change default file manager

I'm using 32 bit Zorin 8 on a Lenovo T520 thinkpad
I've got "Gnome 2" set under Zorin look changer
I installed Nemo to use instead of gnome's lobotomized Nautilus (what the bleep were they thinking !!).

Currently when I boot up, I have a black desktop with "gnome 2" style panels still visable,
When I run Nemo (or I toggle Tweak Tool "Have file manger handle desktop" to off and reboot), My desktop image, and icons are visible.
Double clicking "Home" on the desktop launches Nemo, but clicking "places/Home Folder" from the "Zorin menu bar", still launches Nautilus.

I was wondering where to go to edit both "Zorin menu bar" used by "gnome 2" look, and the startup file manger options.

PS the forum search threw out every word in my subject as "too common", if I add Nautilus, i got 100 pages of any time someone mentioned only that one word.
It would be nice if you restricted common word exclusion to 3 characters or less, and allowed quoted searches (still rejected my "common words").


Thanks
Ray

Hi Ray, I'm afraid there is no way to get rid of Nautilus - if you did the whole system would collapse! A nice alternative to Nautilus is 'Thunar'

I agree with you on the search element. Unfortunately this is something you might want to take up with the Administrators. I would love to redesign the whole layout in terms of splitting sections into:

Hardware | Printers | Scanners | Multiple hardwares (Printer/Scanners/Copiers) | Wireless Cards and Dongles.

Software | Applications by type

System Tools and Tweaks etc. etc.

Different OS Support too (like ultimateeditionoz.com)

Thanks for the reply (and suggestion)
I'm not trying to get rid of Nautilus, so much as edit some of the zorin defaults.
On Ubuntu 11.04, {right clicking} the menu bar( Applications Places System) on the panel gave me the option to edit menus, now even {super/alt/right click} only allows move, or delete.
Further, the default action for Places on the menu bar launches nautilus, I'd like it to launch my preferred file manager (currently Nemo) instead.


But I will give Thunar a look

Hi, Wolfgang02 fourn a way around this installing 'alacarte'. (It won't let me!) See his post here:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7015&p=33209#p33209

Also, if you are adventurous, install Cairo-Dock by opening a terminal (Menu | Accessories | Terminal) and enter:

Code:

sudo apt-get install cairo-dock

After installation, update the system:

Code:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Reboot the machine and on the cog to the right of the login, left-click to see 'Cairo Dock Open GL' or 'Cairo Dock with effects' - then install 'GnoMenu' and add the 'GnoMenu' add-on to Cairo-Dock - I intend to do a video of this over the Easter break so stay tuned!

Thanks Swarfendor437 (and Wolfgang02 ), that solves the basic menu editing, now I just need to remap Places to launch nemo

Well I found (and edited) ~/.local/share/applications/natilus-folder-handler.desktop
Replaced
exec nautilus %U
with my preferred file manager (nemo)
exec nemo %U

It now launches nemo from the Places portion of the menu bar, but there seems to be a little delay, I gonna mess with parameters and see if I can make it faster.

Great job! Nice to see a fellow 'tinkerer'!

After getting a little sleep, I read the rest of the .desktop file and realized StartUpNotify=true, so it was actually delaying, just to give me a separate "Opening %U" window, then it would launch nemo, but I still had a loading mouse pointer till the "Opening %U" window closed.

Changed it to StartUpNotify=false, and nemo snapped on with a standard mouse pointer.


Recap:
from Gnome 2 look (Zorin Look Changer) menu bar, to change default file manager for Places, edit
/home/your_Home_directory/.local/share/applications/natilus-folder-handler.desktop
and change
exec nautilus %U
with preferred file manager (mine is nemo), the %U passes who is executing (user) to the application
exec nemo %U

If the application isn't the first (or in) your path (locations the system sequentially checks when trying to run a program), you'll need to put the entire path in the exec line:
(examples { /usr/bin/nemo %U } or { /home/Your_Home_directory/some/directory/nemo %U }

And if you don't want a separate "Opening {Username} notification, also change

StartUpNotify=true
to
StartUpNotify=false

Great job! 120 blue jewels for persistence!