Archive:Desktop customization tips

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There are many historical tips in CUI operations using key shortcuts, which you could learn from many books. But if you like to use the mouse instead of hitting keys, SUSE has many GUI methods replacing keyboard operations.

Copying and pasting in konsole/gnome terminal

• You can select words in the konsole/gnome terminal window by mouse as you do in text editors.
• Click "Edit" in the pull-down menu of the terminal window. you can select "Copy" and "Paste".
• You can paste into the terminal input any text you copied to clipboard, from the same or different terminal windows, text editors, file browser or web browser. This may reduce your need of key typing a lot.

Don't use Ctrl+c in the terminal windows, as you often use in text editors for copying! Ctrl+c in the terminal windows works to abort the operation or the process. Instead use Shift+Ctrl+c or Shift+Ctrl+p to copy or paste in Konsole.

Opening terminal window from the file browser

• Go to the directory as you like by (double)clicking the folder icons in konqueror/nautilus.

• konqueror: Select "Tools" > "Open Terminal" from the pull-down menu.

nautilus: Right-click anywhare in the browser window and expand popup menu, then select "Open in Terminal".

• You can operate console from that directory. This may reduce your need of using "cd /directory/subddirectory/subsubdirectory/subsubsub....." command.

File Manager - Super User Mode

To operate in the directory other than your home, you usually need to have root permission by su command. It means, you have to operate in console. But you could use this option to operate GUI as root (need root password).

• KDE: Expand "K menu" and select "System" >"File Manager" > "File Manager-Super User Mode".
• Gnome: Expand "Applications" and select as above.

After inputting password, there may be a pause, then a window appears. You can make any operation in this window with root permission.

• "File manager - Super User Mode" is konqueror. If you love nautilus, you can type in gnome terminal:

$su
....
#nautilus -f .

This calls a nautilus window to operate with root permission.

Beware, any effect on important files or filesystems are at your own risk!

If you want to finish KDE with Geeko's picture

• In the finishing window of KDE a dragon appears. He is surely cute, but the Geeko mania might expect Geeko to say good-bye.
• This dragon picture is located as a file

  /opt/kde3/share/apps/ksmserver/pics/shutdownkonq.png

Sorry, dragon...change its name as “shutdownkonq-bak.png". Create a new shutdownkonq.png file to include Geeko in similar size. These file operations must be done as root user.

If you don't like real reptiles (SUSE Linux 10.0)

I believe every SUSE users love Geeko the Chameleon, but I'm afraid some don't like real ones so much. Since SUSE Linux 10, the photos of real chameleons often appear in the wallpaper or starting window. Sorry , the photographer, it's a really nice and skilled photo! but if you don't like the target....

Changing the wallpaper

• Right click directly on the desktop to show the popup menu. Select Configure Desktop....
• Then the configurein window appears and you can change Picture in Background option group.
• You can select the alternate walpapers from the dropdown menu at the right side of Picture radio. But you might prefer one where Geeko is drawn. To find Geeko wallpapers, click the file-browsing button close to the dropdown menu. Browse into directory

/usr/share/wallpapers

“chameleondots-blue.jpg", “greyarea.png" or “suse-default.jpg" are the ones of them.

• If you like “younger" Geeko, select directry from the dropdown menu an item named “SuSE-Desktop".

Changing the starting picture of OpenOffice.org

• The starting picture of OpenOffice.org is located as a file

/usr/lib/ooo-2.0/program/intro.bmp

Replace or edit this bmp file to hide the photo. Oops:By updating, the original intro.bmp would be overwritten again.