Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

[g.]

Hi,

I have just installed Kubuntu 8.10 on a Dell Precision M2400 machine with docking station and external monitor. The machine was without o.s. and the installation was just fine Smiley

The processor a an Intel Dual Core 2 64bit, 4 GB RAM, Nvidia graphic card, etc...

At the first start the os recognized the presence of the nvidia card and prompted me for the not-open-source nvidia drivers that I installed.

I have several small problems that I would like to share, any hint is appreciated:

a) I messed with the Desktop, now my desktop is simply empty and, if I copy a file in the directory /home/user/Desktop I can not see it. Maybe I need to start reading some basic info on what a widget is...

b) Is it normal that the bottom tool-bar does not fill the whole length? (please see the attached image, on the bottom right corner). The screen settings seems to be fine.

c) I have add a couple of application's icons on the tool-bar, the konsole, thunderbird and firefox. When restarting the pc those were disappeared. Any way to make the icon permanent on the toolbar?

d) Is there a way to add actions on Dolphin? I was used (former KDE) to right click on a file name and select several actions; among them to attach the file to a mail. I have found several messages on this on the net but nothing seem to work.

e) The external screen is not automatically recognized when the laptop is on the docking station. It means that I have to open the laptop, change the screen settings, and close it. A little bit uncomfortable... In this case too, I read several posts that seem to relate it to the nvidia drivers. I wonder if an automatic detect of the screen is possible with a simple script.

As you can see the kind of problems are really minor, very nice distribution!

g.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

I can answer some of these:

a) Right click on the desktop and select appearance settings. At the top of the pane select folder view. A semi transparent box should appear. Right click on that and select "folder view settings". From there select "desktop" and your desktop items should be displayed.

b) With widgets unlocked right click on the panel and select panel options. Then select panel settings - you will see a big bar appear above the panel. Also you will see some markings (a bit like word processor tabs" that you can move to widen the panel.

c) Ensure that when you have finished setting things up you right click and select "lock widgets". That will make them stick (and having them unlocked probably resulted in at least b) and c) )

d) If from within dolphins you select tools/configure dolphin you can add to the right click options. I don't think "mail to" is yet an option.

e) pass, I'm afraid.

HTH

[Fintan]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

Edit: I was just typing when lquidator already answered a few

Welcome to the party

To get back to the default desktop:
open a terminal and do:

kquitapp plasma && rm ~/.kde/share/config/plasma* && plasma &

Log out and back in kde4 will regenerate itself to default.

Resizing panel:
rightclick on panel->deactivate lock widgets->rightclick on panel->configure panel->resize.

For desktop: (if it doesn't come back with default)
rightclick on desktop->deactivate "lock widgets"-< add widget->folder view->configure folder view with passing over the widget and clicking on the configure icon on the small panel-> point to /home/username/desktop

You can use several folder views for different folders.

There are many ways to add apps to the panel:
- kmenu->rightclick on app->add to panel, drag and drop
- Lancelot->drag and drop
- kmenu edit-> drag and drop

They should stick after reboot /relogin.

If not there is something else wrong.

Maybe the above removing action will solve that as well.

For the rest I would post a new thread for each:
- dolphin actions
- external monitor


Hope this helps

Edit2:
Here are some useful links:
http://www.techradar.com/news/softwa...m-kde-4-527497

and

http://itmanagement.earthweb.com/osr...ng-Started.htm

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

thanks to both of you. may I bother further?

- is there a single key to open the menu? since the prompt is ready in the search box it might allow to start any application without using the mouse.

I restored the original desktop and reading stuff about the new KDE.

thanks,
g.

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

just a quick add.

I did put my icons on the panel: konsole, TB, FF, Kile. I locked the widgets and then restarted X and they disappeared.

[Fintan]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

- is there a single key to open the menu? since the prompt is ready in the search box it might allow to start any application without using the mouse.

How about alt+F2?
That won't open kmenu but it will open the run command widget which you can easily use to run apps.

If you have lancelot installed you can do: alt+F5 (at least on Jaunty )

[Fintan]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

just a quick add.
I did put my icons on the panel: konsole, TB, FF, Kile. I locked the widgets and then restarted X and they disappeared.

I saw that last on kde4.0 (last year) haven't seen that since kde4.1

How about either upgrading to kde4.2:
http://www.kubuntu.org/news/kde-4.2

or wait about a month and upgrade to jaunty.

Or do both

Apart from that why not start a thread with that issue as the title:

application icons disappearing.....

or similar.

The more specific you are in your title the better

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

again, thanks, ALT+F2 is wonderful, I did not know it...

before posting further it is better if I study this new release, I see that on youtube several tutorial are available but my flush plugin is not working...

best,
g.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

On your flash plugin (I note you have 64bit) you might look here

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...0928#msg100928

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

thanks,

I spend a lot of time, reading several posts and finally what worked was to run

sudo aptitude install --reinstall flashplugin-nonfree

but I did not understand why.

g.

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

well, I wrote the post too early, the very first video worked, then I searched for some tutorial on KDE and most of the video can not be played.

sample, working, videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlwTq...rom=PL&index=3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jwYo...eature=related

sample, not-working, videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtk5yY_fChY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Fbk52Mk1w

(the video is black while firefox is downloading it and apparently playing it, in konqueror all the 4 are NOT working)

[g.]

Re: Several stupid problems with a fresh installation of Kubuntu 8.10

thanks for the reply.

video still is not working, i'll play around