This chapter contains reference (as opposed to task-oriented) information about the tools and commands that are a part of the desktop environment. It contains:
Most of the windows that appear on your screen have standard fixtures. This section lists fixtures that you'll see on many different windows. Figure 13-1 shows a window and labels some of the common fixtures.
You can use the fixtures labeled in Figure 13-1 to manipulate windows in a variety of ways. See Chapter 8, “Managing Windows”.
 | Note: Occasionally, you see a window that is missing these fixtures. Such a window is called a borderless window. |
The title bar allows you to move, raise, and lower windows.
Place the cursor in the title bar; then press the left mouse button and drag to move the window.
Place the cursor in the title bar; then click the left mouse button to raise the window to the top of the stack of windows.
Place the cursor in the title bar; then press the Ctrl key and left mouse button simultaneously to lower the window to the bottom of the stack of windows.
The window menu button lets you access the Window menu and provides a shortcut for closing windows.
Place the cursor over the button and press the left mouse button to see the Window menu.
Double-click the button with the left mouse button to close the window.
You click the minimize button with the left mouse button to turn the window into a small, square icon. This does not close the window or stop any of the programs that are running. It turns it into an icon that takes up less screen space.
You click the maximize button with the left mouse button to make the window as large as it can be. Some windows become as large as the screen; others change only slightly. If a window does not change or becomes smaller when you click the maximize button, the window was already at its largest size. To restore a maximized window to its original size, click the maximize button again.
You use the border in conjunction with the mouse buttons and keyboard keys to manipulate the window in a variety of ways:
Place the cursor on the border; then press the right mouse button to open the Window menu.
Place the cursor on the border. When you see a resize cursor, drag the mouse to resize the window.
Place the cursor on the border; then press the middle mouse button and drag to move the window.
Place the cursor on the border; then press the left mouse button to raise the window.
Place the cursor on the border; then press the Ctrl key and left mouse button simultaneously to lower the window.
You can see windows with scroll bars along the left or right and top or bottom edge. These indicate that the window is too small to display all of its contents. Use the scroll bar to view hidden portions of the window.
A drop pocket is the small square into which you can drop icons. Here are several ways in which you can use drop pockets:
Drag a folder icon and place it into the drop pocket on an Icon View window. The window displays the contents of that folder.
Drag an IRIS Showcase icon and drop it into a drop pocket on the Search tool to specify the type of files you want to find—in this case, IRIS Showcase files.
You can also drag icons out of the drop pocket and place them onto the desktop, onto a shelf, or into the Icon Catalog.
The path finder field shows the full pathname of the directory, Web site, or FTP site whose icon or contents are displayed in the window. You can type a new name in this field to display the contents of a different directory, Web site, or FTP site. See “Opening a Directory Using the Path Finder” in Chapter 4.
The path bar lets you move from one directory to another, without typing. It contains a small button representing each directory in the pathname. See Figure 13-2.
The recycle button keeps a list of names you have specified in a type-in field. For example, place the cursor over the recycle button on an Icon View window; then press the left mouse button to see a list of directories whose contents you have previously displayed in the window. Choose an item from this list and the window changes to display the contents of that directory.
The remote display feature lets you control your system's ability to run applications from remote systems and display them on your screen. Keep in mind that remote display makes your own desktop remote display open to all remote hosts, so you may want to turn it off when you are not using it.
There are four ways to enable or disable the remote display. The first two ways are temporary, affecting only your current login session. The other two ways are permanent, affecting your current session and all future logins.
The following are the two temporary settings, in that they only apply to your current login session. When you log out, these settings revert to the permanent settings.
To enable remote display for a specific system, from the Toolchest, choose Desktop > Access Files > By Remote Login.
To enable remote display for all hosts, choose System > Utilities > Enable Remote Display. You can also choose Disable Remote Display from the Utilities menu.
Note: Because the above settings are temporary, the Desktop > Customize > Desktop panel's Enable Remote Display checkbox does not reflect their status.
The following two settings are permanent, in that they become the default whenever you log in. You can temporarily override these permanent settings by using either of the two temporary measures above.
To enable or disable the remote display for all users of the system, choose System > System Manager > Security and Access Control > Improve System Security. Each user added to the system will have this setting by default.
You can choose to enable or disable remote display for your own account by using the Desktop > Customize > Desktop panel. This setting is applied when you log in. This setting takes precedence over the setting chosen in the Improve System Security task.
The Toolchest menu contains a stack of “toolchests” organized into categories for easy access to virtually all system functions and programs. Move the cursor over a label on a toolchest; then hold down the left or right mouse button to pop up a menu.
The Desktop toolchest contains commands, described in the following sections, that let you create and customize desks, open directories, adjust the audio volume, log out, and more.
The Access Files > In my Home Directory command opens an Icon View window that shows the contents of your home directory. You can also open your home directory by double-clicking the folder icon that appears on the desktop.
If your system is on a network, you can open a directory on another system in the network using the Access Files > In Automounted Directory command. An Icon View window appears with /hosts/ typed into the path finder. For more information on accessing files using automount, see “Accessing Remote Files Using Automount” in Chapter 10.
The Access Files > As Another User command lets you open an Icon View window or toolchests as another user on your system.
The Access Files > By Remote Login command lets you open a remote Icon View window or toolchest as a user on the remote system.
The Shared Resources > On This Workstation command displays a list of all the directories, media devices, and printers that your system has marked as shared.
The Shared Resources on a Remote Workstation command lets you access a list of directories, media devices, and printers for a remote system that you name.
The Customize rollover menu lists the control panels that you can use to customize the desktop—change the background or screen saver, adjust the mouse setting, and more. Refer to each panel's Help button to find out more about using them.
The Desks Overview window shows you the available desks and lets you create and rearrange your own desks. Choose the Extra Desks command to open this window. See Chapter 7, “Using Multiple Desks”, for detailed instructions.
Deleting files is a two-step process. You place the files in the dumpster; then you use the Empty Dumpster command to empty the dumpster. At this point, the files are permanently deleted from the system's disk.
Select a media device icon on your desktop, then select Eject Media to eject media from the device.
Use the Start Screensaver command if you want to turn the screen saver on command rather than wait for the usual time lapse for the screen saver to take affect.
