I'm using:

Operating System: Manjaro Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 5.24.6
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.96.0
Qt Version: 5.15.5
Kernel Version: 5.15.60-1-MANJARO (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: X11

I've increased the font size and weight in Dolphin's main display window to "bold 48", using: Configure > Configure Dolphin > View Modes > Details.

How do I do the same for Dolphin's left-side panel? - without:

1) forcing a DPI change, or
2) using global scaling

TIA ~ johnjay

Hi this question was already answered here. The only way to do it is by changing the font globally.
From GUI:

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kcmshell5 fonts

Or by editing the General section on ~/.config/kdeglobals.

Thanks @chiefbromden

Yes, I saw that post.

I'm wondering if a deeper dive into the code might reveal some alternative approach.

For instance, not all icons in the system tray can be resized from the GUI - But I was able to resize them anyway by going to:

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/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/org.kde.plasma.private.systemtray/contents/ui/main.qml

and editing the string:

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readonly property int smallIconSize: units.iconSzie.smallMedium

to read:

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readonly property int smallIconSize: units.iconSzie.large

I mean, the font-size for Dolphin's left panel is getting set somewhere, right?

I'm hoping somebody can point me toward the file where the font-size is being set.

Or, failing that, point me toward a forum or some such where folk can let me know what I have to do to make the GUI work the way I want it to.

Anyway, thanks again (sincerely). I'm new at this, and it was very encouraging to have somebody respond to my post.

~ johnjay

p.s. My significant other's vision seems to be failing at an alarming rate. I'm thinking to maybe transition her off Windows, because my (very) limited experience with Linux suggests that, in principle, pretty much everything can be modified!

Any and all help toward this goal is much appreciated. ~ j.

Partial Answer (work-around)

This post on the Unix-Linux StackExchange provides an alternative. Instead of scaling globally, it uses the following to scale just the Dolphin app.

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QT_SCALE_FACTOR=2 dolphin

This is still not quite what I am after. But it is certainly better than scaling the entire GUI - just to make the text in Dolphin's Places panel more readable.

~ johnjay

Definitely you have more skills and have more motivation than my self to address this problem. I have some coding knowledge, but when I find that kind of answer on StackExchange, although I understand what they are trying to do, I don't know how to implement it, so I'm gonna ask you for a few favors:

1. How did you arrive to that answer, what terms did you use? I'm sure you didn't search for 'How to fix Dolphin'.
2. Just to clarify, this is not a Bug but a Feature Request, as the link says. Did you found a Patch or made one by your self?
3. Can you post a link to that Patch?

I hope I'm not asking for to much, I'm just want the solution being as complete as possible.

Hi @chiefbromden

Re: Searching

- I don't recall the exact search term I used. I think I tried 2 or 3 variations on the search term I used for this current thread.
- The useful solutions I mentioned above both come from https://unix.stackexchange.com/ though, when I googled whatever it was I googled.
- So, yesterday I posted my "Dolphin font-size" question there. I haven't had any responses yet - but I'll update this current thread when/if I get something.

Re: Problems implementing suggested solutions

Yes, I've run into that kind of problem too - usually because the poster assumes I know some (to them obvious) thing that I do not actually know. And I sometimes do the same thing myself when I post an answer!!!

- For instance, in my last post I shared the "QT_SCALE_FACTOR=2 dolphin" code snippet... just assuming that the reader would know to paste it into the terminal and hit enter.
- But in reality, they might not actually know this, or even what a 'terminal' is, or how to open one, or... whatever. This stuff happens all the time!

If the thread where I've found the thread is still open/recent, I'll just ask how I am supposed to implement it. If not, I've been known to post a new question of my own with a title like, "I don't know what this code means!!! Please help." Then copy/paste the code in, and ask how to implement it.

Re: Links

System Tray Icons Link: I got the code for scaling the system tray icons (mentioned in my second last post) here. Once the page loads, scroll down to the answer entitled, "Debian 11, KDE Plasma" for the solution.

