Nautilus File ManagerThis chapter describes how to use the Nautilus file manager.Introduction to Nautilus File Managerfile managerintroductionThe Nautilus file manager provides
an integrated access point to your files and applications. Nautilus enables you to do the following:Display your files and folders.Manage your files and folders.Run scripts.Customize your files and folders.Nautilus also manages the desktop background.
The desktop background lies behind all of the other components on your visible
desktop. The desktop background is an active component of the user interface. Nautilus windows enable you to display and
manage your files and folders. You can open a Nautilus
window in any of the following ways:Double-click on the Home object on the
desktop background. Choose ApplicationsHome Folder.Right-click on the desktop background to open the Desktop Background menu. Choose New Window.The Nautilus window displays the contents
of your home location in the view pane.Nautilus Windowsfile managerwindowsNautilus windows enable you to display and
manage your files and folders. shows a Nautilus window that displays the contents of a folder.file managericon viewillustration describes the components of Nautilus windows.
Nautilus Window ComponentsComponentDescription MenubarContains menus that you use to perform tasks in Nautilus.ToolbarContains buttons that you use to perform tasks in Nautilus.Location barContains the following elements:Location field or Go To
field: Enables you to specify a file, folder, or URL that you want to display.Zoom buttons: Enable you to change the
size of items in the view pane.View as drop-down list: Enables you to
choose how to display items in your view pane.Side panePerforms the following functions:Enables you to navigate through your files. Displays information about the current file or folder. The side pane contains a drop-down list that enables
you to choose what to display in the side pane. You can choose from the following
options:InformationEmblemsHistoryNotesTreeView paneDisplays the contents of the following:Particular types of filesFoldersFTP sitesResize handleGrab this handle, then drag to
resize the side pane and the view pane.StatusbarDisplays status information.
You can also open a popup menu from Nautilus
windows. To open this popup menu right-click in a Nautilus
window. The items in this menu depend on where you right-click. For example,
when you right-click on a file or folder, you can choose items related to
the file or folder. When you right-click on the background of a view pane,
you can choose items related to the display of items in the view pane.View Panefile managerview paneview paneview paneintroductionThe view pane can display the contents
of the following:Particular types of filesFoldersFTP sitesviewer componentsNautilus contains viewer components that
enable you to display particular types of file in the view pane. For example,
you can use an image viewer to display Portable Network Graphics (PNG) files
in the view pane. The following figure shows a PNG file displayed in the view
pane.Nautilus window with PNG file displayed in the view pane.Displaying a file in the view pane provides the following benefits:Uses less system resources than when you launch an application.Takes less time than when you launch an application.However, you cannot edit a file in the view pane.Nautilus also includes views
that enable you to display the contents of your folders in different ways.
For example, you can display the contents of a folder in the following types
of view: Icon view: Displays the items in the folder as icons. List view: Displays the items in the folder as a list. Use the View menu to choose how to display a folder.
For more information on views, see .Side Panefile managerside paneintroductionside panefile managerYou can choose what information
you want to view in the side pane. You can choose to display one of the following:InformationDisplays an icon that represents the current file or current folder.
Also displays information about the current file or current folder. If a file
is displayed in the view pane, buttons appear in the side pane. The buttons
enable you to perform actions on a file, other than the default action.EmblemsContains emblems that you can add to a file or folder. For more information
on emblems, see the next section.HistoryContains a history list of files, folders, and FTP sites that you have
recently visited.NotesEnables you to add notes to your folders.TreeDisplays a hierarchical representation of your file system. You can
use the Tree to navigate through your files.To close the side pane, click on the X button
at the top right of the side pane.Icons and Emblemsfile managericonsintroductionfile manageremblemsintroductionemblemsfile managerIn icon view, Nautilus displays your files and
folders as icons. You can add emblems to your file icons and folder icons.
An emblem is a small icon that you can add to an item to visually mark the
item. For example, to mark a file as important, you can add an Important emblem to the file icon to create the following visual
effect: File icon with Important emblem.For more information on how to add an emblem to an icon, see .The following table describes the structure of the file icon:ComponentDescriptionImportant emblem.Emblem. This emblem is the Important emblem.File icon.Icon that represents the file.
This icon contains a preview of the contents of the file.Icon caption.Icon caption. You can modify what items of information are displayed in the
icon caption.Nautilus includes default emblems for the
following types of item:Symbolic linksItems for which you have the following permissions:Read permission only No read permission and no write permissionThe default emblems change depending on your theme. The following table
shows the default emblems for the Default theme. Default EmblemDescriptionSymbolic link emblem.Symbolic linkRead permission only emblem.Read permission onlyNo read permission and no write permission emblem.No read permission and no write permissionNavigating Your Computerfile managernavigatingEach Nautilus window displays
the contents of a single file, folder, or FTP site. This section describes
the following:How to display items in Nautilus
windows.How to open files from Nautilus
windows.How to navigate the files and folders in your file system.How to navigate to FTP sites.To Display Your Home LocationNautilus home location icon.file managerHome locationHome locationHome locationdisplayingTo display your home location,
perform one of the following actions: Double-click on the Home object on the
desktop background.On a Nautilus window, choose GoHome. On a Nautilus window, click on
the Home toolbar button. The Nautilus window displays the contents
of your home location. To reload the display, click on the Reload button.To Display a Folderfile managerdisplaying foldersYou can display the contents of a folder in any of the following
ways: Double-click on the folder in the view pane.In the Location field, type the path
of the folder that you want to display, then press Return.
