Ubuntu - Files & Folders

Ubuntu - Managing Files and Folders

Managing files and folders is a fundamental task on any operating system. Ubuntu uses ‘Files’ (Nautilus by default in GNOME) as its primary graphical file manager. You can launch it by clicking its icon on the Dock (usually looks like a filing cabinet) or by searching for ‘Files’ in the Activities overview.

Upon opening, the Files application displays your home directory by default, showing common folders like Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Videos. The left sidebar provides quick access to these locations, other devices, and bookmarked folders.

Creating a Folder

Step 1 − Navigate to the location where you want to create the new folder (e.g., your Desktop or Documents folder).

Step 2 − Right-click on an empty area within the main view of the Files application. A context menu will appear.

Step 3 − Select ‘New Folder’ from the context menu. A new folder will appear with its name highlighted, ready for you to type.

Step 4 − Type the desired name for your folder (e.g., ‘My Project’) and press Enter. The folder is now created.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift+N to create a new folder in the current location.

Renaming a File or Folder

Step 1 − Locate the file or folder you wish to rename.

Step 2 − Right-click on the file or folder. A context menu will appear.

Step 3 − Select ‘Rename…’ from the context menu. The name of the file or folder will become editable.

Step 4 − Type the new name and press Enter.

Alternatively, you can select the file or folder with a single click and then press the F2 key to rename it.

Other Common Operations

The right-click context menu offers other common operations:

• Open: Opens the folder or file with its default application.
• Copy: Copies the selected item(s) to the clipboard. You can then navigate to another location, right-click, and select ‘Paste’.
• Cut: Similar to copy, but moves the item(s) when pasted.
• Move to Trash: Deletes the item(s) by moving them to the Trash. You can restore items from the Trash or empty it to permanently delete them.
• Compress…: Allows you to create an archive (e.g., .zip, .tar.gz) from the selected item(s).

Viewing File and Folder Properties

To view detailed information about a file or folder:

Step 1 − Right-click on the file or folder.

Step 2 − Select ‘Properties’ from the context menu. A new window will open.

The Properties window typically has several tabs:

• Basic: Shows the name, type, size, location, parent folder, and modification/access dates.
• Permissions: Displays the file permissions for the owner, group, and others (Read, Write, Execute). You can often change these permissions here if you have the necessary rights. For executable files (like scripts), you might see an option to ‘Allow executing file as program’.
• Open With: Allows you to choose or change the default application used to open this type of file.

Understanding basic file management is crucial for organizing your work and navigating the Ubuntu system efficiently. You can also perform all these operations and many more using command-line tools like mkdir (make directory), mv (move/rename), cp (copy), rm (remove), and ls (list files).