Dolphin: Is there a way to disassociate selection mode from F2?

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1

Hello,

Is there any way to stop the selection mode pop on pressing F2?

As I understand the selection mode is intended to aid single-click-to-open-file users. It feels pushed onto double-click users ¯\__(ツ)__/¯.

Operating System: Manjaro Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.7.4
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.29.0
Qt Version: 6.11.1
Kernel Version: 6.18.45-1-MANJARO (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11
Processors: 4 × Intel® Core™ i3-4170 CPU @ 3.70GHz
Memory: 16 GiB of RAM (15.5 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor 1: NVIDIA GeForce GT 730/PCIe/SSE2
Graphics Processor 2: NVIDIA GeForce GT 730/PCIe/SSE2
Graphics Processor 3: Unknown

Dolphin 26.04.3

Thank you for your time and patience!

2

There’s no way of completely disabling selection mode, sadly, and last time I read about it the development team seemed to be strongly against offering the option. It’s also one of my long standing annoyances, but I’ve just accustomed myself to instantly hammering the escape key whenever I accidentally trigger it.

3

sure, simply select something first before you hit F2

otherwise F2 doesn’t know what you want to rename and it throws you into selection mode.

4

Sure, just another little dance in addition to the F2 renaming and the service submenus bugs avoidance dances. Forgive me if I’m not that happy about having to switch focus to do those.

5

Any active file/folder should be renamed, no need to select it first. It goes against long-time UX conventions of file managers, where F2 renames.

6

I love Selection Mode!

However, I have this issue too, and thinking about it, the fact that the main Selection Mode key - SPACEBAR - allows you to do ALL possible file operations (including renaming, obviously), having Selection Mode trigger for specific operations is actually a massive redundancy UX-wise.

I trigger it accidentally at least once a day, so it is something I’ve learned to live with, but I imagine for non-Dolphin users (or lovers like myself) switching to KDE, this can end up being something that drives them away.

After all, the KDE dev team (for Dolphin specifically) did dumb-down Dolphin for a wider audience, so this is another step in that, but one I don’t think Dolphin users would actually have an issue with.

As a compromise, we could make it so that the Selection Mode key can be either modified to a user’s liking or have additional shortcuts. But there is no need for a “Rename Mode”, “Delete Mode”, and whatever other modes exist that I haven’t found by accident yet, which is how I found the three that I know of. :sweat_smile:

Lastly, as I said, the main Selection Mode key allows ALL file operations, and pressing F2 instead just limits the options shown, without actually limiting what can be done.

For instance, if I go into “Rename Mode”, I can still press Delete to remove files. And If I go into “Delete Mode”, I can still press my custom shortcut for a Service Menu script that sends the files to a specific folder. And so on, and so on.

It really is redundant.

PS: I actually just remembered two three other modes:

  • “Copy Mode”: press “CTRL+C” while nothing is selected
  • “Move Mode”: press “CTRL+X” while nothing is selected
  • “Duplicate Mode”: press “CTRL+D” while nothing is selected
7

If I had the choice I’d put it somewhere I’ll never touch, even by accident. The only times I’ve entered “Selection Mode” are by accident, if I want to select things I’ll just hold control while I click things.

8

I cannot tell you how many times this method has failed for me due to my hand getting tired. Selection makes it so you don’t have to hold down anything (neither CTRL or SHIFT) - just click or drag-select what you want to add or remove from the selection.

9

i can appreciate this because i was using plasma for 2yrs before i even knew selection mode was a thing and that was only after someone pointed out that you must have nothing selected and THEN his the space bar (or F2, or ctrl+c…) .

i’ve never had any issue selecting what i want to operate on in advance of doing the thing, and never triggered selection mode by accident.

the whole idea of selection mode just seems assbackwards to me but i’m glad it exists for those who don’t think in the same linear way as i do (or maybe they didn’t come from windows first).

10

In the presentation video, the selection mode was marketed as help for single-click-to-open-file users, and it makes sense. But the selection mode getting in the way of double-click users because it is simpler to not introduce another condition seems - as much as I love KDE - cutting corners.

11

how does it get to be “active” unless you “select” it?

we are using different words to talk about the same thing.

12

Exactly. Current Dolphin behavior goes against UX best practices.

13

Hi, I “open file with single click” user.
But me too, I no need that. Why Dolphin no have settings of selection mode?
+1 for disable selection mode on Dolphin.

Hear, This issue report mean is request disable selection mode of Dolphin.

I know, Some user need this selection mode, Or some user said “I don’t care”.
But some user is really need settings of disable selection mode.
I feel frustrations with popup info of “Selection Mode, ✗Exit Selection Mode, Cancel Renaming..”, And change view area.

So, If “I no need selection mode!” vs “I need selection mode!” vs “I don’t care”,
I think good method is add settings for Dolphin, So “disable selection mode”.

14

Adding to this:
If Selection Mode really is an accessibility option, shouldn’t it be off by default, similar to the new “dwell-click” option?