Installing "nautilus-open-terminal" package by default

Development
1

Proposing that we install the debian package “nautilus-open-terminal” by default.

I find myself repeatedly in this position on a daily basis, and think it is probably a general usability issue faced many times by several other people too.

Where say you are in the file manager, working with files or directories, and want to switch to working at the same location within the terminal.

Typically one has to manually launch the terminal and “cd” all the way down into the intended working directory.

Common use case example: I find this a common task with Tor Browser where I download some files, open the Downloads directory from Tor Browser (“Open Containing Folder”), and then want to launch a terminal to the Downloads directory to further manipulate the downloaded files.

Many other instances of this issue exist as well where one simply needs to go from the file manager to the terminal in the same location.

The “nautilus-open-terminal” package creates an option in the file manager called “Open in Terminal” that launches a terminal window at the desired current location. It puts this option in the File menu and in the right click menu of the file manager.

I currently install this package into my Whonix TemplateVMs, but like to keep my Whonix environments as generic/original as possible, and thought this would be a simple and useful default feature to have for many others as well.

Thanks! :smiley:

2

I am often in the position you describe too. The feature exists in the default KDE file manager, Dolphin.

Press “F4” to open a terminal in the same window as the file manager. You can adjust the respective sizes. The navigation in the file manager is mimicked in the terminal (cd /current_directory).

For information, a terminal can be opened too in Kate, a developer editor (handy for running a script you are writing, for example).

Both Kate ad Dolphin are more development oriented than Nautilus and Gedit, their Gnome counterparts. Another example: as far as I know, Nautilus does not support two files panes. You can split them in Dolphin (which is fully configurable).

3

[quote=“troubadour, post:2, topic:765”]I am often in the position you describe too. The feature exists in the default KDE file manager, Dolphin.

Press “F4” to open a terminal in the same window as the file manager. You can adjust the respective sizes. The navigation in the file manager is mimicked in the terminal (cd /current_directory).[/quote]

Ah, thanks for this reply, troubadour. I remember seeing this feature now in the past with Dolphin.

And Shift + F4 opens up a new terminal window.

I’m now operating in the brand new Whonix Qubes platform, and am now realizing that it comes with both Dolphin and Nautilus installed by default.

As I was often launching the file manager from Tor Browser, it happens to pick Nautilus over Dolphin in this case.

This Tor Browser (“Open Containing Folder”) feature, of the Downloads page, doesn’t seem to work in standard KDE Whonix, without Nautilus installed. Maybe a Firefox compatibility limitation.

But, with the Dolphin file manager available to me in Whonix Qubes, this Nautilus package “nautilus-open-terminal” is a much less pressing need.

It would just help for those using Debian Gnome systems or Whonix Qubes users working with Nautilus, such as when opening Tor Browser downloads.

No big deal at this point.

[quote=“troubadour, post:2, topic:765”]For information, a terminal can be opened too in Kate, a developer editor (handy for running a script you are writing, for example).

Both Kate ad Dolphin are more development oriented than Nautilus and Gedit, their Gnome counterparts. Another example: as far as I know, Nautilus does not support two files panes. You can split them in Dolphin (which is fully configurable).[/quote]

Great pro tips, troubadour! I will be further playing with these features now. Thanks! :smiley:

4

Figured out specific platform differences with Whonix Qubes involving Nautilus and Dolphin file managers. Described above.

So no pressing need for this package at this point.

Thanks!

EDIT: Update: Further new considerations for this package below…

5

I think I even better understand the presence of both Nautilus and Dolphin inside the new Whonix Qubes platform.

Dolphin obviously comes by default with Whonix, via KDE.

Nautilus is likely present in Whonix Qubes because Qubes implements a right click GUI for it with the following options:

  • Copy to other AppVM
  • Move to other AppVM
  • Open in DisposableVM

These are handy and I do frequently use them in Qubes via the Nautilus file manager, especially involving file downloads.

So I guess it would be pretty handy in Whonix Qubes to have the “nautilus-open-terminal” package installed by default after all.

I’m not sure how much weight or support Whonix gives to Gnome versions over the default VirtualBox KDE implementation.

Maybe still a consideration for Whonix default?

Maybe better to incorporate into the new “whonix-qubes” package for Whonix Qubes only?

6

See:

Maybe still a consideration for Whonix default?
Whonix default doesn't benefit from it?
Maybe better to incorporate into the new "whonix-qubes" package for Whonix Qubes only?
Yes. Maybe as [font=courier]Recommends:[/font]? [font=courier]Depends:[/font] would be weird, having a package that works perfectly well in terminal-only depend on a GUI package, no?

Please note this comment, it’s related:

Perhaps move that discussion here Whonix Forum or to the Qubes sub forum and/or notify nrgaway for more input?

7

Correct. Not VirtualBox Whonix KDE.

Would benefit Whonix Qubes and Whonix Gnome users.

[hr]

Yes. Maybe as [font=courier]Recommends:[/font]? [font=courier]Depends:[/font] would be weird, having a package that works perfectly well in terminal-only depend on a GUI package, no?[/quote]

Vaguely familiar with how technicals of Debian packages work.

I have read this…

Not understanding this…

having a package that works perfectly well in terminal-only depend on a GUI package, no?

[hr]

I will start a new thread on this matter for sorting out how to best include extra Debian packages into Whonix Qubes going forward.

8

Started new thread here…

Where/How to best include additional default Debian packages?