11.2. File Managers

11.2.1. Konqueror: the File Manager

To manipulate your personal files, KDE offers Konqueror. To launch it, click on the icon in the tool bar. You can also find it on the desktop.

Figure 11-13. Konqueror: the File Manager under KDE

The left side of the window shows your files in a tree structure, while the right side displays the current folder's contents (when you launch Konqueror, the default folder is your home directory. Each file or sub-directory is represented by an icon. You can always set the folder's full path in the URL line on top of the window.

Note

Small precision: in this book, we use indifferently the terms folder and directory. These two terms refer to the same thing, that is a file holder, even a... folder or directory holder.

In the example mentioned above, you notice the recognized file types have specific icons associated to them. Hence, Mail and temp are folders.

Konqueror does not always recognize the file type. In that case, the file is represented with this icon.

11.2.1.1. Folders on the Left of your Konqueror Window

The folders on the left of your Konqueror window are:

Home Directory

The folder in which you organize your work. Each user possesses one and, normally, only he can access it. This folder is designed on the desktop as Queen's home.

Root Folder

This folder is at the base of the tree structure: all other folders are directly or indirectly held by the root folder. In principle, only the system administrator should manipulate that folder.

History

Here, you find the system folders and Internet sites you visit frequently (since Konqueror has "two faces").

Network

If you are in a local network environment, the files shared by the other computers on the network should be displayed here.

Bookmarks

Here are listed the places you visit the most often, whether it be system folders or Internet sites.

11.2.1.2. The Tool Bar

Konqueror's tool bar offers numerous features which are easy to access. Here they are, along with their associated icons.

Table 11-1. Konqueror's Icons

It moves you to the parent folder. This function places you one level higher in the tree structure, hence the parent directory.

Alt+Up

Brings you back to the folder or web site you just visited.

Alt+Left

If you used the preceding button, this one does the opposite: it moves you in the opposite direction.

Alt+Right

Use this icon when you are lost. It brings you directly to your home directory, the root of all your data, your house.

Ctrl+Home

If you click on this icon, you force Konqueror to reload the current directory's contents. This is very useful in a network environment or if you delete files "outside" of Konqueror, that is in a Terminal or in another file manager.

F5

Stop the work Konqueror is currently doing. For example, exploring a folder which holds numerous (too many) files, or the very long loading of a web page.

Esc

"Cut": deletes the selectioned files, but places them in a temporary memory space called the clipboard.

Ctrl+X

"Copy": stores the selectioned files into the clipboard.

Ctrl+C

"Paste": extracts the files held by the clipboard and places them in the current folder.

Ctrl+V

Obviously enough, this icon allows to print files or web pages.

Ctrl+P

Use this icon to increase icon or character font sizes. Very useful if you have a large screen and trouble to read tiny fonts.

 

On the contrary, this icon reduces the size of icons and characters.

 

Use the icon-type display: press and hold your finger down on your mouse in order to get other options.

 

Use the list-type display: press and hold your finger down on your mouse in order to get other options.

 

When the wheel turns (on the upper-right part of your window), Konqueror is working... Hence, you can survey the software's activity. If you click on it, another Konqueror opens up.

 

11.2.1.3. Moving Around in your Documents

The tree structure on the left of your window is one way to move around within your documents. To see the sub-folders contained in a folder, simply click the symbol on the left of each folder name. Hence, you can view your folder's contents. If you click again, you only get a folder view, without the contents.

You can also move around in the right side of your window. Simply click on the icons which represent the documents, like the one shown above.

11.2.1.4. Selecting Files

You only need to click to open a file or change directory. Then, how can you select one or many files? If, for some reason, files are already selected, click on Konqueror's background (where there is nothing) to cancel all active selections. The Esc key also possesses the same virtues.

To select only one file, click on its icon while pressing the Ctrl key.

