KDE applications

KDE Frequently Asked Questions
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# Chapter 10. KDE applications

10.1. kppp
10.2. kvt and Konsole
10.3. KMail
10.4. KBiff
10.5. KTop
10.6. KNode

10.1. kppp

Many KDE users report problems using kppp. But before you complain about kppp, make sure you have already checked the following:

- Can you dialup to your ISP without using kppp? If you cannot, then perhaps kppp is not the culprit after all.

- Have you gone through the kppp documentation at least three times and follow its instructions and trouble-shooting suggestions?

The kppp documentation can be accessed through the KDE Help Center or going directly to the documentation directory, usually `$`KDEDIR`/share/doc/HTML/default/kppp`. In addition, there is a web page "How to set up kppp with ISPs in the UK" at http://www.kppp-archive.freeserve.co.uk/. Last but not least, the kppp homepage is at http://devel-home.kde.org/~kppp/.

Now, if you still encounter problems, here's what might help you solve them:

How do I change the MTU setting in kppp?

  Open up the kppp dialog box and select Setup. Choose an existing account and click Edit, or New to create a new dialup account. Select the Dial tab and click Arguments. Type what you want to change in the Argument textbox (e.g. `mtu 296`) and click Add. When you are satisfied, click Close.

  To check whether the options "took", do one of the followings:

  - In a terminal window, run /sbin/ifconfig ppp0 and look at the reported MTU in the output. It should match your request.

  - Add `debug` and `kdebug` (each on a separate line) to your `/etc/ppp/options` file and restart your PPP session. You will find debugging messages in `/var/log/messages`, including MRU and MTU settings.

  If you want, the MRU and MTU settings can be added to the `options` file, one complete setting per line, no quotes or dashes.

kppp connects at a slower speed than normal.

  The following might do the trick:

  - Try executing setserial spd_hi.

  - The default MTU value is 1500, which maybe too large for a dialup connection. Try changing it to a smaller value like `296` or `576`.

  - Check in your `$`HOME`/.kde/share/config` for the `kppprc`. Ensure the correct modem speed is actually defined there.

10.2. kvt and Konsole

How do I page-up or page-down?

  Use Shift+Pg Up and Shift+Pg Dn.

How do I toggle the behaviour of Backspace and Delete?

  Look under Options->Terminal of your console window.

How do I perform a simple "cut" from kvt (or Konsole) to anything else?

  When I do a ls, first I select with the mouse the desired text, press Ctrl+C, then I make the target application active, point the mouse to the relevant part and press Ctrl+V. Alternatively, highlight the text by dragging with the left mouse button down and paste by clicking with the middle mouse button (or both buttons if you have 3 button emulation set and you are using a two button mouse).

How do I set the size of the scroll-back buffer?

  Try kvt `-sl `size`` for kvt and konsole `-sl `size`` for Konsole.

  | If you execute kvt with some unknown option (e.g. kvt `-x`), kvt will print out a list of valid options.

10.3. KMail

KMail has its own home page at http://kmail.kde.org where an FAQ is available.

How do I export KMail messages to Netscape® Mail?

Try (you might need to be root) cat $`HOME`/Mail/inbox >> $`MAIL` and then start Netscape® Mail asking it to check for local mail.

10.4. KBiff

KBiff is a mail notification utility and its home page is at http://www.granroth.org/kbiff.

How can one instance of KBiff monitor two mailboxes and take the appropriate action when new messages arrive?

  Are you getting many messages in both mailboxes? If so, it would be better to use two instances to monitor them. If not, then go to the Mailbox tab and click on the little mailbox icon. This will create another mailbox in that instance. Now, whenever either of them gets new mail, KBiff will do all of its new mail stuff.

10.5. KTop

Why can't I see anything on it?

It is a bug, albeit easily fixed. Just resize it by a few pixels and everything would be all right.

10.6. KNode

How do I killfile someone?

  This feature is not yet implemented, and probably will not be implemented before KDE 2.1.

Does KNode support multiple selections in the article list?

  As of the time of this writing, no. It might be implemented for KDE 2.1 though.

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