Java Desktop System Release 3 User Guide

Chapter 7 Using Your Preference Tools

This chapter describes how to start and use the preference tools to customize the Java Desktop System.

Starting a Preference Tool

You can start the preference tools in the following ways:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences. Choose the tool that you require from the submenus.
Double-click on the This Computer object on the desktop background. A file browser window opens at the This Computer location. Double-click on the Preferences object in the browser window to display your preference tools. Double-click on the tool that you require.

Setting Assistive Technology Preferences

To access the Assistive Technology Support preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Accessibility -> Assistive Technology Support.

Use the Assistive Technology Support preference tool to enable assistive technologies in the Java Desktop System. You can also use the Assistive Technology Support preference tool to specify assistive technology applications to start automatically when you log in.

Table 7–1 lists the assistive technology support preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–1 Assistive Technology Support Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Enable assistive technologies	Select this option to enable assistive technologies in the Java Desktop System.
Screenreader	Select this option to start the `Screenreader` application automatically when you log in.
Magnifier	Select this option to start the `Magnifier` application automatically when you log in.
On-screen keyboard	Select this option to start the `Onscreen Keyboard` application automatically when you log in.

Customizing the Desktop Background

To access the Desktop Background preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Desktop Background.

You can customize the desktop background in the following ways:

Select a color for the desktop background. You can select a solid color, or create a gradient effect with two colors. A gradient effect is a visual effect where one color blends gradually into another color.
Select an image for the desktop background. The image is superimposed on the desktop background color. The desktop background color is visible if you select a transparent image, or if the image does not cover the entire desktop background.

You can also change the appearance of your desktop background from within the file manager.

Table 7–2 lists the desktop background preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–2 Desktop Background Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Desktop Wallpaper	Choose an image to display on the desktop background. To choose an image, click on the Select picture button. An image selector dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to choose an image. When you choose an image, click OK.
Style	Use the drop-down list to specify how to display the image. Select one of the following options: Centered: Displays the image in the middle of the desktop background. Fill Screen: Enlarges the image to cover the desktop background and maintains the relative dimensions of the image. Scaled: Enlarges the image until the image meets the screen edges, and maintains the relative dimensions of the image. Tiled: Creates multiple copies of the original image, and maintains the relative dimensions of the image.
Add Wallpaper	Click on Add Wallpaper to display the Add Wallpapers dialog. Choose the wallpaper that you want to appear as the background, then click OK.
Remove	Choose the Desktop Wallpaper that you want to remove, then click Remove.
Desktop Colors	Use the drop-down list to select one of the following options: Solid color: Specifies a single color for the desktop background. To choose the color that you require, click on the Color button. The Pick a Color dialog is displayed. Choose a color, then click OK. See To Select a Color for more information. Horizontal Gradient: Creates a gradient effect from the left screen edge to the right screen edge. Click on the Left Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the left edge, then click OK. Click on the Right Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the right edge, then click OK. Vertical Gradient: Creates a gradient effect from the top screen edge to the bottom screen edge. Click on the Left Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the top edge, then click OK. Click on the Right Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the bottom edge, then click OK.

Configuring a CD Database Server

To access the CD Database Server preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> CD Database Server.

The CD Database Server preference tool enables you to configure a CD database server that your system can query. A CD database server contains information about CDs, such as the name of the artist, the title, and the track list. When an application plays a CD, the application can query the CD database server about the CD, then display the information.

Table 7–3 describes the preferences in the CD Database Server preference tool.

Table 7–3 CD Database Server Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Send no information	Select this option if you do not want to send any information to the CD database server.
Send real information	Select this option to send your name and hostname information to the CD database server.
Send other information	Select this option to send another name and hostname to the CD database server. Enter the name in the Name field. Enter the hostname in the Hostname field.
FreeDB round robin server	FreeDB is a CD database. The FreeDB round robin server is a load-sharing configuration of FreeDB servers. Select this option to access the FreeDB CD database from this server.
Other FreeDB server	Select this option to access the FreeDB CD database from another server. Select the server that you require from the server table.
Update Server List	Click on this button to update the list of available FreeDB servers in the server table.
Other server	Select this option to use another CD database server. Enter the name of the server on which the database resides in the Hostname field. Enter the port number on which you can access the database in the Port field.

Customizing CD Device Options on Linux Systems

To access the CD Device Options preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> CD Device Options.