You can also select many files with the mouse. Click on the right window's background then move the mouse while pressing and holding its button: a rectangle will be drawn and everything contained in it will be selectioned, as illustrated below.

Figure 11-14. Selecting with your Mouse in Konqueror

Selecting many files which follow each other in the tree structure is done by selecting the first document, then while holding the Shift key click on the last document you want to select.

Finally, you can select isolated documents by clicking on each one of them while holding the Ctrl key. The image below shows you the use of Shift on the left and Ctrl's use on the right.

Figure 11-15. Selecting Many Files in Konqueror

11.2.1.5. Handling Files

Now that we know how to select files, it is time to handle them a bit.

11.2.1.5.1. Creating a File or a Directory

Right-click on the right window's background (while avoiding the icons): you get a menu which offers many functions. Choose Create from a template ->Folder.

Figure 11-16. Creating a New Directory

In the displayed dialog box, type the name you want to give to the directory and hit the Enter key (or simply click OK, which amounts to the same thing).

The Create from a template menu also allows to create different file types. For example, create a text file by selecting Text file: like before, give it a name, for example text.txt. Once it is created, your file appears in the right side of your window and is represented with a pencil on a white sheet.

Note

It is not necessary to give a file extension (the group of letters which follow the period) to your file. However, it is preferable to do it systematically since it is a way to identify the file's type. Here, by convention, the extension of a text file is .txt.

11.2.1.5.2. Opening a File

If you click on the icon of the file you just created, Konqueror will recognize its type (a text file) and display it, that is: nothing. In fact, you simply created an empty file. This time, right-click on the icon and choose Open with.

Figure 11-17. Opening a Text File

Many applications adapted to modify this file type will then be proposed. Choose Advanced editors, which we already saw in KDE's tool bar, "The Desktop According to KDE"

Type a few lines in the displayed window, what you write is not important. Click on the icon to save what you just typed. If you do not do it, the editor will alert you when you try to quit it.

Now go back in the Konqueror window and use this icon (or the F5 key) to refresh the display of the folder's contents. Then, bring the mouse pointer on your text file's icon. You will notice, in the information bar at the bottom of the window, that its size is not equal to zero anymore.

Click on your file. This time the window is not empty. It holds what you just typed. To go back to the file list, simply click on the button on Konqueror's tool bar.

11.2.1.5.3. Renaming a File

Renaming a file is very simple. Right-click on the icon and choose the Rename pop-up menu. Then, type the new name and validate with the Enter key.

You can also select it and then press on the F2 key.

Finally, the last possibility is to right-click on the file and to select Properties. You just need to change the file name in the appropriate field, at the top of the window.

11.2.1.5.4. Copying, Moving or Linking Files

Figure 11-18. Choosing the Destination Folder

Select the files or folders you wish to copy or move. Then, use the F7 (for copy) or F8 (to move) keys: a little window will appear, in which you can type the destination folder. The Choose button allows to choose the folder.

Here is another method. Start by using the tree view on the left of the screen in order to see the destination folder. However, do not display its contents, just its name. Then, select the files or folders you wish to manipulate.

Figure 11-19. Drag'n'Drop with Konqueror

Now move your pointer on one of the selected elements. Then, while leaving your finger pressed on the mouse button, drag your selection towards the destination folder, which should be visible on the left part of your window. The preceding image showed two files which are dragged towards the home directory's tmp directory.

When the mouse pointer is on the destination folder, the latter is highlighted. Release the button and once the pop-up menu appears, choose the operation you wish to do.

Note

Copy a file duplicates the contents in another file. Move copies the file and then deletes the original. Link a file creates in the destination folder an access point towards a file, which resembles a shortcut. If you delete the link, this does not imply that you delete the original file as well.

Finally, you can also use the clipboard. To copy selected files, use Ctrl+C to place them in the clipboard. Then, place your mouse pointer in the destination folder and launch the copy process with Ctrl+V. To move files, use Ctrl+X instead of Ctrl+C.

