This library implements almost all the file management functions you will ever need. In fact, the {\bf KDE} file manager, Konqueror also uses this to provide its network-enabled file management.

The easiest way to use this library from a {\bf KDE} application is via the {\bf KIO::Net\-Access}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKIO_1_1NetAccess})} class (for easy synchronous access) or via the {\bf KIO::Job}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKIO_1_1Job})} class (for more complex asynchronous jobs).

This library also implements the System Configuration Cache (KSycoca).

{\bf KMime\-Type}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKMimeType})}: The notion of a file type, already existing in KDE-1.x

{\bf KService}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKService})}: To a mimetype are bound one or more applications, now called services. Services can be applications, but also libraries, dynamically opened.

{\bf KService\-Type}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKServiceType})}: A service type allows the same mechanism to be extended to components. For instance : the question \char`\"{}what are the koffice plugins\char`\"{} is solved by a service type called KOffice\-Plugin, and by every plugin providing a .desktop file stating that it is a service that implements the servicetype KOffice\-Plugin.

{\bf KService\-Type\-Profile}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKServiceTypeProfile})}: Stores the user's preferences for services bound to mimetypes/servicetypes.

{\bf KTrader}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKTrader})}: Use it to query for which services implement a given mimetype/servicetype. Has its own language, in order to allow complex queries.\section{Filedialog widget and associated classes.}\label{index_KDE}
This library also provides the {\bf KDE} file selector widget, its building blocks and some other widgets, making use of the file dialog.

The file dialog provides different views; there is a vertically scrolling view based on {\bf KList\-View}, showing things like filename, file size, permissions etc. in separate columns. And there is a horizontally scrolling view based on {\bf KIcon\-View}. Additionally, there are some compound views, like a view using the icon-view for files on the right side and another view for directories on the left. A view, that shows a preview for the currently selected file (using {\bf KIO::Preview\-Job}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKIO_1_1PreviewJob})} to generate previews) and any other view to show the files is also available.

All those views share a common baseclass, named {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})}, which defines the interface for inserting files into a view, removing them, selecting etc.

The one class encapsulating all those views and adding browsing capabilities to them is {\bf KDir\-Operator}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKDirOperator})}. It allows the user to switch between different views.

{\bf KFile\-Tree\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileTreeView})} is a {\bf KList\-View} based widget that displays files and/or directories as a tree. It does not implement the {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})} interface, however, so it can't be used with {\bf KDir\-Operator}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKDirOperator})}.

Besides the filebrowsing widgets, there is the {\bf KProperties\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKPropertiesDialog})} class, implementing a dialog showing the name, permissions, icons, meta information and all kinds of properties of a file, as well as providing a means to modify them.

The {\bf KProperties\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKPropertiesDialog})} is extensible with plugin-pages via the {\bf KProps\-Dlg\-Plugin}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKPropsDlgPlugin})} class.

The {\bf KIcon\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKIconDialog})} class shows a list of icons installed on the system (as accessible via {\bf KIcon\-Loader}) and allows the user to select one.

{\bf KOpen\-With\-Dlg}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKOpenWithDlg})} implements a dialog to choose an application from, that is to be run, e.g. to let the user choose an application to open a file/url with.

{\bf KFile\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileDialog})}: The class providing the file selector dialog. It combines a {\bf KDir\-Operator}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKDirOperator})}, {\bf KURLBar}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKURLBar})} and several other widgets.

{\bf KDir\-Operator}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKDirOperator})}: The class encapsulating different KFile\-Views, offering file browsing and file selection. Asynchronous, network transparent reading of directories is performed via the {\bf KIO}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{namespaceKIO})} library.

{\bf KURLRequester}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKURLRequester})}: A widget to be used for asking for a filename/path/URL. It consists of a {\bf KLine\-Edit} (or {\bf KCombo\-Box}) and a button. Activating the button will open a {\bf KFile\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileDialog})}. Typing in the lineedit is aided with filename completion.

{\bf KURLRequester\-Dlg}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKURLRequesterDlg})}: A dialog to ask for a filename/path/URL, using {\bf KURLRequester}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKURLRequester})}.

{\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})}: The base class for all views to be used with {\bf KDir\-Operator}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKDirOperator})}.

{\bf KFile\-Icon\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileIconView})}: The {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})} based on {\bf KIcon\-View}.

{\bf KFile\-Detail\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileDetailView})}: The {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})} based on {\bf KList\-View}.

{\bf KFile\-Preview}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFilePreview})}: The {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})}, combining a widget showing preview for a selected file and another {\bf KFile\-View}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileView})} for browsing.

{\bf KURLBar}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKURLBar})}: A widget offering a number of clickable entries which represent a URL, aligned horizontally or vertically. The entries are customizable by the user both on a per application basis or for all applications (URLs, their icon and the description can be added, removed or edited by the user). This is the widget used as \char`\"{}sidebar\char`\"{} in the {\bf KFile\-Dialog}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileDialog})}.

{\bf KFile\-Meta\-Info\-Widget}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileMetaInfoWidget})}: A widget that allows viewing and editing of meta data of a file, utilizing {\bf KFile\-Meta\-Info}{\rm (p.\,\pageref{classKFileMetaInfo})}. 