Recommendations for smart context/recent documents for any desktop

Hello folks! I am at the final phase for converting a WIndows computer into Linux at work, and while I have the go signal to convert, I have one minor hindrance - the main user requires the usage of Window taskbar’s icon’s smart context menu and its pinning ability.

Specifically, there is a workflow need to launch a frequently used (pinned) document file from the right click context menu of Microsoft Word. Is there any equivalent OS/Dock application that I can use to pin and launch a document (For Libre Office/Only Office/ Free Office)? I intend to use vanilla Ubuntu for its ease of use but the OS (and Plank Dock) does not have this particular feature. I am willing to switch to any other distro to have this same functionality. Is there a way to do recent documents and pinning? Any alternatives?

Thank you!

xfce’s file manager, Thunar, allows for easy modification of the right-click context sensitive menu. It’s called “Thunar Custom Actions”

https://docs.xfce.org/xfce/thunar/custom-actions

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I booted up an Ubuntu VM and had a go.

In LibreOffice, the equivalent would be Open App > File > Recent Documents.

If a dock icon that opens a specific document would suffice, you’d create one as follows:
(replace Special Doc and the path to specialdoc.odt accordingly)

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/opendoc1.desktop
# Paste the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name="Special Doc"
Icon=document
Exec=libreoffice "/home/ubuntu/Documents/specialdoc.odt"

# Save
  • Click on “Activities” (top left of screen)
  • Type in Special Doc
  • Right click on the result and click Add to Favorites
  • Press Escape key

You should now have a permanent shortcut to the document on the dock.

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I literally don’t even know what is meant by screen tearing as I don’t believe I have ever experienced it. Been using Ubuntu Studio xfce since 16.04.

I run Plank, I just opened a folder containing a docx document, then dragged the document onto plank. It became a pinned document. Just a single click to open it in LibreOffice. Hopefully this works for you

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It happens or happened especially on older Intel cards that are integrated. When you e.g. watch a movie then you see screen artifacts when there are fast movements. One has to see it and then you will immediately understand what it is.
Though it can be easily fixed with the recent Xfce releases. I posted a fix for Tumbleweed that can be used on any other distro. But not all machines are equally affected and the default Xfce 4.16 setting in xfwm4 (Xfce’s window manager) should work for most cards.

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