1 Topic by auanta (edited by auanta 2022-08-27 19:26:02)

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Topic: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

some packages like iceweasel-uxp create directoriees I don't want or need, how can I prevent it from creating the Desktop directory on every launch?

2 Reply by throgh

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

Please remember that the forum is NOT an issue-tracker. But therefore also: What kind of directories do you think and speak of? Downloads? You cannot prevent those directories created as the applications demand them, not the packages.

Human being in favor with clear principles and so also for freedom in soft- and hardware!

Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices: For a life of every being full with peace and kindness, including diversity and freedom. Capitalism is destroying our minds, the planet itself and the universe in the end!

3 Reply by zapper

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

auanta wrote:

some packages like iceweasel-uxp create directoriees I don't want or need, how can I prevent it from creating the Desktop directory on every launch?

preferences#general

then click on browse

and you can select wherever you want your downloads to be placed.

as for the .hyperbola folder,

that is where your addons, bookmarks, preferences, etc... are placed.

So its not wise to delete that.

I wasn't sure which you meant, so I thought I should mention both of these things.

Hope this helps.

HyperbolaBSD: The Future of Secure Libre Lightweight Operating Systems!

4 Reply by throgh

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

Yeah, most of the chosen applications have for sure a wide set of configured parameters. Thanks for adding!

Human being in favor with clear principles and so also for freedom in soft- and hardware!

Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices: For a life of every being full with peace and kindness, including diversity and freedom. Capitalism is destroying our minds, the planet itself and the universe in the end!

5 Reply by auanta (edited by auanta 2022-08-27 15:23:40)

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

This isn't really an issue per se, more of a personal customization, as upon launching iceweasel-uxp it creates "Desktop" and "Download" directories respectively in the home directory, and I was able to change the "Download" directory to a preferred one, but I can't figure out how to do that for "Desktop" which for me will always go unused and empty. (Personal preference) The browser makes the assumption that I want this directory, even though it does not use it

$ ls -l Desktop/
total 0

wasn't aware of the difference between applications and packages

6 Reply by dikasp2 (edited by dikasp2 2022-08-27 15:41:25)

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

I see @aunta you might be the perfectionist type smile . is not wrong whatever ideals you might have.
those are standard created by developer for interopability. but of course you are free to make it your way.

maybe try looking into xdg-user-dirs ? you might do some tweaks there

7 Reply by auanta

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

dikasp2 wrote:

I see @aunta you might be the perfectionist type smile . is not wrong whatever ideals you might have.
those are standard created by developer for interopability. but of course you are free to make it your way.

maybe try looking into xdg-user-dirs ? you might do some tweaks there


Yes, indeed! Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out wink

By the way, I can't make an account in the issues.hyperbola.info page, and I was told to hold off on making one for the time being, so sorry if some of my posts should belong in bug reports -- until I eventually can make them

8 Reply by rachad

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

i always run iceweasel-uxp inside firejail and i think if you do that it will prevent it from creating any files,
try this command :

firejail --seccomp --noroot --disable-mnt iceweasel-uxp

this will allow your browser to have access to /home/user/Dowloads only it wont allow it to create or have access to other files in your system

9 Reply by auanta (edited by auanta 2022-08-27 19:25:01)

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

rachad wrote:

i always run iceweasel-uxp inside firejail and i think if you do that it will prevent it from creating any files,
try this command :

firejail --seccomp --noroot --disable-mnt iceweasel-uxp

this will allow your browser to have access to /home/user/Dowloads only it wont allow it to create or have access to other files in your system


OMG! That was on my todo list too -- perfect solution! Thank you wink

10 Reply by throgh

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

Great there is a solution found. smile

Human being in favor with clear principles and so also for freedom in soft- and hardware!

Certainly anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices: For a life of every being full with peace and kindness, including diversity and freedom. Capitalism is destroying our minds, the planet itself and the universe in the end!

11 Reply by auanta (edited by auanta 2022-08-30 18:09:17)

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Re: [solved] packages that created unwanted user directories?

Ah pardon me, even the firejailed iceweasel *still* creates the Desktop directory...

I ultimately find @dikasp2's solution to work, I ran:

$ xdg-user-dirs-update
to generate and edit a config at
$ vim .config/user-dirs.dirs

and changed to these values:
XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="$HOME/downloads"
XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$HOME/downloads"
XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="$HOME/downloads"
XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR="$HOME/downloads"
XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR="$HOME/docs"
XDG_MUSIC_DIR="$HOME/music"
XDG_PICTURES_DIR="$HOME/pictures"
XDG_VIDEOS_DIR="$HOME/videos"

Then I ran xdg-user-dirs-update again,

and I find that if you have any user directories removed, then it will assume you don't want them and will start putting things only in the home directory. And will change the config for you, so you could basically do:


XDG_DESKTOP_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$HOME/downloads"
XDG_TEMPLATES_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_PUBLICSHARE_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_DOCUMENTS_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_MUSIC_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_PICTURES_DIR="$HOME/"
XDG_VIDEOS_DIR="$HOME/"

And now my home folder stays clean! This is a huge win for organization!