New User Tips & Tweaks - Not Fixes

[yankee495]

Doktor5000 posted this down a few posts but I edited this to add it here. It shows the basic components that make up the KDE Desktop in Mageia. It is actually called KDE Plasma Workspaces now because it isn't just a "Desktop" anymore.

Here is the link Dok provided which is very helpful if you're new to Mageia and KDE/Linux in general:

https://wiki.mageia.org/en/First_step_with_KDE
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I was over at Google Communities the other day, either Mageia, KDE or Linux, and a new Mageia user posted a link about good stuff to install on Ubuntu after installing Ubuntu. He wanted something similar for Mageia. I looked at the list and simply told him most of it would install in Mageia through MCC and directed him here to my Homerun Kicker and other threads about adding stuff after install.

It was then I had the idea for this thread. Not how to fix problems or install software, but how to change the menu if they hate the one they're using. Simple tips for people new to Linux altogether or just need a little help. So here goes.

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Tip One: Switching Menus

When using KDE in Mageia you have two menus to choose from without installing anything else. Application Launcher Style and Classic Menu Style.

Classic Menu Style is more like Windows 98, just a menu with sub menus that pop out to the right.

Application Launcher Style is more like the menu in Windows XP with a search box.

To switch between the two just right click the "Mageia Icon" on the far left of the panel and select the one listed next to "Switch to".

It won't list both because you are using one and it will have a different option depending on the one you are currently using.

For Windows users, the "Panel" is like the "Taskbar" and the "Mageia Icon" is like the "Start Button".

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Tip Two: Editing The Applications in The Menu

When you right click the "Mageia Icon" you'll see "Edit Applications" and that is where you do it (Edit the Menu)!

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Lots of things come to mind for tips, clock settings, adding icons to the Panel etc.

Ok folks, have at it.

[yankee495]

Adding Program Icons To The Panel (Taskbar)

Find the program you want to add to the Panel in the menu and right click it then select Add To Panel. I always put the Calculator on the Panel.

You can also add it to the Desktop or to Favorites like this.

[yankee495]

Adding Widgets To The Desktop or Panel in KDE

If you don't know what Widgets are, you will after you add one to the Desktop. On the right side of the Panel (Taskbar) is what is called the "Cashew".

It is called that because it looks like one. If you don't see it, then right click on an empty space on the Desktop and select Unlock Widgets.

Then click on the Cashew and the Panel will expand. Click Add Widgets and it will show a Widget list. This is called the Plasma Widget Explorer.

Drag Analog Clock out to the Desktop.

That is a Widget. Double clicking it in the Plasma Widget Explorer will add it to the Panel. You can also just right click the Desktop, Unlock Widgets and then right click on the Desktop again and select Add Widgets. I wanted to show you the "hard way" and how to use the Cashew.

There is also a Tab at the top of the screen that says "Desktop". It allows you to Add Widgets to the Desktop, and you can drag it into the top right corner where it will change to a rounded off Tab with a Cashew icon. It will expand the Plasma Widget Explorer when you click Add Widgets.

[doktor5000]

Totally get the idea, this is one of the few points where we could improve. At mandrivauser.de we had some wikipages called
"The 60 minutes shortly after" which hold exactly this. I'll dig it up from archive.org and post the link here.
EDIT: This is it - https://web.archive.org/web/20120428132 ... zigminuten

My main concern with this thread:
- as longer as it gets, it will totally fail on clarity

Best create a wiki page and use the headings so that a TOC (table of contents) is automatically generated, and only post a link here to that wiki page.
That way also others can work on that page too, and add content or fix typos and stuff like that.

EDIT2: Nearly forgot about this - recently there have been some efforts to add similar pages in the wiki, please pay attention not
to duplicate information in there or best get in touch with the documentation team to prevent two people duplicating efforts.
E.g. for KDE https://wiki.mageia.org/en/First_step_with_KDE

[yankee495]

Hello Dok,

You also have the problem of people just not wanting to read. I myself poke around a lot and usually find things but after about 5-10 minutes of looking I'll Google it. And you're right...after it gets about two pages long it'll repeat every 3 pages.

I was trying to think back to the day about what I didn't like right after install. One was" Roll Up" title bars. I had done it so long with "Maximize" it drove me nuts. Oh well, I'll look at the links you posted after I have some coffee...feel like I died last night and don't know it yet....and I don't drink...I quit a couple of years ago.

[yankee495]

Mageia Control Center & System Settings

Both of these are like Control Panel in Windows. Mageia divides Administrator Tasks and Normal User Tasks between these two.

Mageia Control Center

Think of Mageia Control Center (MCC) as the place you don't want your kids playing around, and System Settings as a place for Normal User Tasks.

MCC is password protected for this reason. With it you can add and remove software, printers, scanners and disk drives etc...and you can totally wipe

the system out or make it unbootable/inoperable. MCC is Mageia specific and is one of the strengths of Mageia when you learn to use it.


System Settings

System Settings is part of KDE and is more for everyday tasks like changing colors or the behavior and look of the Desktop.

