Managing Files and Folders

This section describes how to work with your files and folders.

File systems are organized in a hierarchical, tree-like structure. The highest level of the file system is the / or root directory. In this design philosophy, everything is considered a file, including hard disks, partitions, and removable media. All files and directories (including other disks and partitions) exist under the root directory.

For example, /home/jebediah/cheeses.odt shows the correct full path to the cheeses.odt file that exists in the jebediah directory that is under the home directory, which, in turn, is under the root (/) directory.

Underneath the root (/) directory, is a set of important system directories that are commonly used. The following list describes common directories that are directly under the root (/) directory:

• /etc – Configuration files, startup scripts, and so on

• /home – Local users' home directories

• /bin – Important binary applications

• /boot – Files that are required to boot the computer

• /dev – The device files

• /lib – System libraries

• /lost+found – Provides a lost and found system for files that exist under the root (/) directory

• /opt – Provides a location for optional applications to be installed

• /proc – Special dynamic directory that maintains information about the state of the system, including currently running processes

• /media – Mounted (loaded) removable media such as CDs, digital cameras, and so on

• /mnt – Mounted file systems

• /root – Root user home directory, pronounced “slash-root”

• /sbin – Important system binaries

• /srv – Provides a location for data used by servers

• /sys – Contains information about the system

• /tmp – Temporary files

• /usr – Applications and files that are mostly available for all users to access

• /var – Variable files such as logs and databases

Using Views to Display Files and Folders

The file manager includes views that enable you to show the contents of your folders in different ways: icon view and list view.

• Icon view — The following illustration shows the items in the folder as icons.

  

• List view — The following illustration shows the items in the folder as a list.

  

Use the View menu or the View As drop-down list to choose between icon or list view. You can specify how you want to arrange or sort items in the folder and modify the size of the items in the view pane. The following sections describe how to work with icon view and list view.

Arranging Your Files in Icon View

When 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 View → Arrange Items. The Arrange Items submenu is organized as follows:

• The top section contains options that enable you to arrange the 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.

The following table describes the appropriate options that you can choose from the submenu.

Option Description Manually Arranges the items manually. Drag the items to the desired location within the view pane. By Name Sorts the items by name in alphabetical order. The order of the items is not case sensitive. If the file manager is set to display hidden files, the hidden files are shown last. By Size Sorts 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 Type Sorts the items alphabetically by object type. The items are sorted alphabetically by the description of their MIME type. 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 Date Sorts the items by the date the items were last modified. The most recently modified item is listed first. By Emblems Sorts 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 listed last. Compact Layout Arranges the items so that the items are closer to each other. Reversed Order Reverses 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.

Arranging Your Files in List View

When you display the contents of a folder in list view, you can specify how to arrange the items in the folder. To specify how to arrange items in list view, click the header of the column specifying the property by which you wish to arrange the items. To reverse the sorting order, click the same column header again.

To add or remove columns from the list view, choose View → Visible Columns.

The file manager 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. When you specify how to arrange the items in a folder, you can 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 the preferences, choose View → Reset View to Defaults.

Changing the Size of Items in a View

You can change the size of the items in a view displaying a file or a folder in the following ways:

• To enlarge the size of items in a view, choose View → Zoom In.

• To reduce the size of items in a view, choose View → Zoom Out.

• To return items in a view to the normal size, choose View → Normal Size.

You can also use the zoom buttons on the location bar in a browser window to change the size of items in a view.

The following table describes the zoom buttons.

Table 8-5 Zoom Buttons

Button Button Name Description Zoom Out Click this button to reduce the size of items in a view. Normal Size Click this button to return items in a view to normal size. Zoom In Click this button to enlarge the size of items in a view.

The file manager remembers the size of items in a particular folder. The next time you display the folder, the items are displayed in the size that you selected. When you change the size of items in a folder, you can customize the folder to display the items at that size. To return the size of the items to the default size specified in the preferences, choose View → Reset View to Defaults.

Working With Files and Folders

You can select files and folders in several ways in the file manager. You can also select a group of files matching a specific pattern.

Selecting Files and Folders

The following table describes the tasks that you can perform in the file manager.

