blnchflr: Remus/Ghost!Sirius (Ubuntu)
practice being a zebra ([personal profile] blnchflr) wrote in [community profile] linux4all2009-11-07 08:12 pm

I have SEEN the light: keyboard shortcuts

Reposted from my journal, because I can't get over how helpful this is. It has been very slightly edited for the more linux-savvy audience here, but I probably still over-explain things :o)

I'm not talking about using keyboard shortcuts to copy/paste, print, rename folders/files, and all that. I'm talking about using keyboard shortcuts to open often-used folders and files. Why didn't anyone tell me about this? It's only the most brilliant thing EVER!!

Like, most of this post was composed in a specific plain-text document, which I can open from anywhere by hitting Alt+P. The minute I think of something I'd like to post on, I don't have to go online and find my draft post at DW, or open some program. I can just hit Alt+P, type out my thoughts, hit Ctrl+S to save and Alt+F4 to close. My fingers never have to leave the keyboard!

It can also be used for sneaksy things, like hiding folders you don't want people to trip over (like e.g. I hide my fandom folder). But in the olden days, hiding folders also meant more time spent finding them, yourself. Now I can open my fandom folder by the mere hitting of two keyboard keys. Have I mentioned how brilliant this is??

Ubuntu how-to, can doubtlessly be tailored to work in your OS:
  1. Note the path of the folder/file you want to create a shortcut to.

  2. Go to System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts.

  3. Decide on your keyboard shortcut - make sure it isn't already in use.

  4. Towards the bottom, click on the group Custom Shortcuts and click Add.
    • For files: [program with which to open file] [path/filename] - e.g. gedit /home/skuf/fandomfolder/post (my plain-text file has no file-extension in Ubuntu, but if your file is called kinks.doc, it's of course /kinks.doc).

    • For folders: [file manager] [path] - e.g. nautilus /home/skuf/mysekkritfandomfolder/ - note the final /!

    • For programs: [command] - e.g. vlc.
  5. Your action should now be added, but with shortcut deactivated - click on Deactivated under Shortcut and press your chosen shortcut keys. They'll then show up under Shortcut.

  6. Voila!
kerravonsen: animated sequence of geeks with the word "geek" around them (geek-anim)

[personal profile] kerravonsen 2009-11-09 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, now that's an intriguing idea. I use xbindkeys for my program-related keyboard shortcuts, because it doesn't matter which window-manager I'm using. But it hadn't occurred to me to bind a shortcut to a particular file or folder.