I'm looking for a file manager that can replace Dolphin and allows root access to all files. It's fine if the files are locked down, but I need to be able to unlock and lock them back easily whenever I need. My goal is to experiment with sddm, and I'm ready to reinstall the OS if things go south—breaking and fixing is the best way to learn, right? 😅 Plus, I keep all my important files backed up on an external drive, so I'm prepared for anything!
It seems there should be a better file manager that empowers users without too much hassle. I would also appreciate any tips on accessing files or folders when I don't have permission, but I really want a different file manager to avoid the complicated workarounds I've been encountering. I've already tried reading the Dolphin handbook, fiddling with settings, trying to run Dolphin as an admin, and Google searching for solutions. Unfortunately, using sudo commands often fails, and I've heard some apps can cause problems—they're all on the table, though.
I came across some info that Dolphin had initially begun providing root access but then reversed that decision last year to improve the feature. Honestly, after spending hours searching for a solution, I just want to throw a JPEG into an assets folder for crying out loud. 😩 I'm using Garuda Dragonized Gaming OS with KDE Plasma and have installed chaotic aur with Octopi, plus flatpak & Discover. I'm also getting the hang of GitHub, so that's cool. Thanks in advance! 🙏😄
2 Answers
If you're considering alternatives, I personally find Caja really user-friendly. You can run it as root simply using `$ sudo caja`. If you want to keep using Dolphin, I've found that running it with the command `$ pkexec env DISPLAY=$DISPLAY XAUTHORITY=$XAUTHORITY KDE_SESSION_VERSION=5 KDE_FULL_SESSION=true dolphin` gives you root access too. Just a few different routes to try!
You can actually run Dolphin as root using the command `sudo dolphin`, but it’s generally better to use `dolphin --sudo` instead. I tried it on Debian with KDE, and it worked fine for me. Keep in mind though, if you're using terminal commands, you can also easily place files without much hassle!
Just a heads up, using sudo for graphical applications can be sketchy! You might want to use kdesu instead for a safer option.