I have a Steam Deck which runs a Linux-based OS. Dolphin is the default file manager. I have been trying to view the contents of the ~/.var/app folder so that I can set up a couple of game emulations there. However, even with the "view hidden files" option enabled, the only app that is visible in this folder is Dolphin itself. On the other hand, I accidentally discovered, while setting up a game emulator app, that though that app's "search for a game" option I can see all the contents of ~/.var/app.

Is there a setting in Dolphin that can remedy this? Could it be that Steam Deck is sandboxed somehow so that I cannot view the contents of that folder? I'm wondering where I can go from here. Thanks for your help!

Let me add some more info. Besides the problem with viewing some folders, whenever I click "Open Terminal Here" ion any folder, nothing happens.

I found a workaround which gives me more evidence that something is wonky about all this.

I load Citra, which is a game emulator. I go to File, and then select Load File. In the window that appears, I can navigate to the folders and files that DXolphin does not display. I select a file and right click it. I select "Open in Folder". Now, Dolphin opens, and I can see all the folders and files in /home/.var/app. Moreover, the "Open Terminal Here" command now works. I can navigate all around my Steam Deck's filesystem as long as I leave Dolphin running. But if I close Dolphin and then restart it, I once again see very little in that /home/.var/app folder, and the "Open Terminal Here" command doesn't;t work once again.