11.2.1.5.5. Deleting a File

Sooner or later, you will want to remove files, either to gain disk space or simply to clean up your working environment. Simply select the files or directories you wish to delete, then right-click on one of them.

Figure 11-20. Three Methods to Remove Files

You can delete files and directories in three different ways: the secure, the classical and the real method. The secure method is named Move to trash: the files are not really removed. They are simply moved in the trash can. Hence, you can recuperate them, until you empty the trash can... The trash can's icon is on the desktop:

Figure 11-21. The Trash Icon, Empty or Full

Click on it to see the files it holds. A new Konqueror window will open. You can then retrieve files you placed in it. To do so, click on them and move them where ever you wish (whether on the desktop or in another Konqueror window). You can always recuperate stuff you placed in the trash can, until you empty it...

To remove a file like it is generally done under Unix, you must right-click on your file and choose Delete. You will have to confirm you really want to delete this file. If you answer yes, its name will be deleted and the space it took on your hard disk will be freed. However, it is still possible to recuperate part of the file, if you ask an expert.

Last method, you can Shred your file. This means Konqueror will compress the disk space it took with random data, in order to make sure the content will not be reconstructed. The file is then completely deleted and there is no way of retrieving it.

To do so, select the file you wish to shred by clicking just below the file's icon and by dragging your pointer upwards until your file is highlighted, hence selected. Then, access the Edit menu, then Shred.

11.2.1.5.6. Finding Files

Konqueror offers a powerful tool to search for files according to different criteria. In the Tools menu, select Find file. The following block appears on top of the right side of the window:

Figure 11-22. Finding Files with Konqueror

You can use generic characters such as ? and * in the Search field. For example, to find all the files with .txt extensions, type *.txt. To find all files starting with the letter C, type C*.

Note

Keep in mind that Linux distinguishes uppercases from lowercases. For example, in a directory, you could have a Courrier.txt file and a courrier.txt file: they are two different files. You will not find the latter if you look for C*.

The other tabs allow to pinpoint a search. For example, you can take into account the last modification date, the file type, the presence of a certain text inside a file... Click on Find when you have chosen your criteria.

The result of the search is displayed in the lower part of the right side window. All common actions are possible: opening a file, copying or deleting it, etc. Click on Close to go back to the normal display.

11.2.1.6. Modifying the Display

Konqueror's principal display options are grouped in the View menu.

Figure 11-23. Konqueror's Window Menu

11.2.1.6.1. Display Type

This controls the way files are represented. you will find the same choices from the corresponding icons on Konqueror's tool bar.

The default type is Icons: large icons, the file name under each icon, the ensemble ordered from left to right and from top to bottom.

In the MultiColumn View type, the file names appear on the right of the icons. The latter are organized in columns from left to right and from top to bottom.

Figure 11-24. MultiColumn View under Konqueror

The Tree View mode gives the same aspect to both sides of the window. However, the files are shown with many details about them.

Figure 11-25. Tree View under Konqueror

The Detailed List View displays the same details as the preceding mode, but does not use the tree view.

Figure 11-26. Detailed List View under Konqueror

Finally, the most stoical type is the Text one. It displays information rapidly and exhaustively, but without the icons and other decorations.

Figure 11-27. Text View under Konqueror

11.2.1.6.2. Using index.html

If you browse frequently through files containing HTML, for example your distribution's documentation, these files generally hold a file called index.html. It is a very common name which gives you access to many files.

Let's take /usr/share/doc/mandrake/en/ as an example. If you do not activate the Use index.html, you will only get a list of files and directories contained in that folder. If you activate the option, Konqueror displays the contents of the index.html file, and you can easily browse through the documentation, as if you were on the web.

11.2.1.6.3. Sort

The usual file display order is alphabetical, with the directories shown first. You can choose to ignore or not the case, that is the difference between upper- and lowercase letters. If you ignore it, you will get a dictionary-like order. If you do not, then the uppercase letters will be displayed before. For example, a file starting with the letter Z will be displayed before one which starts with the letter a.

