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 ComponentsComponent
Description Menubar
Contains menus that you use to perform tasks in Nautilus.
Toolbar
Contains 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 box: Enables you
to choose how to display items in your view pane.Side pane
Performs the following functions:Enables you to navigate through your files. Displays information about the current file or folder. TabsClick on a tab to open a tabbed pane.
The side pane contains the following tabbed panes:HistoryNotesTreeView pane
Displays 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 pane
introductionThe view pane can display the contents
of the following:Particular types of filesFoldersFTP sitesviewer components
Nautilus 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.Shows Nautilus window with plain text document 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 pane
file managerThe side pane can contain
the following elements:An icon that represents the current file or current folder.
The side pane also contains information about the current file or current
folder.Tabbed panes that enable you to navigate through your files.
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.Tabbed Panestabbed panesfile managerfile managertabbed panesintroductionThe side pane can contain
the following tabbed panes: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 tabbed pane to navigate through your files.
describes how to work with tabbed
panes.
Tabbed Pane TasksTask
ActionOpen a tabbed pane.Click on the tab.Close a tabbed pane.
Click on the tab.Remove a tab from the side
pane.Right-click
in the side pane, then choose the tab that you want to remove from the menu.
Add a tab to the side pane.
Right-click in
the side pane, then choose the tab that you want to add from the menu.
Icons and Emblemsfile managericons
introductionfile manageremblemsintroductionemblemsfile manager
In 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: Shows 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:Component
Description
Shows Important emblem.
Emblem. This emblem is the Important emblem.Shows file icon.
Icon that represents the file.
This icon contains a preview of the contents of the file.
Shows 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 EmblemDescription
Shows symbolic link emblem.
Symbolic linkShows read permission only emblem.
Read permission only
Shows no 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 LocationShows Nautilus 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 tabbed 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 Tabbed Panefile managertabbed panesTreeTree tabbed pane,
usingThe Tree tabbed pane
displays a hierarchical representation of your file system. The
Tree tabbed pane provides a convenient way to navigate your file
system. By default, the Tree tabbed pane is not displayed
in your side pane. To add the Tree tabbed pane to the
side pane, right-click in the side pane, then choose Tree
from the popup menu.
In the Tree tabbed pane, folders are represented as follows:
Folder State
Graphic Representation Closed folder
Right arrowOpen folder
Down arrow describes the tasks that you can
perform with the Tree tabbed pane, and how to perform
the tasks.
Tree Tabbed Pane TasksTask
ActionOpen the Tree tabbed pane.
Click on the Tree
tab.Close the Tree tabbed
pane.Click on the Tree
tab.Open a folder in the
Tree tabbed pane.
Click on the arrow next to the folder in the Tree tabbed
pane. Close a folder in the
Tree tabbed pane.
Click on the arrow next to the folder in the Tree tabbed
pane.Display the contents of
a folder in the view pane.
Select the folder in the Tree tabbed pane.Display the contents of a file in the view
pane.Select the file in the
Tree tabbed pane.
You can set your preferences so that the Tree tabbed
pane 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 pane
viewing files inviewer components
Nautilus 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 filesPortable Network Graphics (PNG) 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 View
Stop.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 View menu contains Interpolation
, Dither, and other submenus. 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 Nautilus 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 File
Open 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 box in
the Edit file type dialogViewer Component drop-down list box 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 box 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 LocationShows Nautilus Start Here icon.
file managerStart Here locationStart Here locationStart Here location
usingThe 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 GNOME 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 View
Stop.Using Your Navigation Historyfile managernavigating history list
Nautilus 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.
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 the History Tabbed Panefile managertabbed panesHistoryTo display the History
tabbed pane, click on the History tab in
the side pane. The History tabbed 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 tabbed pane.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 Bookmarks
Add Bookmark.To Edit a BookmarkTo edit your bookmarks perform the following steps:Choose Bookmarks
Edit 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 folders
This 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 NautilusTaskAction
Mouse PointerMove an itemDrag the item to the new location.
Shows move pointer.Copy an itemGrab the item, then press-and-hold
Ctrl. Drag the item to the new location.Shows copy pointer.Link to an itemGrab the item, then press-and-hold CtrlShift. Drag the item to the location where
you want the link to reside.Shows link pointer.Ask what to do with the
item you drag
Grab 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.
Shows ask pointer.
To Select Files and Foldersfile managerselecting files and folders
You 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 folder
Choose EditSelect All Files.
To perform the default action on an item, double-click on the item.