The shell is the traditional interface to UNIX workstations. It is a window in which you type IRIX commands. To open a shell, choose the Open Unix Shell command. Also see Appendix A, “Using IRIX Commands”.
The Selected toolchest contains commands, described in the following sections, that affect icons on the desktop. Select an icon on the desktop, then choose an item from the menu.
The Open command opens a selected icon and displays its contents in a window. If you open a folder icon, you see an Icon View window that shows the contents of that directory. If you open a file icon, you can edit or view the file.
The Make Copy command makes a copy of the selected icon. The copy is named copy_of_filename. If the selected icon is on a shelf, the copy appears on the shelf and in the directory that contains the original icon. The same is true for the desktop and Icon Catalog. The copy appears on the desktop or the Icon Catalog page, as well as in the directory that contains the original icon.
The Make Reference command creates a a referenced copy of a selected icon. The reference icon is a pointer to the original. You can drag it into an Icon View window, or onto a page in the Icon Catalog, allowing you to access the icon from several different places.
See also “Making a Referenced Copy of an Icon” in Chapter 4.
The Remove command removes the selected icon and places it in the dumpster directory. Placing a file in the dumpster is the first step to deleting the file from your computer's disk. See “Removing Files and Reference Icons” in Chapter 4.
| Note: You can change the behavior of the Remove command so that it deletes files rather than moving them into the dumpster. See “Making “Remove” Delete Instantly” in Chapter 11. |
The Print command sends the contents of the selected icon to your default printer. If you select a folder icon, you print a list of the files in that directory. If you select a file, you print the contents of the file (text or images, for example).
See also “Printing Files” in Chapter 5.
Use the Share with Network command to share a selected directory with other systems on a network. See “Sharing Directories With Other Systems” in Chapter 9 for more information.
Use the Stop Sharing command to stop sharing a selected directory with other systems on a network.
Use the Publish command to publish a selected file on your OutBox page. Selecting Publish opens the OutBox tool interface and places the file you selected in the OutBox pathname field. See the Help in OutBox for more information on publishing a file.
The Get Info command displays a form that shows detailed information about the selected file, folder, or application icon. The command is gray and inaccessible if you have selected another type of icon.
The Add New Directory command creates a new directory labeled empty.dir. The folder icon appears in the window from which you choose the Add New Directory command. If you choose Add New Directory from the Selected toolchest, the folder icon appears on the desktop and is stored in your home directory. See also “Creating a Directory” in Chapter 4.
The File QuickFind command opens a window into which you can type the name of an icon you want to find. For example, suppose you want to place the IRIS Showcase icon on the shelf for a a particular Icon View window. Choose File QuickFind, then type showcase in the type-in field. The icon appears. For further details, see “Finding Files, Applications, or Directories Using File QuickFind” in Chapter 6.
The Internet toolchest commands are described in the following sections.
The Open Web Browser command opens Netscape Navigator, the default Web browser. To change the default Web browser, use the Utilities control panel. To open the panel, select Utilities from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
The Browse OutBox Page command opens up your OutBox Web page in the Netscape Navigator Web browser. The Web page was automatically created for you when you first logged in if you installed the OutBox Web server.
Use the Icon View of a Web Site command to open an Icon View window with http:// typed into the path finder. When you type a Web site address into an Icon View pathname field, a list of all the links on the Web page appear. See “Accessing Files on the Web Using an Icon View Window” in Chapter 10.
Use the Icon View of an FTP Site command to open an Icon View window with ftp:// typed into the pathname field. Type the rest of an FTP site to access files an FTP site. See “Accessing Files Using FTP in an Icon View Window” in Chapter 10.
The Find toolchest contains a collection of tools, described in the following sections, that will help you find icons—file icons, application icons, and system icons, for example.
The Search for Files command opens the Search tool. The Search tool lets you search for files based on:
The filename, or a portion of the name
The type of icon it has
How recently the file was created or modified
The person who owns the file
The size of the file
The permission settings for the file (permission settings specify whether people can view and edit the file)
The text in an ASCII text file
This command is equivalent to the File QuickFind command that appears on the Selected menu. It opens a window into which you can type the name of an icon you want to find. For example, suppose you want to place the IRIS Showcase icon on the shelf for a a particular Icon View window. Choose File QuickFind, then type showcase in the type-in field. The icon appears. For further details, see “Finding Files, Applications, or Directories Using File QuickFind” in Chapter 6.
You can use the Host QuickFind command to find an icon for a remote host. See the Help in Host QuickFind for more information.
Launches the Icon Catalog, which shows collections of applications and tools that are available on your system. Under the Icon Catalog command, there are several menu items, such as Media Tools and Applications, each of which opens to a specific page of the Icon Catalog. Once the Icon Catalog is opened, you can navigate between pages by clicking the tabs at the bottom of the window. Refer to the Icon Catalog Help menu for more details.
The System toolchest contains several commands that let you access the system management tools. The System Manager is a good “one-stop shopping” place for virtually all of your system management tasks—it includes a Search capability and Interactive Guides that make system administration tasks easy. See the online Personal System Administration Guid for complete information on these tools and system administration tasks.
The Help toolchest includes the commands described in the following sections.
The Info Search command opens the documentation search tool. This lets you access and search all documentation on the system, including online books, help, man pages, and release notes.
Choose Quick Answers when you need to perform a task but are uncertain which tool to use or how to begin. It includes quick answers to questions related to the tasks and tools that are a part of your system's end user software environment. You will find answers in the form of short “how to” descriptions, links that launch applications to use, or pointers to the information you need.
The Hints and Shortcuts command opens a guide to useful desktop features for working smarter and faster.
The Online Books command opens the documentation search tool. This lets you access and search all documentation on the system, including online books, help, man pages, and release notes.
The Man Pages command opens a browser you use to view manual pages. A manual page, frequently called a “man page,” contains reference information about IRIX commands.
Icon View windows appear when you open a folder icon. They display the files and directories that a particular directory contains. By default, the contents are displayed as icons. You can manipulate the view of the icons in many ways, such as displaying image icons as “thumbnails” of the images they represent. Icon View windows have many useful features—see Hints and Shortcuts for several examples (from the Toolchest, choose Help > Hints and Shortcuts).
