Tips on Ubuntu Ubuntu / Linux Blog
This quick tip shows how to add ‘New Document‘ menu option in the default Nautilus file browser context menu in Ubuntu 19.10.
Open Files from the left dock panel, and you’ll find there’s a file folder called Templates.
Go to that folder, and you’ll see a prompt says ‘Put files in this folder to use them as templates for new documents‘
Yes, all you need to do is create an empty file in the folder with a filename as you want.
1. Open terminal either from application menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard.
2. Now create an empty file in the Templates folder.
Copy and paste the command in terminal and hit run:
touch ~/Templates/Untitled\ Document
This command creates a file named Untitled Document. You can change it to whatever as you want. NOTE that ‘\‘ is required in the command before the blank space in the filename.
3. Finally open file browser and right-click on blank area to create new documents.
You’ll see the ‘New Document’ option once you created the file in step 2.
That’s it. Enjoy!
Isn’t there any way to make it work also when right-clicking directly on the desktop?
No way so far. Instead of Nautilus file browser, Ubuntu desktop is handled by Gnome shell extension since Ubuntu 19.04.
The problem is that this creates a file called “Untitled Document”. You then need to click and rename that. In “Nemo” you can do it in one step, which is easier. It would be nice if Gnome Files would also do the create-and-name in one step.
A bit late but I guess you could always right click on the desktop and choose ‘Show Desktop in Files’ then create the file with a right click.
Or right click on the desktop and choose ‘Open in Terminal and use Nano to create and then save a new document.
Both extra steps I know but not too many.
It’s working. Great.
Thanks