|
3. Navigating the Unix Filesystem
Command Line Control Characters
5. Unix Metacharacters and Redirection
6. Introduction to CDE (Common Desktop Environment)
Using Controls in Application Windows
7. Introduction to Text Editing
8. Initialization Files and Shell Environment Variables
10. File Security
11. User Security
12. Process Control
Unix is multi-tasking, multi-user operating system (OS). It is available in many different flavors, and on many different platforms.
At Jefferson Lab the different variations of Unix include:
· HP-UX - The Hewlett Packard version of Unix that runs on HP workstations and servers.
· Solaris - The Sun Microsystems version of Unix that runs on Sun workstations and servers.
· AIX - The IBM version of Unix that runs on IBM workstations and servers.
· Linux - The public non-proprietary version of Unix that runs on PC's, that is available at low cost from various vendors.
Unix has three main parts:
The core component of the Unix OS is the kernel. The kernel is the heart of the operating system, which provides various functions:
· The kernel manages all system devices, memory, processes, and daemons. It usually accomplishes these tasks without any interference from users or administrators.
· It controls the transfer of information between system hardware and system utilities.
· It controls the scheduling and execution of all commands.
Shells in Unix are the mechanism that acts as an interface between users and the kernel. The kernel intercepts commands from users and programs and interprets or translates them. It accepts the commands as typed and sends them the executable instructions to the kernel.
There are various shells available on Unix systems:
Bourne shell (/bin/sh) - The default shell for most systems, and system accounts that was originally developed by AT&T.
Korn shell (/bin/ksh) - Similar to the Bourne shell and is actually a superset of it. It provides additional functionality such as history, command-line editing, and aliasing.
C shell (/bin/csh) - The C shell is syntactically similar to the C programming language which it is named after. The C shell provide even more functionality than the korn shell and is probably the most popular shell that is supported by most vendor supplied versions of shells.
The shell that is the Jefferson Lab default for users is the tcsh shell. This is an enhanced publicly available superset of the C shell that tends to be more user friendly and usable than the other shells.
Structurally the Unix filesystem is a hierarchy of files, directories, or subdirectories that are organized or grouped together by some common ties or for a specific purpose.
Directories are locations for other directories and files, while subdirectories are any directory that can be found below some other directory.
The Unix file system structure is commonly illustrated as a tree, which starts at what is known as the root directory which is the topmost directory in the filesystem. All directories found under the root directory are subdirectories of the root directory. The subdirectories found under root contain all of the essential system directories, user home directories, application directories, and data directories.
Before you can access Unix systems at Jefferson Lab you must have first submitted an approved Unix Account request form to the Computer Center Helpdesk. An approved form is one that verifies that you have a valid entry in the CIS database and also has been signed by your supervisor or sponsor.
After verification of the information contained on the User Account form the helpdesk will create a user account for you on the Jefferson Lab Unix systems and additionally on the Jefferson Lab NT domain by default. During the creation of the account a unique username is assigned to your account as well as an initial system password that should be changed after your first successful login. An initial user environment that provides you with default Jefferson Lab properties is set up, and in most instances should provide you with all of the functionality that you will need as a user on the Jefferson Lab Unix systems. You will receive a home directory on the central fileservers where your local files and directories will be contained of a size of 50Mb.
By default you will receive a Jefferson Lab email address which will usually be in the form of:
username@jlab.org
where username refers to your assigned login ID or Unix username.
When your user account form is submitted you fill in a desired username or login ID that you wish to be known as on the systems. The requirements for your login ID are:
· limited to eight alphanumeric characters;
· unique.
Dependent upon availability this username may be changed to something else by the helpdesk. Your username is basically the identification required by the operating system for you to successfully login.
When your account is created entries are made in the central NIS configuration files that are managed by the Computer Center. NIS stands for Network Information Services, and it provides the mechanism for sharing user information such as usernames, passwords, group membership, and other information across the network to systems that are members of the NIS domain. All of this is done transparently by the OS and enables you to log onto any of the Computer Center supported systems with the same username and password and additionally the same login environment. The information that is actually being passed comes from the passwd, shadow, and group files that are shared from NIS.
Each user account will have a default GID associated with it. This default GID gives the username membership to a specific group which enables the account the system access privileges associated with that group.
Each account has a default shell assigned at login. As mentioned the default shell that is usually given to a Jefferson Lab user is the tcsh.
All of the previously mentioned items are associated with a user account through entries in the passwd file. The passwd file is queried by the login process to get all the necessary information to allow a user to login. The entry in the passwd file will be similar to the following:
johndoe:x:100:10:John
Doe:/home/johndoe:/bin/tcsh
· johndoe: - username or login id field
· x: - placeholder field for the login id's password, which is actually contained in the shadow file
· 100: - numeric UID (user id) field which is how the user is identified by the system
· 10: - numeric GID (group id) that identifies the primary group to which a user belongs
· John Doe: - comment field that usually contains the real name of the user
· /home/johndoe: - home directory field that is normally referred to as the "home" directory where the user stores files and directories
· /bin/tcsh - definition of the default shell that johndoe will use.
When you initially login to a Unix system it is the passwd file entry that allows you to login with all of your pre-configured information intact.
Your password is actually held in the shadow file in an encrypted state. The shadow file is a protected file that is only accessible or readable by privileged accounts.
