Setting Preference Values

You can set a mandatory value or a default value for a preference key. Mandatory values can be set only by administrators and users cannot override these values. However, users can change the default values.

Before you change mandatory preference values or default preference values for users, you must ensure that the GConf daemon is not running for any user. Ensure that all users are logged out before you change preference values for users.

To set a mandatory value or a default value for a preference key, use the gconftool-2 command, as follows:

# gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source configuration-source \
--type data-type \
--set preference-key value

For example, to set www.proxy.xyz.com as the mandatory HTTP proxy host, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory \
--type string --set /system/http_proxy/host www.proxy.xyz.com

Note - The user cannot override this mandatory preference value.

You can also use the gconftool-2 command to set default values. For example, to set the default number of workspaces to five, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults \
--type int --set /apps/metacity/general/num_workspaces 5

Note - The user can override this default preference value.

General Preferences

The following sections describe how to assign mandatory or default values to general preferences.

HTTP Proxy Preferences

To set HTTP proxy preferences, modify the values of the preference keys in the /system/http_proxy/ location. For example, to set a mandatory value for the HTTP proxy host, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type string \
--set /system/http_proxy/host proxy-name

To set a default value for the HTTP proxy host, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type string \
--set /system/http_proxy/host proxy-name

You can also set other HTTP proxy-related preferences. For information about the other HTTP proxy preferences, see the system_http_proxy.schemas schema definition file.

Number of Workspaces

To set a mandatory number of workspaces, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type int \
--set /apps/metacity/general/num_workspaces integer

To set a default number of workspaces, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type int \
--set /apps/metacity/general/num_workspaces integer

You can also set other window manager preferences. For information about the other window manager preferences, see the metacity.schemas schema definition file.

Keyboard Accessibility Preferences

To set keyboard accessibility preferences, modify the values of the preference keys in the /desktop/gnome/accessibility/keyboard location. For example, if you want to set a mandatory value so that keyboard accessibility features are enabled, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type bool \
--set /desktop/gnome/accessibility/keyboard/enable true

To set a default value for this preference, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type bool \
--set /desktop/gnome/accessibility/keyboard/enable false

You can also set other keyboard accessibility preferences. For information about the other keyboard accessibility preferences, see the desktop_gnome_accessibility_keyboard.schemas schema definition file.

Keyboard Shortcut Preferences

To set keyboard shortcut preferences, modify the values of preference keys in the /apps/metacity/global_keybindings location. For example, you might want users to use only the Alt + F3 keyboard shortcut to open the Run Application dialog box. To set this mandatory value, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type string \
--set /apps/metacity/global_keybindings/panel_run_dialog '<Alt>F3'

You can also set other keyboard shortcut preferences. For information about the other keyboard shortcut preferences, see the metacity.schemas schema definition file.

Specifying Panel and Panel Object Preferences

The panel-default-setup.entries file specifies the following details of the panels in the Oracle Solaris Desktop:

Number of panels
Types of panels
Properties of panels
Contents of panels

To configure individual panels and panel objects, you must first understand the structure of the panel-default-setup.entries file.

To set preferences for individual panels and panel objects, you must set the values of multiple preferences in a configuration source. The easiest way to set the values of panel preferences is to use the gconftool-2 command with the --dump and --load options.

Individual Panels and Panel Objects Structure

The panel-default-setup.entries file contains sections that specify panels, panel contents, and specifies values for schema keys. The panel-default-setup.entries file is in the /etc/gconf/schemas directory.

The panel-default-setup.entries file is structured as follows:

Keys that specify the general structure of panels, applets, and other panel objects in the Oracle Solaris Desktop. The following keys specify the number of panels, panel objects, and applets that appear in the Oracle Solaris Desktop:
- /apps/panel/default_setup/general/toplevel_id_list
- /apps/panel/default_setup/general/object_id_list
- /apps/panel/default_setup/general/applet_id_list
The keys also assign identifiers to each panel, panel object, and applet. For example, the following sample from panel-default-setup.entries file specifies that one panel appears in the Oracle Solaris Desktop:
```
<entry>
        <key>toplevel_id_listkey>toplevel_id_list>
        <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/general/toplevel_id_listschema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/general/toplevel_id_list>
        <value>
            <list type="string">
                <value>
                <string>bottom_panelstring>bottom_panel>
                </value>
            </list>
        </value>
</entry>
```
In the panel-default-setup.entries file, the identifier bottom_panel identifies the bottom edge panel.
Keys that specify the properties of the panels. The panel property keys are structured as follows:

/apps/panel/default_setup/toplevels/panel-name/panel-property-key

For example, the key /apps/panel/default_setup/toplevels/bottom_panel/size specifies the size of the bottom panel.