The background of the main part of an Icon View window is green. You can also display a blue portion of the window, which is called a shelf. The shelf is a place for you to put icons that you need to use frequently while working in that directory. For details, see “Using a Shelf for Convenient Icon Access” in Chapter 4.
This section explains each portion of an Icon View window.
The toolbar appears along the left edge of the Icon View window. Click the buttons on the toolbar to change the way icons are displayed in the window.
Click this button to display the contents of a directory as icons. This button is equivalent to the as Icons command on the View menu.
When you open a folder icon, the contents of the directory appear as icons. Click this button to view the icons as a sorted list. This button is equivalent to the as List command on the View menu.
Click this button to organize the icons in a window into columns. This button is equivalent to the as Columns command on the View menu.
If a directory contains image files, click this button and the file icon will be replaced with a small snapshot of the image. This button is equivalent to the as Thumbnail Images command on the View menu.
Click this button to display a virtual shelf along the bottom of the Icon View window. The shelf is a place for you to put applications or other icons that you need to use frequently while working in that directory. For example, if the directory contains many files, you might want to place the files you use most frequently on the shelf. Or, if the directory contains many color Showcase slides, you might want to place the icon for a color printer onto the shelf.
This button is equivalent to the Show Shelf command on the Options menu.fmcon_content
Click this button to display a file content viewer along the bottom of the Icon View window. After you open the Content Viewer, click on a file icon to display a read-only version of the file in the viewer. This button is equivalent to the Show Content Viewer command in the Options menu.
Use the thumbwheel to change the size of icons in that window. Place the cursor over the thumbwheel; then drag the cursor up to make the icons smaller or down to make the icons larger. To revert to the original size, click the small box below the thumbwheel. If the thumbwheel is not visible, drag the bottom of the window to expand it—the thumbwheel appears.
The pathfinder is the area of an Icon View window that contains:
The drop pocket is the small blue square to the left of the type-in field. When you place an icon in the drop pocket, the Icon View window changes. For example, when you drag a folder icon and place it in the drop pocket, the window displays the contents of that folder.
You can also drag icons out of the drop pocket and place them onto the desktop, onto a shelf, or into the Icon Catalog.
The pathname field shows the list of directories that leads you from the root (/) directory to the directory whose contents are displayed in the window. You can type a new name in this field to display the contents of a different directory. See “Opening a Directory Using the Path Finder” in Chapter 4.
If your system is on a network, you can type the name of a remote directory. To do so, type /hosts/remotesystemname followed by the name of the directory you want to open. If the system is in a different domain of the network, include the domain name after the hostname. For example, to open the /usr/tmp directory on a system named wizard.bldg2, type: /hosts/wizard.bldg2/usr/tmp.
| Note: In order for /hosts to work, either AutoFS or Automount should be enabled. To set this up, choose System > System Manager from the Toolchest, go to Network and Connectivity, then click Set Up and Start NFS to open an Interactive Guide. Also, the other system's directory must have read permission. |
You can also type a URLs or FTP site into the pathname field to display all files associated with that URL or FTP site.
The path bar is the thin gray bar above the pathname field. It lets you move from one directory to another, without typing. It contains a small button representing each directory in the pathname. Click a button to display the contents of that directory. See Figure 13-3.
The Show files that match name field appears when you choose Search/Filter Files from the Actions menu. Use it to limit the number of icons you see in the Icon View window. For example, to display only files that begin with “d,” type d. To display only files that end in “.rgb,” type *.rgb.
The Show files containing text field appears when you choose Search/Filter Files from the Actions menu. Use it to display text files that contain a string of text. ASCII text files and mail files are searched; other document types are not searched.
The Show All checkbox appears when you choose Search/Filter Files from the Actions menu. Click it if you want to display or hide all filtered-out icons.
Scroll bars appear when a window is too small to display all of its contents. Drag the scroll bar to view the portions of the window that are hidden.
The window sash appears when you display the shelf on an Icon View window. It splits the window into two panes. Use the sash to make the shelf larger or smaller.
Place the cursor over the small box; then press the left mouse button and drag the cursor up and down.
A line shows how you are resizing the window panes.
Release the mouse button. The window panes change size.
The shelf is a place for you to put icons that you need to use frequently while working in a particular directory. For example, if the directory contains many files, you might want to place the files you use most frequently on the shelf. Or, if the directory contains many color Showcase slides, you might want to place the icon for a color printer onto the shelf. Drag and drop frequently used applications on the shelf. This creates reference icons to those applications. When you launch applications from that shelf, new files you create are automatically stored in that directory. See “Using a Shelf for Convenient Icon Access” in Chapter 4 for more details.
Click on an icon to display a read-only version of the selected file in this area. This is useful when you are trying to determine which icon contains the contents you are looking for.
Place the cursor over the Recycle button; then press the left mouse button to see a list of directories whose contents you have displayed in the window since it was most recently opened. Choose an item from this list and the window changes to display the contents of that directory.
This section provides basic information on each menu and its commands. Click an item in the list to get information on a particular menu.
The Actions menu includes commands described in the following sections.
The Add New Directory command creates a new directory labeled empty.dir. The folder icon appears in the window from which you choose the Add New Directory command. If you choose Add New Directory from the Selected toolchest, the folder icon appears on the desktop and is stored in your home directory. See also “Creating and Opening Directories” in Chapter 4.
The Search/Filter Files command reveals a new set of controls in the Icon View window. Use it to specify certain file characteristics and to limit the number of icons you see in the Icon View window. For example, to display only files that begin with “d,” type d. To display only files that end in “.rgb,” type *.rgb.
This menu contains the following:
| In Automounted Directory | When you select In Automounted Directory, the Icon View window changes to display /hosts/ in the path finder. For more information on accessing files using automount, see “Accessing Remote Files Using Automount” in Chapter 10. | |
| In My Home Directory | Use the In My Home Directory command to return the view to your home directory. |
Commands on the Selected menu affect the icons in the window that are selected. The selected icons are highlighted yellow. You can also access this menu by placing the cursor over the Icon View window, and then pressing the right mouse button.
The Open command opens a selected icon and displays its contents in a window. If you open a folder icon, you see a window that shows the contents of that directory. If you open a file icon, you can edit or view the file.
The Make Copy command makes a copy of the selected icon. The copy is named copy_of_filename. If the selected icon is on a shelf, the copy appears on the shelf and in the directory to which the shelf is attached.
