• From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Topic: Change PCManFM Default View?

This may seem silly, but I can't seem to figure it out or find an answer - probably looking right past it.

When using PCManFM, is there a way to set the default view to the Detailed List?  I change it in the view menu and it resets upon reboot.

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-16
  • Posts: 272

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

hi there sew smile
i checked it on my machine, and it stayed put over a reboot.. i think you have somehow changed the file-permissions of the config file for pcmanfm..
when i changed to detailed list-view the config file got a new line, and it stayed there over reboot.. "view_mode=1" was added to configfile at ~/.config/pcmanfm/main

output of my file after enabling detailed list view:

[General]
show_hidden_files=1
view_mode=1
terminal=terminator

[Window]
width=825
height=508
splitter_pos=160
maximized=0

[Desktop]
show_wm_menu=1
bg2=24648,49060,63708

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

Thanks for the response, Ronny.

That's so strange.  I certainly didn't intentionally change any permissions, but I've reproduced this multiple times.  I'll have to manually edit the .config/pcmanfm/main file and see if it sticks. 

Curious - what permissions do you have on this file?

Thanks again! smile

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

Yo, Ronny, that did the trick.  Sticking like it should now.  Still not sure why I couldn't get it to before. hmm

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-16
  • Posts: 272

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

..me as owner=rw, group=r, others=r

  • From: norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-16
  • Posts: 272

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

well great smile  ..you didnt run it as root somehow? then maybe the config file is in root/.config/....?

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

papparonny wrote:

..me as owner=rw, group=r, others=r

Me too.  I've gotta be doing something wrong . . .

So, you're supposed to start by pouring holy water on the keyboard, praying for rain, chanting and throwing leaves over your head, putting your right foot in, taking your right foot out, speaking in tongues, and some mindless shaking right?

What could I have done wrong? big_smile

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-16
  • Posts: 272

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

hahaha! ..how did you know my secret routine??..lol
..if you didnt run pcmanfm as root, im betting on a bug in the app itself..

  • From: Gig Harbor, WA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-12-16
  • Posts: 169

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

papparonny wrote:

hahaha! ..how did you know my secret routine??..lol

You can't escape the power of the Net. smile

papparonny wrote:

..if you didnt run pcmanfm as root, im betting on a bug in the app itself..

I didn't run it as root normally.  I've tried it and couldn't understand why it didn't ask for my password (like sudo).

After I hand-edited the config file, it worked and it now asks for a pass initially if I want to open something as root.

sewmyheadon's Website

  • From: norway
  • Registered: 2009-01-16
  • Posts: 272

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

..hmm..strange it didnt ask for password.. i see that when opened as root it indeed saves to the configfile /root/.config/pcmanfm/main

  • Registered: 2009-02-10
  • Posts: 2

Re: Change PCManFM Default View?

I encountered the same problem. File permission where OK (rw for user), but still no go.

Only after deleting .config/pcmanfm   and recreating it (with config file stolen from Papparony in the post above) it worked as it should.