Ubuntu: Up and Running

Context Menus

When you right-click a file or folder, a menu appears whose contents vary based on the item and the available activities (hence the term context menu). There will be options such as cut, copy, and paste, making symbolic links (shortcuts), encrypting, compressing, and more. Figure 6-29 shows a range of typical options for an image file.

Figure 6-29. The context menu for a typical image file

Open with programname

This option opens the file using the application named in the option.

Open With

This lets you choose the application with which to open the file.

Cut

This option cuts the file so that it can be pasted elsewhere. If you do not perform a paste operation, the file will be unchanged, but if you do a paste after a cut, the original item is deleted, which has the effect of moving it.

Copy

This is similar to the Cut option, except that the original item is always retained, so a copy is made when you paste.

Make Link

With this option, you can create a symbolic link, also known as a shortcut. The new linked file will be given the name Link to <name>, where <name> is the original file or folder’s name. You can then drag and drop this link icon anywhere you like, and when it is accessed, the item it is linked to will be used. You can also change the name of the link, which has no effect on the original file or its name. An arrow on the top right of the icon indicates that it refers ...