Easily show and hide Unity launcher via Unity Launcher Toggle appindicator (HUD "enabled")
Ubuntu 12.04 presents, by default, a Unity with the launcher always visible, launcher that houses application icons displayed on the desktop, consequently, the user is fully aware of its running applications and the-about-to-be-launched apps without further "effort" (such as pushing the mouse cursor against the left-edge of the screen, pressing the Windows/Super/Meta key).
The always visible behavior has, along with its benefits, especially on small screens (where the hidden behavior is appropriate), a -, in the sense of using space, space useful for opened windows.
Unity Launcher Toggle is a handy appindicator that allows one to 1-click switch between the Unity's autohide and always-visible launcher modes, thus, the user can take advantage of the both mentioned behaviors (gaining their strengths, removing their weaknesses), meaning, when the situation requires the launcher to be always visible, the user acts accordingly, when the situation requires the launcher to be hidden, the user hides it.
The interesting aspect of Unity Launcher Toggle is its simplicity and ease of use, consequently, when the appindicator is ON, the launcher is visible, clicking the appindicator-->Toggle auto-hides the Unity launcher, process accessible via the HUD, too, where, by simply typing toggle (and pressing Enter), hides and displays the launcher (the toggle command acts as double-sided with an ON/OFF behavior).
Unity Launcher Toggle features two icons, needed to visually express its toggling state (ON/OFF), when it is ON the icons is properly "colored", when it is OFF, the icon becomes "vivid-less" (on Ambiance).
How do we install Unity Launcher Toggle 12.06?
Add the following PPA (Precise)
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:napdivad/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unity-launcher-toggle
Launch Unity Launcher Toggle via the Dash by typing unity launcher toggle in the search area.
In order to set Unity Launcher Toggle to run at startup, navigate to Startup Applications-->Add->type unity-toggle on Name-->type /opt/extras.ubuntu.com/unity-launcher-toggle/bin/unity-launcher-toggle on Command