Keys that specify the panel objects, the panel object properties, and the panels in which the objects reside. For example, the following sample from panel-default-setup.entries file specifies a Main Menu object at the left side of the bottom panel:

<entrylist base="/apps/panel/default_setup/objects/main_menu">
        <entry>
            <key>object_type</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/object_type</schema_key>
                    <value>
            <string>menu-object</string>
            </value>
        </entry>
        <entry>
            <key>toplevel_id</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/toplevel_id</schema_key>
            <value>
            <string>bottom_panel</string>            </value>
            </entry>
        <entry>
            <key>position</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/position</schema_key>
            <value>
            <int>0</int>
            </value>
        </entry>
        <!-- Possibly more entry elements -->
</entrylist>

Keys that specify the applets, the applet preferences, and the panels in which the applets reside. For example, the following sample from panel-default-setup.entries specifies the Window List applet, in the bottom panel:

<entrylist base="/apps/panel/default_setup/applets/window_list">
        <entry>
            <key>object_type</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/object_type</schema_key>
            <value>
            <string>bonobo-applet</string>
            </value>
        </entry>
        <entry>
            <key>toplevel_id</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/toplevel_id</schema_key>
            <value>
            <string>bottom_panel</string>
            </value>
        </entry>
        <entry>
            <key>position</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/position</schema_key>
            <value>
            <int>2</int>
            </value>
        </entry>
        <!-- Possibly more entry elements -->
        <entry>
            <key>bonobo_iid</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/bonobo_iid_type</schema_key>
            <value>
            <string>OAFIID:GNOME_WindowListApplet</string>
            </value>
        </entry>
</entrylist>

The OAFIID is a unique identifier for an applet. To find the OAFIID for a particular applet, see the .server file for the applet in the /usr/lib/bonobo/servers directory. For example, the following excerpt from GNOME_Wncklet_Factory.server shows the OAFIID for the Window List applet:

<oaf_server iid="OAFIID:GNOME_WindowListApplet"
type="factory" location="OAFIID:GNOME_Wncklet_Factory">

How to Set Preferences for Individual Panels and Panel Objects

Log in with a user account.
Use the --dump option with the gconftool-2 command to generate a file that contains an XML description of your panel configuration.
The --dump option generates a list that contains all preference keys in the specified GConf repository directory. For example, the following command creates an XML description of the default panel configuration in the my-panel-setup.entries file:
```
# gconftool-2 --dump /apps/panel > my-panel-setup.entries
```
Open the my-panel-setup.entries file in a text editor, and modify the file as required.
For example, you might want to change the location of the desktop entry files. The following example is an excerpt from a file generated with the --dump option:
```
<entry>
      <key>objects/object_16/launcher_location</key>
      <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/launcher_location</schema_key>
      <value>
        <string>hadjaha-00adce02f7.desktop</string>
      </value>
    </entry>
```
In this sample, you might want to change the reference to hadjaha-00adce02f7.desktop to another desktop entry file that is available globally.
Change the positions of panel objects from absolute positions to relative positions.
When you generate a panel configuration with the --dump option, the positions of the panel objects are absolute positions. You might want to change the positions of panel objects from absolute positions to relative positions. The object at the extreme left of a panel has a position value of 0. The next object has a position value of 1, and so on
If you want object positions to be relative to the right side of the panel, set the value of the panel_right_stick key to true. For example, the following excerpt places the Show Desktop button in the second available location from the extreme right of the panel.
```
<entry>
            <key>applets/show_desktop_button/panel_right_stick</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/panel_right_stick</schema_key>
            <value>
            <bool>true</bool>
            </value>
</entry>
<entry>
            <key>applets/show_desktop_button/position</key>
            <schema_key>/schemas/apps/panel/objects/position</schema_key>
            <value>
            <int>1</int>
            </value>
</entry>
```
Use the --load option with the gconftool-2 command to set the values of the default configuration source to the values in the my-panel-setup.entries file.
For example, the following command sets the values of the keys in the default configuration source to the values of the corresponding keys in my-panel-setup.entries:
```
# gconftool-2 --direct \
--config-source xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults \
--load my-panel-setup.entries
```

Look-and-Feel Preferences

The following sections describe how to assign mandatory or default values to look-and-feel preferences.

Font Preferences

To set font preferences, modify the values of two preference keys. The following table shows the keys to modify, and the part of the user interface to which the keys correspond.

GConf Location	User Interface Component
`/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name`	Application font option in the Font preference tool
`/desktop/gnome/interface/document_font_name`	Document font option in the Font preference tool
`/desktop/gnome/interface/monospace_font_name`	Fixed Width font option in the Font preference tool
`/apps/metacity/general/titlebar_font`	Window Title font option in the Font preference tool
`/apps/nautilus/preferences/desktop_font`	Desktop font option in the Font preference tool

For example, to set Sans 12 as the mandatory application font, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults \
--load my-panel-setup.entries

To set palatino 12 as the default desktop object font, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type string \
--set /apps/nautilus/preferences/desktop_font “palatino 12”

Background Preferences

To set preferences for the desktop background, modify the values of the preference keys in the /desktop/gnome/background location. For example, to set a mandatory image for the background, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type string --set \
/desktosp/gnome/background/picture_filename filename.png

To set a default value for this preference, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type string \
--set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename filename.png

You can also set other background preferences. For information about the other background preferences, see the desktop_gnome_background.schemas schema definition file.

Splash Image Preferences

To set splash image preferences, modify the value of the preference keys in the /apps/gnome-session/options/ location. For example, if you do not want users to see a splash image, set a mandatory value as follows:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.mandatory --type bool \
--set /apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen false

To set a default value for this preference, type the following command:

# gconftool-2 --direct --config-source \
xml:readwrite:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults --type bool \
--set /apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen false

You can also set other splash image preferences. For information about the other splash image preferences, see the gnome-session.schemas schema definition file.

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