Can't put anything on the desktop

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Stosskraft
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Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:54 pm

Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Stosskraft »

ok stupid question for the day... I cannot put anything on my desktop. For examples icons or download photos!!! If I go to places-desktop then I will see the photos, but if I drag them to the actual desktop...they fly away?.

Is there a setting in gnome to enable stuff to be put on the desktop.... I am using Mint 9 / gmone

thank you
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Old Ruler
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Location: Shropshire, UK.

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Old Ruler »

places-desktop is the the Gnome desktop, except that some files are 'previewed' when you go to that place in your file manager (which is what you do when you click Desktop in Places. I'm not explaining this very well). That would explain why you can't drag the files from the file manager to the desktop. Where you're dragging from is the same as where you're dragging to!

If you want an application launcher (icon) on your desktop; try dragging one from /usr/share/applications/

If you want to see photos on it, you'll need to use some kind of picture frame desklet (I don't use Gnome myself). Or use Mint KDE which has the very nice 'Picture Frame' widget by Anne-Marie Mahfouf, which can even do slideshows of folder contents...
unexistance

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by unexistance »

Hi,

Can you see any icons on your desktop after boot-up?

Regards,
Stosskraft
Level 3
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Posts: 138
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Stosskraft »

no I can see any icons, even if I try dragging one from the menu it goes back..like if is being kicked offed? I know it sounds funny :shock:
Stosskraft
Level 3
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Posts: 138
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Stosskraft »

hello, I still cant put anything on the desk top. Any photos or files I drag to it will go back to the original place..strange... I tried playing with tweak settings but no difference.
Old Marcus

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Old Marcus »

I had this issue on an earlier mint release, I think I eventually just reinstalled the system to fix it. Sounds drastic I know, but I couldn't find any other solution.
Stosskraft
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Stosskraft »

oh really? Its not that big, just weird because it didn't happen on the desktop I had. Anyway, might try the next release in KDE if the sound is not such a bugger hehehe
LongRider

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by LongRider »

Have you tried using the "copy to desktop" function in Nautilus?

Menu > Computer Then navigate to a folder that has a picture in it, right click the picture and choose "copy to > Desktop"
It should put a copy on your desktop.

If not you may need to check your permissions for your home directory:
Menu > Computer > File System Double click on the Home folder. Your <username> folder should be in there. Right click on it and select properties, then click the permissions tab. Everything should be under your <username> and should have Read,Write, Execute permissions for the owner (you).

If you have made any changes to your user or home directory as root it may taken them over as root and thus you would not have permission to put anything on your desktop.

Just a thought.....
Stosskraft
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Posts: 138
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 7:54 pm

Re: Can't put anything on the desktop

Post by Stosskraft »

Hello, I have tried both of your suggestions and nothing happens. I changes the settings in the home folder and then tried the copy to - but nothing is showing on the deskto

Not a big problem (like no brightness control) but this is the first time I have this problem with Mint/Ubunt

Thanks anyway
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