The Location field includes an autocomplete feature.
As you type a path, Nautilus reads your file system.
When you type enough characters to uniquely identify a directory, Nautilus completes the name of the directory in the Location field.Use the Tree in the side pane. For more
information, see .Use the Back toolbar button and the Forward toolbar button to browse through your navigation history.To change to the folder that is one level above the current folder,
choose GoUp. Alternatively, click on the Up toolbar
button.To reload the display, click on the Reload button.If you cannot find the folder that you want to display, you can use Search Tool. To start Search Tool,
choose ActionsSearch for
Files.Using the Tree From the Side Panefile managerTree, using Tree, usingThe Tree displays a hierarchical representation of your file system.
The Tree provides a convenient way to navigate your file
system. To display the Tree in the side pane, choose Tree from the drop-down list at the top of the side pane. In the Tree, folders are represented as follows:Folder StateGraphic
Representation Closed folderRight arrowOpen folderDown arrow describes the tasks that you can
perform with the Tree, and how to perform the tasks.
Tree TasksTaskActionOpen the Tree.Choose Tree from the drop-down
list at the top of the side pane.Close the Tree.Choose another item from the drop-down list at the
top of the side pane.Open a folder in the Tree.Click on the arrow next to the folder in the Tree. Close a folder in the Tree.Click on the arrow next to the folder in the Tree.Display the contents of
a folder in the view pane.Select the folder in the Tree.Display the contents of a file in the view
pane.Select the file in the Tree.
You can set your preferences so that the Tree does
not display files. For more information, see . Opening Filesfile manageropening filesWhen you open a file, Nautilus
performs the default action for that file type. The default action can be
one of the following: Use a viewer component to display the file in the view pane.Launch an application that opens the file.Nautilus checks the contents of a file to
determine the type of a file. If the first lines do not determine the type
of the file, then Nautilus checks the file extension.If you cannot find the file that you want to open, you can use Search Tool. To start Search Tool,
choose ActionsSearch for
Files.Viewing Files in the View Panefile managerviewing files in view
paneview paneviewing files inviewer componentsNautilus contains viewer
components that enable you to display particular types of file in the view
pane. For example, you can display the following types of files in the view
pane:Plain text filesPNG filesJoint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) filesTo reload the contents of the view pane, choose ViewReload. To stop
loading an item in the view pane, choose ViewStop.When you display a file in the view pane, the viewer component might
add menu items to the Nautilus menus. The menu
items relate to the file type that is displayed. For example, when you display
a PNG file, the Edit menu contains flip and rotate menu
items. Also, when you display some types of file in the view pane, you can
use the Nautilus zoom buttons to change the size
of the item.To Execute the Default Actionfile managerexecuting default actions
for filesTo execute the default action for a
file, double-click on the file. For example, if the default action for plain
text documents is to display the file in a text viewer. In this case, you
can double-click on the file to display the file in a text viewer.You can set your file manager preferences so that you click once on
a file to execute the default action. For more information, see .To Execute Non-Default Actions Using the Open With Submenufile managerexecuting non-default
actions for filesTo execute actions other than
the default action for a file, perform the following steps:In the view pane, select the file that you want to perform
an action on. Choose FileOpen With. The Open With
submenu opens. The items in this submenu correspond to the contents of the
following parts of the File Types and Programs
preference tool:Default action drop-down list in the Edit file type dialogViewer component drop-down list in the Edit file type dialogChoose an action from the Open With
submenu.To Execute Other Actions When Displaying a Filefile managerexecuting other actions
for filesWhen you display a file in the view
pane, the side pane might contain buttons.
shows the side pane when a text file is displayed in the view pane.The buttons represent any actions that are defined in the File Types and Programs preference tool. The actions are defined
in the Default action drop-down list in the Edit file type dialog in the File Types and Programs preference tool. Click on a button to execute an action. For
example, if an action defined for plain text documents is to open the file
in gedit. If this action is defined, an Open with gedit button is displayed in the side pane. To open
the file in the gedit application, click on the Open with gedit button.A button that represents the action does not appear in the side
pane if the actions are excluded in either of the following dialogs: Open with Other ApplicationOpen with Other ViewerUsing the Start Here LocationNautilus Start Here icon.file managerStart Here locationStart Here locationStart Here locationusingThe Start
Here location enables you to access the following functions:ApplicationsDouble-click on Applications to access your key
GNOME applications. You can also access the Applications
menu through the Main Menu and the Menu Panel.Desktop PreferencesDouble-click on Desktop Preferences to customize
your desktop. You can also access the desktop preferences through the Applications menu. Programs that enable you to configure your system as a server,
and to choose other system settings.You can access the Start Here location in the following
ways:From a Nautilus windowChoose GoStart Here. The contents of the Start Here
location are displayed in the window.From the desktop backgroundDouble-click on the Start Here object on the desktop
background. The contents of the Start Here location are
displayed in a Nautilus window.To Access FTP SitesFTP sitesaccessingfile managerFTP sitesFTP sitesYou can use Nautilus
to access FTP sites. To access an FTP site, enter the URL for the site in
the field on the location bar, then press Return. The contents
of the site are displayed in the view pane. To copy a file from the FTP site,
drag the file to the new location.To access an FTP site that requires a username and password, you can
enter the URL in the following form: ftp://username:password@hostname.domainTo reload the FTP site in the view pane, choose ViewReload. To stop
loading the FTP site, choose ViewStop.Using Your Navigation Historyfile managernavigating history listThe file manager maintains a history list of
files, folders, and FTP sites. You can use the history list to navigate to
files, folders, and FTP sites that you have recently visited. Your history
list contains the last ten items that you viewed. The following sections describe
how to navigate your history list.To clear your history list choose GoClear History.To Navigate Your History List Using the Go MenuTo display a list of previously-viewed items, choose the Go menu. Your history list is displayed in the lower part of the Go menu. To open an item in your history list, choose the item from
the Go menu.To Navigate Your History List Using the ToolbarTo use the toolbar to navigate your history list, perform one of the
following actions:To open the previous file, folder, or URL in your history
list, click on the Back toolbar button.To open the next file, folder, or URL in your history list,
click on the Forward toolbar button.To display a list of previously-viewed items, click on the
down arrow to the right of the Back toolbar button.
