You can customize your desktop in a number of ways. You can change the background pattern and colors, choose an interesting screen saver, change mouse and keyboard settings, and customize a number of other window and desktop characteristics.
For details, see:
Each desk has its own background color. You can change any desktop background color or pattern using the Background Setting control panel. You can also create custom colors. For details, see:
If you want your desktop background to be one solid color rather than a pattern of two colors, you can choose a color using the color palette in the desktop Background Setting control panel.
If you haven't already opened the Background Setting control panel, open it by clicking the word Background now or by choosing “Background” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To choose a solid color for your desktop background:
Click on the word “Solid” in the Patterns list.
A small colored box appears below the sample view of the background.
Click on the small, colored box above the Apply button.
The Color Browser window appears on top of the main control panel window. You may want to move the Color Browser window aside so you can see both windows.
Click on one of the colors below the heading “Palette Colors,” or create your own custom color. To do this:
Move your mouse cursor on top of the small circle in the colored hexagon.
Press down on the left mouse button, and move your mouse.
Release the mouse button when the circle is above a color you like.
The color beneath the circle appears in the rectangle next to the “Current Color” label.
Move the slider bar next to “Value” back and forth to brighten or darken the color.
Click the down arrow between the “Current Color” and “Stored Color” rectangles to store a color you like while you browse through other colors.
When you've found a color you like, click the OK button in the Color Browser window.
Click the Apply button in the main Background Setting control panel.
Your background changes to the new color.
Click the Close button in the main Background Setting control panel window to close the panel.
 | Note: If the background on your screen flashes when you run GL applications, you may have hardware that supports only a single colormap. To prevent the screen from flashing, choose one of the colors below the Palette Colors label in the Color Browser window when choosing a background color. |
You can choose a multicolored pattern for your desktop background by using the Background Setting control panel. First choose the pattern you want, then choose the colors.
If you haven't already opened the Background Setting control panel, open it by clicking the word Background now or by choosing “Background” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To choose a pattern and colors for your desktop background:
Scroll through the list of patterns in the patterns list, then click on a pattern you want.
The display to the right of the list of patterns switches to the new pattern, and a number of small colored squares appear below it. These squares represent the colors you can use in your pattern.
Click on one of the small squares.
The Color Browser window appears on top of the main control panel window. You may want to move the Color Browser window aside so you can see both windows.
Click on one of the colors below the heading “Palette Colors,” or create your own color. To do this:
Move your mouse cursor on top of the small circle in the colored hexagon.
Press down on the left mouse button, and move your mouse.
As you move your mouse around the hexagon, the color beneath the small circle appears in the rectangle next to the “Current Color” label. This rectangle acts as your color palette while you choose a new color.
Release the mouse button when the small circle is on top of a color you like.
Move the slider bar next to “Value” back and forth to brighten or darken the color.
Click the Apply button in the Color Browser window to see the new color mix with your pattern in the sample background square.
If you don't like the color, you can continue to choose new colors and click Apply until you decide on a color you like. Click the down arrow between the “Current Color” and “Stored Color” rectangles to store a color you like while you browse through other colors.
Click on another small colored square in the main window and create the next color.
Click the Apply button in the Color Browser window to see the new color mix with the pattern and the first color you chose in the sample background square.
Continue to click on the small colored boxes and create new colors until you've created a color combination that you like.
Click the OK button in the Color Browser window.
The window closes.
Click the Apply button in the main Background Setting control panel.
Your desktop background changes to the new multicolored pattern.
Click the Close button in the main Background Setting control panel to close the panel.
You can also create colors by choosing “Value and RGB” or “HSV and RGB” from the Sliders menu. These menu options reveal sliders that allow you to change the colors by moving the sliders instead of moving the circle within the hexagon.
| Note: If the background on your screen flashes when you run GL applications, you may have hardware that supports only a single colormap. To prevent the screen from flashing, choose colors below the Palette Colors label in the Color Browser window when choosing background colors. |
You can use the Color Scheme Browser to change the color scheme of windows on your screen. You can also edit the colors in a chosen scheme and save the changes.
For more information, see:
Each item in a window has a color assigned to it. These items, when combined, create a scheme of colors that make the window easy to read, understand, and look at. The Color Scheme Browser contains a number of preset color schemes that you can apply. It also allows you to edit colors in a scheme and create your own combination of colors.
