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On Ubuntu 20.04 my desktop has copied ALL files and directories from my Home directory. If I open a new file and save it in my Home directory it also apears on my desktop. If I delete a file on my destop it is also deleted from my Home directory.

Is there a setting or solution to this problem. I suspect pilot error but I don't know what I might have done?

Thanks in advance, HHS

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1 Answer 1

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Just as a test I duplicated your issue by setting my XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to $HOME instead of $HOME/Desktop stored in the $HOME/.config/user-dirs.dirs file. Sure enough I had my whole home directory on my Desktop.

This can be easily fixed.

  1. Re-create your home desktop directory from a terminal window by running (If the folder exists it will not create a new one):

    mkdir -p $HOME/Desktop

  2. Run the following to set the XDG_DESKTOP_DIR to the correct setting:

    xdg-user-dirs-update --set DESKTOP $HOME/Desktop

  3. Log out and back in for changes to take effect.

Hope this helps!

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  • 2
    Terrance, your solution worked perfectly. A million thanks. it prompts many questions on areas in Ubuntu/Gnome/etc that I will be trying to answer through further study. Good health to you. HHS
    – user907818
    Jun 2, 2022 at 23:32
  • I think the comment above is odd. NOTHING I've tried works. The bad behavior in NOT on my hard drive because I removed it and the bad behaviour persists. Obviously I can't get to any files to edit with no
    – user907818
    Nov 26, 2022 at 23:11
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    Your solution worked perfectly, thank you. Dec 28, 2023 at 15:52

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