Table 8-6 Selecting Items in the File Manager

Task Action Select an item Click the item. Select a group of contiguous items In icon view, click and then drag around the files that you want to select. In list view, click the first item in the group. Press and hold Shift, and then click the last item in the group. Select multiple items Press and hold Ctrl. Click the items that you want to select. Select all items in a folder Choose Edit → Select All Files.

To perform the default action on an item, double-click 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 Behavior.

Selecting Files Matching a Specific Pattern

You can select all files matching a pattern based upon their file name and an optional number of wildcards. The following table shows some examples of possible patterns and the resulting files they would match.

Table 8-7 Selecting Items in the File Manager Using a Pattern

Pattern Files Matched note.* This pattern would match files called note, with any extension. *.ogg This pattern would match all files with the .ogg extension *memo* This pattern would match all files or folders whose name contains the word memo.

To perform the Select Pattern command choose Edit → Select Patterns from the menu. After entering the desired pattern you are left with those files or folders which matched the pattern selected.

Moving or Copying a File or Folder

You can move or copy a file or folder by dragging it with the mouse or by using the cut or copy and paste commands. The following procedures describe how to move or copy a file or folder.

How to Drag a File to Copy or Move It to a New Location

1. Open two file manager windows:
   • The window containing the item you want to move or copy
   • The window you want to move or copy the file or folder to, or the window containing the folder you want to move or copy it to
2. Drag the file or folder you want to move or copy to the new location. If you are copying the file or folder, press Control while dragging.
   • If the new location is a window, drop it anywhere on the window.
   • If the new location is a folder, drop the item you are dragging on the folder icon.

How to Cut or Copy and Paste to the New Location

1. Select the file or folder that you want to move or copy, then choose Edit → Cut or Edit → Copy.
2. Open the folder to which you want to move or copy the file or folder.
3. Choose Edit → Paste.

How to Duplicate a File or Folder

1. Select the file or folder that you want to duplicate.
2. Choose Edit → Duplicate.

   A copy of the file or folder appears in the current folder.

How to Create a Folder

1. Open the folder where you want to create the new folder.
2. Choose File → Create Folder or right-click the background of the window, then choose Create Folder.

   An untitled folder is added to the location. The name of the folder is selected.

3. Type a name for the folder, and then press Return.

How to Rename a File or Folder

1. Select the file or folder that you want to rename.
2. Choose Edit → Rename or right-click the file or folder, then choose Rename.

   The name of the file or folder is selected.

3. Type a new name for the file or folder, then press Return.

How to Move a File or Folder to the Trash

1. Select the file or folder that you want to move to the Trash.
2. Choose Edit → Move to Trash or right-click the file or folder, then choose Move to Trash.

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   Note - When you move a file or folder from removable media to the Trash, the file or folder is stored in a Trash location on the removable media. To remove the file or folder permanently from the removable media, you must empty the Trash.

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How to Delete a File or Folder

When you delete a file or folder, the file or folder is not moved to the Trash. It is deleted from your file system. The Delete menu item is only available if you select the Include a Delete command that bypasses the Trash option in the File Management Preferences dialog.

1. Select the file or folder that you want to delete.
2. Use one of the following methods to delete the file or folder.
   • Choose Edit → Delete.
   • Right-click the file or folder, and then choose Delete.
   • Press Shift+Del.

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   Note - This shortcut is independent from the Include a Delete command that bypasses the Trash option.

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Creating a Symbolic Link to a File or Folder

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.

How 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.

  • Use drag and drop to create the link.
    1. Press and hold Ctrl+Shift.
    2. Drag the item to the location where you want to place the link.

       By default, the file manager adds an emblem to symbolic links.

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  Note - The permissions of a symbolic link are determined by the file or folder to which a symbolic link points.

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Using Drag and Drop

You can use drag-and-drop to perform several tasks in the file manager. When you drag-and-drop, the mouse pointer provides feedback about the task that you perform. The following table describes the tasks that you can perform with drag and drop. The following table describes the mouse pointers that appear when you drag and drop.