The Make Reference command makes a reference to the selected icon. A reference lets you access an icon from several different places, and give it a unique name in each place. When you make a reference, a copy of the icon appears next to the original one. It has the same name as the original, but the name appears italicized and has _ref attached to the end of the name.
| Note: When you place an icon on the desktop, on a shelf, or on a page in the Icon Catalog a reference is automatically created for you. See “Giving Yourself Easy Access to Icons ” in Chapter 4. |
The Remove command removes the selected icon from a directory and places it in the dumpster directory. Once an icon is in the dumpster, you can delete it by choosing Empty Dumpster from the Desktop toolchest.
| Note: You can change the behavior of the Remove command so that it deletes files rather than moving them into the dumpster. See “Making “Remove” Delete Instantly” in Chapter 11. |
The Print command sends the contents of the selected icon to your default printer. If you select a folder icon, you print a list of the files in that directory. If you select a file, you print the contents of the file (text or images, for example).
See also “Printing Files” in Chapter 5.
The Share menu appears on the menu when you select a folder icon. It includes Share With Network—choose this command if you want to let people who are logged in to other systems on the network access the selected directory from their own desktops. The Share a Directory guide appears (after you are asked to log in as root). Stop Sharing reverses the Share With Network command if the selected folder icon is currently shared. The Publish to OutBox command publishes a selected file on your OutBox web page.
The Change Permissions command opens the Permissions tool. Refer to the Permissions tool Help for instructions. For basic background information about permissions, see “Understanding and Changing Permissions” in Chapter 9.
The Sort menu contains commands that change the way icons are sorted, or arranged, in the window.
The by Name command arranges icons alphabetically; numerals, then capital letters, then lowercase letters.
The by Date command arranges icons in the window according to the date on which they were last modified.
The View menu contains commands that change the way icons are placed in the window.
Choose the as Icons command to display the contents of a directory as icons scattered throughout the window.
When as Icons is selected, you can also choose to enable or disable the following two options:
| Align To Grid | A state that causes icons to automatically align with an invisible grid when they appear or are placed somewhere—this helps them display in an orderly manner. | |
| Align All Now | A “one time” command that aligns all icons to an invisible grid. |
When you open a folder icon, the contents of the directory appear as icons. Choose the as List command to view the contents as a sorted list. The list includes
The icon name. Tape and disk drive icons include the name of the system to which the device is connected. File icons include the full pathname so you know the directory in which the icon is stored.
The size of the icon in bytes
The date and time at which the icon was modified
When viewing icons in list format, you can choose Directory Sizes, a command that calculates the current directory sizes.
Choose as Columns from the View menu to organize the icons in a window into columns. Only the icon name appears. Choose as List to see the size and modification date and time.
If an Icon View window contains image files, choose as Thumbnail Images and each image file icon is replaced with a small snapshot of the image.
Shortens long file and directory labels so that there is more room in the Icon View window. Note that this command does not affect the actual filename, it only affects the way the icon labels are displayed in the current Icon View window.
Many IRIX configuration files are hidden by default. You do not see them in an Icon View window. These files are commonly called dot files because a “.” appears as the first character in the filename. Your .login and .cshrc files are examples of hidden files. You can choose to view or hide these files using the Hidden Files command. A checkmark next to the command indicates that the files are displayed in that Icon View window.
The Options menu includes commands described in the following sections.
Opens or closes the Icon View shelf. See “Using a Shelf for Convenient Icon Access” in Chapter 4 for details.
Displays a new area of the Icon View window. When you select a file icon in the window, the Content Viewer displays a read-only version of a selected file. This allows you to quickly view file contents without opening the file.
Launches the Default Layout for Icon Views panel. See “Setting Default Icon View Preferences” in Chapter 11 for details on this panel.
Instantly applies the default Icon View layout, as defined by the Default Layout for Icon Views panel.
Select Preserve Layout if you want to maintain the same view of icons when you switch from one directory to another in a particular window. A red checkmark indicates it is activated. For example, suppose you are viewing the contents of your home directory as a list of icons. By default, if you change directories and view the /usr/people directory, you revert to the default view of icons. To retain the list view, choose Preserve Layout.
The Internet menu includes commands described in the following sections.
Allows you an easy way to display and access the contents of web page in the Icon View. See “Accessing Files on the Web Using an Icon View Window” in Chapter 10.
Allows you an easy way to display and access the contents of an FTP site in the Icon View. See “Accessing Files Using the FTP Command in a Shell ” in Chapter 10.
Many commands in an Icon View window have both a keyboard and a mnemonic shortcut. Standard keyboard shortcuts are listed on the right side of the menu; mnemonic shortcuts are indicated by an underlined letter. The following table lists the keyboard and mnemonic shortcuts.
Table 13-1. Shortcuts for Commands on Icon View Windows
Command | Keyboard Shortcut | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
“Add New Directory” | Ctrl + n | Alt + a; n |
“Select All” | Ctrl + a | Alt + a; a |
“File QuickFind” | Ctrl + f | Alt + a; f |
“Close” | Ctrl + w | Alt + a; w |
“Open” | Ctrl + o | Alt + s; o |
“Make Copy” | Ctrl + c | Alt + s; c |
“Make Reference” |
| Alt + s; l |
“Remove” |
| Alt + s; r |
“Print” | Ctrl + p | Alt + s; p |
“Permissions” | Ctrl + e | Alt + s; s |
“Get Info” | Ctrl + i | Alt + s; i |
“by Name” |
| Alt + a; n |
“by Date” |
| Alt + a; d |
“by Size” |
| Alt + -a; s |
“by Type” |
| Alt + a; t |
“to Grid” |
| Alt + a; g |
“as Icons” |
| Alt + v; i |
“as List” |
| Alt + v; l |
“as Columns” |
| Alt + v; c |
“as Thumbnail Images” |
| Alt + v; g |
“Show Shelf” |
| Alt + v; s |
“Ignore Layout” |
| Alt + v; i |
“Click for Help” | Shift + F1 | Alt + h; c |
The following techniques also serve as shortcuts:
Press the Ctrl key while dragging an icon to make a copy of the icon.
Press the Alt key while double-clicking a folder icon to display the contents of the directory in the current window.
Press the Alt key while double-clicking on the Icon View window background to view the parent directory.
