ok, i was willing to give this plasma thing a try.
Some how i got a box on my screen called desktop. ok, i guess.
i started by dragging my 'Documents' folder to the desktop, not the box called 'desktop' and was asked, 'folder view', ?link or something else.
i chose 'folder view'... Cool, i had a transparent view of my 'Documents' folder..
next i right clicked somewhere and got a dialog box: ?different view for each desktop and another thing. i figured that that meant that i could have a different 'folder view' on each desktop (system, graphics, internet and coding). that sounds good...
i clicked ok and instantly Everything was gone and my desktop had a background image... the 'folder view's were gone, the box that said 'desktop' was gone and i can't figure out how to get them back, if they really are there somewhere or what. Also, i can't find that dilg box with the 2 choices, one being different something for each desktop....

Why is this so Fncking hard? why is there not One (1) Fncking place to configure **** in KDE? i mean, just to configure the colors and 'look' of my desktop and window borders etc. i have to go to 2 to 4 fncking places.

where is this 'plasma control panel'??
it's not the 'show the plasma dashboard'.. tried it, it does Jack ****!

thank you in advance, as i know i'm an ****, but i can't help it. this **** used to be obvious... maybe it's me, getting old, but not so easy anymore.

/* start edit */
what i was doing when i got the 'desktop' box on my desktop;
i was adding 2 widgets to my taskbar/systray, 'color picker' and 'character selector' that's it. and the character selector sucks. i can't select a layout, ie. Russian, but that's another problem of which there seem to be many..
/* end edit */

Landis
ЛандисРеед.ком

p.s., why is my cursor now a hand, as if i'm dragging something when there 'appears to be nothing' on my desktop??

Also,
since the missing 'desktop' box and 'Documents' folder in 'folder view' have left the building, and my cursor now is a gripping hand, I also noticed that when i click on the 'cashew' that i have only two menu items and not the 4 that used to be there.
the 2 are add widget and desktop settings. No longer remove and lock...
Also, when i click on the 'cashew' my apps go away until i click the 'cashew' again..
It's like the old and **** 'active desktop' from MicroSucks where there is a 'web page' over your real desktop and your desktop is nothing more that and 'browser'.
That Sucks, if it's true.

Landis.

plasma kind of nice, could get used to it.
Too Easy to remove widgets after you've got them on the 'desktop'. no verification before they are gone. black screen, too easy to hit the 'X'.
Still what to know where this 'desktop' box, widget or panel went as well as my first 'folder view'.
i didn't 'X' the first folder view, it just went away after that dialog box asked if i wanted to have a different view for each desktop..
Still can't find where that may have come from.

Landis

Well, for me plasma has an intuitive interface. But that's just for me.
If you want your documents to appear on your desktop you can use your desktop as FOLDER VIEW. Right click, Desktop settings, Type: Desktop change to Desktop view, click apply, LOCATION tab will appear - click, choose location folder.

OR USE WIDGETS

Right click(or cashew), add widgets, folder view.

Have fun.

@Landis: You need to do some reading and watching. For a start, try

http://userbase.kde.org/Plasma
http://userbase.kde.org/Plasma/FAQ
http://userbase.kde.org/Plasma/Plasmoids
http://userbase.kde.org/Plasma/FAQ/HowTo

That last one has links to very short, looping demonstrations of how to do things.

By the way, that 'box' you had at the beginning was a folderview. You can re-size it, move it around, and point it to any directory you want it to display, including remote ones. Oh yes, and where did it go to? Well, you closed it, just as you have closed other plasmoids. You can add it back and point it to any directory, using the Add Widgets plasmoid.

thank you annew and neosano.

i will go read the HowTo's before i do anymore ****.

i still don't know where my original 'Documents' folder desktop window went nor what happened to the first 'Desktop' box that was on my screen...

Спасебо!
Landis
ЛандисРеед.ком

Presumably in both cases you accidentally hit the X on the handle. Assuming, that is, that they are not on another desktop, which I presume you have checked.

Another possibility is that you have switched activities.

Sounds like you enabled "Different activity for each desktop", which means that your current desktop (including the wallpaper and background) depends on which virtual desktop you're on.

To enable this option, I have to
1. Click on cashew -> Zoom out.
2. Click on "Configure Plasma...".
3. Check "Different activity for each desktop" and press OK.

As far as I know, this is the only way (currently). Try to change virtual desktop (with the pager, the widget usually showing 2 or 4 rectangles) and see if your widgets are on one virtual desktop. If you want to disable this, just repeat the steps above but uncheck the option instead.

By the way, please try to calm down a little before posting - it'll make it easier for us to help you. Yes, things you don't know well suck and can make you very frustrated. Just try to change the keyboard layout on someone's computer to Dvorak, for example...

But if you try to get used to it, maybe it'll suck a little bit less.

Hans wrote:Sounds like you enabled "Different activity for each desktop", which means that your current desktop (including the wallpaper and background) depends on which virtual desktop you're on

You are mostly right. this is what i did more or less, but the problem is that i lost the option in the 'cashew' menu.
i don't remember now how i got it back.....
Yes i do. Desktop Settings> Type (this changes your desktop from 'folder view', 'plasma' and 'plain desktop'..
To undo this, it seems you have to change all of your desktops. if one is left with the 'each desktop has different settings', they All will continue to have different settings.

Thanks for your input.
I'm glade the Plasma HowTo's were pointed out to me. the very first thing i read in the FAQ, i think, pointed me in the right direction and put Everything into focus. I am actually having fun with the plasma, even showed it to a customer of mine today, who had 'shortcuts' All Over his desktop. The way that folders are handled by plasma is, well cool. It's as if the boxes literally 'Melt' into the desktop....
Cool!

Thanks again all.

Landis
ЛандисРеед.ком

Glad to hear that you found the Plasma HowTo useful. Yes there are still some quirks with Plasma, but it's getting better with each release.