[Guia] Dicas para KDE 4

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How to Integrate Google Gadgets With Plasma in KDE4

Posted May 18th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

When Google Gadgets were released for Linux, many people once again praised Google’s support of free and open source software, but there was just one problem. The two major desktop environments for Linux, GNOME and KDE, both already had desktop widget components that were better integrated into their overall desktops. Fortunately, the Google developers were well aware of this and built in the interoperability that would allow the GNOME and KDE developers to seamlessly integrate the two.
With the release of KDE 4.2, Google Gadgets became fully integrated into Plasma. You can add them to your desktop with a few clicks of your mouse, unless you happen to be a Kubuntu user. For reasons that are outside the scope of this article, Kubuntu developers decided to remove the Google Gadget code from Plasma. Being the stubborn hackers that we are, however, we are going to get them back. This will require a little compiling of software, but I will walk you through each step.
All of these steps assume that you have the latest Kubuntu version 9.04 “Jaunty Jackalope”. It might work with earlier versions, although I make no guarantees.
The good news is that the Google Gadgets libraries are still in the kdebase source. You just have to rebuild the kdebase-workspace package.
1. The first thing that I recommend doing is creating a working directory:
Start Konsole and type:
mkdir kde4-build
cd kde4-build

2. Install the Google Gadgets library packages:
sudo apt-get install libggadget-qt-1.0-dev
sudo apt-get install libggadget-1.0-dev

3. Install the kdebase-workspace source package and its dependencies:
sudo apt-get source kdebase-workspace
sudo apt-get build-dep kdebase-workspace

4. Next, you will need to configure the kdebase-workspace source to prepare it for building:
cd kdebase-workspace-4.2.1a
cmake .

5. You only need to compile the Google Gadgets script engine portion:
cd plasma/scriptengines/google_gadgets
make

6. Finally, just copy the Google Gadget binaries to their proper locations:
sudo cp ../../../lib/plasma_package_ggl.so /usr/lib/kde4/
sudo cp ../../../lib/plasma_scriptengine_ggl.so /usr/lib/kde4/
sudo cp plasma-packagestructure-googlegadgets.desktop /usr/share/kde4/services/
sudo cp plasma-scriptengine-googlegadgets.desktop /usr/share/kde4/services/
sudo cp plasma-applet-ggl-photos.desktop /usr/share/kde4/services/
sudo cp plasma-applet-ggl-rss.desktop /usr/share/kde4/services/

7. Restart KDE
When you log back into KDE, you should now have support for Google Gadgets.
8. Open the add widgets dialog as you normally would, click on “Install New Widgets”, and then click “Download New Google Gadgets”.

When you add Google Gadgets from the Gadget Browser, they will appear in the normal Plasma dialog, which you can then use to add to your desktop. If, for some reason, you do not see all 61 gadgets, you might need to start Google Gadgets independently once, close it, restart plasma, and then try again.
That is all it takes to get Google Gadgets up and running in Plasma on Kubuntu Jaunty.

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The Many Ways to Copy, Move, Rename, and Archive in KDE 4

Posted October 12th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

In my last post, I covered some of the features in Dolphin that I find particularly useful. In this post, you will learn about some very basic features that everyone uses, but you may not know all of the various easy methods of accomplishing them. In KDE, there are several ways to copy, move, rename, and archive files. Let’s take a look at a few them.


Copy/Move

KDE is a typical graphical interface, and lends itself to dragging and dropping. If you want to copy or move a file quickly, just drag it from one folder to another. With Dolphin, press F3 to bring up a split window, Control-N to open a whole new window, or Control-T to open a new tab. You can also drag files to any point in Dolphin’s breadcrumbs, to a folder on the Places panel, or to a Folderview on your desktop.You can also drag images from your web browser to a folder, if your browser supports it (both Konqueror and the latest Firefox do).

