[Solved] Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Quick to answer questions about finding your way around Linux Mint as a new user.
Forum rules
There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
BURGER

[Solved] Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by BURGER »

I pressed f3 and now all my desktop icons are gone. I know this is a dumb question, but I honestly can't find online what button to press to get them back. Pressing f3 doesn't bring them back, and the right click menu isn't there.

On Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon. Cinnamon version 3.8.9.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
User avatar
Seadreamer
Level 4
Level 4
Posts: 281
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2016 10:12 pm

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by Seadreamer »

In a normal installation of LinuxMint the F3 key by itself has no function. Something may have been added by another program, or more likely your keyboard has a function key, usually labelled FN that changes the 'function' of the function keys to something else.
Homebrew Intel i7/13700 64gb RAM
LinuxMint 21.2 Cinnamon
Win 10 for games
sleeper12
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 14315
Joined: Thu May 25, 2017 3:22 pm

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by sleeper12 »

Go to Menu, Desktop Settings and make sure the ones you want are checked.
If checked already, try unchecking them and rechecking them again.

If that won't work, can you restore with Timeshift to a time when things worked :?:
User avatar
smurphos
Level 18
Level 18
Posts: 8501
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:18 am
Location: Irish Brit in Portugal
Contact:

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by smurphos »

Try running nemo-desktop in the terminal.
For custom Nemo actions, useful scripts for the Cinnamon desktop, and Cinnamox themes visit my Github pages.
BURGER

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by BURGER »

The icons come back after rebooting, but I'd still like to know how to resolve this issue without having to reboot, for convenience. For example, on Windows I could run explorer.exe to get the desktop back if it crashed and didn't recover.

Seadreamer wrote: Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:47 pm Something may have been added by another program
I don't believe I have installed anything that would modify the function of the f3 key, I haven't yet had the chance to install much as I've only installed Linux Mint a few days ago.

Seadreamer wrote: Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:47 pm more likely your keyboard has a function key, usually labelled FN that changes the 'function' of the function keys to something else.
My fn key appears to be meant to be used in conjunction with the f1-12 keys. For example fn+f7 and fn+f8 lower and increase my volume respectively, but if I press f7 and f8 without fn they do nothing. But you may be right, as pressing fn+f1 causes the computer to sleep, but pressing f1 alone launches firefox for some reason. Pressing f5 makes the desktop icons "blink". Pressing f3 also makes the desktop icons blink at first, but pressing it a few more times causes all the icons to disappear. fn+f3 it opens up thunderbird without any problems. It confounds me though, that a keyboard would have a button that makes the desktop icons disappear.

sleeper12 wrote: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:15 pm Go to Menu, Desktop Settings and make sure the ones you want are checked.
I tried turning them off, then on. Thanks, but it didn't work.

smurphos wrote: Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:33 pm Try running nemo-desktop in the terminal.
Thanks, it works, but disappears as soon as I exit the terminal. I guess I'll have to leave it open, but still, it's better than rebooting, thank you for your help.


Actually, this is interesting, pressing f3 again while the terminal is running nemo-desktop causes it to output an error message, and seems to kill the process. Is it of any use?

Code: Select all

user@user:~$ nemo-desktop
** Message: 05:39:53.597: nemo-desktop: session is cinnamon, establishing proxy
Nemo-Share-Message: 05:39:53.763: Called "net usershare info" but it failed: 'net usershare' returned error 255: mkdir failed on directory /var/run/samba/msg.lock: Permission denied
net usershare: cannot open usershare directory /var/lib/samba/usershares. Error No such file or directory
Please ask your system administrator to enable user sharing.

**
ERROR:../../src/nemo-window-manage-views.c:492:nemo_window_slot_open_location_full: assertion failed: (target_window != NULL)
Aborted (core dumped)
user@user:~$ 
hcentaur13

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by hcentaur13 »

Ctrl + Alt + F1 - F5 gives that what windows names full screnn session

Strl + Alt + F7 or FR8 goes back to the graphical session.
User avatar
smurphos
Level 18
Level 18
Posts: 8501
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:18 am
Location: Irish Brit in Portugal
Contact:

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by smurphos »

BURGER wrote: Tue Dec 11, 2018 6:47 am
Actually, this is interesting, pressing f3 again while the terminal is running nemo-desktop causes it to output an error message, and seems to kill the process. Is it of any use?

Code: Select all

user@user:~$ nemo-desktop
** Message: 05:39:53.597: nemo-desktop: session is cinnamon, establishing proxy
Nemo-Share-Message: 05:39:53.763: Called "net usershare info" but it failed: 'net usershare' returned error 255: mkdir failed on directory /var/run/samba/msg.lock: Permission denied
net usershare: cannot open usershare directory /var/lib/samba/usershares. Error No such file or directory
Please ask your system administrator to enable user sharing.

**
ERROR:../../src/nemo-window-manage-views.c:492:nemo_window_slot_open_location_full: assertion failed: (target_window != NULL)
Aborted (core dumped)
user@user:~$ 

Yep it's useful and I can reproduce the same bug in 19 with the same error message.

As a workaround either avoid pressing F3 whilst focused on the desktop or if you do restart nemo-desktop via the Alt-F2 run dialog.

I've got an inkling this is to do with F3 being the shortcut for dual-pane mode in Nemo in file manager mode and it trying and failing to make a dual-pane desktop. I'll see if I can reproduce in 19.1 as-well (best chance of getting it fixed is in the next release if its still a problem there)
For custom Nemo actions, useful scripts for the Cinnamon desktop, and Cinnamox themes visit my Github pages.
User avatar
smurphos
Level 18
Level 18
Posts: 8501
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:18 am
Location: Irish Brit in Portugal
Contact:

Re: Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by smurphos »

https://github.com/linuxmint/nemo/issues/1946

Already fixed in Nemo 4, upcoming Mint 19.1
For custom Nemo actions, useful scripts for the Cinnamon desktop, and Cinnamox themes visit my Github pages.
BURGER

Re: [Solved] Pressed f3, desktop icons gone

Post by BURGER »

Marked it as [Solved] earlier, but to clarify, restarting nemo-desktop via the Alt-F2 run dialog is the solution I was looking for, thanks.
Locked

Return to “Beginner Questions”