Instead of double-clicking folder icons, enter the pathname of the directory you want to open in the pathname field at the top of an Icon View window.
To move backward in the directory path, click on the pathbar above the pathname field (see “The Path Bar”).
The Desks Overview window provides the controls you need to use multiple desks. Using multiple desks can be helpful in situations such as the following (for example):
From your system, you regularly log on to other systems for certain daily tasks. For convenience, and to avoid confusion, you can create a different desktop for each other system you regularly log on to.
Suppose you spend a portion of your day creating marketing presentations and a portion of your day reading mail. You can create a desk for each. One desk displays the windows that you use while you are creating a presentation. The other desk displays the windows that you use while you are reading and sending mail.
On using the Desks Overview tool:
The Desks Overview window displays a miniature image that represents each desk. Double-click these to go from one desk to another; drag items between the miniature desk images to move or copy windows and icons from desk to desk.
Use commands on the Overview window to change the way that desks are displayed in the window.
Use commands on the Desks menu to create, rename, and delete desks.
Use commands on the Window menu to manipulate windows on the desk.
This section explains each portion of the Desks Overview window.
This area of the Desks Overview window displays a snapshot or button for each of your desks. Double-click a snapshot or button to go to that desk.
By default, desks are displayed as snapshots. The snapshot shows a miniature version of each window and icon on the desk. You can drag windows between the snapshots to move them from desk to desk. Additionally, you can move items on the screen by moving the miniature window in the snapshot.
The buttons are smaller than the snapshots. You can only use them to go from one desk to another. To display the desks as buttons, choose Hide Snapshots from the Overview menu.
You can resize the buttons or snapshots using the Scaling command on the Desk menu. See “Resizing Snapshots or Buttons” in Chapter 7 for details.
The global desk acts as a template for all other desks. Any windows that you place on the global desk will automatically appear on all of your desks. See “Placing a Window in All Desks” in Chapter 7 for details.
You can hide the global desk if you do not need to work with it frequently. To do so, choose Hide Global Desk from the Overview menu. To display it again, choose Show Global Desk.
This section provides basic information on each menu and its commands. Click an item in the list to get information on a particular menu.
The Overview menu contains commands for changing the appearance of the Desks Overview window. Click an item in the list for details on that command.
Choose the Hide Menubar command to make the menu bar disappear. When the menu bar is hidden, you can make the Desks Overview window slightly smaller.
You can still access the menus via a pop-up menu. Place the cursor in the window; then press the right mouse button to reveal a pop-up menu.
Choose the Show Menubar command to show the menu bar again.
By default, a snapshot of the global desk appears in the Desks Overview window. If you do not need to use this desk frequently, choose Hide Global Desk. To show the global desk again, choose Show Global Desk.
Choose Hide Snapshots to display each desk as a button in the Desks Overview window.
Choose Show Snapshots to display each desk as a snapshot in the Desks Overview window. A snapshot is a small picture that contains a miniature version of each window on the desk. You can drag windows from one snapshot to another to copy and move windows from desk to desk.
By default, a snapshot for each desk appears in the Desks Overview window. When you pass the cursor over a window in the snapshot, the name of the window appears. Choose Display Window Name if you want to display the name that appears in the title bar of the window.
By default, a snapshot for each desk appears in the Desks Overview window. When you pass the cursor over a window in the snapshot, the name of the window appears. Choose Display Icon Name if you want to see the name that appears on the window when it is minimized or stowed.
The Desk menu contains commands that let you create new desks, copy, rename, and delete desks, and make the contents of the Desks Overview window smaller or larger. Click an item in the list for details on that command.
Choose the New Desk Command when you want to create a new desk. A new desk appears in the Desks Overview window; it is labeled Desk #. For instance, suppose you have three existing desks. Create a new desk and it is named Desk 4.
See “Renaming a Desk” in Chapter 7 to learn how to rename the desk. See “Creating a Desk” in Chapter 7 to get step-by-step instructions for creating a new desk.
Select a desk in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Copy Selected command to copy an existing desk. Step-by-step instructions follow.
Place the cursor over a desk in the Desks Overview window; then click the left mouse button to select it. A yellow outline surrounds the selected desk.
Choose Copy Selected from the Desks menu. A copy of the desk appears in the Desks Overview window. The label Copy of is added to the beginning of the desk name.
See “Renaming a Desk” in Chapter 7 to learn how to rename the desk.
Select a desk in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Rename Selected command to rename a desk. “Renaming a Desk” in Chapter 7 provides step-by-step instructions.
Select a desk in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Goto Selected command to switch to that desk. See “Switching Between Desks” in Chapter 7 for more details.
Select a desk in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Delete Selected command to delete the desk. The desk disappears from the Desks Overview window.
The commands on the Scaling rollover menu let you make the snapshots or buttons in the Desks Overview window smaller or larger. The first five commands—6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, and 10%—are pre-defined. The last command, Custom, lets you choose a custom setting. The percentage you choose appears next to the User defined command. “Resizing Snapshots or Buttons” in Chapter 7 provides step-by-step instructions.
The commands on the Window menu let you manipulate windows—get a list of all the windows, minimize the windows, and more. Click an item in the list for details on that command.
Choose the List All... command to get a list of all the windows that are open. You can use this list to copy a window to your current desk. See “Listing All the Windows in Your Desks” in Chapter 7 for details
Choose Minimize All to minimize all of the windows in your current desk. When you minimize a window, you turn it into a small square that takes up little screen space. To return the windows to their original size, choose Restore All.
Select a window on one of the desks in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Add to Global command to place the selected window on the global desk. Placing a window on the global desk makes it appear on all desks. See “Placing a Window in All Desks” in Chapter 7 for details.
“Copying Windows Between Desks” in Chapter 7 explains how you can copy a window from one desk to another. To remove the window from one desk, select the window in the Desks Overview display; then choose Remove from Desk. If you close the window, you make the window disappear from all desks.
Select a window on one of the desks in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Minimize command to turn the window into a small square that takes up little screen space.
Select a minimized window on one of the desks in the Desks Overview window; then choose the Restore command to open the window again.
The List All window shows you a list of open windows. Double-click an item in the list to move that window onto your current desk.