To open an item from this list, click on the item.To display a list of items that you viewed after you viewed
the current item, click on the down arrow to the right of the Forward toolbar button. To open an item from this list, click
on the item.To Navigate Your History List Using History in the Side Panefile managerHistoryTo display the History list in the side pane, choose History from the drop-down list at the top of the side pane. The History list in the side pane displays a list of your previously-viewed
items.To display an item from your history list in the view pane,
click on the item in the History list.To Bookmark Your Favorite Locationsfile managerbookmarksTo access an item in your bookmarks, choose the item from
the Bookmarks menu. You can add your favorite locations
to your Bookmarks menu. You can add bookmarks to files
and folders in your file system, or to FTP sites.To Add a BookmarkTo add a bookmark, display the item that you want to bookmark in the
view pane. Choose BookmarksAdd Bookmark.To Edit a BookmarkTo edit your bookmarks perform the following steps:Choose BookmarksEdit Bookmarks. An Edit Bookmarks
dialog is displayed. To edit a bookmark, select the bookmark on the left side of
the Edit Bookmarks dialog. Edit the details for the bookmark
on the right side of the Edit Bookmarks dialog, as follows:Dialog ElementDescription NameUse this text box to specify the name that identifies the
bookmark in the Bookmarks menu.LocationUse this field to specify the location of the bookmark.To delete a bookmark, select the bookmark on the left side
of the dialog. Click Delete. Managing Your Files and Foldersfile managermanaging files and foldersThis section describes how to work with your
files and folders.Drag-and-Drop in Nautilusfile managerdrag-and-dropYou can use drag-and-drop to perform several tasks in Nautilus. When you drag-and-drop, the mouse pointer provides
feedback about the task that you perform.
describes the tasks that you can perform with drag-and-drop. The table also
shows the mouse pointers that appear when you drag-and-drop.
Drag-and-Drop in NautilusTaskActionMouse PointerMove an itemDrag the item to the new location.Move pointer.Copy an itemGrab the item, then press-and-hold Ctrl. Drag the item to the new location.Copy pointer.Create a symbolic link to
an itemGrab the
item, then press-and-hold CtrlShift.
Drag the item to the location where you want the symbolic link to reside.Symbolic link pointer.Ask what to do with the
item you dragGrab the item, then press-and-hold Alt. Drag the item to
the location where you want the item to reside. Release the mouse button.
A popup menu appears. Choose one of the following items from the popup menu:Move hereMoves the item to the location.Copy hereCopies the item to the location. Link hereCreates a symbolic link to the item at the location.Set as BackgroundIf the item is an image, sets the image to be the background wallpaper.
You can use this command to set the desktop background and the view pane
background.CancelCancels the drag-and-drop operation.Ask pointer.
To Select Files and Foldersfile managerselecting files and foldersYou can select files and folders in several
ways in Nautilus.
describes how to select items in Nautilus windows
and on the Nautilus desktop background.
Selecting Items in NautilusTaskActionSelect an itemClick on the item.Select a group of contiguous
itemsIn icon view,
drag around the files that you want to select.In list view, press-and-hold Shift. Click on the first item in the group, then click on the last
item in the group.Select multiple itemsPress-and-hold Ctrl.
Click on the items that you want to select.Alternatively, press-and-hold Ctrl, then drag around the files that you want to select.Select all items in a folderChoose EditSelect All Files.
To perform the default action on an item, double-click on the item.
