How to Guides

These workflows assume File Desk is installed and you can open the manager without a blank page.

Work in a client images folder only

Set Path to images/clients/clientname or the folder your deployment uses. Save options, reload File Desk, and confirm the tree root matches. Use Advanced Permissions if editors in group 8 should land in a different subtree while Super Users keep the default.

Recover a deleted file

elFinder trash is a second volume backed by tmp/trash under the site root. Open the trash volume in the left tree, locate the file, and restore or download before emptying trash. Trash is not a long-term backup.

Preview images and navigate quick look

Select an image and open Quick Look or double-click depending on your elFinder habit. Use arrow keys or on-screen controls inside quick look to move between files in the current folder. This behavior comes from bundled elFinder; File Desk does not strip it.

Bulk select

Use Select all and Invert selection from the elFinder edit menu or toolbar. Operations apply to the current selection for copy, move, archive, or delete. Confirm destructive work on production.

Full screen

Use elFinder full screen mode when working on small laptop screens. Exit full screen before assuming other Joomla admin tabs still hold unsaved work elsewhere.

Thumbnail View and tile size

Open the View menu and choose Thumbnail View for a grid of large tiles with image previews when PHP can build thumbnails. Choose Icon View or List View to return to standard elFinder layouts. Thumbnail View is separate from toggling list versus icons.

Open elFinder Preferences (gear on the toolbar). In Thumbnail View, adjust Thumbnail size; tiles and image previews resize live. In Icon View, adjust Icon size instead. Component Options under Components, RCA File Desk control the storage path and uploads, not these view settings.