Window Names and Icon Names determine what name appears in the list of open windows. Click Window Names to display the name that appears in the title bar of the window; click Icon Names to display the name that appears on the window when it is minimized.
The list contains all open windows. Use the scroll bars to view portions of the list that are hidden. Click an item in the list to select it; double-click an item to display that window in your current desk.
The Selection area displays the name of the item in the selected item in the list. If you know the name of the window you want to open, you can type it here.
Press the OK button to copy the selected window to your current desk, and close the List All window.
Press the Apply button to copy the selected window to your current desk, and keep the List All window open.
Press the Cancel button to close the window without making any changes.
| Note: The List All window provides a list of the windows that are open when you choose the List All... command. The list does not change if you open and close windows while the List All window is open. |
Most commands in the Desks Overview window have both a keyboard and a mnemonic shortcut. Standard keyboard shortcuts are listed on the right side of the menu; mnemonic shortcuts are indicated by an underlined letter. The following table lists the keyboard and mnemonic shortcuts for the Desks Overview window.
Table 13-2. Shortcuts for Commands on the Desks Overview Window
Command | Keyboard Shortcut | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
“Hide Menubar/Show Menubar” |
| Alt + o; m |
“Show Global Desk/Hide Global Desk” |
| Alt + o; g |
“Show Snapshots/Hide Snapshots” |
| Alt + o; s |
“Display Window Name” |
| Alt + o; w |
“Display Icon Name” |
| Alt + o; i |
“Display No Names” |
| Alt + o; n |
“Exit” | Ctrl + q | Alt + o; q |
“New Desk” | Ctrl + n | Alt + d; n |
“Copy Selected” | Ctrl + c | Alt + d; c |
“Rename Selected” | Ctrl + r | Alt + d; r |
“Goto Selected” | Ctrl + o | Alt + d; g |
“Delete Selected” |
| Alt + d; d |
“Scaling” |
| Alt + d; s |
“6%” |
| Alt + d; s; 6 |
“7%” |
| Alt + d; s; 7 |
“8%” |
| Alt + d; s; 8 |
“9%” |
| Alt + d; s; 9 |
“10%” |
| Alt + d; s; 10 |
“User defined” |
| Alt + d; u |
“Custom” |
| Alt + d; s; c |
“List All...” | Ctrl + l | Alt + w; l |
“Restore All” | Shift Ctrl + m | Alt + w; r |
“Minimize All” | Ctrl + m | Alt + w; n |
“Add to Global” | Ctrl + g | Alt + w; g |
“Remove from Desk” | Ctrl + d | Alt + w; d |
“Minimize” | Ctrl + e | Alt + w; m |
“Restore” | Shift Ctrl + e | Alt + w; e |
“Raise” |
| Alt + w; a |
“Lower” |
| Alt + w; o |
“Click for Help” | Shift + F1 | Alt + h; c |
The Launch window appears when you press the Alt key while double-clicking an application icon. Use this window to specify a command line option for an application. See “Starting Applications with Command Line Options” in Chapter 3 for a step-by-step example.
The Search tool helps you find files on your system and on remote systems that you name. You can find files matching a particular name, size, icon, owner, permissions setting, or content.
To open the Search tool, select Search for Files from the Find toolchest.
This section describes the main features in the Search tool interface.
The lower portion of the Search Catalog window displays icons that meet the search criteria. Double-click to open an icon. If you want easy access to any of these icons, drag them onto the desktop, onto a shelf, or onto a page in the Icon Catalog.
Use commands on the Sort and View menus to change the way these icons are sorted and displayed. Use commands on the Selected menu to manipulate these icons—copy them or print them, for example.
The page display area shows a tab for each page in the Search tool. You can click a tab to move from one page to another. Some of the tabs might not fit in the space provided. When this happens, a stack of unnumbered tabs appears at the left or right edge of the tab display area. To turn to a page whose tab is hidden:
Place the cursor over the stack of unnumbered tabs; then press the left mouse button.
Choose a page number from the menu that appears.
Click this button to display the results of a search as icons. This button is equivalent to the as Icons command on the View menu.
The results of a search are displayed as icons by default. Click this button to view the icons as a sorted list. This button is equivalent to the as List command on the View menu.
Click this button to organize the icons in a window into columns. This button is equivalent to the as Columns command on the View menu.
If the search results contain image files, click this button and the file icon will be replaced with a small snapshot of the image. This button is equivalent to the as Thumbnail Images command on the View menu.
Use the thumbwheel to change the size of icons in that window. Place the cursor over the thumbwheel; then drag the cursor up to make the icons smaller or down to make the icons larger. To revert to the original size, click the small box below the thumbwheel.
This section provides basic information on each menu and its commands. Click an item in the list to get information on a particular menu.
You can save searches on individual pages. Use commands on the Page menu to move from page to page, remove pages, and create and save custom searches.
Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
Turn to a page in the Search tool; then choose the Rename command to rename a page. A window appears into which you type the new page name. The title bar and tab change to display the new name.
The name you choose must be a valid file name. Use only letters, numbers, and underscores. Avoid inserting blank spaces between words or use characters.
| Note: You cannot change the name of default pages. |
The Arrange menu contains commands that change the way icons are sorted, or arranged, in the window. Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
The by Name command arranges icons alphabetically: numerals, then capital letters, then lowercase letters.
The by Date command arranges file icons in the window according to the date on which they were last modified.
The View menu contains commands that change the way icons are placed in the window. Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
Choose the as Icons command to display the contents of a directory as icons scattered throughout the window.
By default, the results of a search are presented as a list of icons. The list includes
The icon name. Tape and disk drive icons include the name of the system to which the device is connected. File icons include the full pathname so you know the directory in which the icon is stored.
The size of the icon in bytes
The date and time at which the icon was modified
Choose the as Icons command if you have changed the display and want to return to the default.
Choose as Columns from the View menu to organize the icons in a window into columns. Only the icon name appears. Choose as List to see the size and modification date and time for files.
When you choose a command from the Match menu, a new set of search controls appears in the window. You use these to narrow your search.
Many commands on Search tool menus have both a keyboard and a mnemonic shortcut. Standard keyboard shortcuts are listed on the right side of the menu; mnemonic shortcuts are indicated by an underlined letter. The following table lists the keyboard and mnemonic shortcuts.
