Front Panel TasksThe instructions assume that you are using a mouse.
Most tasks can also be done without a mouse; see
Keyboard Shortcuts
for the Desktop for more information.Tour of the Front PanelBasic Front Panel SkillsCustomizing the Front PanelCustomizing WorkspacesTour of the Main PanelMain PanelThe default Main Panel includes these controls. Since it
can be customized, your Front Panel may contain additional
or different controls.These terms are used to describe controls:
ClickWhat happens when you click the control.
DropWhat happens when you drop a file or folder icon on the control.
IndicatorWhat the image of the control represents.
Clock controlClock
&newline;Indicator: Displays the current time.Date controlCalendar controlCalendar
&newline;Click: Starts the Calendar application.
&newline;Indicator: Displays the current date.File Manager controlHome controlFile Manager--Home
&newline;Click: Opens a File Manager view of your home folder.
&newline;Drop: Opens a File Manager view of the dropped folder.Personal Applications controlText Editor controlText Editor--Personal
Applications
&newline;Click: Starts the desktop Text Editor application.
&newline; Opens the dropped file in a new Text Editor window.
&newline;This control position is reserved for a personal application
of your choice. You can put an application here by first installing the
application icon into the Personal Application subpanel, and then using
the control's pop-up menu to place that control in the Main Panel.Mailer controlMailer
&newline;Click: Starts the Mailer.
&newline;Drop: Opens the file's contents in the Mailer's New Message
window.
&newline;Indicator: Indicates arrival of new mail.Lock controlLock
&newline;Click: Locks your workstation, preventing unauthorized input.Workspace switchWorkspace
switch.
&newline;Click: Displays other workspaces.Busy lightProgress lightBusy Light
&newline;Indicator: Blinks when the system is running an action.Exit controlLogout controlExit
&newline;Click: Logs you out of the current session.Printer controlDefault Printer
&newline;Click: Displays the status of the default printer, lets you cancel
print jobs on that printer.
&newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer.Style Manager controlStyle Manager
&newline;Click: Starts the Style Manager application. If the application is
already running, its window is raised to the top of the window stack.Application Manager controlApplication Manager
&newline;Click: Opens an Application Manager window.
Information Manager controlInformation Manager>
&newline;Click: Opens the Book List window displaying the available
information libraries.
Trash Can controlTrash Can
&newline;Click: Opens the Trash Can window.
&newline;Drop: Moves the file or folder to the Trash Can.Tour of the SubpanelssubpanelsThe default Front Panel includes these subpanels. Since it
can be customized, your Front Panel may contain additional
subpanels, and the subpanels may contain additional or different controls.These terms are used to describe controls:
ClickWhat happens when you click the control.
DropWhat happens when you drop a file or folder icon on the control.
IndicatorWhat the image of the control represents.
In All SubpanelsInstall Icon controlInstall Icon
&newline;Drop: Creates a control based on the dropped file, folder, or
action icon, and installs the control in the subpanel.Personal Applications SubpanelPersonal Applications SubpanelUse the Personal Applications subpanel for applications you use frequently.
Install applications into the subpanel by dragging their icons from the
Application Manager to the Install Icon control.
Text Editor--Personal
Applications.
&newline;Click: Starts the desktop Text Editor application.
&newline;Drop: Opens the dropped file in a new Text Editor window.
&newline;This control is duplicate of the control in the Main Panel.Terminal controlTerminal
&newline;Click: Starts a terminal emulator.Icon Editor controlIcon Editor
&newline;Click: Starts the dekstop Icon Editor.Personal Printers SubpanelPersonal Printers SubpanelUse the Personal Printers Subpanel for printers you use frequently.
Install printers into the subpanel by dragging them from the Printers
application group to the Install Icon control.
Default Printer
&newline;Click: Displays the status of the default printer, lets you cancel
print jobs on that printer.
&newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer.
&newline;This control is a duplicate of the control in the Main Panel.Print Manager
&newline;Click: Opens the Print Manager window.
&newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer.Information Manager SubpanelInformation Manager SubpanelInformation Manager Manager controlInformation Manager
&newline;Click: Opens the Book List window displaying the
available information libraries. This control is a duplicate of
the control in the Main Panel.Desktop Introduction controlDesktop Introduction
&newline;Click: Displays the help volume "Introducing the Desktop."Front Panel Help controlFront Panel
Help
&newline;Click: Displays the Front Panel help volume.
Help Manager
&newline;Click: Opens a Help Viewer window displaying the top level of help
information.
On-Item Help controlOn-Item Help
&newline;Click: Provides on-item help for the Front Panel. Click this
control, then click the control on which you want help.
To Activate a Front Panel Controlchoosing:Front Panel controlFront Panel:control, choosingcontrol:Front PanelClick the control.
Some controls do not have a click action--for example, the clock control
and busy indicator.To Open and Close Subpanelssubpanel:openingsubpanel:closingInitially, the Text Editor, Printer, and Information Manager controls have
subpanels. You can add subpanels to other controls. See .To Open a SubpanelClick the arrow button above the control.
To Close a SubpanelIf you have not moved a subpanel from its initial position, it closes
automatically when you choose a control.
Click the down arrow at the bottom of the subpanel.
Or, choose Close from the subpanel's Window menu.
To Get Help on a Controlcontrol:helphelp on a controlon-item helpMouseChoose Help from the control's pop-up menu.Or:Display the Information Manager subpanel.
Choose On-Item Help in the subpanel.
Click the control you want help on.