To open the Color Scheme Browser, click the words Color Scheme Browser now, or choose “Color Schemes” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
You can choose a different color scheme for windows on your screen by using the Color Scheme Browser. If you haven't already opened the browser, open it by clicking the words Color Scheme Browser , or by choosing “Color Schemes” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To choose a color scheme:
Browse through the schemes by clicking on different names in the color schemes list.
The display to the right of the schemes list shows you a sample image of the chosen color scheme.
Click the Apply button when you find a scheme you like.
A message appears telling you that the new scheme will not affect existing open applications. To use the new schemes, restart those applications.
Choose “Quit” from the Application menu to close the Color Scheme Browser window.
If you want to use a particular color scheme in the Color Scheme Browser, but don't like one of the colors in the scheme, you can use Edit Mode to change the color.
If you haven't already opened the Color Scheme Browser, open it by clicking the words Color Scheme Browser , or by choosing “Color Schemes” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To edit a color scheme:
Click on the name of the scheme you want to edit.
The display to the right of the schemes list changes to show the sample scheme.
Choose “Edit Mode” from the Application menu.
A thumbwheel and color palette appear at the bottom of the sample scheme.
Use Quick Help to familiarize yourself with the assignment of each color in the color scheme.
Choose “Quick Help” from the Help menu in the Color Scheme Browser window.
Move your mouse cursor over a colored square in the Color Palette. The assignment of that color appears next to the mouse cursor and in a status message at the bottom of the Color Scheme Browser window.
Move your mouse cursor on top of a section of the scheme display to get a description of that section.
Click the left mouse button to deactivate Quick Help.
Edit the color you want to change.
Click on the square of color in the Color Palette that you want to change.
The Scheme Editor Color Browser appears.
Move your mouse cursor on top of the small circle in the colored hexagon in the Scheme Editor window.
Press down on the left mouse button, and move your mouse.
As you move your mouse around the hexagon, the color beneath the small circle appears in the rectangle next to the “Current Color” label. This rectangle acts as your color palette while you choose a new color.
Release the mouse button when the small circle is on top of a color you like.
Move the slider bar next to “Value” back and forth to brighten or darken the color.
The color in the sample scheme changes as you alter the color in the editor.
When you find a color you like, click the Ok button to close the Scheme Editor window.
Move the thumbwheel back and forth to darken or lighten all colors in the scheme.
Save the changes.
Click the Apply button in the main Color Scheme Browser window if you want to save the changes to the same scheme name.
A message appears telling you that the new scheme was saved in your local scheme directory, and the scheme name changes to an italic font to show that the scheme was altered.
If you want to rename the scheme, choose “Save As...” from the Application menu instead of clicking the Apply button. Then create a name for the altered scheme. The new scheme appears in the schemes list.
Changes affect your user account only and do not affect color schemes used by other users on your system.
Choose “Quit” from the Application menu to close the Color Scheme Browser window.
You can also change additional colors used in a particular scheme by choosing “Additional Colors” from the Sample Image menu. A sample display appears showing any additional colors and assignments for those colors.
If you altered a color scheme and saved it to the current scheme name, the scheme name shows up in italic font to show that it was altered. You can delete the changes you made and return to the original scheme by using “Remove Selected Scheme” in the Color Scheme Browser.
If you haven't already opened the Color Scheme Browser, open it by clicking the words Color Scheme Browser , or by choosing “Color Schemes” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To delete a color scheme:
Select the scheme that contains the changes you want to delete.
Choose “Remove Selected Scheme” from the Applications menu.
A notifier appears telling you that the local scheme (the scheme that contains the changes you made) will be removed from your system. Click the OK button to continue.
The scheme reverts to the default colors for that scheme, and the scheme name appears in regular text.
Choose “Quit” from the Application menu to close the Color Scheme Browser window.
To delete all changed schemes at once and return all schemes to their default scheme, choose “Remove Local Schemes” from the Application menu.
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.
Use the Color Browser when changing colors in the Background Setting or Color Scheme Browser control panels.
To select a color using the Color Browser:
Move your mouse cursor on top of the small circle in the colored hexagon.
Press down on the left mouse button, and move your mouse.
As you move your mouse around the hexagon, the color beneath the small circle appears in the rectangle next to the “Current Color” label. This rectangle acts as your color palette while you choose a new color.
Release the mouse button when the small circle is on top of a color you like.
Move the slider bar next to “Value” back and forth to brighten or darken the color.
Click the down arrow between the “Current Color” and “Stored Color” rectangles to store a color you like if you want to browse through other colors.
