Create Links on Desktop you can delete or edit w/ impunity!

How to do things, solutions, recipes, tutorials
Post Reply
Message
Author
puppyite

Create Links on Desktop you can delete or edit w/ impunity!

#1 Post by puppyite »

The ability to access files, folders and programs from the desktop is one of the most useful features of any graphical user interface.

There are two ways to place items on the desktop but the ramifications of them may not be readily apparent. The easiest method is to open ROX-Filer and drag files or folders from there onto the desktop. If you decide later to remove the item you have two possibilities: You can right click on it and choose Remove Item(s) or Send To Trash. If you select Remove Item(s) only the icon will be removed from the desktop. If you select Send To Trash the icon will be removed from the desktop and the file or folder it represents will be moved to the Trash directory.

The other way to place items on the desktop is to create a symbolic link to a file or folder. This involves more effort than the previous method but the advantages will soon be apparent.

First, open the my-documents folder in ROX-Filer. Right click in the ROX-Filer window and create a new folder. You may give this folder any name you like but I prefer to name it Desktop_Shortcuts_XX and replace xx after the underscore with my first and last initials. TIP: I like to append my initials to backups of system files I’ve modified too. This makes them easier to find with Pfind.

Now drag Desktop_Shortcuts_XX onto the desktop. From this point on every time you want to create a desktop shortcut just open a ROX-Filer window, drag the file or folder onto the Desktop_Shortcuts_XX icon and select Link (relative). Then open the Desktop_Shortcuts_XX folder and drag the new symbolic link onto the desktop.

The only caveat to creating symbolic links with this process is if you delete the Desktop_Shortcuts_XX folder all of the shortcuts you created will be deleted and the links you put on the desktop will cease to function. Even if you did delete Desktop_Shortcuts_XX all you’d have to do is repeat the procedure I’ve described here.

Symbolic links are nothing more than pointers to a file or folder therefore you may take any action you please with them without fear of disturbing the item they point to. You can even modify their behavior by editing them to pass arguments to the executable file they represent.

Note: Symbolic links (aka sym links) are identified by a small arrow in the upper left hand corner of the icon.
Note: The default desktop icons are not sym links. If you send them to the trash you will be unable to run the program.
Note: Puppy 4.2.1 comes with a panel fully stocked with sym links ready for use on the desktop. You may, if you like, click on them and see what they do before dragging them to the desktop.
Note: If you right click an item in ROX-Filer there are options to Delete the file or folder and Send To Trash. The option to Remove Item(s) only applies to items on the desktop.

If this doesn’t make sense to you just think about how you use to do this in Windows: Right click on a file or folder then select Send To, Desktop (create shortcut).

Your comments and questions are welcome. Hopefully I didn’t put anyone to sleep. :)
Last edited by puppyite on Wed 12 Aug 2009, 13:46, edited 2 times in total.

disciple
Posts: 6984
Joined: Sun 21 May 2006, 01:46
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

#2 Post by disciple »

Since you understand how it works, I don't understand why you are afraid to pin the original file rather than a symlink... perhaps you can enlighten me?
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

Classic Puppy quotes

ROOT FOREVER
GTK2 FOREVER

Kal
Posts: 626
Joined: Thu 05 May 2005, 16:59
Location: California, High Desert

#3 Post by Kal »

Your idea does protect the original files for people who don't read and understand the warnings on the trash can. It's kind of hard to protect people from themselves. The buffer folder holding the symbolic links does that. I might set it up for the professor's computer, I work on. He gets mouse happy at times and trashes things and clean the trash can. I will hold off on dragging the folder to the desktop, he would trash can it unintentionally. I just placed the folder in root instead of my-documents, he plays in there to much. Very bright in his field, but, had a good secretary all the time, before retiring.

The drawbacks are the making of links to the folder, then back out to the desktop, and the need to set the icons on the links. He wouldn't be able to make them probably anyway. Would save me the time of making new source files from his backups, which he doesn't know about, every two or three weeks. I cured him of spy-ware, Trojan horses, viruses and things like that, by switching him to Linux.

I never liked the shortcut arrows on the icons in Windows desktop, and normally tweaked them away (just personal taste). The professor thinks their cute.

Thanks, Kal

ICPUG
Posts: 1308
Joined: Mon 25 Jul 2005, 00:09
Location: UK

#4 Post by ICPUG »

Thanks Kal for the interesting discussion.

I personally don't like too many icons on my desktop but until someone tells me how to create toolbars I am stuck with it, so your comments are useful.

One thing - where is this panel of symlinks in Puppy 4.2.1? Is it my-documents somewhere? How do we see them?


disciple - To answer your query - I think Kal is thinking of others who are not quite as clever as him/you. I admire that. Also, we all hit the wrong button sometimes. It protects us against ourselves!

Back to the Windows shortcut arrow. I kinda like them as a means of knowing that if you delete it you are NOT deleting the file. If there is no shortcut arrow I am never sure!

puppyite

#5 Post by puppyite »

disciple wrote:Since you understand how it works, I don't understand why you are afraid to pin the original file rather than a symlink... perhaps you can enlighten me?

EDIT: I have amended the title per your suggestion.

I prefer to do it this way.

