FAQ

This file contains a list of frequently asked questions about Thunar and the
appropriate answers to these questions.


1. What is Thunar?
==================

  Thunar is a fast and easy-to-use file manager for the X Window System, with a
  special focus on the Xfce Desktop Environment.


2. Why doesn't Thunar execute files marked as executable?
=========================================================

  For security reasons Thunar only executes files of type application/x-desktop,
  application/x-executable and application/x-shellscript. For desktop files
  the execution feature will only be enabled if the desktop file is of type
  Application and a valid Exec line is given. For the other types the feature
  is available if the file is marked executable for the current user.

  Also note that for application/x-executable and application/x-shellscript, the
  types of the file don't really need to match these types exactly, but it is
  suffice if the detected type has a parent that matches one of the two types
  listed above, or if the MIME-type is an alias for one of the above.


3. Where does Thunar store the metadata associated with files?
==============================================================

  Thunar associates various settings with files/folders, which we call metadata.
  This metadata for all files is stored in tdb database file, which is called
  the metafile. The database file is stored in
  
    $XDG_CACHE_HOME/Thunar/metafile.tdb

  and can be examined using the tdbtool, which is part of the Thunar
  distribution (located in the tdb/ subdirectory).


4. Where does Thunar store its preferences?
===========================================

  Thunar stores the user configurable preferences (and hidden settings) in
  an .ini file, which is located at

    $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/Thunar/thunarrc

  and can be examined using a text editor. See docs/README.thunarrc for an
  overview of the various preferences.


5. How to use mouse gestures in Thunar?
=======================================

  Thunar currently features basic support for so called "mouse gestures" in its
  icon view. You can use these "mouse gestures" by holding down the middle
  mouse button (usually the mouse wheel) while the mouse pointer is on the
  background area of the icon view component (any area that is not covered by
  an icon or a text). Now you can move the cursor into four directions to
  perform certain actions, which are described below.

   * Left  - opens the previous visited folder
   * Up    - opens the parent folder
   * Right - opens the next visited folder
   * Down  - reload the current folder