The actual password that allows access to your account should maintain the following characteristics:
· Contain an upper case letter [A-Z]
· Contain a lower case letter [a-z]
· Contain a number [0-9]
A valid password must use all three of these rules, and must be 7 or 8 characters long. It must not be easily guessable (like your name or username). Password-checking programs are run against the central NIS databases - if the program is able to guess a password and it does not conform to these rules then the account will be blocked. Regular password changes are also enforced.
There are several different methods of logging into a Unix system at Jefferson Lab, depending upon what resources are available to you. Examples would be logging in from an xterminal here on site, using a terminal emulator from your PC such as Tera Term Pro, or using a telnet application from offsite. All of which require you to supply a valid username and password.
The recommended ways of connecting to Unix systems is to use as secure a connection mode as possible, which means using applications that support SSH (Secure Shell). SSH provides encrypted login sessions that are not easily sniffed when traversing networks. The reasoning behind using SSH capable software is due to the ease with which passwords can be sniffed from a network by almost any machine that is connected. The Tera Term Pro application for PCs provides SSH capabilities, and Unix systems at the lab are configured to support SSH, as are most Unix systems at other labs. It is the responsibility of the individual user to configure their user account for SSH. A discussion of the configuration of SSH will follow later in this document.
No matter how you connect to a Unix system the same general procedure is followed:
It should be noted that Unix is case sensitive. This means that when entering anything from the keyboard it will interpret commands, usernames, and passwords based upon the case of the letters entered, distinguishing between upper and lower. If you are entering your username, which will be lower case for most people, and you enter capital letters you will not be allowed onto the system. The same is true for entering your password, if you do not enter your password exactly with respect to case sensitivity, it will be rejected and you will not be allowed onto the system.
After you have made your first successful login it is important that you change your password to something that you can remember while still maintaining password characteristics as described previously. To change your password you must be logged onto the system. The steps for changing your passwd are as follows:
Note: Do not be alarmed that your password is not
displayed. This is an additional security mechanism that prevents your password
from being viewed and compromised.
There are several Unix systems provided for the general use at Jefferson Lab. These systems are physically located in the Computer Center machinery room located in room L200 of Cebaf Center. The systems that are available for login are:
· Solaris - jlabs1, jlabs2
· HP - db1, jlabh1, jlabh2, jlabh3, jlabh4
· AIX - jlaba1, jlaba2
The db1 system is Jefferson Lab's primary MIS (Management Information System) host that provides access to the lab's administrative applications. Such applications would include CIS (Central Information System), the timesheet entry program ETR, the requisition program REQS, and several other MIS applications. It is a system that's sole purpose is MIS.
The other Unix systems mentioned (all of the systems that start with jlab) are provided for general purpose Unix computing.
There are many other Unix systems located at Jefferson Lab, but most of them are not available for general use. Examples of these systems would include the systems located within our batch and interactive farm, the experimental halls Unix systems, many of the accelerator control systems, as well as the multiple Linux systems.
Logging off of a Unix system is a relatively simple but important process. Logging out will prevent an unauthorized user from gaining access to your files and using your account for any promiscuous activities. To log off you simply type the exit command from the command line, which will exit you from your currently open shell. If you are logging off of an xterminal to completely log out you will need to locate the exit button from the bottom menu, click it with your mouse, and then select the OK button, which asks if you really wish to logout.
All of the Unix systems at Jefferson Lab basically have the same filesystem structure with some variations based on the vendor. These systems all have the following directories available from the / or root directory:
System Directories:
· The /usr directory which contains platform specific executable commands, system administration utilities, and library routines.
· The /etc directory which contains platform specific system configuration files, and other system configuration directories.
· The /var directory which is a spooling area for various applications including mail, printing, system accounting, and process scheduling.
· The /tmp directory that is primarily used as a temporary storage area by applications.
Jefferson Lab Specific Directories:
· The /home directory which is non-platform specific that contains all Jefferson Lab valid users home directory
· The /apps directory which provides both commercial and public domain applications to the user, that otherwise are not included from the vendor.
· The /site directory which contains Jefferson Lab configuration files and other non-platform specific utilities that are homegrown, as well as some Jefferson Lab system information.
· The /work directory which contains the different work storage areas available for experimental users.
· The /group area which contains storage areas from which specific group can share common data without replication or waste of system resources.
· The /scratch area which contains a directory for every username in the NIS database where users can write out scratch data which may exceed their allocated quota if it were placed in their home directories. This area is examined and purged on the basis of last accessed times, so do not use this as a permanent storage area.
When referring to path name in Unix we mean the location where a file or directory can be found. The path name can be thought of as directions to let you know how to get to a file or directory within the Unix directory structure. Path names can be either absolute or relative. An example path would be:
/home/johndoe/bin/Solaris
This is the absolute path to the Solaris directory or file under the johndoe account's home directory. The slashes within the path name are the delimiters or separators between directories. The first slash is the / or root directory which is the starting point for all absolute paths.
The absolute path name refers to a file or directory in relation to its location within the entire Unix directory hierarchy, beginning at the root directory. The absolute pathname:
· Begins at the / or root directory and lists every directory that occurs in the path to the destination file or directory.
· Different directories in the path are separated by using a slash (/) in the path.
Relative path names specify a file or directory in relation to the current working directory. When the term current working directory is specified, it means the directory in which you are currently located. When you first log onto the system your current working directory is the /home/username directory. It will remain your current working directory until you move to another directory with one of the filesystem navigation commands that are available you from the Unix system.
