KDE Tips

• Atl + F2 brings a single command line: you can type the name of a program (kedit for example) or an URL.
• Google has now an integrated calculator. To use it in Konqueror, type:
  gg:2*sqrt(2)
  for example in Konqueror location bar and it'll return you the answer.
  This will work provided that you set gg: as being the google shortcut in Konqueror.
• A lot of shortcuts are available in Konqueror, the more famous being gg:.
  gg:keyword brings the Google search engine for the word keyword.
  dict:name gives the english definitions for name.
  fm:keywork shows all the keyword related software from Freshmeat.
  For those who use KDE from cvs HEAD (the coming KDE 3.2), there is a new shortcut which is wp: and
  wp:keyword will open WikiPedia, the free encyclopedia with a result search on the keyword.
  You can set these shortcuts in
  Settings/Configure Konqueror...->Web shortcuts (or Enhanced browsing in older versions)
  Using the Add button, you can also add your own entries.
• Typing in Konqueror location bar
  help:appname
  where appname is a KDE application will bring you the application user handbook faster than in KDE Help Center.
  For example, help:kate will bring the Kate user handbook.
• You can kill (equivalent to the console kill -9) an application by pressing "Ctrl-Alt-Esc". Then you get a little scull as cursor. With this you can click on the application you want to kill and it will disappear. You should use this only if no other method to stop the application works.
• Trouble starting kppp? Can only connect to the modem as root? Here is the answer.
  Log in as root and display the context menu of /usr/bin/kppp by right-clicking on the gear icon. Then in the Permissions tab, check the box Set UID on the User line.
  This will allow all users to start kppp.
  The same applies for apm with /usr/bin/apm to allow each user to use power management on a laptop for example.

• If you want to enter a new URL in the konqueror, you can delete the current one with the "x" button at the left side of the URL.

• dcop is the "desktop communication protocol" and you can control apps with that. Simply type dcop to see which apps provide interfaces. With dcop >appname< you get the interfaces for this app. You you can get the functions in the interface typing dcop >appname< >interface name<. Finally a command can be run with dcop >appname< >interfacename< >method< >method parameters<. Here is an example:
  dcop knotify Notify notify notify Me "Segmentation fault!" nosound nofile 2 0
• If you want to give e.g. one of the windows buttons on your keyboard a new keycode you can do this the following way:
  Open the menu editor (K->Configure Panel->Menu Editor...) and add a new group e.g. "keycodes". There you can add a new item and you are asked for the name. Click on that added item and configure it by adding a command e.g. the dcop line in the tip above. In the "Advanced" tab you associate the command to a key. Click on change, choose the radio button "Custom key" and press the button you want to change, e.g. one of the windows buttons. An there it is!
  Now you can press on the windows button and get a "Segmentation fault!" ;-)
  Other appliances might be the start of your favorite application with F12 or starting the screensaver with the Break button.

• When using KDE apps you need the following variables to be set:
  KDEDIR='kde-config --prefix'
  QTDIR=dir/where/your/qt/is
  PATH=$KDEDIR/bin:$QTDIR/bin:$PATH
  export KDEDIR QTDIR PATH
  If you use a linux distribution this is usually done for you. Otherwise you should check the script $KDEDIR/startkde since some variables are set there. Adjust the values of $KDEDIR and $QTDIR. SuSE uses another setup with another environment variable $KDEDIRS for the KDE3 installation.
• When compiling KDE applications furthermore the following environment variables should be set:
  MANPATH=$KDEDIR/man:$QTDIR/man:$MANPATH
  LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$KDEDIR/lib:$QTDIR/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
  LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
  CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH=$KDEDIR/include:$QTDIR/include:$CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH
  export MANPATH LD_LIBRARY_PATH LIBRARY_PATH
  export CPLUS_INCLUDE_PATH
  You can set these variables in the file .bashrc in your home directory. Then you can compile the package the following way:
  ./configure
  make
  make install (as root)
  When recompiling with a different configuration or changed environment variables you should execute
  make distclean
  before and be sure that the file config.cache is removed.

Last update: 2006-10-04