Linux Mint Forums

Hi,

Just did a Fresh upgrade to Mint9 and have sorted out a few small problems thanks to Google & Forums, but I don't know the fix for Mint not remembering the Desktop changes I made, for example, when I R/Click Desktop & un-check "Keep aligned", and then when I reboot the "Keep aligned is checked again!

Is there a setting somewhere that will make mint keep/save the changes I make?

Thanks

This seems to be a known bug inherited from Ubuntu, see here This links to a launchpad report. I saw mention of a workaround in the comments on the launchpad site.

Thanks Dawgdoc, I followed your link backwards to find this post by Zumbruk (9/6/10) : I've worked around it by adding the following to my

~/.bashrcgconftool-2 --set /apps/nautilus/desktop-metadata/directory/icon_view_keep_aligned --type string "false"

Now I'm a bit of a newbie, so not sure if there should be any extra spaces in that string and if you can just open a Terminal and paste that into it as is?

Does it look right to you?

Will a copy & paste into a Terminal do the job?

Reluctant to try myself, I just don't possess enough knowledge to correct things if they go horribly wrong

Thanks

EdQld wrote:Thanks Dawgdoc, I followed your link backwards to find this post by Zumbruk (9/6/10) : I've worked around it by adding the following to my

~/.bashrcgconftool-2 --set /apps/nautilus/desktop-metadata/directory/icon_view_keep_aligned --type string "false"

Now I'm a bit of a newbie, so not sure if there should be any extra spaces in that string and if you can just open a Terminal and paste that into it as is?
Does it look right to you?

Will a copy & paste into a Terminal do the job?

Short answer -- NO, do not copy and paste into terminal.

You lost spacing when you copied from Zumbruk's post . It should be

~/.bashrc gconftool-2 --set /apps/nautilus/desktop-metadata/directory/icon_view_keep_aligned --type string "false"

.bashrc is a file in his/your home folder.

If you wish to try his fix, In terminal paste this command and hit enter. If you have the file it will open and you can add his fix. If you did not have the file prior to this, you are creating an empty file to which you can add his fix. save and exit. If his fix is good this should correct your problems. Arrange your icons as you wish and test it out by rebooting. If this does not fix it upon reboot, you will need to get someone else to offer their opinion. (It may need to have a script refer to it and be set as a startup application.)

If you want to see if you have the file before you try this: open Nautilus, (the computer icon in your panel), in the left column (under Places) click your home folder, the first entry. press CTRL+h This will show your hidden files, as indicated by the . before bashrc

DISCLAIMER
I do not have the same problem with icons staying fixed/aligned which you and others have expressed, so I have not tried his fix. I so not have the file .bashrc in my home directory, I did create it to confirm my directions to you were correct. BUT, I then deleted it without trying it out, since I am not having the troubles.

Hi Dawdoc,

Thanks for taking the time to provide such a clear, detailed explanation, much appreciated

Anyway, followed you instructions & .bashrc was not on my PC because a empty file opened, next I pasted in the ? fix and saved it

Unfortunately, on reboot, the "Keep Aligned" setting still existed and so I have deleted the code from the newly created .bashrc, in case it causes some unforeseen problems

Thanks again for your help

You could post in the thread where you found that solution and ask if you need to use a script at startup to enable the setting in the .bashrc file.

This is not a Linux Mint/Ubuntu specific issue. It is a long standing bug with implementing Nautilus, the official file manager for the GNOME desktop environment.

'Keep Aligned' option always resets to 'true' after desktop reload
Details, and feedback here: https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=589156

From a user perspective, the ability to organize desktop icons, such that they either snap to a grid, or can be placed freely, and have that functionality remain after a desktop refresh, or an operating system restart, is so very basic, necessary, and frequently used, that it boggles the mind how it could be broken this late in the game in Nautilus/Gnome.

However hard this might be to fix for developers, it must be said that it is very very frustrating for the average user, for whom the desktop is a primary, day to day, organizational interface.

deltaker wrote:This is not a Linux Mint/Ubuntu specific issue. It is a long standing bug with implementing Nautilus, the official file manager for the GNOME desktop environment.

This bug was fixed in Nautilus (3) over a year ago. I'd say that now makes it a Linux Mint specific issue, as it's still present in Mint13.