If the directory that you are currently sitting in is the /home/johndoe directory, the relative path name to the Solaris directory would be bin/Solaris. Notice that we do not use the / at the start of the location because we are using relative path name instead of absolute path name which would have been /home/johndoe/bin/Solaris.
Most commands that are available from the command prompt while in a Unix shell follow the same basic format:
johndoe> command [option(s)]
[argument]
[argument]
command - The actual executable command.
options - The tags that modify the
executable giving the ability to pass different possibilities to a command,
which are usually preceded by a hyphen (-)
argument - The file or directory, which includes
the path name. If you do not specify the path name the operating system will
interpret this as a relative path that starts at the current working directory.
Realize that the delimiter for the command line is a space. Also note that not every command will require the entry of each of the three pieces. The limit to the number of characters on the command line is 255 characters.
To display your current working directory, use the pwd (print working directory) command. This will return the absolute path name to the current directory.
Format
pwd
Changing Working Directory
To move from your current working directory to another use the cd (change directory) command. This command will take either an absolute or relative pathname for the directory that you wish to change be relocated to.
Format
cd directory name
There are several abbreviations that can be used in the specification of paths using the relative path name conventions when using the cd command.
<div align="center">
|
Symbol |
Meaning |
|
. |
Current working directory |
|
.. |
The directory directly above the current directory; also known as the parent directory |
|
~ |
The absolute path to the login or home directory that is only available within csh, tcsh, or korn shells |
</div>
<big><big>The operating system will take these abbreviations as arguments to the cd command and expand them to the absolute path for movement within the directory structure.
</big></big>
<big><big>Listing
Directories and Files</big></big>
<big><big>To display the contents of a directory for files and directories that are contained within a directory the ls command is used. The ls command has various options that will display many different aspects of a file or directory.</big></big>
<big><big>Format</big></big>
<big><big>ls [-options] [pathname]
</big></big>
<big><big>Hidden Files </big></big>
<big><big>There are files that are located in
directories that are commonly referred to as hidden files or dot (.) files.
These files are not normally displayed by issuing just the normal ls command without options. These files can
be displayed by executing the ls command with the -a option. The hidden or dot files are
usually files that are used to customize a user's or applications environment,
and therefore are usually hidden and not modified or viewed under normal
circumstances. </big></big>
<big><big>Listing File Types</big></big>
<big><big>The command ls -F is used to display file
types. When the command is executed it will display symbols at the end of the
listed filename or directory that denotes the file type.
</big></big><div
align="center">
|
File Type |
Symbol |
|
Directory |
/ |
|
Executable |
* |
|
Symbolic |
@ |
|
Plain text file (ASCII) |
(none) |
</div>
Long
Listing
When listing out the contents of a directory
or file with the ls command you may wish to have more information about a file
than just its name or file type. You may also wish to get information about
file size, file creation times, file modification times, ownership, or
permissions of the files. To get this information, use the ls command with the -l option.
This option will give what is referred to as
the long listing of a directory. It returns the name of the file and its type,
lists the file's permissions, the number of links to the file, its owner and
group owner, its size, and the date and time of last modification.
The first item of a long listing gives the
file type of a file, which could be any one of the following:
- plain file
d directory
b block special file
c character special file
l symbolic link
p named pipe, or stream (used for
ipc)
Individual
Directories
To list only information about an individual
directory and nothing about its contents is done with the ls command with the -d option.
Subdirectory
Listing
Displaying the contents of a directory and
then the contents of all subdirectories is accomplished with what is known as a
recursive listing with the ls command using the -R option.
Within Unix there are specific characters that when entered in an argument are interpreted as placeholders for other characters. These characters are known as wildcards. The asterisk (*) and question mark (?) are wildcards.
When an asterisk is entered within an argument for path name commands it represents zero or more characters. It can be used where you use a file or directory name. It can replace names for directories as well.
When a question mark is used within an argument for a path name command it will match any single character.
Wildcards are useful when you do not know the exact name of a file or directory as well as in doing listings of files or directories that share common character strings within them for filtering through directory contents.
The command, which will create a directory for you, is the mkdir command. When you create a new directory you can create it using a relative or absolute path name, as well as create multiple directories with the same execution of the mkdir command. The basic requirement for a user to create a directory is that the user have permission based upon his uid or gid that will allow the write permissions to create the directory. If you do not have permissions to create a directory in the location desired the operating system will let you know and will not allow it.
Format
mdkir directory_name
directory_name
In Unix you also have the ability to remove directories. This is done with the rmdir command and the various options that it will interpret and execute. As with the mkdir command, the rmdir command also requires that the proper permissions be set in order for a user to execute it.
Format
rmdir directory_name(s) or rm -r directory_name(s)
The rmdir command is a dangerous command if improperly used. Always make sure that you are executing this command properly and in the correct location. Every Unix user has at some point removed a directory and its contents when the -r option is used. This is not a good action considering that there is no mechanism in Unix to recover data, unless system backups may contain the data.
Some of the basic file system navigation commands have been discussed. It is now time to discuss some of the basic file commands that are available within Unix. These are the commands that are most often used to view the contents of files, copy, move, rename, and remove files on a Unix system.
We will first examine commands and key sequences for the displaying of a file's contents:
cat
The cat command (commonly thought of as an
abbreviation for concatenate) is used for viewing small files. It will scroll
through a text file without stopping on any predetermined page breaks or
formatting. You can use control characters to stop the scrolling
(Control-s) and restart (Control-q) it, but it is very difficult to pick
the exact point. It should not be used to view binary files (in most cases
executable or images) because there will be different effects on your
environment and could have adverse effects on the content of your terminal.
