Missing Text on Desktop Panel

[#1]

Great mystery!! Ubuntu strikes again!!!
Suddenly the text "Applications, Places,System" have all disappeard from the the top panel LHS which is very odd. Nothing was done apart from normal computer use, no updates etc., The edit menu drop down does not have any mention of these and I do not know where to look to repair things. Any ideas chaps???

[#2]

This http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1572248 should help

[#3]

Gosh that was quick...and useful. It still does not explain why...perhaps I should not ask!
 

[#4]

Our's is not to reason why...

[#5]

Got back from Sunday Lunch, indigestion prompted me to investigate the reference. It all works but I can see that it does not quite replicate the original set-up, in that it appears to only allow the panel to show an icon (ubuntu-shaped) which opens the Applications menu, rather than the full three item text as before. The functions of the drop-down menu are all there so there is no loss of useability, but the convenience of clicking on one of them directly is lost. I have searched around but have not found any method of getting back to the original. There must be an entry in a file to do this lurking in the opening-up process but I do not know where.  Any further ideas?
😕

[#6]

@MisterW
I have just posted a query on Ubuntu General Help Forum under the reference thread. It seem odd that two of us (at the moment)  have had exactly the same effect on the same day. Does this suggest that a common cause is about?? While I note that the OP seems to have got his back to what it was by his satisfaction, I have not quite. Could this be because I have not yet up-dated to 10.04 yet? The plot thickens!!

[#7]

I think you've added a 'Main Menu' item rather than 'Menu Bar' items.
BTW I'm running a 10.04 desktop system and a 9.04 Netbook and haven't seen any issues on either of those so far.

[#8]

Quote from: colintivy

Suddenly the text "Applications, Places,System" have all disappeard from the the top panel LHS which is very odd.

On my Debian system choosing 'A custom menu bar' from Add to Panel replicates the existing top panel LHS menus on GNOME 2.30.2 (not sure if that also applies to earlier GNOME releases or Ubuntu).

[#9]

@Waldo
Absolute Bull's Eye!  I did not explore that option thinking that it led me to a completely new one. Selecting that put everything back to normal.
Txs a bundle.