You can set your file manager preferences so that you click once on a file
to execute the default action. For more information, see .To Move a File or Folderfile managermoving files and foldersThe following sections describe the ways that
you can move a file or folder.Drag to the New Location in a View PaneTo drag a file or folder to a new location in a view pane, perform the
following steps:Open a Nautilus window. Choose FileNew Window
to open a second Nautilus window.In one window, select the folder from which you want to move
the file or folder. In the other window, select the folder to which you want
to move the file or folder.Drag the file or folder that you want to move to the new location
in the other window.To move the file or folder to a folder that is one level below the current
location, do not open a new window. Instead, drag the file or folder to the
new location in the same window.Cut and Paste to the New LocationYou can cut a file or folder and paste the file or folder into another
folder, as follows:Select the file or folder that you want to move, then choose EditCut File.Open the folder to which you want to move the file or folder,
then choose EditPaste
Files.Drag to the New Location in the TreeYou can drag a file or folder from the view pane to a location on the Tree in the side pane. Alternatively, you can drag a file or folder
within the Tree in the side pane to another location
in the Tree.To Copy a File or Folderfile managercopying files and foldersThe following sections describe the ways you
can copy a file or folder.Drag to the New Location in a View PaneTo copy a file or folder perform the following steps:Open a Nautilus window. Choose FileNew Window
to open a second Nautilus window.In one window, select the folder from which you want to copy
the file or folder. In the other window, select the folder to which you want
to copy the file or folder.Grab the file or folder, then press-and-hold Ctrl. Drag the file or folder to the new location in the other window.To copy the file or folder to a folder that is one level below the current
location, do not open a new window. Instead, grab the file or folder, then
press-and-hold Ctrl. Drag the file or folder to the new location
in the same window.Copy and Paste to the New LocationYou can copy a file or folder and paste the file or folder into another
folder, as follows:Select the file or folder that you want to copy, then choose EditCopy File.Open the folder to which you want to copy the file or folder,
then choose EditPaste
Files.To Duplicate a File or Folderfile managerduplicating files and
foldersTo create a copy of a file or folder
in the current folder perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to duplicate in the
view pane.Choose EditDuplicate. Alternatively, right-click on the file
or folder in the view pane, then choose Duplicate.A copy of the file or folder appears in the current folder.To Create a Folderfile managercreating foldersTo create a folder perform the following steps:Select the folder where you want to create the new folder.Choose FileNew Folder. Alternatively, right-click on the background
of the view pane, then choose New Folder.An untitled folder is added to the view pane. The
name of the folder is selected.Type a name for the folder, then press Return. To Rename a File or Folderfile managerrenaming foldersTo rename a file or folder perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to rename in the view
pane.Choose EditRename. Alternatively, right-click on the file
or folder in the view pane, then choose Rename.The name of the file or folder is selected.Type a new name for the file or folder, then press Return.To Move a File or Folder to Trashfile managerTrashTrashTrashmoving
files or folders toTo move a file or folder
to Trash perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to move to Trash in the view pane.Choose EditMove to Trash. Alternatively, right-click on the
file or folder in the view pane, then choose Move to Trash.Alternatively, you can drag the file or folder from the view pane to
the Trash object on the desktop background.To Delete a File or Folderfile managerdeleting files or foldersWhen you delete a file or folder, the file or
folder is not moved to Trash, but is deleted from your
file system immediately. The Delete menu item is
only available if you select the Include a Delete command that bypasses
Trash option in the File Management Preferences
dialog. To delete a file or folder perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to delete in the view
pane.Choose EditDelete. Alternatively, right-click on the file
or folder in the view pane, then choose Delete.To Create a Symbolic Link to a File or Folderfile managercreating symbolic linkA symbolic link is a special type of file that
points to another file or folder. When you perform an action on a symbolic
link, the action is performed on the file or folder to which the symbolic
link points. However, when you delete a symbolic link, you delete the link
file, not the file to which the symbolic link points.To create a symbolic link to a file or folder, select the file or folder
to which you want to create a link. Choose EditMake Link. A link to the
file or folder is added to the current folder. Alternatively, grab the item to which you want to create a link, then
press-and-hold CtrlShift. Drag the item
to the location where you want to place the link.By default, Nautilus adds an emblem to symbolic
links.To Change Permissionsfile managerchanging permissionsTo change the permissions on a file or folder
perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to change. Choose FileProperties. A properties dialog is displayed.Click on the Permissions tab. In the Permissions tabbed section, use the drop-down lists and check boxes
to change the permissions for the file or folder.Click Close to close the properties
dialog.Using TrashNautilus Trash icon.TrashintroductionYou can move the following items to Trash:FilesFoldersDesktop background objectsIf you need to retrieve a file from Trash, you
can display Trash and move the file out of Trash. When you empty Trash, you delete the
contents of Trash permanently. To Display TrashTrashdisplayingYou can display the contents of Trash in the following
ways:From a Nautilus windowChoose GoTrash. The contents of Trash are displayed in
the window.From the desktop backgroundDouble-click on the Trash object on the desktop
background.To Empty TrashTrashemptyingYou can empty the contents of Trash in the following
ways:From a Nautilus windowChoose FileEmpty
Trash.From the desktop backgroundRight-click on the Trash object, then choose Empty Trash.Adding Notes to Foldersfile managerNotesnotes, adding
to foldersYou can use Notes
in the side pane to add a note to a folder. To add a note to a folder perform
the following steps:Display the folder in the view pane.Choose Notes from the drop-down list
at the top of the side pane.Type the note in the side pane. Running Scripts From Nautilusfile managerrunning scriptsscripts, running from file managerNautilus includes a special folder
where you can store your scripts. When you add an executable file to this
folder, the file is added to the Scripts submenu.
To run a script choose FileScripts, then choose the script that you want to
run from the submenu. To run a script on a particular file, select the file in the view pane.