To Display the Front Panel Pop-up Menucontrol:popup menupopup menu for Front PanelPoint to the control and press mouse button 3.Contents of the Pop-up MenusThe contents of a control's pop-up menu depend on the behavior of the
control and its location.Pop-up Menus for Main Panel ControlsIf the control starts an application, the first entry in the menu is a
command that starts the application. Choosing the menu item has the same
effect as clicking the control.
Add SubpanelAdds a subpanel to the control
Delete SubpanelRemoves the subpanel and its contents
HelpDisplays on-item help for the control
Switch Area Pop-up MenuThe switch area is the portion of the workspace switch not occupied by other
controls or workspace buttons.
Add WorkspaceAdds a workspace
HelpDisplays help for the workspace switch
Pop-up Menus for Workspace ButtonsThe workspace buttons are used to change workspaces. Each button has its
own menu.
Add WorkspaceAdds a workspace
DeleteDeletes the workspace
RenameTurns the button label into a text field for editing the name
HelpDisplays help for the workspace switch buttons
Pop-up Menu for Subpanel ControlsThe pop-up menu for subpanel controls includes a command for making the
control the current Main Panel control.
Copy to Main PanelDuplicates the control in the Main Panel, replacing
the current Main Panel control
DeleteDeletes the control from the subpanel
HelpDisplays on-item help for the control
To Move the Front Panel or a Subpanelmoving: Front PanelFront Panel:movingsubpanel:movingWhen you move a subpanel from its location above the Main Panel, it will remain
open until you explicitly close it.
To Move the Main PanelDrag the Front Panel using its move handles.
To Move a SubpanelPoint to the subpanel's window frame. Hold down mouse button 1
as you drag the subpanel to its new location.
To Minimize the Front PanelFront Panel: minimizingicon: turning Front Panel intominimizing:Front PanelClick the Minimize button.
The Front Panel's window icon is labelled with the name of the
current workspace.To restore the Front Panel window, double-click its window icon.To Interchange Main Panel and Subpanel Controlssubpanel:moving a control to the Main Panelcontrol:movingMain Panel:moving a control toDisplay the subpanel.
Point to the subpanel control you want to put in the Main Panel.
Choose Copy to Main Panel from the
control's popup menu to
exchange the subpanel control with the main panel control.
To Add an Application or Other Icon to a SubpanelInstall Icon controlapplication:adding to Front PanelFront Panel:adding application tosubpanel:adding application toYou can add any type of icon to the Front Panel.
However, the most convenient use for this feature is adding application
icons.
Display the icon for the application or file you want to add. It can be in File
Manager or Application Manager.
Display the subpanel.
Drag the object to the Install Icon control.
Behavior of Added ControlsWhen you add a control to the Front Panel by dragging an icon from File
Manager or Application Manager, its behavior in the Front Panel
depends on its original behavior.In most cases, clicking the control
has the same effect as double-clicking the icon in File Manager
or Application Manager.An exception is folders. When you install a folder into
a subpanel, clicking the control opens a File Manager view of
that folder.To Remove a Controlcontrol:deletingremoving controlsdeleting:Front Panel controlsPoint to the control.
Choose Delete from the control's popup menu.
If you delete a control you've installed, you can restore it by
repeating the installation process. However, it is more
difficult to restore built-in controls or controls provided
by your system administrator. See .
To Add or Remove a Subpanelsubpanel:deletesubpanel:addPoint to the control in the main panel whose subpanel you want to add or remove.
Choose Add Subpanel or Delete Subpanel from the control's pop-up menu.
When you delete a subpanel, you delete all the controls in it. See
.To Replace a Control in the Main Panelcontrol:replacereplacing a Front Panel controlThe easiest way to replace a control in the Main Panel is to exchange it
with a subpanel control. If the control does not have a subpanel, you can
create one temporarily or permanently.
If the control you want to replace does not have a subpanel, create one by
choosing Add Subpanel from the control's pop-up menu.Display the new subpanel.Drop the object you want in the Main Panel (for example, an application
icon in Application Manager) onto the Install Icon control in the subpanel.Choose Copy to Main Panel from the new control's pop-up menu to put that
control into the Main Panel.Optional: Remove the subpanel by choosing Delete Subpanel from the main
control's pop-up menu.To Restore the Uncustomized Front PanelThe following procedure:
Removes controls you added using the Install Icon control
Restores any subpanels and controls you removed
Removes any subpanels you created
Open Application Manager and change to the Desktop_Tools application
group.
Double-click Restore Front Panel.
This procedure does not affect customizations done by manually
creating or editing Front Panel configuration files; it applies
only to customizations done using the Front Panel's pop-up menus and
Install Icon control.Advanced Front Panel CustomizationAdvanced Front Panel customization consists of any customization
that must be done by creating or editing a Front Panel configuration
file.Advanced customization includes:
All system-wide customizations
Adding, deleting, or changing controls in the workspace switch
Interchanging the position of Main Panel controls&emdash;for example,
interchanging the position of the Clock and Calendar controls
Adding special controls such as application windows and indicators
Animating a control
Major layout changes&emdash;for example, adding a row to the
Main Panel
Advanced customization is covered in the Common Desktop Environment
Advanced User's and System Administrator's Guide.To Rename a Workspaceworkspace:renamename:workspaceUse the workspace switch to change to the workspace you want to rename.Click the workspace button (again).Type the new workspace name.Type Return or click outside the button.To Add and Remove Workspacesworkspace:addingworkspace:deletingTo Add a WorkspacePoint to a workspace switch area.Choose Add Workspace from the workspace button's pop-up menu.A workspace named "New" is added (see ).To Remove a WorkspacePoint to the workspace switch button.Choose Delete Workspace from the
workspace button's pop-up menu.