The System Settings HandbookCopyright © 2007 Richard A. Johnson
This documentation describes system configuration and administration center for your desktop.
Table of Contents
IntroductionThe System Settings provides the user with a centralized and convenient way to configure all of the settings for your desktop.
System Settings is made up of multiple modules. Each module is a separate application, however the System Settings organizes all of these applications into a single location.
Tip
Each System Settings module can be executed individually
See section entitled Running individual System Settings modules for more information.
System Settings groups all of the configuration modules into several categories:
The modules that make up System Settings fall under one of the above categories, making it easier to locate the correct configuration module.
Using System SettingsThis section details the use of System Settings itself. For information on each individual module, please see System Settings Modules.
The System Settings can be started in one of three ways:
By selecting → from the Application Menu.
By pressing Alt+F2 or Alt+Space. This will bring up the KRunner dialog. Type systemsettings, and press Enter.
Type systemsettings & at any command prompt.
All three of these methods are equivalent, and produce the same result.
The System Settings ScreenWhen you start System Settings, you are presented with a window, which is divided into two functional parts.
Across the top is a toolbar. The toolbar provides the user with the ability to go back into the main view from within a module using . You can also find a menu as well as a button which provides you a dialog with alternate view settings.
To search for something within all of the modules, start to type keywords into the search field at the right of the toolbar in the view. When you start typing, a list of matching topics will popup. Select one and only the groups with settings for this keyword are enabled, the other are greyed out.
When the icon window has the focus, you can type the first letter of any module or module group name to select it. Typing this letter again the selection moves to the next match.
Underneath the toolbar is an icon view of the individual modules or module groups that make up System Settings grouped by different categories. By default, if your mouse stays a few seconds over an icon, a tooltip appears, either explaining the purpose of the module or showing the modules in this group.
System Settings Categories and ModulesA brief overview of all categories and their modules:
- Appearance
Global Theme
Plasma Style
Application Style (Application Style, Window Decorations)
Colors
Font (Fonts, Font Management)
Icons
Cursors
- Workspace
Workspace Behavior (General Behavior, Desktop Effects, Screen Edges, Touch Screen, Screen Locking, Virtual Desktops, Activities)
Window Management (Window Behavior, Task Switcher, KWin Scripts, Window Rules)
Shortcuts (Shortcuts, Custom Shortcuts)
Startup and Shutdown (Login Screen (SDDM), Autostart, Background Services, Desktop Session, Splash Screen)
Search (File Search, Krunner, Web Search Keywords)
- Personalization
Notifications
Users
Regional Settings (Language, Formats, Spell Check, Date & Time)
Accessibility
Applications (Default Applications, File Associations, Locations, Launch Feedback)
KDE Wallet
Online Accounts
User Feedback
- Network
Settings (Proxy, Connection Preferences, SSL Preferences, Cache, Cookies, Browser Identification, Windows Shares)
- Hardware
Input Devices (Keyboard, Mouse, Game Controller, Graphic Tablet, Touchpad)
Display and Monitor (Display Configuration, Compositor, Gamma, Night Color)
Audio
Multimedia (Audio CDs, CDDB Retrieval)
Power Management (Energy Saving, Activity Settings, Advanced Settings)
Bluetooth
Removable Storage (Device Actions, Digital Camera, Removable Devices)
- System Administration
System Information
Tip
Use the search field at the top right in view to find all matching modules for a given keyword. Start typing a keyword opens a list of keywords and only the matching modules are enabled.
Configuring System SettingsThe Configure icon in the toolbar allows you to change some System Settings parameters. You can change from Icon View (default view) to Sidebar View. In Sidebar View mode, the welcome page shows the frequently used modules for quick access.
You can also turn off the detailed tooltips by unchecking Show detailed tooltips. You will then get only normal tooltips and not the content of a module group.
Running Individual System Settings ModulesIndividual modules can be run without running System Settings using the command kcmshell5 from the command line. Type kcmshell5 --list to see a list of the available System Settings modules.
Additionally you can start KRunner and start type keywords. When you start typing, a list of matching modules prefixed with System Settings will popup.
The System Settings ModulesIn order to make it as easy as possible, the System Settings has organized options into six categories. Under each category, there are icons grouped together under subcategories. Each icon is called a module. When you double click on a module icon, you will be presented with the options of the module in the main window.
Each module will have some or all of the following buttons:
- Help
This button will provide help specific to the current module. Clicking the button will open KHelpCenter in a new window providing detailed information on the module.
- Defaults
Clicking this button will restore this module to its default values. You must click to save the options.
- Reset
This button will “Reset” the module to the previous settings.
- Apply
Clicking this button will save all changes. If you have changed anything, clicking will cause the changes to take effect.
Note
You must either “Reset” or “Apply” the changes before changing to another module.
If you try to change without saving or resetting your options, you will be asked if you want to save your changes, or discard them.
Credits and LicenseSystem Settings
Program copyright 2007 Benjamin C. Meyer.
Program copyright 2009 Ben Cooksley.
Contributors:
Will Stephenson
(wstepheson AT kde.org)Michael D. Stemle, Jr.
(manchicken AT notsosoft.net)Matthias Kretz
(kretz AT kde.org)Daniel Molkentin
(molkentin AT kde.org)Matthias Elter
(elter AT kde.org)Frans Englich
(englich AT kde.org)Michael Jansen
(kde AT michael-jansen.biz)
Documentation Copyright (c) 2008 Richard A. Johnson (rjohnson AT kde.org)
This documentation is licensed under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
This program is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.