Choose FileScripts, then choose the script that you want to run on the file from
the submenu. You can also select multiple files to run your scripts on.To view the contents of your scripts folder, choose FileScriptsOpen Scripts Folder. Modifying the Appearance of Files and Foldersfile managermodifying appearance
of files and foldersNautilus
enables you to modify the appearance of your files and folders in several
ways, as described in the following sections.To Add an Emblem to a File or Folderfile manageremblemsaddingTo add an emblem to an item perform the
following steps: Select the item to which you want to add an emblem.Right-click on the item, then choose Properties. A properties dialog is displayed.Click on the Emblems tab to display the Emblems tabbed section.Select the emblem to add to the item.Click Close to close the properties
dialog.To Modify the Icon for a File or Folderfile managericonsmodifyingTo change the icon that represents an
individual file or folder, perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to change.Choose FileProperties. A properties dialog is displayed. On the Basic tabbed section, click on
the Select Custom Icon button. A Select an
icon dialog is displayed. Use the Select an icon dialog to choose
the icon to represent the file or folder. Click Close to close the properties
dialog.To change the icon that represents a file type, use the File Types and Programs preference tool. To open the File Types and Programs preference tool, choose ApplicationsDesktop PreferencesAdvancedFile Types
and Programs. To restore an icon from a custom icon to the default icon specified
in the File Types and Programs preference tool,
right-click on the icon then choose Remove Custom Icon.
Alternatively, click on the Remove Custom Icon button
on the Properties dialog.To Change the Size of Items in a Viewfile managerzooming in and outYou can change the size of items in a view. You can change
the size if the view displays a file or a folder. You can change the size
of items in a view in the following ways:To enlarge the size of items in a view, choose ViewZoom In.To reduce the size of items in a view, choose ViewZoom Out.To return items in a view to the normal size, choose ViewNormal Size.You can also use the zoom buttons on the location bar to change the
size of items in a view. describes how
to use the zoom buttons.
Zoom ButtonsButtonButton Name DescriptionZoom Out button.Zoom Out buttonClick on this button to reduce the size of items in a view.Normal Size button.Normal Size
button Click on this button to return
items in a view to normal size.Zoom In button.Zoom In buttonClick on this button to enlarge the size of items in a view.
Nautilus remembers the size of items in a
particular folder. The next time that you display the folder, the items are
displayed in the size that you selected. In other words, when you change the
size of items in a folder, you customize the folder to display the items at
that size. To return the size of the items to the default size specified in
your preferences, choose ViewReset View to Defaults.Using Views to Display Your Files and Foldersviewer componentsfile managerviewsintroductionNautilus provides several ways
to display the contents of your files. Nautilus
includes viewer components that enable you to display particular types of
file in the view pane. For example, you can use a web page viewer to display
HTML files in the view pane. You can use a text viewer to view plain text
files in the view pane.You can also use Nautilus to open a file
in an appropriate application. For more information, see .Nautilus includes views that enable you to
display the contents of your folders in different ways. For example, you can
display the contents of a folder in the following types of view: Icon viewDisplays the items in the folder as icons.
shows a folder displayed in icon view.List viewDisplays the items in the folder as a list.
shows a folder displayed in list view.file managerlist viewillustrationUse the View menu to choose how to display a file
or folder. You can also use the View as drop-down list
to choose how to display a file or folder. When you display a folder, you
can specify how you want to arrange or sort items in the folder. You can modify
the size of the items in the view pane. The following sections describe how
to work with icon view, list view, and views of files.To Choose a View in Which to Display a File or Folderfile managerviewschoosingChoose the type of view in which to display
the contents of a file or folder from the View menu. Alternatively, to choose a view, choose ViewView as. Select the view
that you want to use from the Open with Other Viewer
dialog, then click on the Choose button. You can also choose the type of view from the View as
drop-down list. The View as drop-down list is located
at the right side of the location bar.You can display different folders in different views. Nautilus remembers the view that you choose for a particular
folder. The next time that you display the folder, Nautilus
displays the folder in that view. To return the view for the folder to the
default view specified in your preferences, choose ViewReset View to Defaults.To Arrange Your Files in Icon Viewfile managericon viewarranging files inWhen you display
the contents of a folder in icon view, you can specify how to arrange the
items in the folder. To specify how to arrange items in icon view, choose ViewArrange Items.
The Arrange Items submenu contains the following
sections:The top section contains an option that enables you to arrange
your files manually.The middle section contains options that enable you to sort
your files automatically.The bottom section contains options that enable you to modify
how your files are arranged.Choose the appropriate options from the submenu, as described in the
following table: OptionDescription ManuallySelect this option to arrange the items manually.
To arrange the items manually, drag the items to the location you require
within the view pane.By NameSelect this option to sort the
items alphabetically by name. The order of the items is not case sensitive.
If Nautilus is set to display hidden files, the
hidden files are shown last.By SizeSelect this option to sort the
items by size, with the largest item first. When you sort items by size, the
folders are sorted by the number of items in the folder. The folders are not
sorted by the total size of the items in the folder.By TypeSelect this option to sort the
items alphabetically by object type. The items are sorted alphabetically by
the description of their MIME type in the File Types and Programs preference tool. The MIME type identifies
the format of a file, and enables applications to read the file. For example,
an email application can use the image/png MIME type to
detect that a PNG file is attached to an email.By Modification
DateSelect this option to sort the items by the date the items were last modified.
