Change file manager side panel order

As a windows user for almost 20 years I'm pretty used to the folder order in the windows file explorer.
The Gnome file manager doesn't seem to have an option to rearrange the folder order on the side panel.

Is there any possibility to change it (and remove the "Recent" and "Starred" folders)?

I found this post about changing the folders: Change file managers (Nautilus) sidebar

But both of these files

sudo gedit ~/.config/user-dirs.dirs
sudo gedit /etc/xdg/user-dirs.defaults 

a) don't seem to consider the order of the folders - they're differently arranged in the file than they're displayed
b) aren't listing the "Recent" nor the "Starred" folders/buttons (deleting them isn't that important though)

Here's how I'd like to arrange them
image

Does anyone know how to change that?
Thank you very much in advance! :slight_smile:

2 Likes

Over the years, there have been many guides on removing the Starred (Favorites) and Recent entries from the Nautilus file manager. And over the years, they stop working as Gnome Developers change Nautilus so that users cannot customize this... It is not what Gnome Wants.

The default view is Alphabetical order. Changing this would require either recoding Nautilus and then recompiling it, or making use of symlinks and renaming the folders in a complex way.
I would not recommend either.

The Gnome developers have a very Microsoft-like view of the users and are highly likely to revert user changes. Upgrades are likely to conflict or interfere with a recompiled Nautilus or experience other bugs. The second method is complex and likely to lead to worse troubles.

I realize I may seem a little hard on Gnome here, but after reviewing their code and their changes over the last few years; I am far beyond cutting them any slack whatsoever.

All that said:
What you are looking to do is pretty non-standard and I suspect that just about any file manager may not be able to easily customize the treeview folder order.

1 Like

I see. Well, that's kind of sad to read.
But it can't be helped then I suppose. Gotta get used to it that way.
Thank you for your answer!

A Question: How did you got this ''Schreibtisch'' Entry under ''Persönlicher Ordner''? I tried to have that too but I don't get it.

Not wanting to answer the Question for cormax, but I think the menu picture was "how I'd like to arrange them", not how I have arranged them.

I understand the Picture so that on the left Side is the default Look and on the right side the Way he/she wants to have it. And in both is this Entry.

That's actually just how it looks for me. I didn't change anything there. That's why I was asking. :sweat_smile:
Does it look different for you?

Yes it looks different. I don't have the Schreibtisch Entry:

And I find that bad. The only Thing that works for me was to move the Schreibtisch-Icon from the right to the left at the bottom where You can add Places. But IN the other Categories I didn't got that.

That's weird.
If you take a look in the files I referred to in the main post, isn't the desktop mentioned there?

The user-dirs.dirs file looks like this:

XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="$HOME/Schreibtisch"
XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$HOME/Downloads"
XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="$HOME/Vorlagen"
XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR="$HOME/Ă–ffentlich"
XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR="$HOME/Dokumente"
XDG_MUSIC_DIR="$HOME/Musik"
XDG_PICTURES_DIR="$HOME/Bilder"
XDG_VIDEOS_DIR="$HOME/Videos"

and the user-dirs.defaults file like this:

DESKTOP=Desktop
DOWNLOAD=Downloads
TEMPLATES=Templates
PUBLICSHARE=Public
DOCUMENTS=Documents
MUSIC=Music
PICTURES=Pictures
VIDEOS=Videos

I read you can kick those entries out by commenting them with #.
Does desktop not show up there for your?

To remove Recents open Settings > Privacy > File History & Trash Bin > disable File History. For Starred I don't know :person_shrugging::smile:. Since it's a common folder that Nautilus shows in the left panel if you remove it it may disappear from the panel, or leave an ugly blank button :expressionless:.

2 Likes

That's at least something. Thank you very much. :slight_smile:

1 Like

It look exactly like Yours. There is nothing comment out. The only Thing that I could imagine is that it is because I use Wayland.

@Aravisian, could you recommend a good file manager that would allow customization?

I have my eye on Thunar, as it allows some customization (not sure if it allows/provides what the OP is looking for).

I also like that it does not hide menus and is more traditional looking.

Yeah, that's it.
I changed to wayland and now it's gone:
image

Weird. How's that affecting that? ;D

1 Like

THAT is a good Question.

After a Look in my Crystal Globe I say @Aravisian will call Nemo (Cinnamon File Manager).

2 Likes

Yes, I would agree that Nemo is the most customization-friendly. I have made it look exactly like Nautilus using its built in settings, even.

3 Likes

Nice - will give Nemo a shot. Thanks to you both!

1 Like

There is also:
Thunar
Dolphin
and many others file managers if the default one doesn't suit you.

1 Like

Definitely - I have used (and prefer) Dolphin on my KDE VMs. Such a powerful tool once you enable dual panes and the prompt at the bottom.