If you use the list-display mode, you can click on the column's titles to define on which file characteristic to sort (for example, the size) as well as the sort's order (for example, descending order). This is what the header shows here: the arrow's presence, on the right of the title, indicates that the element is taken into account in the sort action, and its upward direction signifies ascending order. Click again on the title to change direction or sorting order.

11.2.1.6.4. Contents Preview

Instead of file representation through icons, Konqueror can display a miniature preview of certain file types (if you use one of the two large-icon display types). The Preview sub-menu allows to select the file types you want to display in tiny aspect. Here is an example of preview displays:

Figure 11-28. Preview of a File's Contents with Konqueror

This option is as esthetic as it is practical. However, it requires more power from your machine.

11.2.1.6.5. Hidden Files

Select this option. Suddenly, numerous files will be displayed! They are hidden files which are not normally displayed.

Figure 11-29. Viewing Hidden Files with Konqueror

Naturally, you can act upon those files like on any other. However, beware. Generally speaking, they are used to back up your personal parameters and configurations.

11.2.1.6.6. Splitting Windows

Right-click on the bar at the bottom of the right-side window, the one which holds a big green button. You obtain this menu:

Figure 11-30. Acting Upon Displays with Konqueror

In this menu, choose Split View Top/Bottom. The window is split into two, each one possessing its own information bar, each one is independent. Only one window can be active at a time: click on the information bar to activate the one you wish to interact with. To close a window, right-click on the information bar and choose Remove View.

Figure 11-31. Splitting the Konqueror Window

It can be interesting to link many windows into one group, in order for them to display the same folder. For example, it is the case for both the left and right tree structures. However, the window we created earlier is linked to no other window. To link it, click on the check box on the right of the information bar. You will see a little chain inside the check box. This links it to the other windows, and when those other windows change their displays, the new linked window will also follow that display.

Window splitting is also very practical to copy and move files from a folder to another: you can visualize the contents of many folders at a time, and move many files from a window to another.

11.2.2. Nautilus File Manager

GNOME's default file manager now is Nautilus. With it, you can manage your files and browse the web. It was originally developed by Eazel but it unfortunately ceased its operations. However, since it is an open-source project, many developers still maintain and enhance it.

Note

Since Nautilus' main features function in a similar manner to those of Konqueror, we will only describe functionalities specific to Nautilus. Please refer to the section about Konqueror above if you need more information.

Figure 11-32. Nautilus's Main Window

11.2.2.1. Exploring the Left Side of Nautilus

The left part of the window gives you a few options. In fact, you can have a single folder showing you where you are in your tree structure. It includes basic information such as the file type, the number of items it holds and the last access date.

The other options are:

  • standard tree structure. You can access it through the Tree tab.

  • notes. It allows you to write notes directly in the yellow window. Click on the Notes tab to try it out.

  • history. This option allows to see a history of the folders visited. Hence, by clicking on the History tab, you will get something like this:

    Figure 11-33. Nautilus' History Window

  • news. With this function, you can add news web sites such as Linux Today and access them directly through hyperlinks.

    In our example, we added Linux Today and Linux Weekly News. After this operation is over, you get a resume of these sites in your sidebar:

    Figure 11-34. Nautilus News

    To add news sites, simply click on the Select Sites tab. You will get a list of popular Linux news sites. Simply click on the check box or site name to add them to the news you wish to view. When you are finished, click on the Done button.

    Figure 11-35. Adding News Web Sites

    If the news site you wish to add is not in the site list, you may add it by choosing Edit and this window will appear:

    Figure 11-36. Editing News Web Sites

  • help. If you need more information about Nautilus or GNOME, click on the Help tab where you will find useful information.