The most recently modified item is first.By EmblemsSelect this option to sort the
items by any emblems that are added to the items. The items are sorted alphabetically
by emblem name. Items that do not have emblems are last. Compact LayoutSelect
this option to arrange the items so that the items are closer to each other.Reversed OrderSelect this option to reverse the order of the option
by which you sort the items. For example, if you sort the items by name, select
the Reversed Order option to sort the items in reverse
alphabetical order.Nautilus remembers how you arrange the items
in a particular folder. The next time that you display the folder, the items
are arranged in the way that you selected. In other words, when you specify
how to arrange the items in a folder, you customize the folder to display
the items in that way. To return the arrangement settings of the folder to
the default arrangement settings specified in your preferences, choose ViewReset View to Defaults.To Stretch an Icon in Icon Viewfile managericonsstretchingIn icon view, you can change the size
of the icon that represents an item that is displayed. To change the size
of an item in icon view, perform the following steps:Right-click on the item that you want to resize, then choose Stretch Icon. A rectangle appears around the item, with a handle
at each corner.Grab one of the handles, then drag the icon to the size that
you want.To return the icon to the original size, right-click on the icon, then
choose Restore Icon's Original Size. You can also stretch icons on the desktop background.To Modify the Behavior of a Viewfile managerviewsmodifying behaviorYou can modify the behavior
of a view in the following ways:Specify that the view is the default view for a particular
file or folder.Specify that the view is the default view for a file type
or all folders.Specify that the view is an item in the View as submenu for a particular file or folder.Specify that the view is an item in the View as submenu for all of a particular file type or for all folders.Specify that the view is not an item in the View
as submenu for a particular file or folder.To modify the behavior of a view perform the following steps:Choose ViewView as. An Open with Other Viewer
dialog is displayed.Select the view that you want to modify from the table in
the dialog.Click on the Modify button. A Modify dialog is displayed. The following table describes the options
on the Modify dialog:OptionDescription Include in the menu for item_name itemsSelect this option to include the view in the View as
submenu for this type of item.Use as default for item_name itemsSelect this option to use the view as the default for this type of item.Include in the menu for item_name onlySelect this option to include the view in the View as
submenu for this item only.Use as default for item_name onlySelect this option to use the view as the default for this item only.Don't include in the menu for item_name itemsSelect this option to exclude the view from the View as
submenu for this type of item.Click OK, then click Cancel to close the Open with Other Viewer dialog.You can also modify the actions that are associated with a file
type in the File Types and Programs preference
tool. To open the File Types and Programs preference
tool, click on the Go There button. Assigning Actions to Filesfile managerassigning actions to
filesWhen you open a file, Nautilus performs the default action for that file type. The File Types and Programs preference tool contains a table of
file types, their associated file extensions, and their default actions. This
table specifies what happens when you double-click on a file in Nautilus. You can also use Nautilus to modify the actions
that are associated with a particular file or file type. You can use the File Types and Programs preference
tool to perform the following tasks:Specify the default action for a file type. You can also change
the default action for a file type in Nautilus. Associate a file type with one or more applications. The default
action might specify to open the file in an application that is associated
with the file type.Associate a file type with one or more viewers. The default
action might specify to open the file in a viewer that is associated with
the file type.Associate a file extension with a MIME type. The MIME type
specifies the format of the file so that Internet browsers and email applications
can read the file.To Modify Actionsfile managermodifying actionsYou can modify the actions associated with a file or file
type. You can do the following:Specify that the action is the default action for a particular
file. Specify that the action is the default action for a particular
file type.Specify that the action is an item in the Open
With submenu for a particular file.Specify that the action is an item in the Open
With submenu for a particular file type.Specify that the action is not an item in the Open With submenu for a particular file type. To modify the actions associated with a file or file type, perform the
following steps:In the view pane, select the file for which you want to modify
an action. If you want to modify an action associated with a file type, select
a file of that type.Choose FileOpen With. Perform either of the following steps:Choose Other Application. An Open with Other Application dialog is displayed. Choose Other Viewer. A Open with Other Viewer dialog is displayed. From the table in the dialog, select the application or viewer
for which you want to modify the behavior.Click on the Modify button. A Modify dialog is displayed. The following table describes the options
on the Modify dialog:OptionDescription Include in the menu for filetype itemsSelect this option to include the application or viewer in the Open With submenu for this file type.Use as default for filetype itemsSelect this option to use the application or viewer as the default action
for this file type.Include in the menu for filename onlySelect this option to include the application or viewer in the Open With submenu for this file, and not for other files of this
type.Use as default for filename onlySelect this option to use the application or viewer as the default action
for this file, and not for other files of this type.Don't include in the menu for filetype itemsSelect this option to exclude the application or viewer from the Open With submenu for this file type.Click OK, then click Cancel to close the dialog. You can also modify the actions that are associated with a file
type in the File Types and Programs preference
tool. To open the File Types and Programs preference
tool, click on the Go There button. Customizing Nautilusfile managercustomizingYou can customize the file manager to suit your requirements
and preferences. This section describes how to customize the file manager.Setting Your Preferencesfile managerpreferencesintroductionpreferences,
file managerfile manager preferencesUse the File Management Preferences dialog to set preferences
for the file manager. To display the File Management Preferences dialog, choose EditPreferences.You can set preferences in the following categories: The default settings for views.The behavior of files and folders, executable text files,
and Trash.The information that is displayed in icon captions.Preview options to improve the performance of the file manager.To Set Views Preferencesfile managerpreferencesviewsYou can specify a default view,
and select sort options and display options. You can also specify default
settings for icon views and list views. To specify your default view settings,
choose EditPreferences. Click on the Views tab in
the File Management Preferences dialog to display the Views tabbed section. lists the views settings
that you can modify.
