Somehow got the Dash to Panel working. But, if I click on the “Show applications” everything gets stuck. The so-called Activities doesn’t work. Had to find a solution. “Show applications” is only a menu. If it doesn’t work, something else has to be found to get the apps to show and click to run. So, got the Natty days Slingshot launcher to work. Got myself a full screen menu. I can live without all those “suggestions.”
The far left corner icon (view-app-grid-symbolic) opens Natty’s Slingshot launcher. Got a full screen menu, and categories.
Its interesting that “Show applications” icon (or the holding down the Super key) works and the apps open, only if initially a full screen app is open, for example a web browser.
If it is minimised, the system gets stuck. So, the App grid can be invoked, any app can be launched, only on top of the open full screen app. In a way, the gnome shell is working half way.
But any non full screen app can be opened from Natty’s Slingshot without the full screen app under it. But must be careful not to touch the Super key, without a full screen app, for otherwise the system gets stuck.
Maybe the shell menu would come back in time. If not, not much of a problem.
While searching the net on this, I found a bug report, more or less telling the same thing. The report is expired, but the situation seems to have not been wished away. This seems to have been happening 7 years ago too.