Click the Apply button if you want to see the current color applied to the sample image in the main control panel.
Click the OK button when you decide on a color.
The Color Browser window closes.
If you are choosing a color for your screen background using the Color Browser in the Background Setting panel, and want a color that blends in well with your current window color scheme, try one of the Palette Colors at the top of the Color Browser. Click on a colored square to choose a color.
You can also create colors by choosing “Value and RGB” or “HSV and RGB” from the Sliders menu. These menu options reveal sliders that allow you to change the colors by moving the sliders instead of moving the circle within the hexagon.
Your system has a screen saver mechanism that blacks out the monitor screen when your system is idle for 10 minutes. You can select a more attractive screen saver by using the Screen Saver control panel. You can also change the period of time you want the idle screen to stay visible before the screen saver is activated, and you can lock your screen. For details, see:
Choose a screen saver using the Screen Saver control panel. If you haven't already opened the panel, open it by clicking the words Screen Saver now or by choosing “Screen Saver” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To choose a screen saver:
If the text near the top of the window says, “Screen Saver Off,” click the box to the left of the text to turn on the screen saver.
A checkmark appears in the box, and the text, “Screen Saver On,” appears.
Click on one of the screen saver choices.
Click Demo and keep your mouse still.
The screen blacks out, and the screen saver you chose is activated.
Move your mouse to end the demo.
If you like this screen saver, click the Close button to close the screen saver window. Next time your screen blacks out, the screen saver you chose will display on your screen.
You can lock your screen by using the Screen Saver control panel. If you haven't already opened the control panel, open it by clicking the words Screen Saver now or by choosing “Screen Saver” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To lock your screen, click the box next to “Lock Screen” in the control panel. A checkmark appears. Next time your screen saver is activated, and you try to deactivate the screen saver by moving the mouse, a login screen appears. This login screen requires you to type in your password (if your account requires one) to return to your work.
This login window also allows you to return to the screen saver. Click the box to the left of the login name, and the screen saver is activated again. Instead of moving your mouse to deactivate the screen saver, you must click the left mouse button to return to the login screen.
If you do not want the login screen to come up when you deactivate the screen saver, click the box to the left of “Lock Screen” to remove the checkmark.
| Note: You cannot choose the “Lock Screen” mechanism when using a GL screensaver. When you choose a GL screensaver, a message appears in the control panel telling you that screen locking is unavailable for that screen saver. |
By default, if your screen is idle for 10 minutes, it will black out. You can change the period of time you want the idle screen to stay visible before the screen saver is activated using the Screen Saver control panel.
If you haven't already opened the control panel, open it by clicking the words Screen Saver now or by choosing “Screen Saver” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To change the activation delay:
Slide the bar next to “Delay (minutes)” forward or backward to select the number of minutes you want.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
You can customize the acceleration and button-click speed of your mouse. If you are left-handed, you can switch the button behavior of the mouse so you can use the mouse with your left hand. For details, see:
Mouse cursor acceleration refers to how quickly the cursor moves on your screen when you move the mouse. By default, the mouse cursor acceleration is set to slow. You can increase the acceleration using the Mouse Settings control panel.
You can also change the threshold. The threshold is the amount of units your mouse needs to move before the pointer starts to move. If you set a high threshold, the pointer will move more quickly as you move the mouse. If you set a low threshold, the mouse will need to move further before the pointer will move.
If you haven't already opened the Mouse Settings control panel, open it by clicking the word Mouse now, or by choosing “Mouse” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To adjust the acceleration of the mouse cursor and to adjust the threshold:
Click on one of the diamond-shaped buttons under “Mouse Acceleration.”
The buttons to the left slow down the acceleration; the buttons to the right speed up the acceleration.
You can also adjust the acceleration by clicking the button below “Finer Control” and sliding the bar next to “Acceleration” back and forth.
To change the threshold level, click the button below “Finer Control,” and move the sliding bar next to “Threshold” back and forth.
Move the mouse around and watch the pointer move on your screen.
Continue to click on diamonds or move the sliders until you've reached the desired acceleration and threshold levels.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
You can switch the button behavior of the mouse so you can use the mouse with your left hand by using the Mouse Settings control panel. If you haven't already opened the panel, open it by clicking theword Mouse now, or by choosing “Mouse” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To switch the button behavior of the mouse for left-handed use, click the diamond-shaped button next to the “Left handed” label.
The button behavior switches so that tasks normally performed with the left mouse button can now be performed with the right mouse button.