Views PreferencesDialog ElementDescriptionView new folders usingSelect the default view for folders. When you open
a folder, the folder is displayed in the view that you select.Arrange ItemsSelect the characteristic by which you want to sort
the items in folders that are displayed in this view.Sort folders before filesSelect this option to list folders before
files when you sort a folder.Sort in reverseSelect this option
if you want to reverse the order by which items are sorted in this view. If
you select this option, the order of the characteristic you select in the Arrange Items drop-down list is reversed. For example, if you select By Name, the items are sorted in reverse alphabetical order.Show hidden and
backup filesSelect
this option to display hidden files and backup files in the view pane. The
first character in a hidden filename is a period (.). The last character in
a backup filename is a tilde (~).Default zoom levelIcon
view and list view. Select the default zoom level for folders that are displayed
in this view. The zoom level specifies the size of items in a view.Use compact layoutSelect
this option to arrange the items in icon view so that the items in the folder
are closer to each other.Use manual layoutSelect this option if you want to arrange
the items in icon view manually.Show only foldersSelect this option to display only folders
in the Tree in the side pane.
To Set File and Folder Preferencesfile managerpreferencesfilesfile managerpreferencesfoldersTo set your preferences for files and folders, choose EditPreferences.
Click on the Files and Folders tab in the File Management Preferences dialog to display the Files
and Folders tabbed section. lists the settings
that you can modify for files and folders.
Files and Folders PreferencesOptionDescription Open each file or folder in
a new windowSelect
this option to open a new window when you open a file or folder.Activate items with a single clickSelect this option to
perform the default action for an item when you click on the item. When this
option is selected, and you point to an item, the title of the item is underlined. Activate items
with a double clickSelect this option to perform the default action for an item when you double-click
on the item.Execute scripts
when they are clickedSelect this option to run an executable file when you choose the executable
file. An executable file is a text file that can execute, that is, a shell
script.View scripts when they are
clickedSelect this
option to display the contents of an executable file when you choose the executable
file.Ask each timeSelect
this option to display a dialog when you choose an executable file. The dialog
asks whether you want to execute the file or display the file. Ask before emptying the Trash
or deleting filesSelect this option to display a confirmation message before Trash is emptied, or files are deleted. Include a Delete
command that bypasses TrashSelect this option to add a Delete menu item to
the following menus:The Edit menu.The popup menu that is displayed when you right-click on a
file, folder, or desktop background object. When you select an item then choose the Delete menu item, the item is deleted from your file system
immediately.
To Set Icon Captions Preferencesfile managericonscaption preferencesfile managerpreferencesicon captionsAn icon caption displays the name of a file or folder in
an icon view. The icon caption also includes three additional items of information
on the file or folder. The additional information is displayed after the file
name. Normally only one item of information is visible, but when you zoom
in on an icon, more of the information is displayed. You can modify what additional
information is displayed in icon captions. To set your preferences for icon captions, choose EditPreferences.
Click on the Files and Folders tab in the File Management Preferences dialog to display the Files
and Folders tabbed section. Select the items of information that you want to display
in the icon caption from the three drop-down lists. Select the first item
from the first drop-down list, select the second item from the second drop-down
list, and so on. The following table describes the items of information that
you can select:InformationDescription SizeChoose this option to display
the size of the item.TypeChoose this option to display
the description of the MIME type of the item from the File Types
and Programs preference tool.Date modifiedChoose
this option to display the last modification date of the item.Date accessedChoose
this option to display the date that the item was last accessed.OwnerChoose this option to display
the owner of the item.GroupChoose this option to display
the group to which the item belongs.PermissionsChoose this option to display
the permissions of the item as three sets of three characters, for example -rwxrw-r--.Octal permissionsChoose
this option to display the permissions of the item in octal notation, for
example 764. MIME typeChoose this option to display
the MIME type of the item.NoneChoose this option to display
no information for the item.To Set Preview Preferencesfile managerpreferencespreviewThe file manager include some
file preview features. The preview features can affect the speed with which
the file manager responds to your requests. You can modify the behavior of
some of these features to improve the speed of the file manager. For each
preview preference, you can select one of the options described in the following
table:OptionDescription AlwaysPerforms the action for both local files, and files
on other file systems.Local File OnlyPerforms the action for local files only.NeverNever performs the action. To set your preview preferences, choose EditPreferences. Click on the Preview tab in the File Management Preferences
dialog to display the Preview tabbed section. lists the preview settings
that you can modify.
Preview PreferencesDialog ElementDescription Show text in iconsSelect an option to specify when to preview the
content of text files in the icon that represents the file. Show thumbnailsSelect
an option to specify when to show thumbnails of image files. The file manager
stores the thumbnail files for each folder in a .thumbnails
directory that is one level below the folder.Only for files smaller thanSpecify the maximum
file size for files for which the file manager creates a thumbnail.Preview sound
filesSelect an option to specify when to preview sound files. Show number of itemsSelect an option to specify when to show the
number of items in folders.