The CD Device Options preference tool enables you to configure options for CD devices on your system. The CD Device Options dialog enables you to configure options for the following:

Data Discs
Audio CDs
Blank CDs
DVDs (Video)

Table 7–4 describes the preferences in the CD Device Options preference tool.

Table 7–4 CD Device Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Start auto-run program on newly mounted disc	Select this option to automatically start the auto-run program on a newly-mounted data disc.
Run command when audio CD is inserted	Select this option to run a command when you insert a CD. Enter the command in the Command field. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command.
Run command when blank CD is inserted	Select this option to run a command when you insert a blank CD. Enter the command in the Command field. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command.
Run command when DVD (video) is inserted	Select this option to run a command when you insert a DVD. Enter the command in the Command field. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command.

Configuring File Associations

To access the File Associations preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> File Associations.

Use the File Associations preference tool to configure the following:

File types

You can specify how files of various types are displayed and edited. For example, you can specify an icon to represent a particular type of file. Also, you can specify that if a file is a plain text file, the file is launched in a text editor.

The file manager and other desktop applications check the contents of a file to determine the type of a file. If the first lines do not determine the type of the file, then the application checks the filename.

Services

A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a string that identifies a particular location in a file system or on the Web. For example, the web address of a web page is a URI. A service is a protocol or task that a URI requests. For example, the http://www.gnome.org URI requests the http service.

You can associate an application with a service, so that the application performs the task required by the service. For example, you can associate your preferred web browser with the http service.

Table 7–5 describes the preferences in the File Associations preference tool.

Table 7–5 File Associations Preference Tool


Dialog Element	Description
Table	To view the contents of a category of file types, click on the right arrow next to the category name. The category expands, and displays a description of each file type, and the file extension that is associated with the file type. To select a file type, click on the file type.
Add File Type	Click on this button to add a file type. For more information, see To Add a File Type.
Add Service	Click on this button to add a service. For more information, see To Add a Service.
Edit	To edit a file type, a service, or a file type category, select the item that you want to edit, then click Edit.
Remove	To remove a file type or a service, select the item that you want to remove, then click Remove.

To Add a File Type

Perform the following steps:

Start the File Associations preference tool.
Click on the Add File Type button.

Enter the properties of the file type in the Add File Type dialog.

The following table describes the dialog elements of the Add File Type dialog:

Dialog Element	Description
No Icon	Choose an icon to represent the file type. To choose an icon, click on the No Icon button. An icon selector dialog is displayed. Choose an icon from the dialog. Alternatively, to choose an icon from another directory, click Browse. When you choose an icon, click OK.
Description	Enter a description of the file type.
MIME type	Enter the MIME type for this type of file.
Category	Enter the category to which you want the file type to belong in this preference tool. Click on Choose to choose a category from the Choose a file category dialog, then click OK.
Filename extensions	Enter the file extensions to associate with the file type. Enter a file extension in the field on the left side, then press Return. To remove a file extension, select the file extension in the field on the right side, then click on the Remove button.
Viewer component	Use the drop-down list to select the viewer component to display files of this type in the file manager.
Default action	Use the drop-down to select the default application to open files of this type.
Program to run	Specify a program to associate with the file type. Enter the command to start the program. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command.
Run in Terminal	Select this option to run the program in a terminal window. Choose this option for a program that does not create a window in which to run.

Click OK.

To Add a Service

Perform the following steps:

Start the File Associations preference tool.
Click on the Add Service button.

Enter the properties of the service in the Add Service dialog.

The following table describes the dialog elements on the Add Service dialog:

Dialog Element	Description
Description	Enter a description of the service.
Protocol	Enter the protocol for the service.
Program to Run	Use the drop-down list to select a program to run for this service.
Program	Specify the program to associate with the service. Enter the command to start the program. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command.
Run in Terminal	Select this option to run the program in a terminal window. Choose this option for a program that does not create a window in which to run.

Click OK.

Setting Folder Preferences

You can customize your folders to suit your requirements and preferences. This section describes how to customize your folder preferences.

Setting Your Preferences

To access the Folders preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Folders.

Alternatively, you can use the File Management Preferences dialog to set preferences for the file manager. To display the File Management Preferences dialog, choose Edit -> Preferences from any file browser window.

You can set preferences in the following categories:

The default settings for views
The behavior of files and folders, executable text files, and Trash
The information that is displayed in icon captions
The order information that is displayed in list views
Preview options to improve the performance of the file manager

To Set View Preferences

You can specify a default view, and select sort options and display options. You can also specify default settings for icon views, list views, and tree views. To specify your default view settings, click on the Views tab in the File Management Preferences dialog.