By default, the mouse click speed is set to a midrange level. This means that you can double-click a mouse button at a reasonable speed, and the action will be performed. If you would like the mouse to respond to a slower or a faster click speed, you can adjust the speed using the Mouse Settings control panel.
If you haven't already opened the panel, open it by clicking theword Mouse now, or by choosing “Mouse” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To adjust the click speed of the mouse:
Click one of the diamond-shaped buttons below “Click Speed” in the lower half of the control panel.
Click the button below “Slow” to slow down the click speed.
Click the button below “Fast” to speed up the click speed.
Click the button between the slow and fast buttons if you want a midrange click-speed (this is the default).
Click the button below “Finer Control” to display a sliding bar. Adjust the speed by sliding the bar back and forth.
Test the click speed by double-clicking on the button labeled, “Click Here!”
If you chose a fast click-speed, you will need to double-click the mouse button very quickly to test it. If you chose a slow click-speed, you should be able to double-click at a fairly slow rate.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
Any application you start up after you make the change uses the new click speed. Restart other applications if you want them to use the new click speed, or log out, then log back in to use the new click speed on the desktop.
You can adjust your keyboard key click and key repeat settings using the Keyboard Settings control panel. For details, see:
Key click is a clicking sound you can choose to hear when you type on your keyboard. Your system ships with the key click turned off.
You can turn key click on or off using the Keyboard Settings control panel. If you haven't already opened the panel, open it by clicking the word Keyboard now, or by choosing “Keyboard” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn on the key click:
Click the button next to “Key Click.” A checkmark appears in the box.
When you type on the keyboard, you will hear the key-click sound.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
To turn key click off, click the box to the left of the “Key Click” label. The checkmark disappears.
The key-repeat speed is the rate at which a keyboard character is repeatedly printed to your screen when you hold down a key. Key repeat delay is the amount of time the system waits before beginning the repeat sequence.
You can adjust the key repeat speed and delay using the Keyboard Settings control panel. If you haven't already opened the panel, open it by clicking the word Keyboard now, or by choosing “Keyboard” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
| Note: Key repeat sequences are often used when you want to use the <Backspace> key to delete a series of characters, or when you want to add multiple spaces using the Space Bar. Changing the key repeat speed also affects these keys. |
To adjust the key-repeat speed and delay:
Click one of the diamond-shaped buttons to adjust the key repeat speed and delay:
Click the button below “Slow” to slow down the repeat speed.
Click the button below “Fast” to increase the repeat speed.
Click the button between the slow and fast buttons if you want a midrange repeat-speed (this is the default).
Click the button below Finer Control to display two sliding bars. Adjust the repeat speed and delay by sliding the bars back and forth. Move the slider next to “Repeat Delay” to the left to lengthen the repeat delay. Move it to the right to shorten the repeat delay.
Test the speed and delay by clicking in the text input box next to “Test” and pressing down on a key on the keyboard.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
The Window Settings control panel lets you customize window attributes. For details, see:
The toolchests display vertically in the upper left corner of your screen. You can set them to display horizontally by using the Window Settings control panel.
If the Window Settings control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To change the orientation of the toolchests:
Click the button next to “Horizontal.”
A small marker appears on the button to let you know it's activated, and the toolchest changes orientation.
A window appears, telling you that the window manager must be restarted in order to rearrange the minimized window placement around the toolchests.
Click the OK button to close the window.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
A window appears, asking you if you want to restart the window manager.
If you click OK, all the windows you currently have open will redraw and the minimized windows will adjust themselves below the toolchests.
If you click No, the minimized windows will not change position until you log out and log back in to your system.
Click the button next to “Vertical” to switch the toolchests back to their original position.
By default, all minimized windows appear individually on your desktop. If you have Windows Overview turned on, all minimized windows are grouped together and appear in a window on your desktop. You will also see a borderless, minimized window for every window open on your desk.
When you use multiple desks, the Windows Overview will appear on all desks. All minimized windows on all desks will appear in the Windows Overview. You will also see a borderless minimized window for every window open on every desk.
You can turn Windows Overview on or off using the Window Settings control panel. If the panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn on Windows Overview:
Click the button next to “Display Windows Overview.”
A checkmark appears to let you know it's activated, and a window appears, telling you that the window manager will need to be restarted in order for the change to take affect.
Click the OK button to close the window.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
A window appears, asking you if you want to restart the window manager.
