Chapter 1 Getting Started

This chapter provides the information you need to start, manage, and end a Java Desktop System session.

Logging In to Your Desktop

A session occurs between the time that you log in to the Java Desktop System and the time that you log out. The login screen is your gateway to the Java Desktop System. The login screen provides fields for you to enter your username and password. The login screen enables you to select login options, for example you can select the language of your session.

You start a session when you log in. The session manager starts after your username and password are authenticated. The session manager enables you to manage the session. For example, you can save the state of your most recent session and return to that session the next time that you log in. The session manager saves and restores the following:

• The appearance and behavior settings, for example fonts, colors, and mouse settings.

• The applications that you were running, for example file manager and text editor windows. You cannot save and restore applications that the session manager does not manage. For example, if you start the vi editor from the command line in a terminal window, session manager cannot restore your editing session.

To Log In on Linux Systems

Perform the following steps:

1. On the login screen, click on the Session icon. Choose the Java Desktop System from the list of available desktop environments.

2. Enter your username in the Username field, then press Return.

3. Enter your password in the Password field, then press Return.

When you log in successfully, the session manager starts a session. If this is the first time you log in, then the session manager starts a new session. If you have logged in before, then the session manager restores your previous session, if you saved the settings for the previous session when you logged out.

If you want to shut down or restart the system before you log in, click on the Actions icon on the login screen. A dialog is displayed. Select the option that you require, then click OK.

To Log In to a Different Language on Linux Systems

Perform the following steps:

1. On the login screen, click on the Language icon.

2. Choose the language you require from the list of available languages, then click OK.

3. Enter your username in the Username field, then press Return.

4. Enter your password in the Password field, then press Return.

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Note –

When you log in to a session in a different language, you choose the language for the user interface. You do not specify a keyboard layout for the session. To specify a keyboard layout, use the Keyboard Indicator panel application.

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Panel applications are small, interactive applications that reside within a panel, for example Clock. Each panel application has a simple user interface that you can operate with the mouse or keyboard.

To Log In to a New Session on Linux Systems

Perform the following steps:

• Click Launch, then choose Applications -> Utilities-> New Login.

• Enter your username in the Username field, then press Return.

• Enter your password in the Password field, then press Return.

To Log In on Solaris Systems

Perform the following steps:

1. On the login screen, choose Options -> Session. Choose the Java Desktop System from the list of available desktop environments.

2. Enter your username, then click OK.

3. Enter your password, then click OK.

When you log in successfully, the session manager starts a session. If this is the first time you log in, then the session manager starts a new session. If you have logged in before, then the session manager restores your previous session.

To Log In to a Different Language on Solaris Systems

Perform the following steps:

1. On the login screen, choose Options -> Session. Choose the Java Desktop System from the list of available desktop environments.

2. On the login screen, choose Options -> Language.

3. Choose the language group that includes the language that you want.

4. Choose a language, then click OK.

5. Enter your username, then click OK.

6. Enter your password, then click OK.

Your system administrator sets the default language for your system. The Options menu on the login screen enables you to access other languages. When you choose a language in the Options menu, your system sets the LANG variable for your session. The system restores the default language at the end of the session.

To Log In to a New Session in a Nested Window

Perform the following steps:

• Click Launch, then choose Applications -> Utilities-> New Login in a Nested Window.

• From the Xnest window, enter your username, then press Return.

• Enter your password, then press Return. A dialog is displayed with the following options:

  • Log in anyway

  • Return to previous login

  • Abort login

• Click on Log in anyway to begin a new Java Desktop System session in a nested window.

When You Log In for the First Time

When you start a session for the first time, you should see a startup screen, with a panel at the bottom of the screen and various icons on the desktop background. For more information about what you see when you start a session for the first time, see the Desktop Overview.

To Lock Your Screen

To lock the screen, perform one of the following actions:

• Click Launch, then choose Lock Screen.

• If the Lock button is present on a panel, click on the Lock button.

  To add the Lock button to a panel, right-click on the panel. Choose Add to Panel -> Actions -> Lock.

When you lock your screen, the screensaver starts. To unlock the screen, move your mouse to display the locked-screen dialog. Enter your username and password in the locked-screen dialog, then press Return.

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Note –

To lock your screen correctly, you must have a screensaver enabled.

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Managing Your Desktop Session

To configure your desktop session, use the Sessions preference tool as described in Configuring Sessions. The Sessions preference tool recognizes the following types of application:

• Applications that are session-managed

  When you save the settings for your session, the session manager saves all of the session-managed applications. If you log out, then log in again, the session manager automatically starts the session-managed applications.

• Applications that are not session-managed

  When you save the settings for your session, the session manager does not save any applications that are not session-managed. If you log out, then log in again, the session manager does not start non-session-managed applications. You must start such applications manually. Alternatively, you can use the Sessions preference tool to specify the non-session-managed applications that you want to start automatically.

To Define Log In and Log Out Behavior

To set how a session behaves when you log in and log out, use the Sessions preference tool. Make the changes you require in the Session Options tabbed section. For example, you can display a splash screen when you log in.

To Use Startup Applications

You can configure your sessions to start applications that are not session-managed. To configure non-session-managed startup applications, use the Sessions preference tool. Use the Startup Programs tabbed section to add, edit, and delete applications. If you save your settings and log out, the startup applications start automatically the next time that you log in.

To Browse Applications

To browse the applications in the current session, use the Sessions preference tool. The Current Session tabbed section lists the following:

• All Java Desktop System applications that are currently running, that can connect to the session manager, and that can save the state of the application.

• All preference tools that can connect to the session manager, and that can save the state of the tool.

You can use the Current Session tabbed section to perform a limited number of actions on the session properties of an application or preference tool. For example, you can edit the startup order or restart style of any Java Desktop System application or preference tool that is in the list.

To Save Your Session Settings

Perform the following steps:

1. Open the Sessions preference tool.

2. Select the Automatically save changes to session option on the Session Options tabbed section.

3. Close the Sessions preference tool.

4. End your session as described in Logging Out.

5. When you log out, a dialog displays a Save current setup checkbox. If you want to save your current settings, select the Save current setup checkbox, then continue to log out.

Logging Out

To end your session, close all your currently active processes, then perform one of the following actions:

• Click Launch, then choose Log Out name.

• If the Log Out button is present on a panel, click on the Log Out button.

  To add the Log Out button to a panel, right-click on the panel. Choose Add to Panel -> Actions -> Log Out.

Before you end a session, you might want to save your current settings so that you can restore the session later. During the logout process, a dialog asks if you want to save your current settings. Alternatively, you can use the Sessions preference tool to select an option to automatically save your current settings, as described in To Save Your Session Settings.