You can set your Nautilus preferences so that you
work with Nautilus as follows:Click once on a file to execute the default action.Point to an item to select the item.For more information, see .To Move a File or Folderfile managermoving files and folders
The following sections describe the ways 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 Tree Tabbed PaneYou can drag a file or folder from the view pane to a location on the
Tree tabbed pane. Alternatively, you can drag a file or folder
within the Tree tabbed pane to another location in the
Tree tabbed pane.To Copy a File or Folderfile managercopying files and folders
The 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 Edit
Duplicate. 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 File
New 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 Edit
Rename. 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 managerTrash
TrashTrashmoving
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 Edit
Move 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 folders
When 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 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 Edit
Delete. 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 link
A 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 Edit
Make 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 permissions
To change the permissions on a file or folder
perform the following steps:Select the file or folder that you want to change. Choose File
Properties. A properties dialog is displayed.Click on the Permissions tab. In the
Permissions tabbed section, use the drop-down list boxes and check
boxes to change the permissions for the file or folder.Click Close to close the properties
dialog.Using TrashShows Nautilus Trash icon.TrashintroductionYou can move the following items to Trash:FilesFoldersDesktop background objectsWhen you move an item to Trash, the item is stored
in your /.Trash directory. If 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 managertabbed panesNotesnotes, adding to foldersYou
can use the Notes tab 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.Click on the Notes tab to open the
Notes tabbed pane. The Notes tabbed pane
opens.Type the note in the Notes tabbed 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 File
Scripts, 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
FileScripts
Open 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 manageremblems
addingTo 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 managericons
modifyingTo 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 File
Properties. 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 Preferences
AdvancedFile 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 ButtonsButton
Button Name Description
Shows Zoom Out button.
Zoom Out button
Click on this button to reduce the size of items in a view.Shows Normal Size button.
Normal Size
button Click on this button to return
items in a view to normal size.
Shows Zoom In button.
Zoom In button
Click 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 View
Reset View to Defaults.Using Views to Display Your Files and Foldersviewer components
file 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 manager
list viewillustrationUse the View menu to choose how to display a file
or folder. You can also use the View as drop-down list
box 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 managerviews
choosingChoose 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 View
View 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 box. The View as drop-down list box 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 View
Reset 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: Option
Description 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 Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension
(MIME) type in the File Types and Programs preference
tool.By Modification
Date
Select 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 Layout
Select
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 managericons
stretchingIn 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 managerviews
modifying 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 View
View as. A 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:Option
Description Include in the menu for
item_name items
Select this option to include the view in the View as
submenu for this type of item.Use as default for
item_name items
Select this option to use the view as the default for this type of item.Include in the menu for
item_name only
Select this option to include the view in the View as
submenu for this item only.Use as default for
item_name only
Select this option to use the view as the default for this item only.Don't include in the menu for
item_name items
Select 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 File
Open 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:Option
Description Include in the menu for
filetype items
Select this option to include the application or viewer in the
Open With submenu for this file type.Use as default for
filetype items
Select this option to use the application or viewer as the default action
for this file type.Include in the menu for
filename only
Select 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 only
Select 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 items
Select 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 Nautilus to
suit your requirements and preferences. This section describes how to customize
Nautilus.Setting Your Preferencesfile managerpreferencesintroductionpreferences,
file managerfile manager preferences
Use the Preferences dialog to set preferences for the
Nautilus windows and desktop background. To display the
Preferences dialog, choose EditPreferences.You can set preferences in the following categories: The default settings for views. The appearance of the Nautilus
windows and desktop background.The behavior and visible components of new Nautilus
windows.The behavior of the desktop background and Trash
.The behavior of items in icon views and list views.The information that is displayed in icon captions.Items that are displayed in the side pane.Performance options to improve the performance of
Nautilus.To Set View Preferencesfile managerpreferencesviewsYou can specify a default view,
and default settings for icon views and list views. To specify your default
view settings for Nautilus windows, choose EditPreferences.
Choose Views from the Preferences
dialog. lists the view settings
that you can modify. The Preferences dialog contains
an Icon View Defaults group box and a List
View Defaults group box. The group boxes contain mostly the same
dialog elements. Each dialog element is described once in .
View 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.Default zoom level
Select
the default zoom level for folders that are displayed in this view. The zoom
level specifies the size of items in a view.Sort in reverse
Select
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 Arrange Items is reversed. For example, if
you select By Name from the Arrange Items
drop-down list box. You can select the Sort in reversed order
option to sort the items in reverse alphabetical order.Use compact layout
Icon
view only. Select this option to arrange the items so that the items in the
folder are closer to each other.
To Select a Nautilus Themefile managerpreferencesthemeNautilus
includes themes that you can use to change the look-and-feel of the
Nautilus windows and the desktop background. To set your preferences
for the font and theme of the Nautilus windows
and desktop background, choose EditPreferences. Choose Appearance
from the Preferences dialog. lists the font and
theme settings that you can modify.
Appearance PreferencesDialog ElementDescription Nautilus ThemesTo change your Nautilus
theme, choose a theme from the list.Add ThemeTo add a new Nautilus
theme, click on the Add New Theme button.
A dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to find the new theme.
To Set Preferences for New Windowsfile managerpreferencesnew windowsTo set your preferences
for new Nautilus windows, choose
EditPreferences.
Choose Windows from the Preferences
dialog. lists the window settings
that you can modify.
New Window PreferencesOption
Description Open each file
or folder in a separate windowSelect this option to open a new window when you open a
file or folder.Display side paneSelect this option to display a side pane
in new windows.Display toolbar
Select
this option to display a toolbar in new windows.Display location
bar
Select this option to display a location bar in new windows.Display statusbar
Select
this option to display a statusbar in new windows.
