Improving File Manager Performance (GNOME 2.0 Desktop for the Solaris Operating Environment System Administration Guide)

GNOME 2.0 Desktop for the Solaris Operating Environment System Administration Guide

Improving File Manager Performance

The Nautilus file manager includes some features that you can modify to improve performance.

To Modify Performance Preferences

The file manager includes performance-related preferences. Each performance preference can take one of three values. The values are described in the following table:

Value	Description
`always`	Performs the action for both local files, and files on other file systems.
`local_only`	Performs the action for local files only. When you set a performance preference to `local_only`, the CPU usage is reduced.
`never`	Never performs the action. When you set a performance preference to never, the CPU usage and the network traffic are reduced.

The following table describes the performance preferences for the file manager. For the fastest performance, set the value of the preferences to never.

Preference	Description
`show_icon_text`	Specifies when to preview the content of text files in the icon that represents the file. To never preview the content of text files, run the following command: `#` `gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/` `show_icon_text never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Performance. Select an option for the Show Text in Icons preference.
`show_directory_item_counts`	Specifies when to show the number of items in folders. To never show the number of items in folders, run the following command: `#` `gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/` `show_directory_item_counts never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Performance. Select an option for the Show Number of Items in Folders preference.
`show_image_thumbnails`	Specifies when to show thumbnails of image files. To never show thumbnails, run the following command: `#` `gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/` `show_image_thumbnails never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Performance. Select an option for the Show Thumbnails for Image Files preference.
`preview_sound`	Specifies when to preview the content of sound files. To never preview the content of sound files, run the following command: `#` `gconftool-2 --type string --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/preview_sound never` Alternatively, users can perform the following steps: Choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Performance. Select an option for the Preview Sound Files preference.

To Turn Off the Side Pane, Toolbar, and Location Bar

The file manager includes preferences that enable you to turn off the side pane and the toolbar. To improve file manager performance, turn off the side pane and the toolbar.

To turn off the side pane, run the following command:

# gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_sidebar false

Alternatively, users can choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Windows, and then deselect the Display side pane option. The next time that users open a file manager window, the window does not display a side pane.

To turn off the toolbar, run the following command:

# gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_toolbar false

Alternatively, users can choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Windows, and then deselect the Display toolbar option. The next time that users open a file manager window, the window does not display a toolbar.

You can also turn off the location bar. Users can use the Ctrl + L keyboard shortcut to display a location bar when required.

To turn off the location bar, run the following command:

# gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/start_with_location_bar false

Alternatively, users can choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window, then choose Windows, and then deselect the Display location bar option. The next time that users open a file manager window, the window does not display a location bar.

To Turn Off the Desktop

The file manager contains a preference that enables users to use Nautilus to manage the desktop. Users can disable the desktop to improve performance. However, if users disable the desktop, users cannot do the following:

Use the Desktop menu.
Use the file manager to change the pattern or color of the desktop background.
Use the Home object and the Trash object. The Home object and the Trash object are not displayed on the desktop.

To disable the desktop, run the following command:

# gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/nautilus/preferences/show_desktop false

Alternatively, users can choose Edit -> Preferences from a file manager window. Users can then choose Desktop & Trash, and then deselect the Use Nautilus to draw the desktop option.