GNOME User's Guide
<<< Previous | The GNOME File Manager | Next >>>

# File Properties and Actions

For any file in the main file display you may right mouse click on it and choose a variety of properties and actions for it from the pop-up menu:

- Open - This will open the file with the default application associated with it. You may read more about editing these associations in Mime Capplet Chapter in the section called GNOME Mime Types in the chapter called The GNOME Control Center. Some files that are actually archives will allow you to "look inside" them. For example, .tar files, .gz files, and .rpm files can all be double clicked and the files archived inside them will appear in the File Manager.

- Open With - You may open a file with any application using this menu item. You may read more about this in the section called Launching Applications From the GNOME File Manager.

- View - This will view the file with a basic text viewer.

- Edit - This will launch an editor to edit the file. The editor launched is determined by the application associated with that file type. You may read more about editing this association in the section called GNOME Mime Types in the chapter called The GNOME Control Center.

- Copy - This will copy the file to the clipboard so that it can be pasted elsewhere.

- Delete - This will delete the file.

- Move - This will bring up the `Move` dialog, which will allow you to move the file. You can read more about this dialog and moving files in the section called Copying and Moving Files.

- Symlink - Symlink allows you to create a symbolic link to the file you have selected in another directory. When you select Symlink you will see a dialog which allows you to type in the directory and filename that you wish to be the symbolic link to the file. This link will be a "shortcut" to the selected file. If you would like more information on symlinks you may read about them in the appendix called If you are new to Linux/UNIX.

- Properties - The Properties menu item will launch the Properties dialog. The Properties dialog allows you to edit and view the properties for the selected file.

  The Properties dialog consists of three tabs: `Statistics`, `Options`, and `Permissions`.

  Figure 6. File Properties

  - `Statistics` - This tab will show you the file information including the name, type, size, and history. You may change the name of the file in the `File Name` text box. Sizes for directories will not show you the size of the directory with all the files within it.

  - `Options` - This tab will allow you to change the action options for the file. You can define how to open, view, and edit the file. If you need to open it in a terminal window you may select the `Needs terminal to run` checkbox.

    | NOTE
    | If you bring up the Properties dialog from an icon on the desktop you will be able to change the icon for that file in the `Options` tab.

  - `Permissions` - This tab allows you to change the permissions and ownership of a file if you have access to do so. You may select Read, Write, and Exec permissions for the User, Group, and Others. You may also set the UID, GID and Sticky as well as define who owns the file. To learn more about file permissions see the appendix called If you are new to Linux/UNIX.

    | WARNING
    | Be careful is granting Read and Write permission to Others; this allows anyone using the computer to read or write (respectively) the file you've selected.

| NOTE
| Changing properties on symlinks is meaningless in the File Manager. If you need to change the properties on such a file you need to change them on the actual file, not the link to it.

<<< Previous | Home | Next >>>
Launching Applications From the GNOME File Manager | Up | Changing Your Preferences in the File Manager