[SOLVED] /etc/skel/ not working as expected

[MH]

I want new users to have their desktop configured the same way, panel location, launcher, menu, activities, etc. I copied an existing .kde directory to /etc/skel/ thinking all the custom desktop settings would subsequently be copied to the new user's home directory once a new account was created. I then created a new user.

When I logged in as the new user, the desktop was using a default configuration rather than the one I created. I checked to see if the .kde directory had been copied over and checked the permissions. Everything looks good. Why are the custom desktop settings being ignored?

[MH]

There you go. Had I bothered to look INTO the .config directory I probably would have realized I needed to copy it. I just assumed it was for non-KDE stuff. Do you know if the .kde directory can simply be deleted? If not, do you know why specifically it's still needed?

Regardless, thanks for the tip.

Because most of those settings are in ~/.config and weren't copied over?

~/.kde is where most legacy KDE settings are maintained. Plasma5 stores almost all it's stuff in ~/.config You most likely need both directories in /etc/skel

Hope this helps -

[MH]

Do you know if the .kde directory can simply be deleted? If not, do you know why specifically it's still needed?

TBH I have no idea how many legacy applications still look in ~/.kde but I do know there's a global settings file (kdeglobals) in there that you may not want to disturb. There's also one in ~/.config but I think legacy apps will be looking for the older one.

My suggestion? Rename the ~/.kde directory and restart KDE; everything that needs to be in there should be recreated and you should be able to tell how much of the directory you need.

Good luck -

edit: There's also a kde directory in ~/.local/share/applications that should have a bunch of legacy .directory files in there.

Got it. Thanks for the assistance.