windows_settings.md

Windows settings

Exchange files between Windows and Ubuntu

We need an easy way to transfer files from Windows to Ubuntu and vice versa.

In order to do that, let's create shortcuts to Ubuntu directories in the Windows File Explorer:

• Open the Windows File Explorer (or use the shortcut WIN + E)
• In the Address Bar, enter \\wsl$\ (or \\wsl$\Ubuntu if it does not work)
• You now have acces to the Ubuntu file system
• Dive into the Ubuntu file system in order to look for directories of interest
• Drag the desired folders into the Address Bar in order to create shortcuts

Open the Windows File Explorer from the Ubuntu terminal

Another option to move files around is to open the Windows File Explorer from the Ubuntu terminal:

• Open an Ubuntu terminal
• Go to the directory you wish to explore
• Run the explorer.exe . command (alternatively, use wslview .)
• If you get an input output error message, run wsl --shutdown in a Windows PowerShell and reopen an Ubuntu terminal

Find your way in the Ubuntu File System

You might want to figure out the exact location of a Windows directory in the Ubuntu file system, or the other way around.

In order to convert a Windows path to and from an Ubuntu path:

• Open an Ubuntu terminal
• Use the wslpath "C:\Program Files" command in order to translate a Windows path into an Ubuntu path
• Use the wslpath -w "/home" command in order to translate an Ubuntu path into a Windows path
• In particular, the wslpath -w $(pwd) command returns the Windows path of the current Ubuntu directory

Pin apps to your taskbar

You are going to use most of the apps you've installed today really often. Let's pin them to your taskbar so that they are just one click away!

To pin an app to your taskbar, launch the app, right-click on the icon in the taskbar to bring up the context menu and choose "Pin to taskbar".

You must pin:

• Your terminal
• Your file explorer
• VS Code
• Your Internet browser
• Slack
• Zoom