Format
cat filename(s)
There
are certain key sequences that when executed form control characters that
perform specific tasks such as stopping or starting screen output. The method
of creating a control character is to hold down the Control key and pressing
the key that corresponds to the control sequence that you wish to generate.
When the control sequence is actually display on the display it will appear as
the caret symbol (^).
<div align="center">
|
Control Character |
Function |
|
Control-c |
Command Interrupt |
|
Control-d |
End-of-file or exit |
|
Control-q |
Starts screen output |
|
Control-s |
Stops screen output |
|
Control-u |
Erases the command |
|
Control-w |
Erases the last word on the line |
|
Control-z |
Suspends a job |
</div>
more
The more command is used to display the contents
of a text file one screen at a time. This command is much more usable on long
files than the cat command. When more fills the current screen with data and
there is more data to be displayed there will be an entry similar to --More--(nn%)
where the percentage
that is shown is the percent of the file already displayed.
Format
more
filename(s)
When the prompt is displayed for viewing more
data there are certain keys that will perform specific functions during
execution:<div
align="center">
|
Scrolling Keys |
Purpose |
|
Spacebar |
Scroll to the next screen |
|
Return |
Scrolls one line at a time |
|
B |
Moves back one screen |
|
F |
Moves forward one screen |
|
H |
Displays the more Help menu |
|
Q |
Stops the more command and returns control to the shell |
|
/string |
Searches forward for the next occurrence of string |
</div>
man
The man command is used for accessing on-line
manual or reference pages for Unix. This is the first command that should be
tried when wanting to learn what a file or command is used for. It will display
all pertinent information about a command or file if it is found in the man
databases.
Format
man command
head
When you only wish to display the first few
lines of a text file to determine its contents you should use the head command. The head command will display
the first 10 lines of a file by default, if you wish to display a different
number of lines you would do so by passing options to the command reflecting
what you want.
Format
head [-n] filename(s)
tail
The tail is the companion command to the head command. The tail command does the reverse of the head command by displaying the last few lines
of a text file. By default it will display the last 10 lines of a file. This is
useful in the determination of the last entries of a log file or some other
types of data file. It again will allow the viewing of more than the default
lines by the passing of options through the command line.
Format
tail [-n] filename(s)
The next set
of commands we will explain are used for file management:
touch
The touch command is used to create a new empty
file.
Format
touch filename(s)
cp
The cp command is used to copy one file to
another file.
Format
cp [-options] source destination
The cp command can also be used to copy a
directory and all of its contents (including subdirectories) to another
directory, which will be a duplicate of the original directory, only with a
different name and possibly location. This is done with the (-r) or recursive option of cp.
Format
cp -r source
destination
mv
If you wish to rename or move a file you use
the mv command. The mv command can be used to rename
directories within the current directory, and it can also be used in an
interactive fashion for preventing inadvertent overwriting of files.
Format
mv [-options] source destination
rm
The rm command is used to remove the specified
files and directories. This has been previously mentioned in the removal of
directories, but in this instance we are concerned with the removal
specifically of files. Remember to be very careful when using any command that
removes or deletes files or directories because Unix does not provide a
recovery mechanism for these actions by default. You can use either absolute or
relative path names when issuing the rm command.
Format
rm [-options] filename(s)
rm -i filename(s)
rm -r directory(s)
Metacharacters are special keyboard characters that have special purposes within a shell. We will go through the metacharacters that are used for substitution. The use of metacharacters is a powerful tool that is available to the regular Unix user. Generally speaking you can define a metacharacter as any character that is available from your keyboard that is not alphanumeric.
When creating and managing files it is important to not use metacharacters because of their special meanings to the OS. Example of metacharacters would include the following: | ; < > ~ * ? [ ] .
The semicolon metacharacter allows you to
execute multiple commands on a single command line. It is also referred to as
the command separator because this is the function that it actually provides
on the command line.
Format
command;
command
Square brackets within the command line are
used to denote a range of characters to be matched from the characters that are
found within the brackets. The shell acting as a translator will replace the
brackets with one of the characters from the ones specified within the
brackets.
The characters that you place inside the
brackets do not have to be in any specific order unless you are using a range
of characters. A range is specified by giving the starting character and ending
character with a dash in the middle of them. The range must also must be in
order. For example [d-h], means match one of the characters d, e, f, g;
however [h-d] * would not be an acceptable range because the system would
interpret it as meaning that you wanted files beginning with an h, hyphen ( - )
or with a d.
The system will accept alphanumeric
characters for the search pattern, meaning alphabetic or numeric characters.
Every computer uses input and output (I/O).
Within Unix the capability to control I/O is given with redirection.
·
Input is sending data to a command
·
Output is receiving data from a command
All commands have standard input or output:
Standard input ---->
Command ---->Standard output
When we refer to Standard In in Unix we are referring to input from the current
device, such as the keyboard. When we refer to Standard Out we are referring to our current output device,
which is the current screen or terminal. Unix gives the capability to change
either where standard n
is coming from or where standard out is
going to through the different Angle Brackets.
(
>, < )
The current window or terminal where your
shell is running is normally the standard out for commands that are executed in
the shell.
To redirect the output of a command to a file
rather than to the screen, you would use the right-angle bracket (>, also
the greater-than symbol).
