Home Directory Files: Linux

Setup

To get access to home directory files from off campus, use Konqueror's SFTP (Secure FTP). The Konqueror file/web browser included in most Linux distributions (including Debian, Knoppix, SuSE, Xandros, RedHat, Mandrake, and Lindows) makes accessing a remote directory easy. Konqueror can be found in the KDE desktop environment while desktops such as Gnome can be used in a similar manner.

Connect to the Internet and start Konqueror. Then type in the location bar sftp://username@login.engineering.uiowa.edu (changing username to your user name). Bookmark this location for faster access later. Konqueror will prompt for your user password and also give the option to remember this password in the future.

Now you can preview, edit, delete, drag, and drop the files in your engineering home directory as if they were on your own hard drive. An easy way to view your files is to go to Window | Split View Left/Right. Then Konqueror will look like an advanced FTP client.

linux konqueror ftp window

To save files directly from an application to your engineering home directory, start a KDE application. Then go to Save As | Edit Bookmarks and add ftp://username@login.engineering.uiowa.edu. Now this bookmark can be used like a drive in any KDE application.

linux: saving ftp link

Help

If you have any problems or questions about mapping a drive, please contact the CSS user consultants by phone at 335-5055, or their office in 1253 SC during regular business hours. You can also email questions any time of day to consultant@engineering.uiowa.edu

(Thanks to Matthew Tan Creti for these instructions.)

updated: 27 May 2006