Is there a way to autosize an empty element so clock is always on the right in Mate Desktop?

Question

I have a debian with MATE desktop in a Virtual Machine. When powering up, the upper and lower bar are messed up.

I have the window list on the lower bar on the right, and the clock on the upper bar on the right.

When powering up the Window gets resized and the window list and clock stay in the middle. I have to move them manually to the right again.

Is there something like an Auto-Maximize of an empty space? I had something like this in Gnome Fallback but cannot find it on Mate. I tried playing with Separators but nothing.

I would like to achieve: The clock and window list are on the right of each bar, then a big autosized space on each bar and then all other things. (From right to left)

Answer 1

for this there is a setting in the dconf... - i know there are commands to achieve this but i can't completely remember and they depend on different names and your previous modifications, so i try to guide you through the GUI.

• first install the dconf-editor:
  open a terminal (CTRL+ALT+T), insert sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y dconf-editor, hit enter, type your root-password (no characters will be displayed for security reasons) and just wait till executed.
• open the dconf-editor:
  open a terminal (CTRL+ALT+T), insert dconf-editor and hit enter.
• in the window navigate through the tree to the following item: org --> mate --> panel --> objects
  this is a list with all objects in your panels
• for every object which should stick to the right, you have to check the box panel-right-stick in its menu or use a command like gsettings set org.mate.panel.object:/org/mate/panel/objects/OBJECT-NAME/ panel-right-stick "true", where OBJECT-NAME must be replaced with the desired object.
• additional sort the objects with the position-value beginning with 0 for the most right object. (this is enough if you don't resize your screen)
• additional sort the objects with the position-value beginning with at least -[maximum pixel-size of your screen] for the most right object.
  an attempt to make it more clear: "0" "10" "20" "30" <-- | --> "-1890" "-1900" "-1910" "-1920"
  you can also use a command similar to the last one: gsettings set org.mate.panel.object:/org/mate/panel/objects/OBJECT-NAME/ position "-1920"
• after a re-login or restart have a look at your changes...

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some useful additional information:

• without panel-right-stick enabled the position-value (under org --> mate --> panel --> objects --> OBJECT-NAME) starts with 0 for the most left object, like stylized above.
• the toplevel-id under org --> mate --> panel --> objects --> OBJECT-NAME decides in which panel the object appears.
• under org --> mate --> panel --> toplevels --> PANEL-NAME you can manipulate the settings for your panel(s).

hint: after i have done all my settings i check org --> mate --> panel --> general --> locked-down (or enter in terminal gsettings set org.mate.panel locked-down "true"), so i can't accidentally mess something up.