KDE Frequently Asked Questions
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# Chapter 8. The file manager

The file manager of choice for KDE 1.x is KFM while for KDE 2 is Konqueror. The Konqueror home page is located at http://www.konqueror.org where a Konqueror-specific FAQ can be found.

8.1. How do I use KFM or Konqueror as a web browser with proxy?
8.2. How can I change the appearance of a directory in KFM and Konqueror?
8.3. How can I do non-anonymous FTP transfers with KFM and Konqueror?
8.4. What causes KFM cannot connect to "localhost"?
8.5. What are `%i` and `%m` in the Execute line?
8.6. How do I specify the startup directory for KFM and Konqueror?
8.7. How do I import Netscape® bookmarks?
8.8. Is there a "Save As..." function in KFM and Konqueror?
8.9. How do I fool a site into believing Konqueror is Netscape® or some other browsers?
8.10. How do I configure Konqueror to run Java™ applets?
8.11. Why can't Konqueror render GIF images?
8.12. How do I rename files?

8.1. How do I use KFM or Konqueror as a web browser with proxy?

Both KFM and Konqueror can be used via HTTP and FTP proxies. You can set the proxy server in KFM by selecting Options followed by Configure Browser and then the Proxy tab from the KFM menu. Please make sure to save the changed settings with Options followed by Save settings to make the proxy settings persistent.

As for Konqueror, just select Settings->Configure->Proxies from the Konqueror menu. Please make sure to save the changed settings with Settings followed by Save settings to make the proxy settings persistent.

8.2. How can I change the appearance of a directory in KFM and Konqueror?

When displaying a directory, both KFM and Konqueror look for a hidden file called `.directory` inside the directory. You can create such a file yourself to modify the way in which the directory is displayed. The file is simply a kdelnk (or `.desktop` for KDE 2) file. For example:

     # KDE Config File
     [KDE Desktop Entry]
     Name=Settings
     Name[de]=Einstellungen
     Name[pl]=Ustawienia
     MiniIcon=kcontrol.xpm
     SortOrder=Desktop,Input_Devices,KWM,Network,Information,Sound
     Icon=kcontrol.xpm

This is the file used to describe the Settings directory. It changes the icon used to display the directory, sets the (displayed) name of the directory according to the national language, and fixes the order in which the subdirectories are displayed.

For the directories that build up the K menu, you can also use kmenuedit to change the appearance.

8.3. How can I do non-anonymous FTP transfers with KFM and Konqueror?

Normally, if you enter a URL like `ftp://`ftp.somehost.com``, KFM and Konqueror will attempt an anonymous login to the FTP server. If you want to login as a particular user, enter a URL like `ftp://`username@ftp.somehost.com`` instead. KFM and Konqueror will ask for your password and connect to the server.

8.4. What causes KFM cannot connect to "localhost"?

In most cases, this is due to an incorrectly configured loopback route on your system.

How to check for problems

  Check if ping localhost returns similar output:

       PING localhost (127.0.0.1): 56 data bytes
      64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=0.3 ms
      64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.2 ms
      64 bytes from 127.0.0.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.2 ms
      ...

  If it does not, your loopback interface or route is not properly configured.

  The output of the /sbin/route command should contain lines like the following:

       Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags MSS    Window Use Ifac
      loopback        *               255.0.0.0       U     3584   0       13 lo

  The important fields are the Destination, Gateway, Genmask, and Iface. The above means that the system is properly configured to route all loopback traffic through the loopback interface (lo).

  The output of the /sbin/ifconfig command should contain the following lines:

       lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
                inet addr:127.0.0.1  Bcast:127.255.255.255  Mask:255.0.0.0
                UP BROADCAST LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:3584  Metric:1

  This indicates that the loopback interface is up and running.

  Your `/etc/hosts` file should contain the following line:

       127.0.0.1       localhost

  This ensures that the "localhost" hostname is associated with your system loopback address (127.0.0.1).

Fixing these problems

  Execute /sbin/ifconfig `lo 127.0.0.1` followed by /sbin/route `add -net 127.0.0.0`. Both commands should, on a healthy system, be executed for you at the bootup of your computer. If this is not happening, check your network startup files in `/etc/rc.d`.

If it still does not work

  If none of these work, please send a full report to the KDE bug tracking system. Do not forget to mention that you have checked all these things.

8.5. What are `%i` and `%m` in the Execute line?

They are used by all KDE applications (since they are implemented in `KApplication` and all good KDE programs create a `KApplication` object before they even look at the command line arguments).

A standard line for a KDE application looks like this: foo `... %i %m -caption \"%c\"`. Pretty confusing, but it has been designed in that way so that it can integrate legacy, non-KDE applications as smoothly as possible. KFM and Konqueror when executing the line above will extend the command to foo `-icon something.xpm -miniicon something_mini.xpm -caption \"The Foo\"`. Both the icon and the mini-icon as well as "The Foo" are properties defined in the `.desktop` file. If the icons are not defined, they simply default to the executable name "foo".

This way a user can change these things in kmenuedit for his or her applications. `-caption` is important, because no user will accept that the menu item Editor starts something called kedit-0.9pl4-build47. Instead, he expects a window called Editor. Furthermore these names are localized, i.e. an American user launches CD-Player and gets a window called CD-Player while a German user launches CD Spieler and gets a window called CD-Spieler.

8.6. How do I specify the startup directory for KFM and Konqueror?

Right click on the KFM (or Konqueror) icon and choose Properties. Under the Execute tab you would probably find something like kfmclient folder %u file:/root; just change `/root` to wherever you would like KFM (or Konqueror) to start.

8.7. How do I import Netscape® bookmarks?

Take a look at the full list of KDE applications (not just those in the distribution) at http://www.kde.org/applications.html. Under the NETWORK section you will find knsbookmark, the tool you need.

If you are using KDE 2, however, you are in luck! There is no need to import anything at all! Netscape® bookmarks are automatically available under the Bookmarks menu in Konqueror with no configuration on your part necessary.

8.8. Is there a "Save As..." function in KFM and Konqueror?

There is something close: View followed by View Document Source opens KEdit with the source code, which you can then save. This works well for text/html files, but not for graphics. For graphic files, you can right click on the image, and choose to open the file in an image editor that way.

8.9. How do I fool a site into believing Konqueror is Netscape® or some other browsers?

Fire up the KDE Control Center and select Web Browser->User Agent. Add the desired user agent accordingly.

8.10. How do I configure Konqueror to run Java™ applets?

Choose Settings->Configure->Browser from Konqueror's menubar. Note that you have to be viewing a web page for the Settings menu not to be greyed out.

8.11. Why can't Konqueror render GIF images?

It is because you did not enable GIF support in Qt™. Please see Q: 4.24. for more details.

8.12. How do I rename files?

Simply right click on the file and select Properties. You can rename the file there.

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