KDE File Managers

KDE File Managers - Dolphin File Manager: Kubuntu 3 and 4
Dolphin is KDE’s dedicated file manager used in Kubuntu and KDE 4. Dolphin is fully supported by Ubuntu 8.04 LTR. A navigation bar shows the current directory either in browse or edit mode. In the browse mode, it show icons for the path of your current directory, and in the edit mode it shows the path name in a text-editable box. You can use either to move to different directories and their subdirectories. Using split between them. Kubuntu displays two sidebars: one for Bookmarks and the other for Information. Passing the mouse over a item displays its information. Dolphin file manager also features integrated desktop search and metadata extraction.

The files listed in a directory can be viewed in several ways, such as icons, detailed listings, and previews (choose View View Mode). Previews displays contents of the file, such as a thumbnail image of an image file or the first words in a text file. Dolphin also supports split views, so you can open two different folders in the same window. Click the Split View button on the toolbar to see a split view.


KDE File Managers - Konqueror File Manager
The Konqueror file manager window consists of a menu bar, a navigation toolbar, , a status bar, and a sidebar that provides different views of user resources such as a tree view of file and directory icons for your home directory. When you display the file manager window, you’ll see the file and subdirectory icons for your home directory. Files and directories are automatically refreshed, so if you add or remove directories, you do not have to refresh the file manager window manually. It automatically updates for your listing, showing added files or eliminating deleted ones.

The files listed in a directory can be viewed in several different ways, such as icons, multicolumn (small icons), expandable trees, file information, or in a detailed listing. To access the different views, choose View View Mode. The commonly used views are listed as icons at the end of the icon bar. The Tree mode lists your subdirectories as expandable trees whose contents you can display by clicking their plus signs. The Info mode lists file information such as the number of lines and characters in the file. The detailed listing provides permissions, owner, group, and size information. Permissions are the permissions controlling access to this file. The Text view does the same but does not display an icon next to the filename.

Konqueror also supports tabbed displays. Instead of opening a folder in the same file manager window or a new one, you can open a new tab for it using the same file manager window. One tab can display the initial folder opened, and other tabs can be used for folders to be opened later. You can then move from viewing one folder to another simply by clicking a folder’s tab. This lets you view multiple folders in one file manager window. To open a folder as a tab, right-click its icon and choose Open in New Tab. To close the folder, right-click its tab label and choose Close Tab. You can also detach a tab, opening it up in its own file manger window.

If you know you want to access particular directories again, you can bookmark them, much as you do a Web page. Just open the directory and choose Bookmarks Add Bookmarks. An entry for that directory is then placed in the file manager’s Bookmark menu. To move to the directory again, select its entry in the Bookmark menu. To navigate from one directory to another, you can use the Location bar or the directory tree. In the Location bar, you can enter the pathname of a directory, if you know it, and press enter. The directory tree provides a tree listing all directories on your system and in your home directory. To display the directory tree, choose View View Mode Tree View, or click the Tree View icon in the icon bar. To see the tree view for your home or root directory directly, you can use the Navigation panel’s Home or Root Folder resources.

Configuration files, known as hidden files, are not usually displayed. To have the file manager display these files, choose View Show Hidden Files. Konqueror also supports split views, letting you view different directories in the same window (the View menu). You can split vertically or horizontally. Konqueror also provides a sidebar media player for running selected media files within your file manager window.

Navigation Sidebar
The navigation sidebar lists different resources that a user can access with Konqueror. You can turn the navigation sidebar on or off by selecting its entry in the View menu. The sidebar is configured with the Navigation Panel Configuration tool, accessible by right-clicking on the navigation the navigation button bar which also displays items such as your bookmarks, devices, home directory, services, and network resources in an expandable tree. Dragging the mouse over the resource icon displays its full name. When you click an item, its icon will expand to the name of that resource. Double-click it to access it with Konqueror. For example, to move to a subdirectory, expand your home directory entry and then double-click the subdirectory you want. Konqueror will display that subdirectory. To go to a previously bookmarked directory or Web page, find its entry among the bookmarks and select it. The network button lists network resources to which you have access, such as FTP and Web sites. The root folder button displays your system’s root directory and its subdirectories. To configure the Navigation sidebar, right-click the sidebar and choose Multiple Views to allow the display of several resource listings at once, each in its separate sub-sidebar. You can also add a new resource listing, choosing from a bookmark, history, or directory type. A button will appear for the new listing. Right-click the button to select a new icon for it or select a URL, either a directory pathname or a network address. To remove a button and its listing, right-click it and choose Remove.

Konqueror Web and FTP Access
Konqueror also doubles as a full-featured Web browser and an FTP client. It includes a box for entering either a pathname for a local file or a URL for a Web page on the Internet or your intranet. A navigation toolbar can be used to display previous Web pages or previous directories. The Home button will always return you to your home directory. When accessing a Web page, the page is displayed as on any Web browser. With the navigation toolbar, you can move back and forth through the list of previously displayed pages in that session. Konqueror also operates as an FTP client. When you access an FTP site, you navigate the remote directories as you would your own directories. The operations to download a file are the same as copying a file on your local system. Just select the file’s icon or entry in the file manager window and drag it to a window showing the local directory to which you want it downloaded. Then, choose Copy from the pop-up menu that appears. Konqueror also includes KSSL, which provides full Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) support for secure connections, featuring a secure connection status display.

KDE features the KGet tool for Konqueror, which manages FTP downloads, letting you select, queue, suspend, and schedule downloads, while displaying status information on current downloads.

Configuring Konqueror
As a file browser, a Web and FTP browser, and an integral part of the KDE desktop, Konqueror has numerous configuration options. To configure Konqueror, open the Configure Konqueror window by choosing Settings Configure Konqueror from a Konqueror window. This window displays category listings in a sidebar. The initial categories deal with basic file management options such as Appearance, Behavior, Previews, and File Associations. In Behavior, you specify such actions as displaying tooltips and opening folders in new windows. Appearance lets you select the font and size. With Previews you can set the size of previewed icons, as well as specify the kind of files for which you want to retrieve metadata information. File Associations lets you set default applications for different kinds of files. The remaining categories deal with Web browser configurations, including configuring proxies and Web page displays, as well as such basic behavior as highlighting URLs, fonts to use, managing cookies, and selecting encryption methods. The History category lets you specify the number of history items and their expiration date. With the Plugins category you can see a listing of current browser plug-ins as well as scan for new ones.

Source of Information : McGraw Hill Ubuntu The Complete Reference