File Management Tips with KDE
© Copyright Darrell Anderson.
Like many computer users often I realize when I begin to repeat various tasks. When that revelation appears I know that I need to establish a more efficient means for accomplishing a task. One area that I often repeated was accessing the same file directories. Whether in Konqueror as a file manager, Konsole, or using the KFileDialog box, I tended to visit the same directories. The old 80/20 rule probably applied.
My solution was simple. Use the bookmarks feature of both Konqueror and Konsole and duplicate that list in KFileDialog.
Here is a list of the file directories I tend to spend most of my administrative time:
Admin Scripts: /usr/local/sbinMount Points: /mnt
NT4 Data Files: /mnt/nt_e
Removable Media: /media
Shared FAT32: /mnt/nt_o
System Configuration Files: /etc
System Logs: /var/log
System Root: /
System Scripts: /etc/rc.d
User Homes: /home
User Scripts: /usr/local/bin
I modified the Konsole bookmarks like so:
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE Konsole bookmarks.]](../images/filemgt-konsole.png)
The resulting Konsole bookmarks.xml file is saved to $HOME/.kde/share/apps/kfile. I then copied that file to $HOME/.kde/share/apps/konqueror. I use Konqueror only as a file manager so using the bookmarks feature there does not interfere with my web surfing.
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE Konqueror bookmarks.]](../images/filemgt-konqueror.png)
Lastly, I edited the KFileDialog box to replicate these same file directories.
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE KFileDialog box.]](../images/filemgt-kfiledialog-1.png)
The process is straightforward. Open any KDE application that uses KFileDialog. In this example I used Kate. Begin to perform a file open operation to force the KFileDialog to appear. Then, with the secondary mouse button, click in the Speed Bar. Select Add entry.
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE KFileDialog box Add Entry pop-up menu.]](../images/filemgt-kfiledialog-2.png)
To ensure this addition is global for all KFileDialog boxes in all applications, a critical step is ensuring the check box is disabled.
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE KFileDialog box Add Entry configuration box.]](../images/filemgt-kfiledialog-3.png)
All additions made when disabling the check box will be saved globally to $HOME/.kde/share/config/kdeglobals. From that moment on all KDE KFileDialog boxes will use the same Speed Bar configuration.
However, there is a drawback with older hardware. The KFileDialog box seems to get more sluggish with each additional Speed Bar item added. There is an easy workaround however. Merely configure the KFileDialog toolbar to include the Bookmarks button.
![[Image: Screen capture of the KDE KFileDialog box with the Bookmarks button.]](../images/filemgt-kfiledialog-4.png)
The time savings provided by this simple tip are considerable.
Finis.