To redirect the input of a command from a
file rather than from the keyboard, you would use the left-angle bracket
(<, also the less-than symbol).
Format
command > filename
command < filename
( >> )
If you wish to append data to an already
existing file from a command you would use the double-right angle bracket (
>> ). This redirection will only work if the file already exists, and
will take the output from the command and append it to the end of the specified
file.
Format
command
>> filename
Piping ( | )
The pipe ( | ) enables you to take the output
from one command and pass it as the input to another command, all in one
command line. The output from the command to the left of the pipe becomes the
input to the command on the right side of the pipe.
Format
command | command
When you log onto a Jefferson Lab CUE Unix system using a xdm session (this could be from a xterminal, or from a PC running PCxware) the default windows environment that is used is CDE. This environment has been developed by several different vendors and is available on the HP-UX, AIX, and Solaris systems at Jefferson Lab. There are some variations and differences among the three platforms, but they are insignificant and should not have any effects on the basic operations provided.
After your successful login to a CDE session on a Unix system you will be placed into what is known as the desktop. The desktop provides you with a nice GUI that will help you to organize and manage your work providing you with workspaces, controls, menus and the Front Panel. CDE provides a windowing environment similar to those available on other platforms and includes the following features.
· Windows in CDE provide a framed area for software applications that contains controls for moving, sizing, or placing the window in a different workspace.
· Workspaces can Screen areas where you configure and place windows where you want them to your specific needs, and save them for use within your CDE session are known as workspaces.
· Controls are available that enable you to type information, manipulate objets, or select choices.
· Commands that are used to manage windows and operate application are available through Menus.
· Frequently used controls are available from the Front Panel that are available in every workspace.
We will examine the following objects available in CDE: Window Icons, the Front Panel, the Style Manager, the File Manager, the Application Manager, and Workspace Objects.
Window
Icons
Window icons are displayed on your current
workspace after a window is minimized. To minimize a window in CDE you simply
click the minimize button that is found in the upper right corner of the window
frame.
The process of restoring an iconified window
is just as simple. Double-click mouse button 1 on the icon and it will again be
displayed at full size. Additionally the window can be restored by clicking the
icon to display the Window menu and then clicking on the Restore menu item.
Front
Panel
At the bottom of the display is a special
panel known as the Front Panel. This panel provides the user with different
controls, indicators, and subpanels that are used in everyday work. Within the
Front Panel you also find the workspaces switches for selecting your different
workspaces.
Some controls in the Front Panel start
applications when you click on them. Other controls are dropzones where you can
simply drag a file and drop it. An example of the application start control
would be the Text Editor control, and an example of the dropzone control would
be the Printer control.
If there is an arrow over a control on the
Front Panel it means that there is a subpanel available from the arrow. These
subpanels provide access to other controls or applications. To activate the
subpanel you click on the arrow and the panel will appear.
Style
Manager
To customize your desktop you use the Style
Manager. The Style Manager includes the capability to modify the following:
·
Colors
·
Workspace backdrops
·
Font size
·
Keyboard, mouse, and window behavior
The Style Manager is started by clicking on
the Style Manager control on the Front Panel.
File
Manager
The File Manager in CDE is similar to the
same application on other platforms. It displays the files, folders, and
applications on your system as icons. If you use the file manager it prevents
you from having to learn much more complicated Unix commands.
The File Manager is started by clicking on
the File Manager control on the Front Panel.
Application
Manager
Access to common applications that are used
in everyday work is given through action icons located in the Application
Manager. The action icons start applications. Within the Application Manager
action icons are stored in special folders called application groups.
Additionally the action icons that are used
frequently can be placed on the workspace backdrop.
The Application Manager is started by
clicking on the Application Manager control on the Front Panel.
Workspace
Objects
Any file, folder, or action that is used
frequently can be placed on the workspace backdrop as an icon.
To place any of these items on the backdrop,
drag its icon from the File Manager or Application Manager window and drop it
directly on the workspace backdrop.
The workspace object is basically a pointer
or a reference to the actual object, not a copy. The original item remains
unchanged within the File Manager or Application Manager.
To work with windows in a workspace you need to know how to open, close, and manipulate windows.
Window
Frame Controls
·
The frame of a window provides controls with which you can:
·
Focus attention on a window making it active for inut from your mouse or
keyboard. When you select a window and it becomes active, its frame changes
color.
·
Move a window.
·
Minimize a window into an icon
·
Close a window, removing it from the desktop.
·
Display a window in other workspaces.
To display the Window menu you click on
the Window menu button.
To close a window and remove it from the
desktop, double-click on the Window menu button or display the Window menu and
select close.
To turn a window into an icon click on the
minimize button. To restore an iconified window double-click on the icon.
To make a window as large as allowable click
on the maximize button. To return the window to its previous size click on the
maximize button again.
The tile bar displays the name of the
application that owns a window. To select a window or make it active click in
the title bar. The window can be repositioned by dragging the title bar.
To resize a window drag a window's resize
corner or border.
How
to open an Application Window
Using a Mouse
·
Using the mouse you click the application's control in the Front
Panel.
·
From within the Application Manager, double-click the applications icon.
·
To open an Application Window from the File Manager, the
applications icon must be selected, and then choose an action for the selected
icon from the Selected menu.
Using the Keyboard
From
the Front Panel
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys to move the keyboard focus to the Front Panel.
2.
