – Artem S. Tashkinov Apr 14 '22 at 16:35
  • @ArtemS.Tashkinov I respect that. That is arguably highly honorable of you. However in context of posting on this site, the underlying understanding is a bit nonsensical in my humble opinion. The site serves to share knowledge via replies with quality and threads by way of questions that get answers... and although I haven't read any community guidelines for comments on here in the last 2-3 years or so, I would think that a link collection in comments isn't the goal. You would not take credit if you included a clear phrase about the origin. – henry Apr 14 '22 at 17:09
  • I've heard this "argument" a dozen times and it hasn't become rational because of that. Let's start copying stackoverflow.com, should we? What about serverfault.com? What, what about askubuntu.com? I'm extremely opposed to copying info from other websites. We have web archive if you're afraid the info will get lost. I've not authored that C code, there's no way I'm copying it even if it's under "I don't give a damn how you'll use it". – Artem S. Tashkinov Apr 14 '22 at 17:27
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    Did you try [post #9](https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/how-to-show-desktop-in-xfce4-601161/#post2994334) in Artem's link? – DK Bose Apr 15 '22 at 10:06
  • @DKBose Oh. That works. :) Please post your answer as a full reply so I can mark it as solved. – henry Apr 15 '22 at 10:36
  • I don't use XFCE and so can't verify what the post suggests. It's perfectly fine for you to post an answer to your own question and to accept it as the solution. – DK Bose Apr 16 '22 at 12:29

2 Answers2

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Given the existing ctrl+alt+d keyboard shortcut to Show Desktop, you can use xdotool to toggle show/hide of the desktop. For example, here's a test script that shows the desktop, waits five seconds, and then shows the windows again:

#!/bin/bash
xdotool key ctrl+alt+d
sleep 5
xdotool key ctrl+alt+d

But it should be noted that if any windows are shown on the desktop, the Show Desktop operation executed by the ctrl+alt+d shortcut will minimize those windows. So, if xdotool key ctrl+alt+d is run from a terminal to minimize a bunch of windows and show the desktop, and the terminal is then restored to run the command again, the other windows won't be restored; the terminal will just be minimized.

David Yockey
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The default keyboard shortcut actually includes the function I was originally looking for. I just never happened to use it, i.e. to push CTRL+ALT+D when all the windows are minimized.

henry
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