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When you let go of the button after dragging, KDE gives you an options window: Move here, Copy here, Link here, Cancel. You will also notice shortcut keys listed beside each. If you hold the shortcut key while dragging a file, it will automatically choose the corresponding action. “Link here” creates a symbollic link to your file, rather than copying or moving it.
Another way to copy or move is to use shortcut keys. Simply select the files you want to copy and press Control-C, or select the files you want to move and press Control-X. Then, paste them in the new location, just like pasting text in a word processor, by pressing Control-V.
Another feature that many found useful in KDE 3 is the “Copy to…” context menu. To enable this:
1. Click “Settings” and “Configure Dolphin”
2. Click “General”
3. Click “Context Menu”
4. Check “Show ‘Copy To’ and ‘Move To’ commands.
Now, when you right click on a file, you will notice the “Copy To” option in the menu. Navigate through the menu to the place where you want to copy the file and click “copy here”. The same method will work for “Move To”.


Rename

There are three easy ways to rename a file:
1. Select the file and then click “File” and “Rename…”.
2. Right click on the file and click “Rename…”
3. Selet the file and press F2.


Batch Rename

There are times when you might need to rename multiple files at once. KDE makes it easy.

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1. Select all the files you want to rename.
2. Press F2.
3. It will ask for a new name: “New name # (# will be replaced by ascending numbers).
4. Leave the “#” and enter the prefix you want for each filename.


Archives

To create an archive in KDE:
1. Select the files you want to archive.
2. Right click and click “Compress”.
3. Select the type of archive: ZIP, RAR, or ZIP/TAR

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By default, when you click on an archive, Dolphin will open it in Ark archive manager. In previous versions of KDE, you could navigate into the archive as if it were a folder. To enable this feature:
1. Click “Settings” and “Configure Dolphin”.
2. Click “Navigation”.
3. Check “Open archives as folder”.
To extract an archive:
Right click and click either “Extract Archive Here – Autodetect Subfolder, Extract Archive To, or Extract Archive Here.”
The “autodetect subfolder” will create a subfolder for the archive if one is not already present inside of it. This will keep your archived files from mixing in with your other files.
As you can see, KDE makes it easy to manipulate your files, and there are many methods to get work done.

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Master Dolphin in KDE 4

Master Dolphin in KDE 4

Posted October 5th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

Dolphin is KDE 4’s default file manager, and is a departure from KDE 3, which relied on Konqueror for file management. Unlike Konqueror, which functions as a web browser and many other things, Dolphin is specifically used for file management. If you prefer to use Konqueror or any other file manager, you can change the KDE settings to use it by default.
Dolphin is intended to be a simplified file manager, stripping away some of the common Konqueror file management features. Many of the features can be re-enabled, and some new features are unique to Dolphin. Here is a basic guide to all things Dolphin.

Breadcrumbs vs. Location Bar

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Konqueror has a web-browser-style location bar that allows you to type in the file path you want to reach. Dolphin introduced a feature to KDE called breadcrumbs. Each folder in a path hierarchy is a button that you can use to navigate back any number of steps. If you prefer the location bar method or ever need to type a path in directly, move your mouse to the end of the path until the mouse pointer turns into a cursor selection. Then, just click. To revert back, click the check. You can also turn the location bar on by default in the settings. To toggle back and forth, you can also use Ctrl+L.

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View Modes

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There are three view modes in Dolphin, just like Konqueror: icons, details, and columns. Use shortcuts to switch between them: Ctrl+1, Ctrl+2, and Ctrl+3, or click “View” and choose the view mode you want.

Panels

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A new feature introduced in Dolphin is the panel. There are four possible panels: Places, Folders, Information, and Terminal. There are three settings, and you can display all three, two, one, or even none of them. You can also drag the panel to either side of the window or stack two on top of each other. To add all three to the same panel, right click and check the ones you want to appear. Tabs will appear allowing you to cycle through them.
The Places panel gives you clickable links to the folders you specify. To add a folder, just drag it over to the Places panel. Once it is there, you can edit it or remove it. Alternatively, to add a folder, right click on it and click “Add to Places“. Dolphin is integrated with other KDE applications, and the “places” you set in Dolphin will be available in file open and save dialogs in other applications.
Press F4 to bring up a terminal panel at the bottom of the window. It will automatically be set at the point where you currently are in Dolphin. Anytime you navigate to a different location within dolphin, the terminal will change to that directory. This is very useful if you have navigated through several folders and need to do some terminal work there. Instead of having to type in the full path, it will take you there.