If you click OK, all the windows you currently have open will redraw, and the Windows Overview appears on your desktop. All the minimized windows for all desks appear in the Windows Overview.
If you click No, the Windows Overview will not appear until you log out and log back in to your system.
To turn off Windows Overview, click the button next to “Display Windows Overview” in the Window Settings control panel.
While you move a window, the window appears as a red outline. If you want, you can change the look of the moving window from a red outline to an opaque image of the window using the Window Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To change the appearance of a moving window:
Click the button next to “Opaque Window Move.”
A checkmark appears to let you know it's activated.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
To turn off the opaque window setting, click the button next to “Opaque Window Move.” The checkmark disappears.
By default, you can place windows anywhere on your screen when you open them. You can change this behavior so that windows are automatically placed in premapped locations on your screen when you open them. Do this by using the Window Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn on automatic window placement:
Click the button next to “Auto Window Placement.”
A checkmark appears.
Click the Close button to close the control panel.
Some applications may allow you to set preferences for window placement. These preferences will override the global settings. See your application documentation for information on setting window placement for that application.
The system keeps track of the windows that are open and their location on the screen. Every time you log in, the system checks the list of windows to determine which ones it should open automatically. It can do one of two things:
Automatically open the windows that were on your screen when you logged out. This is the default behavior. See “Automatically Saving the Desktop Layout” for more details.
Ignore the windows that were open when you logged out. Always open a particular set of windows that you have chosen. See “Automatically Opening a Specific Set of Windows” for instructions.
By default, the system opens the windows that were on your screen when you logged out. For example, suppose that you log out while your screen displays a clock, a calendar, and a jot window in which you are editing a text file. When you log into the system again, the clock, calendar, and jot windows automatically reappear.
If you change the setting and want to revert to the default behavior, use the Window Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
Click the button next to the label Continuously.
Click the Close button to close the window.
| Note: Some applications will not automatically open when you log in. See “Running Applications When You Log In Using the .sgisession File” for information on how to run these applications. |
By default, the system opens the windows that were on your screen when you logged out. You can change this behavior so the system opens a specific set of windows.
Create the screen layout that you want to see each time you log in.
Open windows and position them on the screen.
Create the desks that you want to have available when you log in. See Chapter 7, “Using Desks,” for instructions.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Windows now, or by choosing “Windows” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
Click the button next to the label Explicitly. It appears next to the label Save Windows & Desks.
Click the Set Home Session button. This takes a snapshot of the current screen layout.
Click the Close button to close the window.
| Note: If you create new desks, you must open the Window Settings control panel and click the Set Home Session button again. Otherwise, when you log out or restart the window manager, you will lose the new desks that you have created. Some applications will not automatically open when you log in. See “Running Applications When You Log In Using the .sgisession File” for information on how to run these applications. |
U.S. English is the default language for the system. You can choose another language and a corresponding keyboard key layout using the Language Controls panel.
If the Language Controls panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Language now, or by choosing “Language” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To change the language:
Scroll through the list of countries in the Locations list and click on the country whose language corresponds with the language you want.
Click the Close button to close the panel.
To change the keyboard key layout, click on an abbreviation that corresponds to the language you want; then click Quit to close the panel.
Any application you start up after you make the change uses the new language and keyboard layout. Restart other applications if you want them to use the new language and keyboard layout, or log out, then log back in to use the new language and keyboard layout on the desktop.
The Desktop Settings control panel lets you customize various desktop characteristics. For details, see:
You can change the default size of icons on the desktop, using the Desktop Settings control panel. If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To change the default size of icons on the desktop:
Slide the wheel below “Desktop Icon Size” back and forth.
Place your cursor on top of the wheel.
Press down on the left mouse button and move the cursor to the left and right to move the wheel.
The icon to the right of the wheel changes size.
When you're satisfied with the icon size, click the Close button to close the control panel.
The icons appear in the new size.
To return icons to the default size, click the small box on the right side of the wheel.
When you create new files in your home directory, you can have the icons for the new files automatically display on your desktop by turning on “Auto-Display New Home Dir. Files” in the Desktop Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn on auto-display of new home directory files:
Click the button next to “Auto-Display New Home Dir. Files.”
A checkmark appears in the box.
Click the Close button to close the panel.
The next time you create a file in your home directory, the icon for that file will appear on your desktop.
To turn off auto-display of new home directory files, click the button next to “Auto-Display New Home Directory Files” to remove the checkmark.
