Enable location / address / filepath bar on Nautilus under Ubuntu

By default, Nautilus displays the pathbar, a series of buttons with directory names, to display the current location. Some users prefer to use a location bar, with the full path displayed. Here's  how to configure Nautilus to display locations using the location bar:



Permanent Configuration under 10.04
To always display the location bar, a setting must be changed in GConf. Open a terminal and run: 

gconf-editor
 
Once GConf Editor is open: 

• Double-click the apps folder.   
• Find the nautilus folder, double-click it
• Then choose the preferences folder
• On the right side, check the box beside the always_use_location_entry option. 

This will immediately change all open Nautilus windows, as well as any newly opened Nautilus windows, to always use the location bar. If you want to undo this change, simply un-check the box you previously checked.


Permanent Configuration under 11.10
To always display the location bar, a setting must be changed in dconf-tools. Open a terminal and run: 

sudo apt-get install dconf-tools

Once dconf-tools is installed launch dconf from Dash, once opened navigate to:

> org
> gnome
> nautilus
> preferences 


and on the right hand side enable alaways_use_location_entry option.





This will immediately change all open Nautilus windows, as well as any newly opened Nautilus windows, to always use the location bar. If you want to undo this change, simply un-check the box you previously checked.