I don't want my home directory to be my Gnome desktop

[Colin Paul Adams]

So I do:
Applications->System Tools->Configuration editor

And then I go to apps->nautilus->preferences

But the option:

desktop_is_home_dir

although set to false (the checkbox is not ticked) appears as ticked
in the icon on the left (in the name column).

and consequently I see all my sub-directories on the dektop (which
makes it far too crowded).

Do I need to check the permissions of ~/Desktop, or is there some
other option that needs changing?

[Tim]

On Fri, 2007-11-02 at 18:04 +0000, Colin Paul Adams wrote:
> although set to false (the checkbox is not ticked) appears as ticked
> in the icon on the left (in the name column).

I'm not sure about your problem as you're working on the right area to
fix it, but that ticked icon just indicates that it's a boolean *type*
of option, not that it's been enabled.  You'll see the same for other
boolean options (that tickbox icon).

Other options where you type in strings of characters have a "letter a"
in the icon, and ones where you can put in a list of things have a
"series of bullet points" icon.
> permissions of ~/Desktop

[tim@suspishus ~]$ ls -ld ~/Desktop/
  drwxr-xr-x 2 tim tim 4096 2007-10-26 02:32 /home/tim/Desktop/

There might be another setting that says "~/Desktop/" is the particular
directory to be used, but I don't find it quickly searching now.

[Colin Paul Adams]

> > > > > "Tim" == Tim   writes:

Tim> On Fri, 2007-11-02 at 18:04 +0000, Colin Paul Adams wrote:
    >> although set to false (the checkbox is not ticked) appears as
    >> ticked in the icon on the left (in the name column).

Tim> I'm not sure about your problem as you're working on the
    Tim> right area to fix it, but that ticked icon just indicates
    Tim> that it's a boolean *type* of option, not that it's been
    Tim> enabled.  You'll see the same for other boolean options (that
    Tim> tickbox icon).

OK. Thanks for that explanation.

>> permissions of ~/Desktop

Tim>   [tim@suspishus ~]$ ls -ld ~/Desktop/ drwxr-xr-x 2 tim tim
    Tim> 4096 2007-10-26 02:32 /home/tim/Desktop/

Mine was group-writeable. I turned that off, but I doubt if it makes
any difference.
Actually, nothing seems to make a difference except after initial
login. I'll see what it looks like next time I log out.

[Joe Smith]

Colin Paul Adams wrote:
> ...
> and consequently I see all my sub-directories on the dektop (which
> makes it far too crowded).
> ...

Check the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs

I'm not sure if/how that file connects with the GUI settings, but that's 
where the config is stored, so changes there take precedence. You have 
to logout/login to see any change.

<Joe

[Colin Paul Adams]

> > > > > "Joe" == Joe Smith  writes:

Joe> Colin Paul Adams wrote:
    >> ...  and consequently I see all my sub-directories on the
    >> dektop (which makes it far too crowded).  ...

Joe> Check the file ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs

Joe> I'm not sure if/how that file connects with the GUI settings,
    Joe> but that's where the config is stored, so changes there take
    Joe> precedence. You have to logout/login to see any change.

Thank-you Joe. That proved to be the key.