File Associations

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When you click on a file, does it open the application you want? In a previous post, I explained how to change file associations in KDE, but Dolphin also allows you to do this on the fly. For example, suppose you have three video players installed, and VLC is set to default. But when you click on Quicktime files, you want SMplayer to open instead. Simply right click on the file, click properties, and then click the wrench icon to the far right of the current file type description. This will open up the normal file associations dialog that you would get through the longer process of going through System Settings, but the changes will still be applied to all files of that type.

Ultimately Dolphin is a preference, and some will still prefer the more powerful Konqueror. Others will appreciate have a file manager separate from their browser. There are many other features to try with Dolphin. Experiment and try new things. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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How to Get The Most Out Of KDE4’s Folderview Widget

How to Get The Most Out Of KDE4’s Folderview Widget

Posted May 8th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

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One of the most innovative and simultaneously controversial features of KDE 4 is the Plasma widget, Folderview. Simply put, it allows a user to display the contents of a file system folder within a widget on the desktop.
Beyond just displaying files on your computer, Folderview can be used to launch applications, display remote file systems, filter large folders for particular types of files, or serve as a traditional desktop.


Application Launcher

Folderview is a great way to display icons of the applications you use most on the desktop, in an organized fashion. Instead of having them mixed in with documents, shortcuts, and various other icons like on traditional desktops, they can be in their own box. I prefer to have mine in a long rectangle stretched across the length of my panel. Here is how to do it:

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1. Create a new Folderview widget by right clicking on the desktop and unlocking your widgets (if necessary). Then, click “Add widgets”. Another easy way to create a Folderview is to simply drag an existing folder to the desktop.
2. Find the Folderview widget and drag it onto the desktop wherever you want it to be. You can also resize it however you like. Even if you want it very small, a scroll bar will appear if there is more than one icon.
3. It will have most likely displayed your desktop files by default. So, you will need to change the location. Right click on the Folderview titlebar and click “Folderview settings”.

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4. From the settings, you can “specify a folder”. Instead of choosing a folder you already have, create a new one called “Apps” or “Applications”. Click “OK”.
5. Now, to get application icons into your Folderview, all you have to do is drag icons from your K-menu. It will ask you to copy or link. Click “copy”. You can also open Dolphin and go to “programs:/”. This will list all of the programs in your menu. You can then drag them to Folderview.
The names of the application icons will have the “.desktop” extension. If you find this unsightly, as I did, simply rename the files, deleting the “.desktop”. You are then left with a nice, neat, desktop application launcher.


Remote File Systems

Nearly all KDE applications can utilize its kio-slave technology, and Plasma is no exception. With it, you can seamlessly connect to other computers with FTP, SSH, and Samba. To connect to an FTP server, you simply type:
ftp://[email protected]
For a secure connection, use sftp instead of ftp. For Samba, use smb.
To use this feature in Folderview in order to have an open connection to a remote computer visible on your desktop, just edit the Folderview settings and specify the URL.


Filtering Folders

Suppose you have a folder filled with documents, but you only want OpenDocument Text (.odt) files to be visible. It is easy with Folderview:
1. Open the Folderview setings
2. Click “Filter”
3. Click “Show Files Matching” from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on the file types of your choice.
You can also use this to exclude certain file types by selecting “Hide Files Matching” from the drop-down menu.


Traditional Desktop

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If you prefer to have a traditional desktop as found in KDE 3, Gnome, Windows, and Mac OS X, Folderview can help with that too.
1. Right click on the desktop.
2. Click “Appearance Settings”.
3. The first drop-down menu says “Type” next to it. Click it and change it from “Desktop” to “Folder View”.
After you click OK, the Folderview will have expanded over the entire desktop and will behave like it did in KDE 3.
The uses and features of Folderview are only limited by the uses and features of KDE. As KDE 4 continues to mature, Folderview will continue to grow into a useful and powerful desktop tool.

