Contents
Now you can start to work with your desktop. In this chapter you will learn how to start applications, manage and search files and burn CDs. You will get familiar with the power management concept of GNOME and find out how to perform regular tasks with your desktop.
Click
on very the left of the bottom panel to open the main menu showing a list of your favorite applications together with the most recently used ones. You can also click to display your recent documents, or click to display your favorite places (such as your home directory or the Desktop). Click to access additional applications listed in categories. Use the options on the right to access Help, install additional software, open the GNOME Control Center, lock your screen, log out of the desktop or check the status of your hard drive and network connections.The
contains several elements:The search bar helps you find applications and files on your system. Enter your search phrase in the Enter. The results are displayed in the Desktop Search dialog box.
field, then pressFor more information about using Beagle, GNOME desktop’s search function, see Chapter 6, Searching with Beagle.
You can determine what type of items appear in the main menu by clicking the
, or tabs.By default, Favorite Applications shows icons for four commonly used applications. Customize this view to show the applications you use most often.
To add an item to your Favorite Applications:
Click
+ .Right-click the application you want to add.
Select
.The selected application is added to your Favorite Applications.
To remove an item from your Favorite Applications:
Click
.Make sure that your Favorite Applications appear in the main menu. If
does not appear on the main menu, click .Right-click the item you want to remove.
Select
.Recent Applications shows the last two to four applications you have started, provided they do not already appear under Favorite Applications.
Click the
tab to display Favorite and Recent Documents. Use this view to quickly locate the documents you worked on most often or most recently. Click to open the File Browser. You may move a document from the Recent to the Favorite Documents section by right clicking it and choosing .The
pane of the main menu provides shortcuts to several system applications.Table 2.1. System Shortcuts
Application |
Description |
---|---|
Help |
Opens the Help Center, which provides online documentation for your system. |
Control Center |
Allows you to customize and configure your desktop. For more information, see Chapter 3, Customizing Your Settings. |
YaST |
Allows you to customize and configure your system. |
Install Software |
Opens the Software Installer, which guides you through the process of installing new software. |
Lock Screen |
Locks your system so that nobody can access it while you are away. Enter your password to unlock the system. |
Log Out |
Opens the Log Out dialog, where you can log out or switch users. |
Shutdown |
Opens the Shutdown dialog, where you can shut down or restart your system. You can also suspend you computer from this shortcut. |