Your system ships with desktop sounds turned on. You will hear sounds for different actions you perform, such as double-clicking an icon, or emptying the dumpster. You can turn these sounds off in your environment if you want by using the Desktop Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn off desktop sounds:
Click the button next to “Desktop Sounds.”
The checkmark disappears.
Click the Close button to close the panel.
Desktop sounds turn off immediately for some applications. For other applications, you must log out and log back in before the sound turns off.
To turn desktop sounds back on, click the button next to “Audio Feedback.” A checkmark appears. Log out, then log back in.
When you start up an application, you see a visual effect that lets you know that the application is starting up. The effect stops when the application opens. The launch effect is turned on by default. You can turn it off using the Desktop Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn off the launch effect:
Click the button next to “Launch Effect.”
The checkmark disappears.
Click the Close button to close the panel.
Now when you start up an application, you will not see the launch effect. To turn the launch effect back on, click the button next to “Launch Effect.” A checkmark appears.
By default, when you choose “Remove” from the Selected menu, the files are moved into the dumpster. These files are stored in the dumpster until you decide to delete them permanently from your system by emptying the dumpster.
If you want files to be removed from your system immediately rather than moving them into the dumpster, you can disable the dumpster. When you disable the dumpster, it becomes an ordinary directory called “dumpster.” Now when you choose “Remove” from the Selected menu to remove selected files, these files are deleted from your system.
Use the Desktop Settings control panel to disable the dumpster. If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To disable the dumpster:
Click the button next to “Remove to Dumpster.”
The checkmark disappears.
Click the Quit button to close the panel.
If you want to reenable the dumpster, click the box next to “Remove to Dumpster.” The checkmark reappears.
By default, when you attempt to overwrite a file, a notifier pops up and asks you if you really want to overwrite the file. If you do not want this notifier to come up, you can turn it off by using the Desktop Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn off the overwrite file notifier:
Click the button next to “Warn on File Overwrite.”
The checkmark disappears.
Click the Quit button to close the control panel.
To turn on the overwrite file notifier, click the button next to “Warn on File Overwrite.” The checkmark reappears.
You can use the Desktop Settings control panel to turn on a status window that displays application errors. If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To turn on the status window:
Click the button next to “Display Application Errors.”
A checkmark appears.
Click the Quit button to close the control panel.
Next time an error is generated by an application, the status window appears on your screen, and the error message appears in the window.
To turn off the status window, click the button next to “Display Application Errors.” You must log out, then log back in, to disable the status window.
Your system ships with a graphical text editor called jot. When you open a text file, jot is the default editor. You can change the default editor by using the Desktop Settings control panel.
If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
To choose a default editor:
Move the cursor on top of the button next to “Default Editor” and press the left mouse button.
A menu appears.
Move your cursor on top of one of the choices to choose an editor. Then release the mouse button.
If you want to use a text editor that is not listed in the menu, choose “Other...” Then type in the name of the editor you want to use.
The editor you chose becomes the default editor.
Click the Quit button to close the panel.
Any application you start up after you make the change uses the new editor. Restart other applications if you want them to use the new editor.
By default, whenever you create a new file, default permissions are placed on the file. These default permissions allow you, the owner, to read, write and execute the file. They also allow the group and others to read and execute, but not to make changes to the file.
You can change these default permission settings using the Desktop Settings control panel. If the control panel is not already open on your screen, open it by clicking the word Desktop now or by choosing “Desktop” from the Customize menu in the Desktop toolchest.
These settings affect only files and directories that you create using the desktop tools. They dp not affect files and directories that you create in a shell window.
To change the default file permission settings:
Click Default File Permissions.
The Default File Permissions form appears.
Click the buttons below Read, Write, and Exec to set the default permissions for each user.
A button is activated when a checkmark appears on the button.
Click OK to set the permissions. Click Cancel if you do not want to change the permissions.
Click the Quit button to close the Desktop Settings panel.
For more information on permissions, see “Understanding Permissions.”
By default, certain icons appear on your desktop. If you prefer not to have icons appear on your desktop, you can disable this function by creating a file called nodesktop in your .desktop_<hostname> directory.
To do this:
Open a Directory View window of your home directory by choosing “Home Directory” from the Desktop toolchest.
Double-click the .desktop_<hostname> directory to open it.
The .desktop_<hostname> directory is a “hidden” file. If it is not visible in your home directory, choose “Hidden Files” from the View menu in the Directory View.
Create an empty file using your text editor, name it nodesktop, and place it in the .desktop_<hostname> directory.
Log out, then log back in.