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A Quick and Easy Guide to KDE KIO slaves

A Quick and Easy Guide to KDE KIO slaves

Posted August 17th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

One of the many ways KDE makes our lives easier is by providing graphical interfaces for many of the tasks that computer users want to perform. Web browsers typically accept certain protocols that connect them to resources, such as http, https, and ftp. In KDE, these are called KIO slaves, and nearly all KDE applications can interact with them.
What makes KDE unique is that there are over 50 KIO slaves available for use. These include everything from basic file management (file:/directoryname) to remote network management (remote:/). I have selected a few notable KIO slaves to demonstrate how they are used and have also included a list of useful ones at the end of this post.

1. applications:/ and programs:/

Both of these KIO slaves show a user the available applications on a computer. They are arranged in categories just like the K-menu, and you can navigate through the hierarchy simply by clicking on category icons until you reach the program you want to start. This is handy for people who have trouble with menus or prefer not to use them. It is also convenient when you want to start multiple programs from the same category. You can use this protocol in both Konqueror and Dolphin file manager.
2. fish:/

Fish is a powerful network tool that allows you to connect to a remote computer via SSH. In order to connect, enter a string like the following into the navigation bar of Konqueror or Dolphin:
fish://username@hostname

It will prompt you for a password and even give you the option to save it. You can then manipulate, copy, and delete files on that computer as if it were a folder in your own file system. If you frequently connect to the same remote computers, however, KDE offers an even more powerful protocol called remote:/.
3. remote:/

With the remote KIO, you can setup multiple network connections and save them for later use. To start a new connection:
1. Enter remote:/ into the navigation bar in Dolphin or Konqueror.
2. Click “Add Network Folder”
3. You then have a choice of webdav, ftp, Microsoft Windows network drive, or ssh. Choose the one you want.
4. Enter the connection name, server, username, and password information as requested.
5. Click “Save & Connect”.
By default, it will create an icon with the connection name you chose. Anytime you want to connect to that remote computer again, just click on the icon.
4. man:/

Linux and other Unix-like operating systems have hundreds of commands with very complex settings that can be manually applied from the command line. A beginner will probably not need most of them, but if you find yourself needing to enter a command line string but are not sure how, you will need to read the command’s “man” (manual) page.
If you want to see the manual for the “fsck” command, you would normally open a terminal and type:
man fsck

With KDE, you can get a nice browser interface to the man page without searching for it online. In the Konqueror navigation bar, just type
man:/fsck

5. bookmarks:/

If you are like me, you do not like having to navigate through the menus of your huge collection of website bookmarks. Konqueror provides a nice interface for viewing your bookmarks. Just type:
bookmarks:/

The only drawback with this is that it assumes you use Konqueror as your browser.
KIO slaves not only work with Dolphin and Konqueror. For example, if you want to edit a PHP file on a remote server, you can enter the fish:/string directly into the “open file” dialog of Kate. It also works indirectly. You can open a remote connection in Dolphin, right click on a remote file, and open in a live editing window. When you are finished, click Save, and the remote file is changed. You can also initiate many KIO slaves through krunner (Alt-F2) The possibilities are numerous and rewarding.
Here are some other useful KIO slaves:

• tar:/, zip:/, gzip:/, bzip:/, bzip2:/ all allow you to navigate into archives like they are folders.
• fonts:/ shows installed fonts
• cgi:/ runs cgi programs without a webserver
• finger:/ provides information about a host name where “finger” is enabled.
• settings:/ is similar to applications:/ providing an alternative method of accessing system settings.
• smb:/ accesses and browses Samba shares. This is also available through remote:/
• sftp:/ is a secure file transfer over SSH.
• desktop:/ shows the files inside the desktop folder.
• trash:/ shows the contents of the trash can.

A full list of working KIO slaves and some still under development is available by starting KInfoCenter in KDE.

