transparent file (ubuntu)
 

Hello,

I'm using ubuntu 9.10.
I was wondering if it is possible to make a file/directory transparent when it is 'cut', like it is in Windows. I'm used to it and I find it quite useful.

Thanks

What do you mean? What's "transparent" file/directory? Do you mean symbolic links?

If you've ever used a 'cut' in Windows, you should know what i'm talking about.
I'm not sure what a symbolic link is, but I don't think that's it.
I just mean that when you do a file or directory cut in windows, the appearence (icon) of the file or directory changes a little bit, and becomes a little bit more transparent, and I was wondering if it is possible to achieve the same effect with linux.
(and by the way, the same effect is applied to hidden files/directories when they are forced to be displayed)

I've used Windows for a bazillion years, and I have no clue what you mean by "cut". Where is it? menus? rt-click with the mouse? terminal command?

"cut" is like "copy" in copy and paste, but the original gets deleted once you paste. If you've never seen it then you probably never clicked the right mouse button in your life, no matter what OS you use.

In Windows Explorer, the icons become transparent when you select them and choose "cut".

I must admit, I've seen cut, but never used it. I will drag from one window to another. I'll trade the "copy to.." and "move to .." features of konqueror & dolphin for the ghosting of a cut directory in windows' explorer.
Plus you can have multiple panes do there isn't really a need for it. You don't need two filemanager windows open.

I didn't see any option for what you are asking about. It would be a function of your filemanager.

I don't use GNOME, but here's something from http://live.gnome.org/Nautilus/Ideas/Power%20users :

I'm guessing this -probably- means you can't (ATM) obtain the effect you desire.

Hi,

On my Slackware 13 using Dolphin, when I select a directory, right-click and select Cut (or use CTRL-X) the icon changes color. I guess that's what the OP means. Don't know if the behavior is the same in Ubuntu Gnome.

Kind regards,

Eric

Well no it's not same behavior in ubuntu, and I was wondering how to make it that way.
Does the link given by carbonfiber (without the ':' at the end) mean that the discussion is over, and that it's not possible, or is there an easy way to make it possible ?

Of course: cut and paste!!

When you cut, the icon is grayed out---it's a function of the file manager. Dolphin (KDE), for example, has the same behavior. Don't know about the various other Linux file managers...... (Don't care either.....;))

Well, now that you've understood what my problem is, maybe you'll be able to help me ?

I think that doing that would require modifying Nautilus's source code.

Meaning that would be too difficult ?
I'm not familiar with such big applications. How many .exe files are there, and where are they located on my computer ? Is the source code on my computer, or only the compiled version ?

Yes, it would be difficult.

Hello,

I believe if you want to implement that behavior (if it doesn't exist) in the default installation of Gnome, that you'll have to program it in for yourself. Another option is to install another file manager or just entirely switch to something like Kubuntu (Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome) which has Dolphin as the default file manager if I'm not mistaking.

Kind regards,

Eric

Sure!! If you absolutely need this behavior, then use a file manager that has it!

In principle, you can install any file manager on any distro. Here's one list of possibilities:
http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20...eManagers.html

The only ones not available on my system (Arch) are: Endeavor, Rox-Filer, and 4Pane

Almost certainly. Unless the Nautilus dev team decides to implement it.

Executables aren't ".exe"s in Linux. Linux doesn't even have a built-in concept of "extensions". They instead have no extension and are executable because their executable permission is set, not because of the name.

You only have the executables, not the source, and you would have to understand Naitilus's code to do this.

How many .exe files to recompile a Linux app? NONE!!---exe is a Windows executable.

You could certainly grab the source code for Nautilus (Google will find it), but my guess is that---unless you already know the source--- you are talking many days or even weeks to make this change.

IMHO, recompiling Nautilus to get this one feature is NOT the way to go. (See my post about all the other choices.)

Well if it's too difficult nevermind then.
According to the link given by carbonfiber, may we assume that this 'bug' is being dealt with, and shall be fixed in the next nautilus version? (when is it supposed to be released?)
In order to help me understand better how linux works, can someone answer my questions of the post 13 please (even though it's not directly linked to the issue at hand) ?
edit: nevermind, i think it's been answered while i was writing this. Let me read it.

Also, executables do not contain human-readable source code. You cannot modify them. You must get the code to modify it, and then compile it into executables.

To understand how Linux works, forget completely about how Windows works. Some things you might think cannot be made different, but they are.

As I explained in another post, there is no such thing as ".exe" in Linux.

They are usually located in /bin (command-line essentials), /usr/bin (most programs go here), or /usr/local/bin (some programs go here, too. Usually when you compile a program it goes here by default).

Only the compiled version.

Hi,

In addition to MTK358's post, you can find some more information about differences between Linux and Windows, explained in a very comprehensible way on this site:
Linux is not Windows

Kind regards,

Eric

You may assume what you like.

Well I know you guys always get all huffy when someone talks about .exe's in linux. But as far as I've understood (and I'm new to all this), it's just a way of speech. One could say that all files whose permissions are set to executables are called .exe files. There certainly is a difference between a text file that can be read by humans and a .exe file (or whatever you call it) that cannot. That's not my point anyway.
I just wanted to know where are the files that make nautilus run on my computer...

Ahem---no one is getting huffy......We are only trying to help based on our knowledge.

In normal usage, any time you say ".xxx file" it means a file with the extension "xxx". There are a long list of common extensions that are used differently (or not at all) by various OSes and apps.

".exe" is the common extension for Windows executables, but I believe that you can add ".exe" to a Linux executable and it will still run (easy to test).

Do you mean the executables or the source code? The executables will be in /bin, /sbin, /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, maybe /usr/share/*/, and in various /*/*/lib locations. Finding all of them might be a problem.

I still think that saying that a file is a ".exe" refers to the fact that it has the extension "exe" and is a Windows executable.

If you want to keep talking like that, at least call them "exe"s (without the dot that implies Windows extension).

ok, thanks. Just one last question before closing this topic :
is there any way to know when the next nautilus version is going to be released, and if it will include a fix for this slight inconvenience ?

Well, I wouldn't call it a "bug" as you did before. The program just wasn't intended to do that in the first place. A bug is when a program doesn't behave the way it was intended.

It just depends on whether the developers either decide they want that feature or get enough requests for it. Personally I don't miss it (not that I didn't like it, but I didn't really pay attention to it).

Hi,

If you're into customizing Nautilus you might want to have a look at this site:
http://live.gnome.org/Nautilus

It mentions extending functionality, writing extensions for it, and so on.

Kind regards,

Eric

Ditto---If I were maintaining Nautilus, adding this feature would probably never get on my "top ten" list.

I recommend that you try Dolphin.....It is the best file manager I have ever seen, and is better than anything I ever saw on Windows (at least up to XP professional)

<rant>

I sometimes use Dolphin and I think it's pretty good, except that it clutters up your directories with it's files.

It uses that file to remember your last view setting for that file. But why would you want that any way - it's so aggravating the way you have to change view every time you go into a new dir, but on top if that it still clutters up your files to do it.

It's as if they complicated the program intentionally to reduce usability and clutter your drive! :banghead:

Even when you turn that remembering-view thing off, it still clutters your drive with these files! How do I stop it from doing that?

</rant>

Where do I look for this clutter?

But yes, I'm sure the features have some overhead.....That's why the higher powers invented really big hard drives.


Cancel all my suggestions---get Midnight Commander (GUI??---who needs a stinkin' GUI???)

Well as far as I'm concerned, all my questions have been answered. Thanks to you all.

You're welcome, have a nice one.

Kind regards,

Eric

Then mark the thread as solved!

Done!!