Some advantages of my method of using sym links on the desktop instead of the item itself are:
  • It enables me to edit the properties of the link while leaving the properties of original file intact.
    I can tell at a glance which items on the desktop are files / folders and which are sym links.
    I can tell at a glance which items on the desktop have been placed there by me.
    I can set a unique icon for the sym links I create.
HOW TO - Make a desktop shortcut to a web site:
Create a sym link to /usr/bin/local/defaultbrowser and put it on the desktop. Right click it and select Edit Item. Enter: http://www.puppylinux.ca/ in the Arguments to pass (for executables) field. In The text displayed under the icon is: field enter Pupplinux.ca . Press OK.
Last edited by puppyite on Wed 12 Aug 2009, 13:49, edited 1 time in total.

puppyite

#6 Post by puppyite »

Kal wrote:Your idea does protect the original files for people who don't read and understand the warnings on the trash can. It's kind of hard to protect people from themselves. The buffer folder holding the symbolic links does that. I might set it up for the professor's computer, I work on. He gets mouse happy at times and trashes things and clean the trash can. I will hold off on dragging the folder to the desktop, he would trash can it unintentionally. I just placed the folder in root instead of my-documents, he plays in there to much. Very bright in his field, but, had a good secretary all the time, before retiring.

The drawbacks are the making of links to the folder, then back out to the desktop, and the need to set the icons on the links.
In the dialog to set the icon there is an option to set it for all files of the same type. I’ve never tried this so use it with caution.
He wouldn't be able to make them probably anyway. Would save me the time of making new source files from his backups, which he doesn't know about, every two or three weeks. I cured him of spy-ware, Trojan horses, viruses and things like that, by switching him to Linux.

I never liked the shortcut arrows on the icons in Windows desktop, and normally tweaked them away (just personal taste).
Me too. Perhaps someday this will be posible in Puppy too, who knows?
The professor thinks their cute.
It takes all kinds.
Thanks, Kal
You’re welcome. Thanks for reading my stuff.

puppyite

#7 Post by puppyite »

ICPUG wrote:I personally don't like too many icons on my desktop but until someone tells me how to create toolbars I am stuck with it, so your comments are useful.
If that was for me then thanks.
One thing - where is this panel of symlinks in Puppy 4.2.1? Is it my-documents somewhere? How do we see them?
Move your cursor to the extreme left edge of the desktop (somewhat above center), wait. Click the Add icon bar when it pops out. The folder you see is ~/my-applications/bin
Back to the Windows shortcut arrow. I kinda like them as a means of knowing that if you delete it you are NOT deleting the file. If there is no shortcut arrow I am never sure!
I have a love hate relationship with them, the arrows I mean.

ICPUG
Posts: 1308
Joined: Mon 25 Jul 2005, 00:09
Location: UK

#8 Post by ICPUG »

Thanks puppyite for the reply. You surmised I got confused yesterday and directed my comments at Kal rather than your good self!

Time to have a play now I have the knowledge.

Jose A. Senna
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue 20 Dec 2016, 23:16

#9 Post by Jose A. Senna »

I understood from the above discussion that one can place a shortcut on
the desktop by creating a symlink to the file in /root/my-applications/bin .
I would like to know where is stored the information for X11 to
put on desktop the shortcuts that appear there by default.

User avatar
rcrsn51
Posts: 13096
Joined: Tue 05 Sep 2006, 13:50
Location: Stratford, Ontario

#10 Post by rcrsn51 »

Before asking a new question, you should finish off your discussion here.

Jose A. Senna
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue 20 Dec 2016, 23:16

#11 Post by Jose A. Senna »

rcrsn51 said:
> Before asking a new question, you should finish off your discussion here.

I did not know that asking questions in several thrads at the same
time is deprecated in this forum.
Sorry
Jose A. Senna

User avatar
Mike Walsh
Posts: 6351
Joined: Sat 28 Jun 2014, 12:42
Location: King's Lynn, UK.

#12 Post by Mike Walsh »

In a way, I can see the logic of finishing one thing at a time. It keeps things tidy.....and, goodness knows, there are enough unsolved threads hanging around on the forum servers as it is.

Just as an aside, I'm guessing you have no idea of the provenance of the individual who started this thread all those years ago.....??


Mike. :wink:

User avatar
safbto1st
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu 16 Nov 2017, 15:10

#13 Post by safbto1st »

How to revert default desktop icons in Tahr? I`m dying to know!
EDIT:
Distro: tahrpup 6.0.1
I know now. THIS OPTION IS RIPPED in above distro!
Last edited by safbto1st on Sun 19 Nov 2017, 21:26, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
greengeek
Posts: 5789
Joined: Tue 20 Jul 2010, 09:34
Location: Republic of Novo Zelande

#14 Post by greengeek »

Jose A. Senna wrote:I understood from the above discussion that one can place a shortcut on
the desktop by creating a symlink to the file in /root/my-applications/bin .
I would like to know where is stored the information for X11 to
put on desktop the shortcuts that appear there by default.
Hi Jose,

the method used to place the "permanent" default icons on the desktop can vary depending on which pup you are using and also depending on the options you have set for your desktop environment.

In most cases the positioning of the icons is determined by the file /root/Choices/ROX-Filer/PuppyPin - which can be manually changed if you use caution.

This is an xml file - to view the contents right click it and choose "open as text". Do not modify it until you have become familiar with the usage of that file and also familiar with the appropriate restrictions on editing xml files.

There are also other factors determining icon placement - for example the "drive" icons showing which storage devices are connected get placed on the desktop by seperate processes that automatically update the PuppyPin. These processes involve several other files and utilities which may vary from pup to pup so it is important to discuss what you are trying to achieve before making too many manual changes.

EDIT : Some pups have a different location for the PuppyPin file. Instead of it being in /root/Choices/ROX-Filer it may be in /root/.config/rox.sourceforge.net/ROX-Filer

Post Reply