The K Desktop Environment

Chapter 3. The Menu Entries

3.1. The File Menu

File->New (Ctrl-N)

This starts a new Document in the editor. If there is a current document with unsaved changes the user is given a chance to save it.

File->0pen (Ctrl-O)

This command opens a file. It does this by means of a dialog box which allows the user to navigate the file system. The dialog operates like a small file manager. Clicking on directories displayed in the central window directs the dialog to enter that directory - displaying its contents. There is an entry/dropdown box which can be used to type in directly the location and name of the file or by clicking the arrow at the side choose from a dropdown list of recently used locations. Below this is a filter which similarly may have data entered directly or chosen from a dropdown list of recent filter types. The filter facility lets only files that meet its specifications be displayed in the central window. If the filter contained text such as *.txt then only files with the txt extension would be visible in the selection window. Below the filter is a status bar giving information about the number of files and subdirectories within the current directory.

The toolbar, which is located at the top of the dialog, has left and right arrow buttons that let the user move back and forth through previously selected directories as well as an up arrow button for moving up the directory tree. The button with the little house takes the user to his or her home directory and the one with the two arrows curved in on each other updates the view of the current directory. The flag button lets the user set a new bookmark at the current directory or go to one that was previously set. The last button on the toolbar allows you to create a new directory, and finally there is dropdown box with a list of some commonly frequented directories.

File->Open Recent

This is a shortcut to open recently saved documents. Clicking on this item opens a list to the side of the menu with several of the most recently saved files. Clicking on a specific file will open it in KWrite - if the file still resides at the same location.

File->Save (Ctrl-S)

This saves the current document. If there has already been a save of the document then this will overwrite the previously saved file without asking for the user's consent. If it is the first save of a new document the save as dialog (described below) will be invoked.

File->Save As

This allows a document to be saved with a new file name. This is done by means of the file dialog box described above in the Open section of this help file.

File->Print (Ctrl-P)

Opens a simple print dialog allowing the user to specify what, where, and how to print

File->New Window

This creates a new window, i.e. a new instance of KWrite. In this way the user can easily work on more than one file at a time with KWrite.

File->New View

This creates a new view of the current document, i.e., a new instance of KWrite (as explained in the previous entry) but containing the same document.

File->Quit (Ctrl-Q)

This will close the editor window, if you have more than one instance of KWrite running, through the New View or New Window menu items, those instances will not be closed.