Table 7–6 lists the view preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–6 File Management View Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
View new folders using	Select the default view for folders. When you open a folder, the folder is displayed in the view that you select.
Arrange items	Select the characteristic by which you want to sort the items in folders that are displayed in this view.
Sort folders before files	Select this option to list folders before files when you sort the contents of a folder.
Show hidden and backup files	Select this option to display hidden files and backup files in the view pane. The first character in a hidden filename is a period (.). The last character in a backup filename is a tilde (~). You can hide files from the view pane by adding the `.hidden` extension to the filename.
Default zoom level	Use the drop-down list to select the default zoom level for folders that are displayed in the icon view and list view. The zoom level specifies the size of items in a view.
Use compact layout	Select this option to arrange the items in icon view so that the items in the folder are closer to each other.
Text beside icons	Select this option to place the icon captions for items beside the icon rather than under the icon.
Show only folders	Select this option to display only folders in the Tree in the side pane.

To Set Behavior Preferences

To set behavior preferences for files and folders, click on the Behavior tab in the File Management Preferences dialog.

Table 7–7 lists the behavior preferences that you can modify for files and folders.

Table 7–7 File Management Behavior Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Single-click to activate items	Select this option to perform the default action for an item when you click on the item. When this option is selected, and you point to an item, the title of the item is underlined.
Double-click to activate items	Select this option to perform the default action for an item when you double-click on the item.
Run executable text files when they are clicked	Select this option to run an executable file when you click on the executable file. An executable file is a text file that can execute, that is, a shell script.
View executable text files when they are clicked	Select this option to display the contents of an executable file when you click on the executable file.
Ask each time	Select this option to display a dialog when you click on an executable file. The dialog asks whether you want to execute the file or display the file.
Ask before emptying the Trash or deleting files	Select this option to display a confirmation message before Trash is emptied, or files are deleted.
Include a Delete command that bypasses Trash	Select this option to add a Delete menu item to the following menus: The Edit menu The popup menu that is displayed when you right-click on a file, folder, or desktop background object When you select an item, then choose the Delete menu item, the item is deleted from your file system immediately.

To Set Icon Caption Preferences

An icon caption displays the name of a file or folder in an icon view. The icon caption also includes three additional items of information on the file or folder. The additional information is displayed after the file name. Normally only one item of information is visible, but when you zoom in on an icon, more of the information is displayed. You can modify what additional information is displayed in icon captions.

To set your preferences for icon captions in the File Management Preferences dialog, click on the Icon Caption tab.

Use the drop-down lists to select the items of information that you want to display in the icon caption. The following table describes the items of information that you can select from each drop-down list:

Information	Description
Size	Choose this option to display the size of the item.
Type	Choose this option to display the description of the MIME type of the item from the `File Associations` preference tool.
Date Modified	Choose this option to display the last modification date of the item.
Date Accessed	Choose this option to display the date that the item was last accessed.
Owner	Choose this option to display the owner of the item.
Group	Choose this option to display the group to which the item belongs.
Permissions	Choose this option to display the permissions of the item as three sets of three characters, for example `-rwxrw-r--`.
Octal Permissions	Choose this option to display the permissions of the item in octal notation, for example `764`.
MIME Type	Choose this option to display the MIME type of the item.
None	Choose this option to display no information for the item.

To Set List Columns Preferences

You can specify what information is displayed in list view in file manager windows. For example, you can specify which columns are displayed and the order in which the columns are displayed.

To set your preferences for list columns in the File Management dialog, click on the List Columns tab to display the List Columns tabbed section. To specify a column to display in list view, select the option that corresponds to the column, then click on the Show button. To remove a column from the list view, select the option that corresponds to the column, then click on the Hide button.

Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to specify the position of columns in list view.

To use the default columns and column positions, click on the Use Default button.

The following table describes the columns that you can display:

Information	Description
Name	Select this option to display the name of the item.
Size	Select this option to display the size of the item.
Type	Select this option to display the description of the MIME type of the item from the `File Associations` preference tool.
Date Modified	Select this option to display the last modification date of the item.
Date Accessed	Select this option to display the date that the item was last accessed.
Group	Select this option to display the group to which the item belongs.
MIME Type	Select this option to display the MIME type of the item.
Octal Permissions	Select this option to display the permissions of the item in octal notation, for example `764`.
Owner	Select this option to display the owner of the item.
Permissions	Select this option to display the permissions of the item as three sets of three characters, for example `-rwxrw-r--`.

