[SOLVED] KDE, dolphin, "selecting" file with RMB in empty space?

11 days ago by bad1080 to c/linux

i want to be able to delete a file without having to select it first with LMB. this is because i can only select it with RMB when i click on the file name, whereas i am able to select the file with LMB even in the empty space after the filename.

this may not look like an issue in this example but i have a lot of files that are only 3 characters long plus file extension so most of the line is empty space. furthermore i don't understand why the behavior is different in the first place.

is there a setting for this?

edit: dolphin v25.12.3
edit2: apparently this is fixed in a newer version

grill 7 points 11 days ago

I can't believe someone has the same nitpicking problem as me. It has been bugging me for a while now.

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bad1080 5 points 10 days ago

from what i understand now "clicking anywhere" is a special setting but it works for LMB only

somebody said the behavior changes in a newer dolphin version (so you can RMB anywhere too)

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grill 2 points 9 days ago

it's true new version fixes it. Awesome.

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bad1080 1 point 9 days ago

sweet!

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hikimori 6 points 10 days ago

Wtf* is LMN and RMB? Define your acronyms!

*) Wtf := what the fuck

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talkingpumpkin 9 points 10 days ago

left/right mouse button

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manuallybreathing 1 point 10 days ago

RMB

ren min bi, 人民币, aka CNY

:)

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BananaTrifleViolin 3 points 11 days ago

I'm confused - just tested this on my Dolphin and I can right click anywhere (including blank areas and other columns) in the row in Detailed mode, and with or without expandable folders on. I don't need to select it first with LMB. Also if I right click, close the menu and scroll with scroll wheel I can even select multiple items.

I'm using version 26.04.3, and KDE Plasma 6.7.3.

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bad1080 -1 points 11 days ago

thanks, i am on v25.12.3 but no update in discover (distro = kubuntu). so maybe it'll be fixed at some point in the future for me...

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BananaTrifleViolin 0 points 11 days ago

Well just FYI, you could enable the Kubuntu backports to move to the latest version of KDE and it's software?

EDIT: Nm, looks like the version in the backports is from 2025

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brax 1 point 11 days ago

I'm not sure, but I'm shocked to see a fellow Macroblank fan out in the wild! I was pleasantly punked into listening to what I expected to be a sick metal album many years ago and instantly became a fan hahaha.

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ggtdbz 3 points 10 days ago

It’s very unintuitive but Barber Beats and plunderphonics in general are very effective at inspiring me to mess with making music

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bad1080 0 points 11 days ago

remember: "everything is plundered"
https://barbercut.bandcamp.com/

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blackbrook 1 point 11 days ago

For me, left clicking on the empty space doesn't select it. So there must be settings around this stuff.

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bad1080 4 points 11 days ago

the setting is here:

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blackbrook 2 points 10 days ago

Possibly you need to restart dolphin or even log out and back in for a change to this to take effect.

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blackbrook 1 point 11 days ago

Actually, left clicking opens for me it doesn't select. Are you using the double click to open setting?

In my single click to open scenario, I either select by clicking on the plus that appears on the icon on hover, or by clicking and dragging to create a select box (which also requires covering the name, not just empty space).

In configure dolphin->view->details there is a radio button choice between opening files by clicking anywhere on the row or clicking on icon or name. I tried changing it to anywhere but this did not appear to work, I still need to couch in the name.

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blackbrook 1 point 11 days ago

The single vs double click setting is actually not in dolphin config but in plasma settings, general behavior. Not sure if something else in there might influence the behavior you are getting.

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bad1080 0 points 11 days ago

Are you using the double click to open setting?

yes, double click to open

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blackbrook 2 points 10 days ago

When I switched over from windows many years ago the single click to open was the default. I adapted to it very quickly and almost immediately preferred it.

At some point KDE decided to make double click to open the default because they thought users coming from windows would have a hard time learning single click. Personally I think that was a mistake, and urge you to give it a try.

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Shimitar 1 point 11 days ago

In my understanding they put the event in the label containing the file name and not on the row item itself. At least for RMB.

So there is most probably nothing you can do but open an issue on bug tracker and ask for a new feature. Probably though there are technical reasons behind that choice and not just random choice.

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bad1080 -1 points 11 days ago

but it's working fine (and i guess as intended) with LMB (even in the empty space). and that's how it works in windows explorer but it also works with RMB on there.

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trem 5 points 11 days ago

I believe, they chose a different behaviour for RMB, because otherwise you can't right-click the background anymore to create subfolders etc., when you're looking at a folder with lots of files/subfolders inside.

I don't know, if Windows has a solution for this. I certainly wouldn't be surprised, if they don't.

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bad1080 0 points 11 days ago

idk, i made a dedicated "create new folder" button on the title bar in win10

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RiderExMachina 3 points 11 days ago

Or you could remember Ctrl+Shift+N, which also creates a new folder in the current directory

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Bane_Killgrind 1 point 11 days ago

Detail view is probably different from list view, you should check

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bad1080 1 point 11 days ago

these are my view settings, not sure where to change to list view

also found this:
so it is a special setting to open files anywhere... not looking good for RMB (but it explains why it is different from LMB)

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Bane_Killgrind 1 point 11 days ago

The view mode, but never mind you found the option for this behaviour

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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