Table 8-8 Drag and Drop in the File Manager

Task Action Move an item Drag the item to the new location. Copy an item Grab the item, then press and hold Ctrl. Drag the item to the location where you want the copy to reside. Create a symbolic link to an item Grab the item, then press and hold Ctrl+Shift. Drag the item to the location where you want the symbolic link to reside. Ask what to do with the item you drag Grab the item, then press and hold Alt. You can also use the middle mouse button to perform the same operation. Drag the item to the location where you want the item to reside. Release the mouse button. Choose one of the following items from the pop-up menu: Move here – Moves the item to the location. Copy here – Copies the item to the location. Link here – Creates a symbolic link to the item at the location. Set as Background – If the item is an image, sets the image to be the background. You can use this command to set the background of the desktop, the side pane, or the view pane. Cancel – Cancels the drag and drop operation.

Viewing the Properties of a File or Folder

The following table lists the properties that you can view or set for files and folders. The exact information shown depends on the object type.

Property Description Name The name of the file or folder. If you change the name here, the file or folder will be renamed when you click Close. Type The type of object, for example, file or folder. Location The system path for the object. This represents where the object is situated on your computer relative to the system root. Volume The volume on which a folder resides. This is the physical location of the folder, for example, hard disk or CD-ROM drive. Free space The amount of free space on the media upon which a folder resides. This value represents the maximum amount of data you can copy to this folder. MIME Type The official naming of the type of file. Modified The date and time at which the object was last changed. Accessed The date and time at which the object was last viewed.

How to View the Properties of a File of Folder

1. Select the file or folder whose properties you want to view.
2. Choose File → Properties.

   A Properties dialog is displayed showing the properties of the file or folder.

3. Click Close to close the Properties dialog.

Changing Permissions

Permissions are settings assigned to each file and folder that determine what type of access users can have to the file or folder. For example, you can determine whether other users can read and edit a file that belongs to you, or have access only to read it but not make changes to it.

Each file belongs to a particular user, and is associated with a group that the owner belongs to. The superuser root has the ability to access any file on the system.

You can set permissions for three categories of users:

• Owner – The user that created the file or folder

• Group – A group of users to which the owner belongs

• Others – All other users not already included

For each category of user, different permissions can be set. These permission levels behave differently for files and folders, as follows:

• Read – Files can be opened, and directory contents can be displayed.

• Write – Files can be edited or deleted, and directory contents can be modified.

• Execute – Executable files can be run as a program, and directories can be entered.

How to Change Permissions for a File

1. Select the file that you want to change.
2. Choose File → Properties.

   The properties window for the item is displayed.

3. Click the Permissions tab.
4. To change the file's group, choose from the groups the user belongs to from the drop-down list.
5. For each of the owner, the group, and all other users, choose from these permissions for the file:

   • None – No access to the file is possible. (You cannot set this for the owner.)

   • Read-only – The user can open the file to see its contents but cannot make any changes.

   • Read and write – Grants normal access to the file: it can be opened, changed, and saved.

6. To allow a file to be run as a program, select Execute.

How to Change Permissions for a Folder

1. Select the folder that you want to change.
2. Choose File → Properties.

   The properties window for the item is displayed.

3. Click the Permissions tab.
4. To change the folder's group, choose from the groups the user belongs to from the drop-down selector.
5. For each of the owner, the group, and all other users, choose from these folder access permissions:

   • None – No access to the folder is possible. (You cannot set this for the owner.)

   • List files only – The user can see the items in the folder but cannot open any of them.

   • Access files – Items in the folder can be opened and modified, provided their own permissions allow these actions.

   • Create and delete files – The user can create new files and delete files in the folder, in addition to being able to access existing files.

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   Note - To set permissions for all the items contained in a folder, set the File Access and Execute properties and click Apply Permissions to Enclosed Files.

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Adding Notes to Files and Folders

You can add notes to files or folders in the following ways:

• From the Properties dialog

• From Notes in the side pane

How to Add a Note Using the Properties Dialog

1. Select the file or folder for which you want to add a note.
2. Choose File → Properties.

   The Properties window for the item is displayed.

3. Click the Notes tab.
4. In the Notes tab, type the note.
5. Click Close to close the Properties dialog.

   A note emblem is added to the file or folder.