Icons no longer appear on your desktop.
If you want to reenable icons on the desktop, delete the nodesktop file. Log out, then log back in. Icons appear on your desktop.
When you use the “Find an Icon” command to search for an icon, or you search for or run applications in a shell window, the software searches through a series of directories to find the file or application. The series of directories it searches is called your path.
You can add directories to your path by editing the .cshrc file.
Open a shell by choosing “Unix Shell” from the Desktop toolchest.
Open the .cshrc file.
Place the cursor in the shell window.
Type cd to move to your home directory. This is where system startup files such as .cshrc are stored.
Run a text editor and open the .cshrc file. For example, type:
jot .cshrc
Locate the line that begins with the text below, or create it if the line doesn't exist.
set path = ($path
Leave a space after “$path”; then type the names of the directories that you want to add. Be sure to leave a blank space between directory names and end the list of directory names with a closing parenthesis.
Save the file; then quit from the text editor.
Place the cursor in the shell window; then type:
source .cshrc
This causes the system to look at the start up file and recognize the new setting. The same thing happens when you log out and log back in again.
You can use the Window Settings control panel to save your desktop layout and have certain applications open automatically when you log in (see “Saving Your Desktop Layout”). Some third-party applications, however, may not be recognized by these settings. If you want these applications to start up automatically when you log in, you can create a file in your home directory called .sgisession.
To create a .sgisession file:
Open a shell by choosing “Unix Shell” from the Desktop toolchest.
Create the .sgisession file.
Place the cursor in the shell window.
Type cd to move to your home directory. This is where system startup files such as .sgisession are stored.
Run a text editor and create the .sgisession file. For example, type:
jot .sgisession
Type startup information for applications you want to start up when you log in. For example, if you want to start up an application called “fun,” and the application is stored in the /usr/sbin directory, create a line in the file like this:
/usr/sbin/fun
If you want to add another application, create a new line, and add the startup information for that application.
Save and close the file.
Next time you log out and log back in, the system will read your .sgisession file and will start up the applications you specified.
A file called system.chestrc exists in your /usr/lib/X11 directory. This file determines the system-wide settings for the toolchests. You can add toolchests and toolchest menu items to your account by creating a file called .auxchestrc in your home directory. This file adds the items you specify to all the items already specified in the system.chestrc file.
If you want to customize the toolchests more extensively by adding, deleting, and renaming items, copy the system.chestrc file into your home directory and rename it .chestrc. Then edit this file. The .chestrc file replaces the function of the system.chestrc file for your user account only.
| Note: The system.chestrc file allows dynamic menu items in the toolchests. These items appear and disappear depending on which desktop item is selected. When you create a .chestrc file, these dynamic abilities become disabled. |
The system.chestrc file contains all the toolchest headings and toolchest menu items that appear on your desktop.
Open the system.chestrc file in your /usr/lib/X11 directory. At the top of the file, you see some lines similar to these:
Menu ToolChest
{
"Desktop" f.menu Desktop
no-label f.separator
"Selected" f.menu Selected
no-label f.separator
"Find" f.menu Find
no-label f.separator
“System” f.menu System
no-label f.separator
“Help” f.menu Help
}
|
This defines the toolchests. The left side lists the names of the toolchests. Notice that the names are enclosed in quotes. The right side describes what happens when you choose a particular item. For example, when you choose the Desktop toolchest, you post the Desktop toolchest menu.
Every other line in this section reads:
no-label f.separator |
This draws the line that separates one toolchest from another.
Below the definition of the toolchest menu headings, you find sections that describe the contents of each toolchest. Find the section of the file that looks similar to this:
Menu Desktop
{
"Desks Overview" f.checkexec "/usr/sbin/ov"
no-label f.separator
"Home Directory" f.checkexec"/usr/lib/desktop/startdesk"
"Remote Directory" f.checkexec"/usr/lib/desktop/startdesk”
"Customize" f.menu Customize
"Volume Control" f.checkexec "/usr/sbin/apanel"
“Empty Dumpster” f.checkexpr “test \! -f $HOME/.desktop/nodesktop -a -x /usr/lib/desktop/telldesktop” “/usr/lib/desktop/telldesktop 'empty dumpster'”
“Unix Shell” f.checkexec “/usr/sbin/winterm”
no-label f.separator
“Log Out” f.checkexec “/usr/bin/X11/endsession”
}
|
Figure 10-1 shows the Desktop toolchest that this information creates. The structure is identical to that of the top-level. The left side lists the names that appear in the Desktop toolchest. Again, the names are enclosed in quotes and a separator line divides the menu into several groups. The right side describes what happens when you choose a particular item. For example, when you choose “Desks Overview,” you run the program ov, which opens the Desks Overview window.
