From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've only
just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI file managers
as well).

I create temporary directories for working on specific projects, and plan to delete them when I'm done. But I don't often get around to deleting them and (sometimes) I'm not sure if an application is using something in that folder or not. So I end up with a lot of folders in the home and Downloads directories that I never get around to consolidating or deleting.

I could hide them by renaming them with a dot before their names, but if they're needed by an application, it won't see them. So, short of actually cleaning up my file system (ahem) I found a way to hide these folders
without renaming them. (This only hides them in the GUI file manager.)

I don't know how it works, but it does. You create a text file in the home directory (for example) and name it .hidden (with the dot). Then you add single line entries for all the folders you don't normally want to see. (Control+h will still show them.) And that's it. Now they're neatly tucked away, out of sight, but are still seen by applications that need to read and write files from those directories since their name hasn't changed. So far I've hidden 23 folders off my home directory by doing this. And also several folders from my Download directory.

Maybe I'm easily amused, but I like this "trick."

If anyone knows why this works, I would be thankful for an explanation.
--
Not all Jews are Zionists. Not all Zionists are Jews. Zionism ≠ Judaism.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:39:50 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've only
just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI file
managers as well).

Desktop? FolderS? The new antiX install has Help and Files on the desktop
but Endeavour, Feadora, and Ubuntu are clean. The Mint laptop is sleeping
at the moment.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:39:50 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've only
just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of excess
folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI file
managers as well).

Desktop? FolderS? The new antiX install has Help and Files on the desktop but Endeavour, Feadora, and Ubuntu are clean. The Mint laptop is sleeping
at the moment.

I guess I messed up when using the the word "dekstop." I meant the home
folder in the file manager.
--
Not all Jews are Zionists. Not all Zionists are Jews. Zionism ≠ Judaism.
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

RonB wrote:
Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've only
just discovered it (on Reddit) a way to clean up my desktop of excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI file managers
as well).

I create temporary directories for working on specific projects, and plan to delete them when I'm done. But I don't often get around to deleting them and (sometimes) I'm not sure if an application is using something in that folder or not. So I end up with a lot of folders in the home and Downloads directories that I never get around to consolidating or deleting.

I could hide them by renaming them with a dot before their names, but if they're needed by an application, it won't see them. So, short of actually cleaning up my file system (ahem) I found a way to hide these folders
without renaming them. (This only hides them in the GUI file manager.)

I don't know how it works, but it does. You create a text file in the home directory (for example) and name it .hidden (with the dot). Then you add single line entries for all the folders you don't normally want to see. (Control+h will still show them.) And that's it. Now they're neatly tucked away, out of sight, but are still seen by applications that need to read and write files from those directories since their name hasn't changed. So far I've hidden 23 folders off my home directory by doing this. And also several folders from my Download directory.

Maybe I'm easily amused, but I like this "trick."

If anyone knows why this works, I would be thankful for an explanation.

--
Not all J*ws are Zionists. Not all Zionists are J*ws. Zionism ≠ Judaism.

Thanks I didn't know about this.


This is a response to the post seen at: http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=702777894#702777894
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[via JLA Forums] comp.os.linux.advocacy on the web: http://www.jlaforums.com/viewforum.php?f=25
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:34:03 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:39:50 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've
only just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of
excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI
file managers as well).

Desktop? FolderS? The new antiX install has Help and Files on the
desktop but Endeavour, Feadora, and Ubuntu are clean. The Mint laptop
is sleeping at the moment.

I guess I messed up when using the the word "dekstop." I meant the home folder in the file manager.

Okay. I've seen screenshots from people who were so homesick for Windows
there were icons all over the desktop.

I seldom use the file manager. I did do some housekeeping a week ago when
I was curious about the size of Downloads. There were several isos I'd
copied to the Ventoy stick but hadn't deleted. I also moved a bunch of
odfs to Documents where they belonged.
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From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:34:03 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:39:50 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've
only just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of >>>> excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI
file managers as well).

Desktop? FolderS? The new antiX install has Help and Files on the
desktop but Endeavour, Feadora, and Ubuntu are clean. The Mint laptop
is sleeping at the moment.

I guess I messed up when using the the word "dekstop." I meant the home
folder in the file manager.

Okay. I've seen screenshots from people who were so homesick for Windows there were icons all over the desktop.

Yeah, my brother and father were both that way. Drove me nuts.

I seldom use the file manager. I did do some housekeeping a week ago when
I was curious about the size of Downloads. There were several isos I'd copied to the Ventoy stick but hadn't deleted. I also moved a bunch of
odfs to Documents where they belonged.

Sounds like you're a lot more organized than I am. I have a lot of "folders" (directories) that I should clear out, but I'm too lazy to do it. So the .hidden text file trick is nice for me.
--
Not all Jews are Zionists. Not all Zionists are Jews. Zionism ≠ Judaism.
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: comp.os.linux.advocacy

On 2026-03-22 12:24 a.m., RonB wrote:

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:34:03 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

On 2026-03-21, rbowman <bowman@montana.com> wrote:

On Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:39:50 -0000 (UTC), RonB wrote:

Experienced Linux users probably already know this "trick" but I've
only just discovered it (on Reddit) — a way to clean up my desktop of >>>>> excess folders (this works in Nemo and, probably, in most other GUI
file managers as well).

Desktop? FolderS? The new antiX install has Help and Files on the
desktop but Endeavour, Feadora, and Ubuntu are clean. The Mint laptop
is sleeping at the moment.

I guess I messed up when using the the word "dekstop." I meant the home
folder in the file manager.

Okay. I've seen screenshots from people who were so homesick for Windows
there were icons all over the desktop.

Yeah, my brother and father were both that way. Drove me nuts.

My mom does that with generic "best wishes" images she posts on
Facebook. It's disheartening to see every time I work on her computer.

I seldom use the file manager. I did do some housekeeping a week ago when
I was curious about the size of Downloads. There were several isos I'd
copied to the Ventoy stick but hadn't deleted. I also moved a bunch of
odfs to Documents where they belonged.

Sounds like you're a lot more organized than I am. I have a lot of "folders" (directories) that I should clear out, but I'm too lazy to do it. So the .hidden text file trick is nice for me.

Someone needs to explain to me why these folders and general content
need to always be on the _desktop_. Why no /home/user/folder_! or My Documents/Folder? Why does it always need to be right in front of you?
--
CrudeSausage
Islam is poison, leftism is retardation.
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