To Set Preview Preferences

The file manager includes some file preview features. The preview features can affect the speed with which the file manager responds to your requests. You can modify the behavior of some of these features to improve the speed of the file manager. For each preview preference, you can select one of the options described in the following table:

Option	Description
Always	Performs the action for local files, and files on other file systems.
Local Files Only	Performs the action for local files only.
Never	Never performs the action.

To set your preview preferences in the File Management Preferences dialog, click on the Preview tab.

Table 7–8 lists the preview preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–8 File Management Preview Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Show text in icons	Use the drop-down list to specify when to preview the content of text files in the icon that represents the file.
Show thumbnails	Use the drop-down list to specify when to show thumbnails of image files. The file manager stores the thumbnail files for each folder in a `.thumbnails` directory that is one level below the folder.
Only for files smaller than	Use the drop-down list to specify the maximum file size for files for which the file manager creates a thumbnail.
Preview sound files	Use the drop-down list to select an option to specify when to preview sound files.
Count number of items	Use the drop-down list to specify when to show the number of items in folders. If you have set your view to icon view, you might need to increase your default zoom level in the Views tabbed section to see the number of items in each folder.

Changing Backgrounds

The file manager includes backgrounds that you can use to change the look-and-feel of the following screen components:

Desktop
Side pane and view pane of file browser windows
Panels

To change the background of a screen component, perform the following steps:

From the file manager, choose Edit -> Backgrounds and Emblems.
To display a list of patterns that you can use on the background, click on the Patterns button in the Backgrounds and Emblems dialog. To display a list of the colors that you can use on the background, click on the Colors button. To add an emblem to an object, click on the Emblems button.
To change the background to a pattern, drag the pattern to the screen component. To change the background to a color, drag the color to the screen component. To add an emblem to a background object, drag the emblem to the object.
Click Close.

To reset the background of the view pane or side pane to the default background, right-click on the background of the pane, then choose Use Default Background.

When you change the background of the side pane or the view pane of a particular folder, the file manager remembers the background that you chose. The next time that you display the folder, the background that you selected is displayed. That is, when you change the background of a folder, you customize the folder to display the background.

To Add a Pattern

To add a pattern to the patterns that you can use on your screen components, choose Edit -> Backgrounds and Emblems in a file manager window. Click on the Patterns button, then click on the Add a New Pattern button. A dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to select the new pattern. Click OK to add the new pattern to the Backgrounds and Emblems dialog.

To Add a Color

To add a color to the colors that you can use on your screen components, choose Edit -> Backgrounds and Emblems in a file manager window. Click on the Colors button, then click on the Add a New Color button. A color selector dialog is displayed. Use the color wheel or the sliders to choose the color. Click OK to add the new color to the Backgrounds and Emblems dialog. For more information about selecting a color, see To Select a Color.

To Add an Emblem

To add an emblem to an object, choose Edit -> Backgrounds and Emblems in a file manager window. Click on the Emblems button, then click on the Add a New Emblem button. For more information about adding a new emblem, see To Add a New Emblem.

Choosing Default Fonts

To access the Fonts preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Fonts.

Use the Fonts preference tool to select the fonts to use in your applications, windows, terminals, and desktop background. For more information about selecting a font, see To Select a Font.

Table 7–9 lists the font preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–9 Font Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Application font	Click on the font selector button to select a font to use in your applications.
Desktop font	Click on the font selector button to select a font to use on your desktop background only.
Window title font	Click on the font selector button to select a font to use in the titlebars of your windows.
Terminal font	Click on the font selector button to select a font to use in the `Terminal` application.
Font Rendering	To specify how to render fonts on your screen, select one of the following options: Monochrome: Renders fonts in black and white only. The edges of characters might appear jagged in some cases because the characters are not antialiased. Antialiasing is an effect that is applied to the edges of characters to make the characters look smoother. Best shapes: Antialiases fonts where possible. Use this option for standard Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors. Best contrast: Adjusts fonts to give the sharpest possible contrast, and also antialiases fonts, so that characters have smooth edges. This option might enhance the accessibility of the Java Desktop System for users with visual impairments. Subpixel smoothing (LCDs): Uses techniques that exploit the shape of individual Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) pixels to render fonts smoothly. Use this option for LCD or flat-screen displays.
Details	Click on this button to specify further details of how to render fonts on your screen. Resolution (dots per inch): Use the spin box to specify the resolution to use when your screen renders fonts. Smoothing: Select one of the options to specify how to antialias fonts. Hinting: Hinting is a font-rendering technique that improves the quality of fonts at small sizes and at low screen resolutions. Select one of the options to specify how to apply hinting to your fonts. Subpixel order: Select one of the options to specify the subpixel color order for your fonts. Use this option for LCD or flat-screen displays. Click on the Go to font folder button to display the Fonts file browser. Click Close to return to the Font Preferences dialog.