Press the arrow keys to move the highlight within the Front Panel and
select a control.
3.
Press the Spacebar or Return key to choose the control and open the
application's window.
From
the Application Manager
1.
Open the Application Manager window by choosing its Front Panel control
as described above.
2.
Press the arrow keys to move the highlight to an application group icon
within the Application Manager window.
3.
Press the Return key twice to open the application group.
4.
Press the arrow keys to move the highlight to an application or action
icon, then press the Return key twice to start the application.
How
to close an Application Window
When an application window is closed it is
removed from all workspaces. Closing an application is the same as quitting an
application on other systems.
Using a Mouse
·
Choose Close from the application's File menu.
·
Double-click the Window menu button.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt + Tab keys to move the highlight to the window you want to
close.
2.
Press the Alt + F4 keys.
How
to Iconify a Window
To save space on your desktop you can
minimize windows into window icons. This keeps the windows easily available and
programs running in them continue to run.
Using a Mouse
Click the window's minimize button.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt + Spacebar to display the Window menu.
2.
Choose Minimize: Press the Down Arrow key until you select Minimize,
then presses Return. Or press the N key which is the menus mnemonic for
Minimize.
How
to Restore a Window from an Icon
Using a Mouse
Double-click the icon.
Using the Keyboard
1.
With keyboard focus on the icon, press the Alt + Spacebar keys to
display the Window menu.
2.
Press the Down Arrow key to select Restore, then press Return
How to Move a Window Icon
Using a Mouse
1.
Point to the window's title bar or icon.
2.
Drag the window or icon to its new location.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt + Spacebar to display the Window menu.
2.
Press the M key, the menu's mnemonic for Move.
3.
Press the arrow keys to relocate the window or icon. If you hold down
the Control key while you press an arrow key it will speed up the movement of
the window or icon.
4.
When you've moved the window or icon to where you want it, press Return.
How to Resize a Window
Using a Mouse
1.
Place the pointer on a window's border or corner and the pointer will
change to a resize arrow.
2.
Drag the border or corner. An outline will appear that shows you the
window's new size
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt + Spacebar to display the Window menu
2.
Press the S key, the menu's mnemonic for Size.
3.
Press the arrow keys to stretch or shrink the window.
4.
When the outline shows the size you want press the Return key.
How to Move a Window or Icon Forward
Using a Mouse
·
To bring a window or icon to the foreground of the workspace, click a
visible part of the window's frame or anywhere on the icon.
·
To bring a concealed window or icon to the foreground, choose the
Shuffle Up selection from the Workspace menu.
Using the Keyboard
·
To bring the bottom window or icon in a workspace forward, press the
Alt+Up Arrow keys.
·
To place the top window in the background, press the Alt+Down Arrow key.
·
To cycle through and select the windows and icons in reverse order,
press the Shift+Alt+Tab or Shift+Alt+Esc keys.
How to Copy and Paste Text into Windows
The ability to copy and paste text eliminates
the need to retype text.
Text can be copied and pasted from:
·
Text fields
·
Terminal emulator windows
·
Text Editor windows
·
Mailer Compose windows
Text can also be copied from the Mailer
message view and a Help Viewer window and pasted into the Text Editor, terminal
emulator, and Mailer Compose windows.
Selecting the Text to be
Copied
1.
Move the pointer to the start of the text to be pasted.
2.
Drag to the end of the text to be pasted, then release the mouse button,
leaving the text highlighted.
Pasting Selected Text
1.
Place the text insertion cursor in the target location.
2.
Click mouse button 2 to paste the text. To deselect text, click in an
empty area of the window that has the text selected, or press the Esc key.
Workspaces are like separate screens of windows. To help organize your desktop, you can place specific applications in a particular workspace and name that workspace accordingly. For example, a workspace you've named Reports could contain the tools you use to prepare reports, such as a spreadsheet, desktop publisher, and graphics applications. You might set up other workspaces according to your projects.
This section describes how to display workspaces, place windows in specific workspaces, and rename workspaces.
How to Display another Workspace
Using a Mouse
Click
the workspace's button in the workspace switch of the Front Panel.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys until the keyboard focus is on the Front Panel.
2.
Press the arrow keys to move the highlight to the button for the
workspace you want to display.
3.
Press the Return key
How to Place a Window in Other Workspaces
Using a Mouse
1.
Click the Window menu button and the Window menu appears.
2.
Choose the Occupy Workspace selection from the Window menu.
3.
In the Workspaces list of the Occupy Workspace dialog box, select the
workspaces in which you want the window to appear.
·
To select more than one contiguous workspace name in the list, hold down
the Shift key while you click.
·
To select discontiguous workspace names in the list, hold down the
Control key while you click.
·
Click on a selected workspace to deselect it.
·
To place the window in every workspace, click the All Workspaces button.
4.
Click OK
Using the Keyboard
1.
To display the Window menu, press the Alt+Spacebar keys.
2.
Press the Down Arrow key to select the Occupy Workspace selection and
press the Return key. The Occupy Workspace dialog box appears.
3.
Press the Tab key until the keyboard focus is in the Workspaces list.
·
Select the workspace in which you want the window to appear:
·
Press the Down Arrow or Up Arrow key to move through the list.
·
To select more than one workspace, press the Shift+Down Arrow or
Shift+Up Arrow keys.
4.
Press the Return key.
How to Rename a Workspace
Using a Mouse
1.
Click the Front Panel button for the workspace whose name you want to
change and the workspace is displayed.