Table 13-3. Shortcuts for Commands on the Search Tool
Command | Keyboard Shortcut | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
“New” |
| Alt + p; n |
“Rename” | Ctrl + r | Alt + p; r |
“Remove” |
| Alt + p; e |
“Page Up” | Page Up | Alt + p; u |
“Page Down” | Page Down | Alt + p; d |
“Exit” | Ctrl + q | Alt + p; q |
“by Name” |
| Alt + r; n |
“by Date” |
| Alt + r; d |
“by Size” |
| Alt + r; s |
“by Type” |
| Alt + r; t |
“Align to Grid” |
| Alt + r; g |
“as Icons” |
| Alt + v; i |
“as List” |
| Alt + v; l |
“as Columns” |
| Alt + v; c |
“as Thumbnail Images” |
| Alt + v; gu |
“Show Query” |
| Alt + v; q |
“Click for Help” | Shift + F1 | Alt + h; c |
The Icon Catalog shows collections of applications and tools that are available on your system. You can
Browse through the icons to see what applications are available
Run applications by double-clicking their icons
Find icons you want to use; then drag them onto the desktop or onto a shelf so they are easily accessible
Create your own collection of icons. For example, suppose you use a combination of programs to create and edit movies. You can create a new page; then place icons for these tools onto that page.
Each collection is stored on a separate page. If you want to create your own collection of icons, you can add pages to the Icon Catalog.
This section provides basic information on each Icon Catalog feature.
The page display area shows a tab for each page in the Icon Catalog. You can click a tab to move from one page to another. Some of the tabs might not fit in the space provided. When this happens, a stack of unnumbered tabs appears at the left or right edge of the tab display area. To turn to a page whose tab is hidden:
Place the cursor over the stack of unnumbered tabs; then press the left mouse button.
Choose a page number from the menu that appears.
Click this button to display the contents of the Icon Catalog as icons. This button is equivalent to the as Icons command on the View menu.
When you open the Icon Catalog, the contents of the window appear as icons. Click this button to view the icons as a sorted list. This button is equivalent to the as List command on the View menu.
Click this button to organize the icons in a window into columns. This button is equivalent to the as Columns command on the View menu.
If the Icon Catalog contains image files, click this button and the file icon will be replaced with a small snapshot of the image. This button is equivalent to the as Thumbnail Images command on the View menu.
Use the thumbwheel to change the size of icons in that window. Place the cursor over the thumbwheel; then drag the cursor up to make the icons smaller or down to make the icons larger. To revert to the original size, click the small box below the thumbwheel.
Each page in the Icon Catalog contains a collection of icons. You use commands on the Page menu to move from page to page and to create and remove pages.
Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
The New command adds a new, empty page to the Icon Catalog.” Use the dialog that pops up to specify a name for the new page. The new page is listed on the Find toolchest menu.
Turn to a page in the Icon Catalog; then choose the Rename command to rename a page in the Icon Catalog. A window appears into which you type the new page name. The title bar and tab change to display the new name and this name appears on the Find toolchest.
| Note: You cannot rename the system's default Icon Catalog pages, you can only rename pages that have been added. |
Choose the Remove command to delete the page you are currently displaying. A notifier appears asking if you are certain that you want to delete the page. You cannot remove the default pages. Turn to a default page, choose the Remove command, and you make any icons that you added to the page disappear.
Commands on the Selected menu affect the icons in the catalog that are selected. You can also access this menu by placing the cursor over background of the Icon Catalog, then pressing the right mouse button.
Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
The Make Reference command creates a a referenced copy of a selected icon. The reference icon is a pointer to the original. You can drag it into an Icon View window, or onto a different page in the Icon Catalog, allowing you to access the icon from different places. See also “Making a Referenced Copy of an Icon” in Chapter 4.
The Remove command removes the selected icon and places it in the dumpster directory. Placing a file in the dumpster is the first step to deleting the file from your computer's disk. See “Removing Files and Reference Icons” in Chapter 4.
| Note: You can change the behavior of the Remove command so that it deletes files rather than moving them into the dumpster. See “Making “Remove” Delete Instantly” in Chapter 11. |
The Print command sends the contents of the selected icon to your default printer. If you select a folder icon, you print a list of the files in that directory. If you select a file, you print the contents of the file (text or images, for example).
The Get Info command displays a form that shows detailed information about the selected file, folder, or application icon. The command is gray and inaccessible if you have selected another type of icon.
The File QuickFind command opens a window into which you can type the name of an icon you want to find. For example, suppose you want to place the IRIS Showcase icon on the shelf for a a particular Icon View window. Choose File QuickFind, then type showcase in the type-in field. The icon appears. For further details, see “Finding Files, Applications, or Directories Using File QuickFind” in Chapter 6.
The Arrange menu contains commands that change the way icons are sorted, or arranged, in the window. Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
The by Name command arranges icons alphabetically; numerals, then capital letters, then lowercase letters.
The by Date command arranges file icons in the window according to the date on which they were last modified.
The View menu contains commands that change the way icons are placed in the window. Choose a command name from the list below for more details:
Choose the as Icons command to display the contents of a directory as icons scattered throughout the window.
When as Icons is selected, you can also choose to enable or disable the following two options:
Align To Grid: A state that causes icons to automatically align with an invisible grid when they appear or are placed somewhere—this helps them display in an orderly manner.
Align All Now: A “one time” command that aligns all icons to an invisible grid.
When you open a folder icon, the contents of the directory appear as icons. Choose the as List command to view the contents as a sorted list. The list includes:
The icon name. Tape and disk drive icons include the name of the system to which the device is connected.
The size of the item in bytes.
The date and time at which the item was last modified.
The permissions description.
The type of item it is, such as “directory” or “Web jumpsite.”
When viewing icons in list format, you can choose Directory Sizes, which is a command that calculates the current directory sizes.
Many commands on Icon Catalog menus have both a keyboard and a mnemonic shortcut. Standard keyboard shortcuts are listed on the right side of the menu; mnemonic shortcuts are indicated by an underlined letter. The following table lists the keyboard and mnemonic shortcuts.