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Configure Custom Shortcuts in KDE

How to Configure Custom Shortcuts in KDE

Posted September 28th, 2009 by Tavis J. Hampton in Linux

Perhaps Mac users know this better than anyone else. Shortcut keys do exactly what they say, give you shortcuts, saving you time. On my previous computer, my “C” key had worn off the keyboard because I spent so much time copying with “Ctrl-C” rather than going to the menu each time to select “copy”. Whether you are starting an application or cycling through virtual desktops, Linux users tend to love shortcut keys just as much.
In KDE, shortcut keys are customizable for each and every application, and you can also customize global shortcuts that affect the desktop, window manager, command interface, and other features. What follows is a brief guide to using KDE shortcuts, but first I am going to press “Ctrl-S” to save my work.


Global Shortcuts

1. To start the KDE shortcut configuration, find System Settings in the menu, or press “Alt-F2″, type “systemsettings“, and press enter.
2. Click “Keyboard & Mouse” in the Computer Administration section.
3. Click “Global Keyboard Shortcuts“.
4. Select the KDE component you wish to edit. For example, select “Run Command Interface” to edit Krunner settings.
5. Click on an action, and it will expand a section showing you the default shortcut and the option to make a custom one.
6. Select “Custom” and then click the button next to it.
7. It will then wait for you to press a key or keystroke combination. If the shortcut is already assigned, it will warn you about that. Otherwise, it will assign the new shortcut key.
8. Click Apply.
Application Shortcuts

Another handy shortcut feature of KDE is that you can assign shortcuts to an application or command. The example I am going to demonstrate solved a problem for me. I have a Mac Pro, but I Linux on it as my main OS. The CD-ROM/DVD drive has no button to open it. That is controlled by the keyboard, which worked fine when I used an Apple keyboard. When I got tired of the Apple keyboard and bought one I liked better, I needed to assign a key for opening the CD tray.

1. Right click on the K-Menu icon on the panel.
2. Click “Menu Editor”
3. Find the application you want to edit or click the “new” button to add a new command (For new commands, follow the normal procedures for adding a command to the menu).
4. Click the “Advanced” tab.
5. Where it says “Current shortcut key”, click the button next to it.
6. Enter the key combination you want. For my eject command, I used “Fn-F10″.
7. Click “Save”.
Finally, whenever you are in a KDE application, you can assign shortcuts by doing the following:
1. In the application’s menu, click “Settings”.
2. Click “Configure Shortcuts”.


With application shortcuts, you have the option of assigning alternates so that two different shortcuts can execute an action. You can also assign a global shortcut to an application that will work even when another application has focus. For example, you can set media controls, such as volume, to be controlled even when you are not in KMix. You can export any of your shortcut settings and import them on another computer, giving you the ultimate flexibility.

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5 System Administration Tools for KDE

5 System Administration Tools for KDE

Keeping any computer system running can be some work. It would be nice if we never had to do any type of maintenance or troubleshooting, but no operating system has reached that point. Many desktop Linux users have server administration experience and are quite comfortable dropping to the command line and tinkering with their system. Not only do they know how to do this, it is the method that makes them comfortable.
For those users who use a desktop operating system and expect a graphical experience, opening a terminal window is not a normal thing to do. That does not mean they are incapable of learning it. They are just more comfortable with a visual interface.
There are many control panel tools and settings dialogs in KDE that make it easier for graphical-minded users to get things done. Here are five stand-alone applications that will help you stay informed about your computer’s status and health.

1. KInfoCenter

It is just what it says. It provides users with information about their systems. There are categories for graphics cards, PCI devices, memory, CPU, and many others. If you are ever unsure about what devices you have or what system settings you currently have, KInfoCenter is a good place to start.

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2. KDiskFree

This is a very useful tool for those of us who manage to fill up our hard drives rather quickly. You can monitor disk usage on both fixed drives and currently connected removable ones.

