Konqueror tips: enhanced browsing and ftp
How to get more out for Konqueror, KDEs all in one swiss army knife for file management, web browsing, ftp and much more.
- Working with tabs
- Easy scrolling: shift + down
- Easy zooming: shift + mousewheel
- Using smart (gg: keyword) shortcuts
- Advanced FTP and SSH with Konqueror
- Even faster Konqueror preloading
1. Working with tabs
Tabs allow you to have several websites open in a single Konqueror window. This saves screen space and allows you to quickly switch between websites. You can create a new tab with the keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Shift-N or using the mouse by double clicking the 
new tab button or (3.3 only) by clicking on 
free space on the tab toolbar. You can quickly switch between tabs with ctrl-, / ctrl-[ (previous) and ctrl-. / ctrl-] (next) or by (3.3 only) using the mouse wheel on the tab panel. Ctrl-W closes the current tab.
Tip: Change the keyboard shortcuts in Settings -> Configure Shortcuts if you want Ctrl-T to create a new tab like Mozilla.
2. Easy scrolling: shift + down
KDE 3.1 3.2 3.3
To autoscroll a page in Konqueror: Shift + Arrow Direction
| Keyboard shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Shift + Down | Scroll down a page |
| Shift + Up | Scroll up |
| Shift + Left | Scroll left |
| Shift + Right | Scroll right |
| Shift + Arrow Direction | again (and again and again) to increase the speed. Pressing only once gives you reading speed. |
| CTRL | Stop scrolling |
| Arrow | Pressing arrow (any direction) stops scrolling |
| Shift + Arrow reverse direction | slows down fast scrolling |
3. Easy zooming: shift + mousewheel
KDE 3.1 3.2 3.3
To zoom (change font size) a page: Shift + Mousewheel
| Keyboard shortcut | Function |
|---|---|
| Shift + Mousewheel up | Zoom in / Bigger fonts |
| Shift + Mousewheel down | Zoom out / Smaller fonts |
4. Using smart (gg: keyword) shortcuts
KDE 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3
Type gg:kde into your Konqueror location bar and hit enter.
What just happened? Konqueror allows you to define customized URIs for your URLs. In other words, most browsers allow you to type only protocol names, like http:, ftp:, etc., into the location bar. Konqueror allows you to add special, customized names, like gg: or dict:, into the location bar as well, followed by a string to expand. It will expand these based on rules in its "enhanced browsing" database.
Konqueror ships with gg: set up to search Google with any phrase that comes after the gg: (yes, it may contain spaces or other special characters).
To see what enhanced browsing shortcuts are available, or to add your own, go to the menu "Settings" -> "Configure Konqueror..." and choose the "Enhanced Browsing" option.
4.1. Add your own shortcuts
Now, press the 'Add' button. The dialog box for 'Add Search Provider' has four fields. Let's say you want to add 'ACM Digital Library'. Enter the following values:
'Search Provider Name:' 'ACM Digital Library'
'Search URl:' 'http://portal.acm.org/results.cfm?query=\{@}'
'URl Shortcuts:' 'acm,acmdl'
'Charset:' 'Default'.
The '\{@}' is where the string that you type after acm ('acm: yourstring') if placed (the string is suitably URL-encoded).
Similar, to search the Internet Movie Database, 'Add' the following:
'Search Provider Name:' 'Internet Movie Database'
'Search URl:' 'http://us.imdb.com/Find?\{@}'
'URl Shortcuts:' 'imdb'
'Charset:' 'Default'.
To search for XMMS plugins:
'Search Provider Name:' 'XMMS'
'Search URl:' 'http://www.xmms.org/plugins_search.html?mode=search&query=\{@}
'URl Shortcuts:' 'xmms'
'Charset:' 'Default'.
4.2. Other cool Konqueror shortcuts
KDE 3.1 3.2
Konqueror also has some cool shortcuts for local devices.
camera:/ to access your Digital Camera. print:/ is a shortcut the printing system. devices:/ gives you a list of all your cd-players and harddrives.
To read manual and info pages for your local programs:
man:program info:program
Example: man:tar gives you tars manual page.
5. Advanced FTP and SSH with Konqueror
Konqueror is an excellent ftp client. FTP sites are threated just like other folders and filesystems.
Just enter an ftp adress In Konquerors Location bar:
ftp.rtfm.no/pub
To enter ftp-sites who require passords:
ftp://username:password@your.ftp.site.org/some/folder/
Example:
ftp://somedude:wifesname@frp.isp.no
Note: With GNU MC, you can change into ftp-sites with
cd ftp://somedude:wifesname@frp.isp.no/
The same system applies to SSH. Note that the SSH shortcut is called fish:, not ssh.
Example:
fish://somedude:wifesname@frp.isp.no
6. Even faster Konqueror preloading
KDE 3.2, 3.3
Konqueror now uses preloading for faster startup. You can make it start even faster by setting (click the following):
- Settings
- Configure Konqueror
- Performance
- Under "Preloading", set Maximum number of instances to a higher number (2 is good)
- Click "Always try to have at least one prelaoded instance"
The last setting uses more RAM, but makes sure Konqueror instantly pops up even under heavy system load.
