How can I group applications in one launcher icon?

Question

Is it possible to create a kind of folder in the launcher that if your mouse is on top of it a menu will appear so I can bundle my programs in groups.

For example, I want to group my creative programs (gimp, stopmotion, scribus) in one icon on the launcher.

Same with my office programs, I want one icon on the launcher and when I move my mouse over it there will display a menu to show the office programs.

Solution

##Part 1: How to create a New Launcher Item

1. Open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T)
2. Run gedit ~/.local/share/applications/myApps.desktop
3. Copy and paste following:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=ReplaceWithApplicationName
Comment=
Exec=/path/to/application
Icon=/path/to/icon.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
StartupNotify=true

4. Modify the Name (the name of your application), Exec (the path to the application), and Icon parameters as needed. Save your changes with File->Save or Ctrl + S.

5. Run chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/myApps.desktop in Terminal.

6. Run xdg-open ~/.local/share/applications/ in Terminal; and drag and drop your new launcher Icon onto the launcher.

##Part 2 Option A: How to modify right-click menu of a shortcut icon

Ubuntu Tweak is your friend (If you prefer GUI).

1. Download and Install Ubuntu Tweak or run the following:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak
   

2. Once installed, open Ubuntu Tweak and navigate to Admins tab, you’ll see an option called QuickLists Editor.

N.B. An application needs to be locked in launcher before it can be edited by the QuickLists Editor.

3. Add Quick Access Applications in Context Menu of Launch myApps icon:

• Select Launch myApps in the left
• Click the + to add an entry
• Enter the Name (your desired App name) and Command (command that use to start/run your App). In the example screenshot I have added my both browsers. Change the fields as you see fit.
• Click the Save button.

##Part 2 (Option B): How to add a menu via text entry

Open the myApps.desktop file from part 1, then copy and paste following content for each menu.

[Desktop Action Action#]
Name=Name of Applications
Exec=/path/to/application

And don't forget to adding number of Actions. for example Actions=Action1;Action0 in my own icon.

For reference, my launcher icon content is as following:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Launch myApps
Comment=Access to my Applications
Exec=nautilus %U
Icon=/home/username/image.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
StartupNotify=true

Actions=Action1;Action0

[Desktop Action Action0]
Name=My Chromium
Exec=chromium-browser %U

[Desktop Action Action1]
Name=My Firefox
Exec=firefox %U

Sources:
How can I edit/create new launcher items in Unity by hand?
http://ubuntuhandbook.org/index.php/2014/08/edit-right-click-menu-icons-ubuntu1404/