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3. KDE Partition Manager

Need to format a drive, resize a partition, or create a swap partition? KDE Partition Manager can do it all. It depends on the trusted disk “Parted” libraries, so users can know they are getting reliable results

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4. KSystemLog

Linux documents every major occurrence on your system. You just have to know where to look for that documentation. For convenience, KSystemLog will collect that information for you and display it in a window, all with the click of a button. KSystemLog monitors your log files, updating them periodically. It currently supports system log, kernel log, authentication log, daemons’ logs, CUPS (printer) log, X.org log, and others.

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5. Ksysguard

KDE 4 includes a handy little task manager that you can access by pressing Control+Escape or by clicking the button on Krunner. For those of us who used KDE 3, however, we need something a little more robust. Ksysguard monitors processes, provides stats, and includes graphs, updated in real time. Processes and programs can be monitored, filtered, and killed, when necessary. As with previous versions, users can add new tabs, placing customized sensors on each tab. Sensors include CPU cores, uptime, partition usage, log files, memory, and much more.

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There are many others tools that can make your Linux experience easier. If you have a favorite, feel free to post it in the comments. For me, after having worked as a Linux system admin for many years, I still occasionally love to open up Konsole and hack away the command line.

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How to customize your KDE desktop with KDE-Look.org

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KDE-Look.org is part of a family of desktop websites, all under the umbrella of OpenDesktop.org. With each release, KDE is moving closer to complete integration with OpenDesktop.org, where the installation of new themes and visual improvements are seamless.


There are already several visual components of the K desktop environment that are already integrated. Among them are: desktop wallpaper, Plasma themes, KDM themes, KSplash, color schemes, icon themes, emoticons, and widgets (plasmoid scripts). What this means is that a user can open the dialog to change one of these elements, download new themes, and apply them without ever having to leave the window.


Installing themes

For example, to install a new wallpaper for your desktop, follow these simple steps:


1. Right click on the desktop.
2. Click “Desktop Settings”. (The shortcut for these steps is Alt+S+D).
3. At the bottom of the settings window, click “Get New Wallpapers”
By the default, the source will be KDE-Look.org. In the future, there may be other sources.
4. Find the wallpaper you want and click the “Install” button to the right of it. You may install as many as you want while the window is open.
5. Click “close”
6. Select the new wallpaper from the “Picture” dropdown menu.
7. Click “OK”

Changing a plasma theme is a very similar process.


1. Right click on the desktop.
2. Click “Desktop Settings”
3. Under “Desktop Theme” select “New Theme…”
4. Install the theme you want, and select it from the dropdown menu


If you ever decide that you do not like a particular element within the Plasma theme, you can replace that element with one from another. To do this:


1. In “System Settings” click the “Advanced” tab.
2. Click “Desktop Theme Details”
Here you can change single elements of the Plasma theme and then save it under a new name. You can also download themes directly from here.
3. To change the Kickoff (menu) theme, for example, click the dropdown menu and select a different theme.
4. Click “Apply”.

With this feature, you can also import your own files to create your own new theme. To save your own custom theme, check the “More” box at the bottom and add the name, author, version, and description.


To change KDM (display/login manager) themes, KSplash (the open splash screen in KDE), color schemes, icon themes, or emoticons:


1. Select “System Settings” from the K-menu.
2. Under “Look and Feel” click “Appearance”
3. Select the appearance feature you want to change.


As of KDE 4.3.4, you must still download styles, window decorations, and fonts manually, but since all of these are present on KDE-Look.org, it stands to reason that integration may follow in future releases.
Installing widgets

There are currently two types of plasmoid widgets: binaries and scripts. For the binaries, you must either compile them from source or download pre-built packages from a website or distribution repository. For plasmoid scripts, you can install them directly from KDE-Look.org. To install one:


1. Right click on the desktop or click the Plasma Toolbox (Cashew)
2. If your widgets are locked, click “Unlock Widgets”
3. Click “Add Widgets”
4. At the bottom of the new window, click “Install New Widgets”
5. In the menu, click “Download New Plasma Widgets”
KDE-Look.org will only show you the scripts and not the binaries.
6. Find the widget you want to install and click the “Install” button.


As you can see, all of this is very easy, well-integrated, and seamless. On occasion, you might find a particular theme that will not download. This is usually due to the creator using a download service that requires user input (like a captcha) or has a download timer for non-paying users. Those of you who wish to offer your script for download should find a free alternative.


