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Java Desktop System Release 3 User Guide

To Modify Panel Properties

To modify preferences for all panels, use the Panel preference tool to make the changes that you require. For example, you can modify animation preferences for panels.

You can also modify properties for each individual panel. You can change the features for each panel, such as the position of the panel, the hide behavior, and the visual appearance.

To modify the properties of a panel perform the following steps:

  1. Right-click on a vacant space on the panel, then choose Properties to display the Panel Properties dialog. The Panel Properties dialog contains the following tabbed sections:

    • General

    • Background

  2. To modify panel size, position, and hiding properties, click on the General tab. The following table describes the dialog elements on the General tabbed section:

    Dialog Element 

    Description  

    Name

    Type a name for the panel. When you use shortcut keys to switch between your panels and the desktop, this panel name is displayed. 

    Orientation

    Select the position of the panel on your screen. Click on the required position for the panel.  

    Size

    Use the spin box to specify the size of the panel. 

    Expand

    Select this option if you want the panel to expand to the full length of the edge of the screen where the panel is located. 

    Autohide

    Select this option to enable autohide.  

    Show hide buttons

    Select this option to display hide buttons on your panel. 

    Arrows on hide button

    Select this option to display arrows on the hide buttons, if the hide button is enabled. 

  3. To modify the panel background, click on the Background tab. Choose the type of background for the panel. The choices are as follows:

    Dialog Element 

    Description 

    None (use system theme)

    Select this option to use the default panel background. The default panel background depends on the settings in the Theme preference tool.

    Solid color

    Select this option to specify a single color for the panel background. Click on the Color button to display the color selector dialog. Choose the color that you require from the color selector dialog.

    Use the Style slider to specify the degree of transparency or opaqueness for the color. For example, to make the panel transparent, move the slider towards the Transparent end.

    Background image

    Select this option to specify an image for the panel background. Enter the filename of the image to use in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively, to browse for the file, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the file, click OK.

    You can also drag a color or image on to a panel to set the color or image as the background of the panel. For more information, see To Drag a Color or Image to the Background of a Panel.

  4. Click Close to close the Panel Properties dialog.

To Drag a Color or Image to the Background of a Panel

You can drag a color or image on to a panel to set the color or image as the background of the panel. You can drag a color or image from many applications. For example, you can drag a color from the file manager to a panel to set the color as the background of the panel. You can also drag a color from any color selector dialog.

You can drag an image to a panel to set the image as the background of the panel. You can also drag pattern images from the file manager to set the background of the panel.