Customizing Workspaces

Most workspace customization, such as changing workspace names and the number of workspaces, can be done by the user using the desktop's interface. However, the Workspace Manager provides resources for setting system-wide defaults.

To Change the Number of Workspaces on a System-Wide Basis

The default desktop configuration provides four workspaces. The user can add and delete workspaces using the pop-up menu associated with the Workspace switch.

The /usr/dt/app-defaults/C/Dtwm file has the workspaceCount resource set to the following default number of workspaces:

Dtwm*0*workspaceCount: 4
	Dtwm*workspaceCount:  1

Multiple workspaces are specified on screen 0. A single workspace is specified on any other screen.

You can create (or modify if it exists) the /etc/dt/config/C/sys.resources file to change the default number of workspaces for all new users on a workstation.

Use the 0*workspaceCount resource to set the system wide default on the primary screen:

Dtwm*0*workspaceCount: number

For example, the following resource sets the number of workspaces system wide on the primary screen to six:

Dtwm*0*workspaceCount: 6

For information about setting Workspace Manager resources, see Setting Application Resources.

For example, the following resource sets the number of workspaces to six:

	Dtwm*workspaceCount: 6

To Provide System-Wide Workspace Names

Internally, the workspaces are numbered by the numbering convention wsn, where n is 0, 1, 2, and so on. For example, the default four workspaces are numbered internally ws0 through ws3.

Use the title resource to change the name of a specified workspace:

	Dtwm*wsn: name

For information about setting Workspace Manager resources, see Setting Application Resources.

For example, the following resources set the default four workspaces to the specified names:

Dtwm*ws0*title:  Anna
Dtwm*ws1*title:  Don
Dtwm*ws2*title:   Julia
Dtwm*ws3*title:   Patti

To Create Additional Backdrops

1. Create the backdrop images. They can be bitmap or pixmap files.

2. Place the backdrops in one of the following directories. (You may have to create the directory.)

   • System-wide backdrops: /etc/dt/backdrops

   • Personal backdrops: HomeDirectory/.dt/backdrops

3. Choose Restart Workspace Manager from the Workspace menu.

   The system-wide and personal backdrops are added to the built-in backdrops in /usr/dt/backdrops.

   You can replace an existing built-in backdrop by creating a personal or system-wide backdrop with the same name.

To Replace the Backdrop With a Graphics Image

The backdrops are layered over the display's root window. The Style Manager Backdrop dialog box provides a NoBackdrop setting in which the backdrop is transparent.

There is only one root window behind all the workspace backdrops. Thus, a graphics image placed on the root window persists across all workspaces. You can specify which workspaces cover up the root window with a backdrop. However, the image visible when NoBackdrop is in effect will be the same for every workspace.

1. Create the graphics image.

   The image must be in a format for which a tool exists to display it on the root window. For example, if you intend to use xsetroot, you must create a bitmap file.

2. If it doesn't already exist, create an executable file HomeDirectory/.dt/sessions/sessionetc.

   The sessionetc file is run each time the user logs in.

3. Place the command to display the image in the sessionetc file.

   For example, the following command tiles the root window with the specified bitmap:

   	xsetroot -bitmap /users/ellen/.dt/icons/root.bm