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   Note - You can delete the note text from the Notes tab.

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How to Add a Note Using Notes in the Side Pane

1. Open the file or folder for which you want to add a note in the view pane.
2. Choose View → Side Pane to display the side pane.
3. Choose Notes from the drop-down list at the top of the side pane.
4. Type the note in the side pane.

   A note emblem is added to the file or folder in the view pane, and a note icon is added to the side pane. You can click this icon to display the note.

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   Note - You can delete the note text from the Notes tab.

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Creating Documents by Using a Template

You can create templates from documents that you frequently create. For example, if you often create invoices, you can create an empty invoice document and save the document as invoice.doc in the $HOME/Templates folder.

To access the templates folder from a file browser window, choose Go →Templates . The template name is displayed as a submenu item in the Create Document menu.

You can also create subfolders in the template folder. Subfolders display as submenus in the menu. You can also share templates. Create a symbolic link from the template folder to the folder containing the shared templates.

How to Create a Document From a Template

1. Select the folder where you want to create the new document.
2. Choose File → Create Document or right-click the background of the view pane, then choose Create Document.

   The names of any available templates are displayed as submenu items from the Create Document menu.

3. Double-click the template name for the document that you want to create.
4. Rename the document before saving it to the appropriate folder.

Using Bookmarks

You can manage a list of bookmarks for folders and other locations that you frequently open.

The bookmarks are listed in the following places:

• Places menu on the top panel

• Places menu in a folder window

• Bookmarks menu in the file manager browser window

• Side pane in the Open File dialog, which enables you to quickly open a file that is in one of your bookmarked locations

• List of commonly used locations in the Save File dialog, which enables you to quickly save a file to a location you have in your bookmarks

To open an item that is in your bookmarks, choose the item from a menu.

Adding or Deleting a Bookmark

To add a bookmark, open the folder or location that you want to bookmark, then choose Places → Add Bookmark.

If you are using the file manager browser window, choose Bookmarks → Add Bookmark.

To delete a bookmark, select the bookmark on the left side of the dialog, choose Places Edit → Bookmarks, and then click Delete.

How to Edit a Bookmark

1. Choose Places → Edit Bookmarks, or in a browser window, Bookmarks → Edit Bookmarks. An Edit Bookmarks dialog is displayed.
2. Select the bookmark on the left side of the Edit Bookmarks dialog.
3. Edit the details for the bookmark as follows:

   • Name – Use this text box to specify the name that identifies the bookmark in the menus.

   • Location – Use this field to specify the location of the bookmark. Folders on the system use the file:/// URI.

Using Trash

Trash is a special folder that holds files that you no longer want to keep. Files in the Trash are not deleted permanently until you empty the Trash.

Figure 8-5 Trash Icon

You can move the following items to the Trash:

• Files

• Folders

• Desktop objects

If you need to retrieve a file from the Trash, move it out of the Trash. When you empty the Trash, the contents are deleted permanently.

Displaying the Items in the Trash

• From a file browser window, choose Go → Trash. The contents of the Trash are displayed in the window.

• From a spatial window, choose Places → Trash. The contents of the Trash are displayed in the window.

• From the desktop, click the Trash applet on the bottom panel.

Emptying Trash

• From a file browser window, choose File → Empty Trash.

• On the bottom panel of the desktop, right-click the Trash icon, and then choose Empty Trash.

Viewing Hidden Files

By default, the file manager does not display certain system and backup files in folders. This practice prevents accidental modification or deletion of them, which can impair the operation of the computer, and also reduces clutter in locations such as your Home folder. The file manager does not display:

• Hidden files, whose file name begins with a period (.)

• Backup files, whose file name ends with a tilde (~)

• Files that are listed in a particular folder's .hidden file

To hide or show hidden files in a particular folder, select View → Show Hidden Files. To set the file manager to always show hidden files, set the Views preference to Show Hidden and Backup Files. For more information, see Setting File Manager Preferences.

Hiding a File or Folder

To hide a file or folder in the file manager, either rename the file so its name begins with the period (.) character, or create a text file named .hidden in the same folder and add its name to it.

To refresh the relevant file manager window to see the change, press Ctrl+R.