NOTE 1: As the poster says, you need to log out and then in again for the changes to take effect. As an alternative to logging out/in, he also provides some code to run in the terminal. For some reason, this alternative "terminal" option did not work for me though.
Note 2: The path to the file to be modified is in the root directory and NOT your Home directory. If you don't see root listed at the very bottom of Dolphin's left panel, post a screenshot and we'll track it down.
NOTE 3: You will need Admin privileges to edit and save the main.qml file.
NOTE 4: p.s. The first "Accepted" solution on this page did NOT work for me.

Scale Dolphin Link I got the code to scale Dolphin (in my last post) here. It's in the first (and only) answer.

NOTE 5: Yeah, I didn't really notice the "bug" language the original poster put in their question. I just took the answer I needed and tried it out.

Anyway, still hoping somebody will come along with an answer my original question in this thread.

~ johnjay

Excellent answer @jhonjay! i wasn't expecting THAT much.

jhonjay wrote:- The useful solutions I mentioned above both come from https://unix.stackexchange.com/ though, when I googled whatever it was I googled.

It used to happen to me too, I mean having results from the same page always, until I switched search engines. Now I use Startpage, and although it is a bit slower (double request to anonymize the search) the result is more diverse because it uses several sources (Google, Bing, among others). It's all about breaking the "information bubble"

jhonjay wrote:- For instance, in my last post I shared the "QT_SCALE_FACTOR=2 dolphin" code snippet... just assuming that the reader would know to paste it into the terminal and hit enter.

You're right, but in my case I should have known better. I had just read the StackExchange link and assumed that you were making changes at code level.

jhonjay wrote:NOTE 4: p.s. The first "Accepted" solution on this page did NOT work for me.

That's true, if I'm not in hurry, I try to read all solutions before doing anything else.

jhonjay wrote:NOTE 5: Yeah, I didn't really notice the "bug" language the original poster put in their question. I just took the answer I needed and tried it out.

English is not my native language (I speak Spanish), so I'm obliged to focus on words.

About System Tray Icons:
Is very interesting what you found, I recall having problems with KDE's system tray and Blueman on Archlinux, I wonder if this would fix problem then.

Well, it's an open question, so hopefully someone sees this problem with fresh eyes.

Thanks @chiefbromden

I'll give Startpage a try.

Yesterday I came across a really interesting file manager (Sigma) under development at https://github.com/aleksey-hoffman/sigma-file-manager

It's cross-platform (Electron). The app is basically a set of web pages. So I can inspect everything easily using the dev console, and directly set all the css. I think this Sigma File Manger is my best bet if I'm going to achieve my goal - which is to modify a file manager so it's accessible for my visually-impaired wife.

Anyway, I'll leave this Question open, just in case something interesting comes along. But for now I plan to let Dolphin go, and focus in on the Sigma app.

Hi @jhonjay

I remember found Sigma. Conceptually speaking, the file browsers I known looks to me pretty much the same. Sigma seems to propose something different. Back then, I put it aside because all those Electron dependencies (I had enough with all those Pandoc's Haskell deps). Now, I would put it aside just because it's an "all in one" and I become more minimalist, but now that you mention it I'm gonna test it again.

I realize that some apps I really need are Electron-based. Marktext for example, I wanted a simple Markdown editor with preview and that's the one I like. Maybe I should give up and accept the inevitable: the most popular video games are Electron-based, so it's just a matter of time until Electron comes to Linux and invades other applications.

You know what? It bothers me a bit when I enter to a forum for some answer and have to read a long thread talking about things that have nothing to do with, so maybe we should keep talking in private, let me know how Sigma behaves.

Cheers

Yes, I totally agree about Q/A posts that wander off topic. The Sigma maintainer (Aleksey) seems willing to mentor/tutor as I work on a visually-accessible File Manager in Electron. I'll keep you posted privately as the project unfolds. Also, feel free to message me privately about the results if you take another run at Sigma.

In the meantime, I'll leave this current thread open, just in case somebody comes up with an answer to my original question.