Chapter 6. The Nautilus File Browser
In the preceding chapters, we’ve had some occasions to use the Nautilus file browser built into Ubuntu. Now I’ll cover some of the powerful features it provides, such as file searching, creating symbolic links (which are like Windows shortcuts), compressing and decompressing files, using templates for creating new files, and more.
On the way, you’ll discover how well integrated Ubuntu is and how different parts work seamlessly with one another. For example, because Nautilus is the silent power behind the Ubuntu desktop (something of which many users are unaware), many things I’ll show you how to do with the Nautilus file browser can also be done directly to files and folders on the desktop.
What’s more, items on the desktop can be copied or moved into the location displayed by the file browser, and vice versa, and when you open a folder from the desktop its contents appear within the file browser.
Opening Files and Folders
When you move your pointer over anything that you can manipulate through the use of the pointer, either within the Nautilus file browser or on the desktop, the icon will usually change to a lighter color to show that it’s clickable, as shown in Figure 6-1.

Figure 6-1. Passing the mouse over an openable object
But if you have enabled single-clicking, as discussed in the section Creating Folders, Launchers, and Files, then the mouse ...