<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      xmlns:if="http://projectmallard.org/if/1.0/"
      type="topic" style="ui"
      id="shell-notifications">

  <info>

    <link type="guide" xref="shell-overview#desktop" />

    <desc>Messages pop-up at the bottom of the screen telling you when certain
    events happen.</desc>

    <revision pkgversion="3.8.0" version="0.3" date="2013-04-23" status="review"/>

    <credit type="author">
      <name>Marina Zhurakhinskaya</name>
      <email>marinaz@redhat.com</email>
    </credit>
    <credit type="editor">
      <name>Michael Hill</name>
      <email>mdhillca@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>
    <include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
  </info>


<title>Notifications and the message tray</title>

<section id="what">
<title>What is a notification?</title>
  <p>If an application or a system component wants to get your attention, a
  notification will be shown at the bottom of the screen.</p>
  <p>For example, if you get a new chat message, plug in an external device
  (like a USB stick), new updates are available for your computer, or your
  computer’s battery is low, you will get a notification informing you.</p>
  <p>To minimize distraction, some notifications first appear as a single
  line. You can move your mouse over them to see their full content.</p>

<media type="image" width="700" src="figures/shell-notification.png"/>

  <p>Other notifications have selectable option buttons. To close one of these
  notifications without selecting one of its options, click the close button.</p>

<media type="image" width="500" src="figures/notification-buttons.png"/>

  <p>Clicking the close button on some notifications dismisses them. Others,
  like Rhythmbox or your chat application, will stay hidden in the message 
  tray.</p>

</section>

<section id="messagingtray">

<title>The message tray</title>

  <p if:test="!platform:gnome-classic">The message tray gives you a way to get
  back to your notifications when it is convenient for you. It appears when you
  move your mouse to the bottom-right corner of the screen, or press <keyseq>
  <key xref="keyboard-key-super">Super</key><key>M</key></keyseq>. The message
  tray contains all the notifications that you have not acted upon or that
  permanently reside in it.</p>

  <p if:test="platform:gnome-classic">The message tray gives you a way to get
  back to your notifications when it is convenient for you. It appears when you
  move your mouse to the bottom-right corner of the screen, or press <keyseq>
  <key xref="keyboard-key-super">Super</key><key>M</key></keyseq>. You can also
  show the message tray by clicking the blue number icon at the right-hand
  side of the window list. The message tray contains all the notifications that
  you have not acted upon or that permanently reside in it.</p>

  <p>You can view the notifications by clicking on the message tray items. These
  are usually messages sent by applications. However, chat notifications are
  given special treatment, and are represented by the individual contacts who sent
  you the chat messages.</p>

  <p>You can close the message tray by pressing
  <keyseq><key>Super</key><key>M</key></keyseq> again or <key>Esc</key>.</p>

  <note style="tip"><p>If the <link xref="keyboard-osk">screen keyboard</link>
   is open, you'll need to click the <gui>tray button</gui> to show the message
   tray.</p>
  </note>

</section>

<section id="hidenotifications">
<title>Hiding notifications</title>

  <p>If you're working on something and do not want to be bothered, you can
  switch off notifications. Just click your name on the top bar and change the
  <gui>Notifications</gui> toggle to <gui>OFF</gui>.</p>

  <p>When switched off, most notifications will not pop up at the bottom of the
  screen. Very important notifications, such as when your battery is critically
  low, will still pop up. Notifications will still be available in the messaging
  tray when you display it (by moving your mouse to the bottom right corner, or
  pressing <keyseq><key>Super</key><key>M</key></keyseq>), and they will
  redisplay when you switch the toggle to <gui>ON</gui> again.</p>

</section>
</page>