2.
Click the workspace's Front Panel button again and the button becomes a
text field.
3.
Edit the workspace's name in the text field.
4.
Once you've renamed the workspace, press the Return key.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys until the keyboard focus is on the Front Panel.
2.
Press the arrow keys to move the highlight to the button for the
workspace you want to rename.
3.
Press the Shift+f10 keys to display the workspace button's pop-up menu.
4.
Press the Down Arrow key to select the Rename item, then press the
Return key and the button becomes a text field.
5.
Edit the workspace's name in the text field.
6.
Once you've renamed the workspace, press the Return key.
Windows and dialog boxes contain controls that help you work with applications. You can use controls to manipulate objects, select choices, or type information.
This section describes various types of controls you will come across while using the desktop. The most common controls are as follows:
· Buttons initiate commands, start actions, or specify options and settings. Types of buttons include push buttons and radio buttons.
· Check boxes specify options and settings.
· Text fields provide areas where you can type information
· Lists display a scrollable list of choices from which you can select.
· Sliders provide incremental selection from a range of values.
· Scroll bars enable you to scroll through a window's contents.
How to Choose a Push Button
Choosing a push button immediately performs
the associated command or action. For example, choosing an OK button apply any
changes made to a dialog box then closes it.
As a shortcut, many dialog boxes
automatically give focus to the OK button so that you can quickly specify
settings and then press the Return key to choose OK.
Using a Mouse
Click
the button.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Tab key and the arrow keys until the button has the keyboard
focus.
2.
Press the Return key.
How to Select a Check Box or RadioButton
You select a check box to specify an option
or setting. You can select more than one check box in a group.
You can also use a radio button to specify an
option or setting, but only one radio button in a group can be selected at a
time.
Using a Mouse
Click
the check box or radio button you want to select.
Using the keyboard
1.
Press the Tab key and the arrow keys until the check box or radio button
has the keyboard focus.
2.
Press the Return key.
How to Scroll the Contents of a Window
Windows often contain more information than
you can see at one time. Use a window's scroll bar to bring the window's
contents into view.
Using a mouse
The
scroll bar of a window is made up of five components that can be used
with a mouse:
·
An up arrow control that when clicked will move up one line.
·
An empty area under the up arrow that when clicked on moves up one
screen.
·
A slider control that when dragged will move to different regions of the
window.
·
An empty area below the slider control that when clicked will move down
one screen
·
A down arrow control that when clicked will move down one line.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Tab key to move to the window area you want to scroll.
2.
Press the arrow keys, or Prev and Next, or Page Up and Page Down.
To use a slider:
1.
Press the Tab or arrow key to move the highlight to the slider.
2.
Press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow to move the slider.
How to
Select a List Item
A
selected list item becomes highlighted. The highlighted item is acted upon when
you click a button, such as OK.
Using a Mouse
1.
Click the list item. In a multiple-selection list, hold down the Shift
key while you click items. To deselect an item, click it again.
2.
Click a button, such as OK.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Tab key to move to the list.
2.
Select the list item:
·
In a single-selection list, use the arrow keys to reach your choice.
·
In a multiple-selection list, use the arrow keys to reach your first
selection, and then press the Shift+Up arrow or Shift+Down Arrow keys
3.
Press the Tab key to move to a button, such as OK or Apply, then press
the Return key.
How to
Enter Text into an Empty Field
A
text field accepts information that you type.
Using a Mouse
1.
Click the field to display the text insertion cursor.
2.
Type the text.
In
many dialog boxes, pressing the Return key will complete the text entry and
activates the default button, such as OK or Apply.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Tab, Shift+Tab, or the arrow keys until you reach the text
field. A blinking cursor will indicate that the text field has the keyboard
focus.
2.
Type your text and then press the Control+Tab keys to move keyboard focus
out of the text field.
How to
Edit Text in a Field
Using a Mouse
1.
Select the text in the field to edit:
|
Characters |
Drag from the first character to the last character |
|
Word |
Double-click the word |
|
Line |
Triple-click the line |
|
Multiline |
Quadruple-click the field |
2.
Type the replacement text.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Tab, Shift+Tab, or the arrow keys until you reach the field.
2.
Use the editing keys to edit the fields contents, then type the
replacement text
<div align="center">
|
Editing Key |
Function |
|
Arrow Key |
Move the text insertion cursor |
|
Backspace key |
Delete the character to the left of the cursor |
|
Delete or Delete char |
Delete the character to the right of the cursor |
|
Control+Delete or Control+Delete char |
Delete from the cursor to the end of the line |
</div>
3.
Press the Control+Tab keys to move keyboard focus out of the text field.
Menus provide access to commands you use to manage windows and operate software application.
Choosing a
menu item performs an associated action on the currently selected object. Fore
example, when you select a window and choose the Minimize selection from its
Window menu, the window becomes an icon.
Menu items that appear dimmed are available only under certain condition. For example, the Window menu's Restore item is available only when the window is an icon.
Menu's you will use on the desktop include:
· Menus that you "pull down" from an application menu bar by clicking the menu's name or typing Alt and its mnemonic. A mnemonic is an underlined character in a menu or item name.
· Menus that "pop-up" when you click mouse button 3 (or press Shift+F10) in an application window or on a workspace object.
Window Menu
Use Window menu items to control windows and
window icons.
