Fedora Linux

Enables you to configure kwin to handle some applications differently than others. To create special settings for a window, ensure that the window is presently on the screen, and then click New in that window. A window labeled Edit Window-Specific Settings will appear; click the Detect button, and then click on the window you wish to configure. You can then use the provided tabs to configure your desired settings, such as specific window geometry (size and location) or preferences (e.g., causing the window to stay above or below other windows).

Translucency

Enables transparency and shadow effects for windows. This uses the COMPOSITE capability of the X server, which requires a modern graphics card for good operation; you can then use these settings to configure the transparency, shadows, and fade effects. To enable the COMPOSITE extension, see Lab 2.4, 'Fine-Tuning Your Display Configuration .'

2.3.1.5. Customizing Konqueror

Since Konqueror was designed as both a web browser and a file manager, it offers many options for customization. You can access these configuration options by selecting Settings>Configure Konqueror from within Konqueror, or within the KDE Control Panel by selecting KDE Components>File Manager. The arrangement of the configuration options is slightly different, depending on the route you take get there; Figure 2-13 shows both layouts.

Figure 2-13. Konqueror configuration window; Control Panel version (left) and Konqueror Settings version (right)

Here are some of the most useful customizations:

? On the Behavior tab/button, the checkbox 'Open folders in separate windows' enables a mode similar to the Nautilus spatial mode, which displays each folder separatelybut, unlike Nautilus, window locations are not remembered on a per-directory basis by Konqueror.

? Also on the Behavior tab/button, the checkbox 'Show 'Delete' context menu entries which bypass the trashcan' enables you to directly delete files without the two-step process of moving them to trash and then emptying the trash (two-step deletion gives you a chance to review deletions before finalizing them but does not free up disk space right away).

? The Previews tab/button configures the types of files and the maximum size of files for which previews will be generated. Setting the maximum size to a lower value will speed up the display of large directories of big files. Enabling 'Show file tips' and 'Show previews in file tips' on the Behavior tab/button will make Konqueror display an extended preview whenever you hover the mouse pointer over a file icon.

? The Quick Copy & Move tab (Control Center only) enables 'Copy to' and 'Move to' options on context menus. This is a useful feature that offers recent and common directories as copy/move targets.

2.3.1.6. Customizing keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are configured using the Control Center option Regional & Accessibility>Keyboard Shortcuts, shown in Figure 2-14. To add or change a shortcut, double-click on an action in the list of actions under the Shortcut Schemes tab or a command under the Command Shortcuts tab. Enter the new shortcut (such as Ctrl-Shift-H) and click OK, or click on the whisk-like icon beside the Shortcut field to clear it.

Figure 2-14. KDE keyboard shortcut configuration

2.3.2. How Does It Work?

KDE configuration options are stored in text files in ~/.kde/share/config . The format of these files varies slightly, but most take the form of name and value pairs divided into sections denoted by section titles in square brackets:

[$Version]
update_info=kfmclient_3_2.upd:kfmclient_3_2
[HTML Settings]
AutomaticDetectionLanguage=0
[KonqMainWindow Toolbar Speech Toolbar]
IconText=IconOnly
Index=4
...(snip)...
[SearchBar]
Mode=1

Since these are text files, they may be copied from one account to another.

2.3.3. What About...

2.3.3.1. ...setting the defaults for new users?

The directory /etc/skel acts as a template, or skeleton , for new account creation. Any KDE configuration files placed in /etc/skel/.kde/share/config will get copied to new user accounts automatically.

2.3.4. Where Can I Learn More?

? Start with the KDE online manual, accessed through the Help option on the K menu. The first time you access the KDE online manual, you will be asked if you wish to create the index; select the Application Manual and click Build Index to create the index (this takes only a minute or two).