Changing Backgroundsfile managerchanging backgroundsbackgroundschanging screen componentNautilus includes backgrounds that you can use to change the look-and-feel
of the following screen components: Nautilus desktop backgroundSide paneView panePanels, except for the Menu PanelTo change the background of a screen component perform the following
steps: Choose EditBackgrounds and Emblems. The Backgrounds
and Emblems dialog is displayed. To display a list of patterns that you can use on the background,
click on the Patterns button. To display a list of
the colors that you can use on the background, click on the Colors button.To change the background to a pattern, drag the pattern to
the screen component. To change the background to a color, drag the color
to the screen component. Click Close to close the dialog.Alternatively, you can right-click on the background of the side pane
and the view pane, then choose Change Background.
The Backgrounds and Emblems dialog is displayed. To reset
the pane background to the default background, right-click on the background
of the pane, then choose Use Default Background.When you change the background of the side pane or the view pane of
a particular folder, Nautilus remembers the background
that you chose. The next time that you display the folder, the background
that you selected is displayed. In other words, when you change the background
of a folder, you customize the folder to display the background. To Add a Patternbackgroundsadding patternsTo add a pattern to the patterns that you can use on your
screen components, choose EditBackgrounds and Emblems. Click on the Patterns button, then click on the Add New Pattern button. A dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to find the new
pattern. Click OK to add the new pattern to the Backgrounds and Emblems dialog.To Add a Colorbackgroundsadding colorsTo add a color to the colors that you can use on your screen
components, choose EditBackgrounds and Emblems. Click on the Colors button, then click on the Add New Color
button. A color selector dialog is displayed. Use the color wheel or the sliders
to choose the color. Click OK to add the new color
to the Backgrounds and Emblems dialog.To Show and Hide Window Componentsfile managerwindow components, showing
and hidingYou can show and hide Nautilus window components as follows: To hide the side pane, choose ViewSide Pane. To display the
side pane again, choose ViewSide Pane again. To hide the toolbar, choose ViewToolbar. To display the
toolbar again, choose ViewToolbar again. To hide the location bar, choose ViewLocation Bar. To display
the location bar again, choose ViewLocation Bar again.To hide the statusbar, choose ViewStatusbar. To display the
statusbar again, choose ViewStatusbar again. To remove a tab from the side pane, right-click in the side
pane. Choose the tab that you want to remove from the popup menu. To add the
tab to the side pane again, choose the tab from the popup menu again.Using Removable Mediaremovable mediaintroductionNautilus supports the following
removable media:Audio CDCameraCD-ROMFloppy disketteIomega Jaz diskIomega Zip diskMemory StickFor Nautilus to recognize removable
media, you must have an appropriate entry for the media in the /etc/fstab file.To Mount Mediaremovable mediamountingTo mount media is to make the file
system of the media available for access. When you mount media, the file system
of the media is attached as a subdirectory to your file system.To mount media, insert the media in the appropriate device. An object
that represents the media is added to the desktop background. The object is
added only if your system is configured to mount the device automatically
when media is detected. If your system is not configured to mount the device automatically,
you must mount the device manually. Right-click on the desktop background,
then choose Disksdevice_name. For example, to mount
a floppy diskette, choose DisksFloppy. An object that represents the media is
added to the desktop background. To Display Media Contentsremovable mediadisplaying media contentsYou can display media contents in any of the
following ways: Double-click on the object that represents the media on the
desktop background. Right-click on the object that represents the media on the
desktop background, then choose Open. A Nautilus window displays the contents of
the media. To reload the display, click on the Reload
button.To Display Media Propertiesremovable mediadisplaying media propertiesTo display the properties of removable media,
right-click on the object that represents the media on the desktop background,
then choose Properties. A dialog displays the properties
of the media.To close the properties dialog, click Close.To Format a Floppy Disketteremovable mediaformatting floppy
disketteTo format media
is to prepare the media for use with a particular file system. When you format
media, you overwrite any existing information on the media. You can use the
file manager to format floppy diskettes.To format a floppy diskette, perform the following steps:Insert the diskette in the diskette drive. Mount the diskette.
For information on how to mount media, see .Right-click on the object that represents the diskette on
the desktop background, then choose Format. A Format a Floppy dialog is displayed. Select your format options in the Format a Floppy dialog. The following table describes the elements on the dialog:Dialog ElementDescriptionFloppy deviceDisplays
the name of the floppy device.File system typeSelect
the type of file system in which you want to format the diskette.Floppy densitySelect the density that you want for the diskette.Quick formatSelect this option to create
only the file system on the diskette. A quick format does not check for bad
blocks. This option works only on diskettes that have previously been formatted.Click Format to format the diskette. To Eject Mediaremovable mediaejectingTo eject media, right-click on the media object on the desktop
background, then choose Eject. If the drive for
the media is a motorized drive, the media is ejected from the drive. If the
drive for the media is not a motorized drive, a message is displayed when
you can manually eject the media. You cannot eject media from a motorized drive when the media is mounted.
To eject media, first unmount the media. To remove a floppy diskette from
the drive, perform the following steps:Close all Nautilus windows, Terminal windows, and any other windows that access the diskette. Right-click on the object that represents the diskette on
the desktop background, then choose Unmount Volume. Eject the diskette from the drive.If you eject the diskette from the drive before you unmount
the diskette, you might lose the data on the diskette.