You will find Window Behavior, Application Appearance and Workspace Appearance in here.

That is not to say you can't make your system unusable in here, you can, like if you change all of the colors to black

you won't be able to read anything etc. It is fairly safe to look around and just DO NOT HIT APPLY when you leave because it will ask you to

"Apply Changes" or "Discard" them. You absolutely want to "Discard" them if you didn't know you made changes, or didn't intend to make changes.

In general do not apply changes and if you are ask for a password be very careful because that means you may be changing something that can break

your system. You can change Languages in here too, so don't switch to German if you can't read it.

Most settings have a "Defaults" button in System Settings that will put it back like it was, but you'll also loose changes you wanted to make.

[yankee495]

Konsole & Terminal

This is more of a warning than a tip. One of the biggest complaints about Linux in general is the use of the Konsole or Terminal.

Most things can be done using a GUI these days but there may be times when you need or want to use these.

Be absolutely sure you know what you are doing because there is no Undo or Default Settings for most commands issued from a konsole.

I've seen lots of bad advice telling people to "just do this in a terminal...".

I've also seen some very cool stuff you can do in a konsole that you can't do with a GUI. Just be careful so you don't end up hating the konsole too.

[yankee495]

KDE Activities: Desktop And Search & Launch

New users get lost when they play with these. On the Panel (Taskbar) there is an Icon with three dots. When you click it the Panel expands and shows

Activities. There is Desktop and Search & Launch. Desktop is a Desktop like most people are used to. Search & Launch is a bit different and all you have

to do is activate it and look at it. You have to minimize apps like your browser because it changes the look of the Desktop and you can't see the change

if you have a browser open reading this. Many people change this when the Desktop is not visible and get lost and totally frustrated thinking the

System is stupid and changing things on its own. Once you see it you'll know what it is and can learn to use it.

To get back to a normal Desktop, hit the Activities Icon on the Panel again and click Desktop.

Be careful when clicking Desktop or Search & Launch, and do not click the Wrench Icon or little Square Icon. You can delete an Activity and

have no normal "Desktop". You can also click Create Activity to make a new one. I suggest a little reading on this subject so the tip is, if you get lost

and cannot find a normal Desktop, this is how you get back to it, then do some reading. It isn't hard at all and has been written about extensively.

[yankee495]

Restoring The Panel (Taskbar)

I know I said this was not for fixes but this is not a fix for a bug or other problem. Deleting the only Panel is User Error.

Right click the desktop and Select "Unlock Widgets" if it is available. If it isn't they're already Unlocked and it'll say "Lock Widgets".

Do not "Lock Widgets". Then Right click the Desktop and go to "Add Panel" and then "Mageia Default Panel".

There, you're back to where you started.

I don't want to sound rude but there is no other way to say it. Do a little reading and have some patience. I'm talking about Windows users

in particular here. You didn't learn Windows in a day and you won't learn Linux in a day, but you can, in one day, become very comfortable with it.

In a week you'll see what all of the hype is about. It is so customizable that you can have ten computers in your house or business

and none of them look alike even though they're all running Mageia. The tip here is patience and reading to avoid user error.

[jiml8]

I, for one, absolutely hate the monochrome theme of all-white icons in the system tray.

Well, those icons are kept here: /usr/share/apps/desktoptheme/default/icons

I replaced the default icons with ones I prefer, and now my tray has colorful little icons in it.

[yankee495]

I, for one, absolutely hate the monochrome theme of all-white icons in the system tray.

Well, those icons are kept here: /usr/share/apps/desktoptheme/default/icons

I replaced the default icons with ones I prefer, and now my tray has colorful little icons in it.

Yes jiml8, that is an option, but pretty much falls outside the scope of "New User Tips & Tweaks" as it involves using a konsole as root, or Dolphin with KDE root actions and privileges, and manipulating system files "under the hood".

However, there are options available through the use of System Settings> Application Appearance> Icons where you can install new Icon Themes.

I'm not sure if they change the Icon Theme in the Tray, and would assume it depends on the Theme. I like to brag how you can change everything, but there are little nooks and crannies where you can't change an individual item. Such as, Workspace Appearance> Desktop Theme> Details Tab. Here is where I'd look for a "Tray Icon Set" but there is only Icons where you can select an Icon Set from a Theme other than the Theme you are using.

For instance, your main Theme can be Oxygen and your Icon set can be the one from the Air Theme or any other Theme you have installed. You can also set Widget and Dialog backgrounds to be from a different Theme. It's a mix-n-match free for all here!

[yankee495]

After looking it over, you can install Tray Icon Themes in System Settings> Application Appearance> Icons

Hitting "Get New Themes" here gives you Icon Themes one of which is this one:

http://opendesktop.org/content/show.php?content=161316

You can also select "Install Theme File" to load and install an Icon Theme you have downloaded as a file.

Edit:

It appears there are custom instructions for installing the Caledonia Black Icon Theme and they do not appear in the list when installed through the GUI.