Table 13-4. Shortcuts for Commands on the Icon Catalog
Command | Keyboard Shortcut | Mnemonic |
|---|---|---|
“New Page” | Ctrl + n | Alt + p; n |
“Rename” | Ctrl + r | Alt + p; r |
“Remove” |
| Alt + p; e |
“Up” | Page Up | Alt + p; u |
“Down” | Page Down | Alt + p; d |
“Exit” | Ctrl + q | Alt + p; q |
“Open” | Ctrl + o | Alt + s; o |
“Remove” |
| Alt + s; e |
“Print” | Ctrl + p | Alt + s; p |
“Get Info” | Ctrl + i | Alt + s; i |
“File QuickFind” | Ctrl + f | Alt + s; f |
“by Name” |
| Alt + r; n |
“by Date” |
| Alt + r; d |
“by Size” |
| Alt + r; s |
“by Type” |
| Alt + r; t |
“Align to Grid” |
| Alt + v; g |
“as Icons” |
| Alt + v; i |
“as List” |
| Alt + v; l |
“as Columns” |
| Alt + v; c |
“as Thumbnail Images” |
| Alt + v; u |
“Click for Help” | Shift + F1 | Alt + h; c |
The following sections describe the Color Scheme Browser.
The schemes list contains a list of schemes available on your system. You can choose a scheme you like and apply it to your desktop. You can also edit colors in a scheme and save these changes to the current scheme or to a scheme you create.
Every item in a window is assigned a color. The Color Scheme Browser contains several sample images that display a scheme's assigned colors for each of these items. These sample images include:
Basic Colors displays a scheme's colors for the most frequently used items in a window, including buttons, scroll bars, and text input areas.
Additional Colors displays a scheme's colors for any additional items in a window, including scrolled list items, accent colors, and errors.
Window Manager Colors displays a scheme's colors for window borders.
Graphics Colors displays fixed colors that applications assign to specific items when they want a color to have a consistent and recognizable meaning. These colors do not change color as schemes change. They merely darken or lighten in color, depending on the scheme.
The Color Palette contains a colored square for each color used in the displayed scheme. To find the assignment of a color, choose Quick Help from the Help menu, then move your cursor on top of a colored square to see the assignment. To edit or change a color, click on a colored square.
The Color Scheme Browser contains the following menus:
The Application menu contains the following commands:
Use the Save As command when you want to save edits to a new scheme file rather than to the original scheme. When you save the file to the new name, the new scheme name appears in the schemes list.
Use the Remove Local Schemes command to delete all edits made to schemes and return all schemes to their default colors. When you remove local schemes, names of schemes that contained edits change back from italic to the default font. Removing local schemes removes edits made to schemes on your account only.
Use the Remove Selected Scheme command when you want to remove local edits made to a selected scheme or when you want to remove a scheme you created.
Choose Edit Mode when you want to change colors in a chosen scheme. Click on a color in the Color Palette to open the Scheme Editor Color Browser and change the color. Use Quick Help to find color assignments for colors in the scheme.
The sample images menu contains the following:
Basic Colors displays a scheme's colors for the most frequently used items in a window, including buttons, scroll bars, and text input areas.
Additional Colors displays a scheme's colors for any additional items in a window, including scrolled list items, accent colors, and errors.
Window Manager Colors displays a scheme's colors for window borders.
Graphics Colors displays fixed colors that applications assign to specific items when they want a color to have a consistent and recognizable meaning. These colors do not change color as schemes change. They merely darken or lighten in color, depending on the scheme.
The Help menu provides help on the Color Scheme Browser.
Choose Click for Help when you want information on an item in the Color Scheme Browser window. The cursor changes into a question mark. Move the question mark on top of an item, then click on the item for information.
Choose Quick Help when you want to know the assignments of colors in a chosen scheme. Then move your cursor over items in the sample scheme display and the Color Palette. The assignment for each color appears next to the cursor and at the bottom of the Color Scheme Browser window.
Use the other menu items for information on how to use the Color Scheme Browser.
This section includes:
The makeDotDesktop window automatically appears under the following circumstances:
You have login accounts on several systems; you have mounted your home directory so that you use the same home directory on all systems; and you are logging in to one of the systems for the first time.
You have changed the name of your system.
You can access this window from the Toolchest if you want to change a previous setting. Choose Desktop > Customize > Environment Setup.
| Note: Changes made to makeDotDesktop at login take effect right away, whereas changes made after you are already logged in take effect the next time you log in to any of the systems that have mounted your home directory. |
The makeDotDesktop window lets you choose whether you want your desktop to be the same as or different from the desktop on the other systems you use. This is controlled via the ~/.desktop-<hostname> directory, where the “session state” is remembered, which includes desktop configurations such as:
Which applications were running when you logged out
Which screen saver you had chosen
What backgrounds and customized color schemes you were using
Where windows were placed
Which directories were open
Status of any extra desks you have set up
You have the following choices:
Create a new environment
If you want the desktop on the current system to be unique, check the box next to Create a new environment. Your working environment will be unique to that system. This option desirable if, for example, only one of the systems you work on runs a specific application and you want that particular desktop tailored in some way to that application. In such a case, you should check Create a new environment when the makeDotDesktop window appears on that system.Copy the environment from the selected machine
If you want to use another system's current desktop as a starting point, select a system from the list at the top of the window; then check the box next to Copy the environment from the selected machine. This allows you to start with the same desktop environment attributes, but any further changes you make are only applied to the system you are currently working on.Share (link) the desktop environment with the selected machine
If you want the desktop on all systems to be the same, every time you log in to any of the systems, select a system from the list at the top of the window; then check the box next to Share (link) the desktop environment with the selected machine. In this case, if you make changes to the desktop environment on SystemA, then when you log in to your account on SystemB, those changes will be on SystemB as well. Likewise, when you make changes to the desktop environment on SystemB, then log in to your account on SystemA, those changes also appear on SystemA.
Tip: The Share (link) the desktop environment with the selected machine option is recommended because it conserves disk space and maintains a consistent environment for all your login accounts.
If you frequently log in to different systems that share the same home directory and you do not want to have to make this choice each time, you can check Always create, copy, or share as chosen above. In this case, the makeDotDesktop window will not appear again, unless you select it from the Toolchest.
By default, many applications display error messages in dialog boxes. On occasion, an application displays an error message in the console window. You can change this behavior so that hidden error messages are displayed in this pop-up window. To disable the output window, open the Desktop Settings control panel, then click Display Application Errors. The window is disabled when the checkmark disappears.