Debian and Fedora

[Jacques B.]

On 10/24/07, Tim <ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> Roger Benham:
> >>> As I cannot empty the trash in either Debian or Fedora
> >>> my main computer is rapidly jamming up. I need to be
> >>> able to empty both.
>
> Jacques B:
> > Sounds like it may be an issue of permissions.
>
> Does sound like that.  Perhaps someone who uses the root user when they
> shouldn't be?
>
> > Have them go to the command line and list the files in the .trash
> > folder to see who owns them.  Actually have them do the same for
> > the actual folder itself.
>
> I thought it was ".Trash", it is on my Fedora.  No idea about Debian,
> though.  If it is a "root" user related issue, they may need to go
> through doing this as root.
>
> --
Sorry, I'm sure you are correct that it's .Trash and not .trash.  I
don't have a Linux box in front of me when at home (hoping to change
that soon...) so usually can't easily check the syntax.

And correct about doing it as root.  I noted that as well at the end
of the posting to su - to root.  But I figured I'd only suggest that
if they were unable to do it as non-root.  If they can do it as
non-root but yet can't do it from the GUI then it is probably not an
issue of permissions but one of a problem with the trash can on the
GUI (although where it's happening across two different systems it is
more likely that permissions is the issue).

Slightly off to the side of this discussion - is there a standard
defining file naming convention for some of these files (i.e. .Trash
vs .trash)?  I read the FHS document the other day after rday reminded
me about it (I was aware that such a standard existed but had never
taken the time to seek it out and read it) and found it very
informative (I'll refrain from sounding like a real geek and say I
found it very interesting.).

---Dave--- Can you please update us once your friend has tried our suggestions?

Jacques B.