Installing a Debian file browser

[johne53]

I'm sure that'll seem like a dumb question so here's some background...

A couple of years ago I installed an application (on Windows) called WSL. It allows a Linux distro to run under Windows (Debian, in my case). Back in those early days WSL only supported non-GUI apps but a new version's been released which now allows conventional GUI apps. The problem (of course) is that I don't have any installed  

I'm currently using a command line so I guess my first option should be to install a file browser - so which one would Debian typically use? And how do I install it? I assume I'd need apt-get or apt install or whatever but I'm not sure what to type   

[Jostein]

I'm currently using a command line so I guess my first option should be to install a file browser - so which one would Debian typically use? And how do I install it? I assume I'd need apt-get or apt install or whatever but I'm not sure what to type   

Using the command line? Midnight Commander is probably what you want. I have used it since the 90s and it's so effective that I use it even when using in KDE.

[johne53]

Hmmm... I'd just need to install it via the command line (because I don't have any graphical browser at the moment...)

I was thinking of something more like Nautilus (which I think I once saw in Ubuntu)

[Jostein]

Hmmm... I'd just need to install it via the command line (because I don't have any graphical browser at the moment...)

I was thinking of something more like Nautilus (which I think I once saw in Ubuntu)

Command line:

sudo apt-get install mc

[johne53]

Hi Jostein - I'm looking for a graphical browser. Everything I've seen and read about Midnight Commander suggests that it's character based.

So, working from your example, would something like this work for me:-

sudo apt-get install nautilus

BTW - what's the difference between sudo apt-get install and sudo apt install 

[phfactor]

Just bear in mind that you're not just installing a graphical file browser, you'll be installing the graphic interface elements. So you'll probably see a lot of "depends on" kinds of statements that will inform you of all the files necessary to install in order to have you graphical file browser.

AFAIK, apt-get and apt are synonymous. Anyone?

Yours,
-Paul

[Jostein]

Hi Jostein - I'm looking for a graphical browser. Everything I've seen and read about Midnight Commander suggests that it's character based.

So, working from your example, would something like this work for me:-

sudo apt-get install nautilus

BTW - what's the difference between sudo apt-get install and sudo apt install 

Ah sorry, I misunderstood.

apt is slightly more end-user-friendly than the older apt-get, and will work on almost any scenarios that are related to packages in Debian and the derivates. I use apt-get because the command is so hard programmed in my muscle memory.

[ForrestH]

The problem with graphical browsers is that many of them, like Nautilus and Dolphin and Thunar, are dependent on entire desktop environments. You may want to start with a lighter-duty jobbie like (googlepause) SpaceFM.

[johne53]

Hmmm... it's looking like SpaceFM might already be installed here. If I type apt list the outputted list contains these lines:-

spacefm-common/stable 1.0.6-4 all
spacefm-gtk3/stable 1.0.6-4 amd64
spacefm/stable 1.0.6-4 amd64

However... if I then type spacefm in a bash terminal it reports:- 

-bash: spacefm: command not found

So is there a way to find out where spacefm got installed (and then launch it) ??

Or are the above lines telling me that it's available to be installed, rather than actually installed 

[ForrestH]

apt list spacefm # shows availability
apt policy spacefm # shows installation status