To Set Desktop Background and Trash Preferencesfile managerpreferencesTrashfile managerpreferencesdesktop backgrounddesktop backgroundpreferences
Trashpreferences
To set your preferences for the
Nautilus desktop background and Trash,
choose EditPreferences
. Choose Desktop & Trash
from the Preferences dialog. lists the desktop background
and Trash settings that you can modify.
Windows and Desktop Background PreferencesOption
Description Use Nautilus to draw the desktop
Select this option to
use Nautilus to manage your desktop background.
If you do not use Nautilus to manage your desktop
background, you cannot do the following: Use the Desktop Background menu.Use Nautilus to change the pattern
or color of the desktop background. Use the Nautilus Home
launcher and Trash launcher. The
Home launcher and Trash launcher are not displayed
on the desktop background. Use your home
folder as the desktop
Select this option to use your home directory as the desktop background directory,
instead of the default directory. If you select this option, the contents
of your home directory are displayed as desktop background objects.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 and List Views Preferencesfile managerpreferencesicon and list viewsfile
managerviewspreferencesfile managericon view
preferences
file managerlist viewpreferences
To set your preferences for items in icon views
and list views, choose Edit
Preferences. Choose Icon & List Views
from the Preferences dialog. lists the settings
that you can modify for items in icon views and list views.
Icon and List Views PreferencesOption
Description Activate items with a single click
Select 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 click
Select this option to perform the default action for an item when you double-click
on the item.Execute files
when they are clicked
Select 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.Display files
when they are clicked
Select this option to display the contents of an executable file when you
choose the executable file.Ask each time
Select
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. Hidden filesSelect this option to display
hidden files in the view pane. The first character in a hidden file name is
a period (.).Backup filesSelect this option to display
backup files in the view pane. The last character in a backup file name is
a tilde (~).Special flags in Properties dialog
Select this option to
show the following special flags in the Permissions tab
on a properties dialog:Set User IDSet Group IDStickyFolders before
files
Select this option to list folders before files when you sort a folder.
To Set Icon Captions Preferencesfile managericons
caption preferencesfile manager
preferencesicon 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.
Choose Icon Captions from the Preferences
dialog.Select the items of information that you want to display
in the icon caption from the three drop-down list boxes. Select the first
item from the first drop-down list box, select the second item from the second
drop-down list box, 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 modified
Choose
this option to display the last modification date of the item.Date changedChoose this option to display
the last modification date of the inode of the item.
An inode is a data structure that contains information about individual files
in UNIX file systems. Each file has one inode. An inode contains the node,
type, owner, and location of a file. Date accessed
Choose
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 owner of the item belongs.PermissionsChoose this option to display
the permissions of the item as three sets of three characters, for example
-rwxrw-r--.Octal permissions
Choose
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 Side Pane Preferencesfile managerpreferencesside panefile manager
side panepreferencesTo set your preferences for the side pane, choose EditPreferences.
Choose Side Panes from the Preferences
dialog. lists the side pane
settings that you can modify.
Side Pane PreferencesOption
Description History Select this option to display
the History tab in the side pane.Notes Select this option to display
the Notes tab in the side pane.Tree Select this option to display
the Tree tab in the side pane.Show folders onlySelect this option to display only folders in the
Tree tabbed pane.
To Set Performance Preferencesfile managerpreferencesperformanceSome Nautilus
features can affect the speed with which Nautilus
responds to your requests. You can modify the behavior of some
of these features to improve the speed of Nautilus.
For each performance preference, you can select one of the options described
in the following table:Option
Description 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 speed tradeoff preferences, choose
EditPreferences.
Choose Performance from the Preferences
dialog. lists the speed tradeoff
settings that you can modify.
Speed Tradeoff 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 Number of
Items in Folders
Select an option to specify when to show the number of items in folders.Show Thumbnails
for Image Files
Select an option to specify when to show thumbnails of image files.
Nautilus stores the thumbnail files for each folder in a
.thumbnails directory that is one level below the folder.
Do not make thumbnails for files larger than: Specify the maximum
file size for files for which Nautilus creates
a thumbnail.Preview Sound
Files
Select an option to specify when to preview sound files.
Changing Backgroundsfile managerchanging backgrounds
backgrounds
changing 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 Edit
Backgrounds 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 Edit
Backgrounds 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 Edit
Backgrounds 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 View
Side Pane. To display the
side pane again, choose View
Side Pane again. To hide the toolbar, choose View
Toolbar. To display the
toolbar again, choose View
Toolbar again. To hide the location bar, choose View
Location Bar. To display
the location bar again, choose ViewLocation Bar again.To hide the statusbar, choose View
Statusbar. To display the
statusbar again, choose View
Statusbar 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:CD-ROMIomega Zip diskFloppy disketteFor 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 Disks →
device_name. For example, to mount
a floppy diskette, choose Disks →
Floppy. An object that represents the media is
added to the desktop background. To Display Media Contentsremovable mediadisplaying media contents
You 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 properties
To 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 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.