HowTo: Change the Default File Manager in Gnome (to Konqueror or Thunar)

**thebeefytaco** · February 2nd, 2008

I modified aysiu's script to make pcmanfm the default file manager in gnome for anyone who wants it.
http://thebeefytaco.googlepages.com/defaultpcmanfm.sh

**thebeefytaco** · February 2nd, 2008

also this just changes the icon files if you want to actually change the actual default browser

Code:

sudo gconf-editor

goto / -> desktop -> gnome -> applications -> component_viewer and change the value to 'thunar' or 'pcmanfm' or whatever you want to use

**starscalling** · February 11th, 2008

mm
not working at all in gutsy atm ; ;

**Ms_Angel_D** · July 5th, 2008

Is there anyway to get this working with dolphin? I would love to be able to use dolphin in gnome as default.

**stinny** · August 6th, 2008

These scripts contain a potential danger - as the backup process is blind, it simply overwrites the backup files on multiple runs. Thus, restoring to Nautilus after trying all of these scripts at once does not work. To fix this, either use an own backup of the .desktop files, or simply reinstall nautilus in Synaptic (is there a similar command in apt-get?).

However, nice job!

**abramdemski** · March 2nd, 2009

Hi,

This is working pretty well for me, on Intrepid Ibex (AMD Turion 64). However, I've got a little complaint: upon startup, a Konqueror window automatically opens. This is slightly annoying. Any clue why?

Thanks.

**smudi** · April 29th, 2009

On Jaunty desktop icons do not appear after switching to Thunar. This is caused by the replacement of /usr/share/nautilus.desktop Exec to 'thunar'.
We know that nautilus is responsible for displaying the dekstop in Gnome - the simple 'nautilus' command just displays the desktop, while 'nautilus --no-desktop %U' opens the file browser.
When replacing nautilus.desktop Exec from 'nautilus' to 'thunar', the 'nautilus' command doesn't get executed on startup, hence no desktop appears. Instead a thunar browser windows appear, as we just executed a bare 'thunar' command.
Note that this may cause the konqueror windows appearing on startup as well.

Reverting the nautilus.desktop file to its backup version does the trick.

**loo0olz** · April 30th, 2009

i will try
thanx anyway

**bgturk** · May 22nd, 2009

Thanks you for the guide.
After my bitter experience nautilus (its handling of samba mount points), it was really a pleasure to delete it. Nautilus, since it is impossible to access anything that it mounts from other application.

**Unislash** · August 22nd, 2009

Originally Posted by smudi

On Jaunty desktop icons do not appear after switching to Thunar. This is caused by the replacement of /usr/share/nautilus.desktop Exec to 'thunar'.
We know that nautilus is responsible for displaying the dekstop in Gnome - the simple 'nautilus' command just displays the desktop, while 'nautilus --no-desktop %U' opens the file browser.
When replacing nautilus.desktop Exec from 'nautilus' to 'thunar', the 'nautilus' command doesn't get executed on startup, hence no desktop appears. Instead a thunar browser windows appear, as we just executed a bare 'thunar' command.
Note that this may cause the konqueror windows appearing on startup as well.

Reverting the nautilus.desktop file to its backup version does the trick.

Indeed, it is true that the script doesn't work in Jaunty. I tried reverting the nautilus.desktop file to its backup version and this didn't fix the desktop. To revert nautilus.desktop i simply modified the script and added

Code:

sudo cp nonautilusplease/nautilus.desktop .

right before

Code:

## This last bit I'm not sure should be included
## See, the only thing that doesn't change to the
## new Thunar default is clicking the files on the desktop,
...

and it appears to have reverted correctly, but no beans. Did i do something wrong, smudi? Any other workarounds?

Cheers,
Unislash