Applications such as Kopete also have KDE-Look.org integration, and you can expect to see this in many other applications in the future, particularly Amarok, which already has themes and widgets. The system that KDE has established will make it easy for new software developers to create applications with this themability built-in, allowing its users to create and distribute customizations all from KDE-Look.org.




Furthermore, other OpenDesktop.org features can be integrated into KDE, GNOME, XFCE, and others. This includes many of the social media features that the website has adopted. The future for Unix-based desktop environments appears to be one of well-integrated and virtually connected desktops, making mobility easier and the visual experience more pleasing to the eyes.

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5 Firefox Add-ons For Better KDE Integration

Posted by: Tavis J. Hampton on January 25th, 2010

KDE’s default web browser is Konqueror, and many users love it for its speed, integration with KDE, and its host of features. Nevertheless, some sites do not perform as well as they do in Mozilla Firefox, and some users prefer the large number of available Firefox add-ons. Furthermore, users who move from Windows to Linux might prefer Firefox for its familiarity

Regardless of their reasons, there are plenty of KDE users who want or need Firefox. Unfortunately, Firefox uses GTK themes for its visual appearance, which ruins the visual continuity that KDE users have come to expect. But fear not, there is a way to make Firefox look and partially feel like a real KDE app. Using four Firefox add-ons and one GTK theme, you can give Firefox an extreme makeover.

The first step in the makeover process is to install a GTK theme that mimics KDE’s Oxygen theme. Although, the gtk-qt engine can apply QT themes to GTK apps, it is not perfect, and Firefox in particular has problems with it.
Visit KDE-Look.org and download the Oxygen-Molecule KDE & GTK+ unified theme. This is a GTK theme, and you can install it just like any other. First, make sure the gtk-qt-engine is not installed, and then follow these instructions:

1. Extract the compressed files into a folder of your choice

2. Copy the theme folder to the GTK themes folder (will vary by distribution – see the installation guide). From the command line, type:
sudo tar -C /usr/share/themes -xzf kde43-oxygen-molecule.tar.gz

3. In System Settings, Click “Appearance” and then “GTK Styles and Fonts“.

4. Select kde43-oxygen-molecule, and click “Apply“.
If you do not have a “GTK themes” button, follow the included instructions to enable the theme manually.

Firefox Add-ons

1. Oxygen KDE
The first Firefox add-on is a theme that gives Firefox an even more polished KDE look than the GTK theme. The reason I recommend installing the GTK theme is that it will give all dialogs and any external GTK applications the KDE Oxygen look as well, making it all unified.
I found this theme to be very crisp and fast compared to other Firefox themes I have used. It actually feels like a KDE application and even replaces the Mozilla progress indicator with the Konqueror “K”.

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2. Xclear
A common Konqueror feature is the button that lets you quickly clear Location or Search bar text. Apple’s Safari browser also has this feature. With Xclear, you can add this functionality to Firefox.

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3. PlasmaNotify
Normally, when downloads finish, Firefox pops up a notification window in the bottom right corner of the screen. Some people turn this feature off completely, but if you still want notification, PlasmaNotify integrates Firefox with KDE’s notification system. It should also work with other Firefox notifications, other than download completion.

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4. KDE Wallet password integration
This is by no means an essential add-on, but it is definitely useful if you want your passwords all stored in one secure location. Rather than having Firefox store your information, why not have KWallet do what it was designed to do? Konqueror and all other KDE applications can use KWallet by default. This extension adds that capability to Firefox. KWallet uses a master password system, which is more secure than having Firefox save your password, allowing anyone who happens to be at that computer access to your accounts.
Each of these add-ons is optional, so feel free to pick and choose the ones you think are essential for the best overall KDE desktop experience. There are a couple of others out there that provide support for services like KTTS (KDE Text-to-Speech) that you might also want to consider. Once you are finished applying all of these add-ons, you will have a hard time remembering that Firefox is not part of your KDE desktop.

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