The Window menu is displayed when you:
·
Click the Window menu button in the upper left corner of a window
·
Click on a window icon
·
Press the Alt+Spacebar keys with the keyboard focus on a window or
window icon.
The different Window menu items and what they
do:
<div align="center">
|
Restore |
Turns an icon back into a window |
|
Move |
Changes the window's location |
|
Size |
Changes the size of the window (inactive for fonts) |
|
Minimize |
Turns the window into an icon |
|
Maximize |
Enlarges the window to its greatest allowable size |
|
Lower |
Moves the window to the background |
|
Occupy Workspace |
Use to select the workspaces in which you want the window to appear |
|
Occupy All Workspaces |
Displays the window in all workspaces |
|
Close |
Closes the window removing it from the workspace |
</div>
Workspace Menu
The Workspace menu is a pop-up menu that
contains items for managing the workspace.
To display the Workspace menu, click mouse
button 3 on the workspace backdrop.
The different Workspace menu items and what
they do:
<div align="center">
|
Shuffle Up |
Brings the bottom window (in a stack of windows) forward |
|
Shuffle Down |
Puts the top window (in a stack of windows) in the background |
|
Refresh |
Repaints the display |
|
Minimize/Restore Front Panel |
Turns the Front Panel into an icon or restores the Front Panel from its icon |
|
Restart Workspace Manager |
Stops then restarts the Workspace Manager (typically used after you have customized configuration files) |
|
Log Out |
Begins the logout process (equivalent to the Front Panel Exit control) |
</div>
How to Choose a Window Menu Item
Using a Mouse
Press
mouse button 1 over the Window menu button or icon, drag the item, then release
the mouse button.
Or;
1.
Click the Window menu button to display the menu. If the window is an
icon, click the icon.
2.
Click a menu item.
To
close the menu without choosing an item, click anywhere other than the menu.
Using the Keyboard
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys until you have placed the keyboard focus on the
window window icon.
2.
Press the Alt+Spacebar keys to display the Window menu.
3.
Press the key for the item's mnemonic, the underlined character in the
item name.
To
close the menu without choosing an item, press the Esc key.
How to choose a Workspace Menu item
1.
Move the pointer over the workspace backdrop.
2.
Press mouse button 3, drag to the item, then release the mouse button.
To close the menu without choosing an item,
move the pointer away from the menu and click.
How to Choose A Menu Item with the Mouse
1.
Display the menu:
·
Pull-down (menu bar) menu: Using mouse button 1, click the menu name.
·
Pop-up menu: Click mouse button 3 inside the application.
·
Object's pop-up menu: Click the object with mouse button 3.
2.
Click the item
You can also choose a menu item by pressing
the mouse button, dragging to the item, and then releasing the mouse button.
To close a menu without choosing an item,
move the pointer away from the menu and click.
How to Choose a Menu Item with the Keyboard
Pull-down Menus
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys until you've placed the keyboard focus on the
application window.
2.
Display the menu by holding down the Alt key and then pressing the key
for the menu's mnemonic.
3.
Press the key for the item's mnemonic, or press an arrow key to move to
the item, then press the Return key.
Pop-up Menus
1.
Press the Alt+Tab keys until the keyboard focus is on the application
window or workspace object.
2.
Press the Shift+F10 keys to display the pop-up menu.
3.
Press the key for the item's mnemonic, or press the Down Arrow key to
move to the item, and press the Return key.
To close a menu without choosing an item,
press the Esc key.
Leaving the Desktop
This section describes how to log out of and exit the desktop, and how to lock your display to prevent unauthorized use of your system when you are away from it and have not logged out.
How to Log Out
Note: Before
logging out of the desktop save your work in all open application windows.
Remember to check each workspace.
·
Click the Exit control in the Front Panel
·
Or, choose Log out from the Workspace Menu:
1.
Move the pointer over the workspace backdrop.
2.
Press mouse button 3 to display the Workspace menu.
3.
Drag to choose Log out, then release the mouse button.
As you log out of the desktop, your current
session is saved. When you log back in, the desktop will appear as it did
before you logged out.
Applications that do not get saved as part of
the current session include:
·
Applications that you run in a terminal emulator windows
·
Non-desktop applications that do not preserver their state during logout
You will need to restart these applications
when you log in.
How to Lock Your Display
To prevent unauthorized use of your system
and account when you are physically away from it and have not logged out click
the Lock control on the Front Panel.
To unlock your display, type in your
password.
You can request help by:
· Pressing the F1 or Help key
· Choosing an item from an application's Help menu
· Clicking the Help button in a dialog box
· Opening the Help Manager to browse all the available help
The quickest and easiest way to get help is to press the F1 key. When you press F1 the application you are using displays the help topic most closely related to your current activity.
The Help Menu
Most applications have a Help menu for
requesting specific kinds of help:
<div align="center">
|
Overview |
Displays introductory information about the application |
|
Tasks |
Displays instructions for using the application |
|
Reference |
Displays summary information about application components |
|
On Item |
Changes the pointer to a question mark; click the question mark pointer on an item to display its description |
|
Using Help |
Displays information about using Help |
|
About ... |
Displays version and copyright information about the application |
</div>
How to Display the Help Manager
The Help Manager lists all the online help
volumes installed on your system.
1.
Click the Help Manager control in the Front Panel, which causes the Help
Viewer to open, displaying the Help Manager.
2.
Choose the Common Desktop Environment topic to display the list of help
volumes for the desktop.
3.
Browse the list of titles. To open a volume, click its title.