11.2.2.2. Exploring the Right Side of Nautilus

Most file managers use the right-part of the window to display files contained in directories, and Nautilus is no exception to that. And like many file managers, you can change the look'n'feel of your window. To do so, we will go through Nautilus' Preferences menu.

11.2.2.3. Nautilus' Preferences

To access the Edit Preferences menu, you can use the Alt-P-E keyboard shortcut or simply click on the Preferences menu and then on Edit Preferences. This window will then be displayed:

Figure 11-37. Nautilus Preferences

11.2.2.3.1. View Preferences

As you can see, the main preferences are located in the View Preferences window. Here you can change basic graphic looks such as your preferred font and its size, as well as the view mode (either icon or list view, web view for a web page).

11.2.2.3.2. Appearance

Next is the Appearance window. You can define your Default smooth font: this will affect the left window's tabs such as History, Help, News, etc.

Figure 11-38. Changing Default Smooth Fonts

This example shows Nautilus' sidebar with the DerDmonschriftkegel font.

Changing Nautilus' theme can be fun, although the difference between each theme is, to say the least, quite subtle. Try them out. You can also Add New Themes.

Here is an example of the GNOME theme:

Figure 11-39. GNOME Theme for Nautilus

11.2.2.3.3. Windows and Desktops

This is the window to tweak if you do not want Nautilus to draw your desktop. However, if you do unclick the Use Nautilus to draw the desktop, you will lose all your desktop icons!

By default, if you click on an icon (or on text, depending on the view you choose) in the left or right side of Nautilus, the file's contents will be displayed in the same window. In the Windows and Desktops window, you can modify this by clicking on Open each file or folder in a separate window. The same principle applies to the other options offered in this window.

11.2.2.3.4. Icon & List View

The features in this window are very useful. Here you can activate items with a single click (instead of the default double click), show hidden files (the ones that start with a period. You can view those in a Terminal using ls -a) and backup files (the ones which end with a tilde). You can also list folders before files, which is very helpful when a directory holds many files.

11.2.2.3.5. Icon Captions

This window has only one function. Here you determine in what order information about files is shown. You find the typical size, date modified, type, etc.

11.2.2.3.6. Sidebar Panels

Here you define which tabs you want to see in your sidebar (which is the left side of the window). Click or unclick on the different options to see them appear or disappear. You may also choose to see only folders in your tree structure. Hence, you would see the folders in the sidebar and the contents in the right side of the window.

11.2.2.3.7. Search

Define your search options in this window. You can either choose to search "by file name only" or "by file name and file properties". You can select your default search engine (Google by default).

11.2.2.3.8. Navigation

The Navigation window is where you determine your home page (your_account by default). You can also set your Proxy settings, if you use one. Finally, you can disregard bookmarks created by Nautilus by clicking on the Don't include the built-in bookmarks in the Bookmarks menu.

11.2.2.3.9. Speed Tradeoffs

Here are located options concerning information displayed about icons. You can set Nautilus to show text in icons, to list the number of items in a folder, to display thumbnails for image files and even to preview sound files, which launches an audio player such as XMMS.

11.2.2.3.10. News Panel

Two options are offered here:

  • maximum items per site;

  • update minutes.

The first one allows you to set the number of news which will be displayed in the sidebar's news tab (default is six news). The second one lets you set the update frequency (default is five minutes).

11.2.2.4. Browsing the Web

Like Konqueror, Nautilus acts as a file manager and a web browser. Simply type a web address in the Location Bar and off you go!

Figure 11-40. Browsing the Web with Nautilus

In order to view only the web page you typed, go in View->Hide Sidebar

11.2.2.4.1. Searching the Web

Simply click on the Web Search button located in the tool bar and your defined web search engine's page will automatically open. You can also access this feature by pressing on the Shift-Ctrl-F.


Tux on Star from MandrakeSoft Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Unless otherwise stated, all the content of these pages and all images are Copyright MandrakeSoft S.A. and MandrakeSoft Inc. 2001.
http://www.mandrakelinux.com/