The word “Desktop” in the first line corresponds to the word “Desktop” in the top-level description.
To add toolchests and toolchest menu items, create a file named .auxchestrc and place it in your home directory. Enter items in the format used in the system.chestrc file located in your /usr/lib/X11 directory. See “Understanding the system.chestrc File” for information about the system.chestrc file.
To add toolchests and toolchest menu items by creating a .auxchestrc file:
Open a shell window by choosing “Unix Shell” from the Desktop toolchest.
Create the .auxchestrc file.
Place the cursor in the shell window.
Type cd and hit <Enter> to move to your home directory.
Start the text editor and create the file. For example, type:
jot .auxchestrc
Enter text specifying the toolchest you want to add.
For example, if you wanted to add a new toolchest called “Applications,” you would enter the following:
Menu ToolChest { no-label f.separator "Applications" f.menu Applications }Enter text specifying the menu items you want to add to that toolchest.
For example, if you wanted to add jot to the Applications toolchest menu, you would type the following:
Menu Applications { "jot" f.checkexec "/usr/sbin/jot" }Save and close the .auxchestrc file.
Log out, then log back in.
The new toolchest named Applications appears with the toolchests, and the menu item “jot” appears in the Applications toolchest menu.
If you only want to add toolchests or add menu items to the toolchests, see “Adding Toolchests and Toolchest Menu Items Using the .auxchestrc File.” If you want to customize the toolchests more extensively by adding, deleting, and renaming items, create a .chestrc file:
Open a shell window by choosing “Unix Shell” from the Desktop toolchest.
Create a file called .chestrc in your home directory by copying the file system.chestrc from your /usr/lib/X11 directory and renaming it. To do this:
Place the cursor in the shell window.
Type cd and hit <Enter> to move to your home directory.
Type:
cp /usr/lib/X11/system.chestrc .chestrc
then press <Enter>.
It's very important that you begin by copying and renaming this file, because
the system.chestrc file determines the system-wide setting for the Toolchest window. If you change this file in the /usr/lib/X11 directory, your changes affect everyone who has a login account on the workstation.
if you have a .chestrc file in your home directory, the system reads this file instead of system.chestrc. It's best to add to or delete from a copy of the original so you don't leave out any essential information.
Note: The system.chestrc file allows dynamic menu items in the toolchests. These items appear and disappear depending on which desktop item is selected. When you create a .chestrc file, these dynamic abilities become disabled. Edit the .chestrc file by running the text editor. For example, type:
jot .chestrc
Since this file is a copy of the system.chestrc file, see “Understanding the system.chestrc File” for information on how to interpret the file. You can add, delete, and rename items.
When you're finished, save and close the file.
Log out, then log back in.
The toolchests appear the way you specified in the .chestrc file.
If you want to revert to the default Toolchest window, remove the .chestrc file from your home directory or name it something other than .chestrc.
If you have a custom background that you want to display using bgpaste, you can display it if you turn off icons on the background and the desktop background tool.
To display a custom background using bgpaste:
Open a directory view of your home directory by double-clicking the folder icon on your desktop, or by choosing “Home Directory” from the Desktop toolchest.
Choose “Hidden Files” from the View menu to see the “.” files in your home directory.
Open the directory named .desktop-<hostname> and create a file called nodesktop in that directory. This will turn off icons on the background.
Place the following line in your .Xdefaults or .Xresources file in your home directory:
4Dwm*SG_useBackgrounds: False
Log out then log back in.
When you log back in, the desktop backgrounds and icons on the background are turned off, and you can generate your own background using bgpaste.
To turn the desktop backgrounds back on, remove the line 4Dwm*SG_useBackgrounds: False from your .Xdefaults or .Xresources file. To turn icons on the background back on, delete the nodesktop file. Log out, then log back in.
You can turn off the user environment for every account on the system by logging in as root, and typing:
/etc/chkconfig desktop off
in a shell window. When you log out and log back in, your toolchest will not contain any items specific to the Indigo Magic user environment. Also, session management, desks, and icons on the background will be turned off.
To turn the user environment back on, log in as root and type:
/etc/chkconfig desktop on
in a shell window. Log out, then log back in. The user environment turns back on.