Configuring Input Methods on Linux Systems

To access the Input Method preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Input Methods.

Input Methods are software components that enable you to enter characters other than printed characters on a keyboard. Input Methods are commonly used to enter text for languages using thousands of different characters in keyboards with far fewer keys. Input Methods are mostly associated with languages such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

Use the Input Methods preference tool to configure integral and multilingual input method capabilities.

Table 7–10 describes the elements on the Input Methods preference tool.

Table 7–10 Input Methods Preference Tool


Dialog Element	Description
Enable Input Methods	Select this option to enable input method features. When you select this option, all options in the Input Method Preferences dialog become available for selection. Changes to this option immediately take effect in your current session. When this option is not selected, input methods are completely disabled.
Enable Language Status Bar	Select this option to have the input method status bar text visible for the current input method displayed.
Placement	Use the drop-down list to select where to place the language status bar. You can choose from the following: On the desktop panel Attached to application frames
Enable Lookup Choice Window	Select this option to use a candidate choice window. When you select this option, input methods display a pop-up window that lists characters that you can choose to commit to the application window.
Revert	Click on the Revert button to undo your input method preference selections.

Configuring Proxy Connections

To access the Proxy Configuration preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Proxy Configuration.

The Proxy Configuration preference tool enables you to configure how your system connects to the Internet. You can configure the Java Desktop System to connect to a proxy server, and specify the details of the proxy server. A proxy server is a server that intercepts requests to another server, and fulfills the request itself, if possible. You can enter the Domain Name Service (DNS) name or the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the proxy server. A DNS name is a unique alphabetic identifier for a computer on a network. An IP address is a unique numeric identifier for a computer on a network.

Table 7–11 lists the proxy configuration preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–11 Proxy Configuration Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Direct internet connection	Select this option if you want to connect directly to the Internet, without a proxy server.
Manual proxy configuration	Select this option if you want to connect to the Internet through a proxy server, and you want to configure the proxy server manually.
HTTP proxy	Enter the DNS name or the IP address of the proxy server to use when you request a HTTP service. Enter the port number of the HTTP service on the proxy server in the Port spin box.
Details	Click on the Details button to display the HTTP Proxy Details dialog. Select the Use authentication option to enable the Username and Password fields. Enter the username and password for the selected HTTP proxy server. Then click Close.
Secure HTTP proxy	Enter the DNS name, or the IP address of the proxy server to use when you request a Secure HTTP service. Enter the port number of the Secure HTTP service on the proxy server in the Port spin box.
FTP proxy	Enter the DNS name or the IP address of the proxy server to use when you request an FTP service. Enter the port number of the FTP service on the proxy server in the Port spin box.
Socks host	Enter the DNS name or the IP address of the Socks host to use. Enter the port number for the Socks protocol on the proxy server in the Port spin box.
Automatic proxy configuration	Select this option if you want to connect to the Internet through a proxy server, and you want to configure the proxy server automatically.
Autoconfiguration URL	Enter the URL that contains the information required to configure the proxy server automatically.

Configuring Keyboard Accessibility Options

To access the Keyboard accessibility preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Accessibility -> Keyboard.

Use the Keyboard accessibility preference tool to set the keyboard accessibility preferences. The Keyboard accessibility preference tool is also known as AccessX.

You can customize the preferences for keyboard accessibility in the following functional areas:

Basic
Filters
Mouse

Basic Preferences

Table 7–12 lists the basic keyboard accessibility preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–12 Basic Keyboard Accessibility Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Enable keyboard accessibility features	Select this option to enable keyboard accessibility features. When you select this option, the other options in the preference tool become available.
Disable if unused for	Select this option to deactivate keyboard accessibility preferences if the keyboard is not used for a specified period of time. Use the slider to specify the number of seconds of keyboard idle time required before the system disables the keyboard accessibility preferences. When the specified number of seconds elapses, the following keyboard accessibility preferences are disabled: Bounce keys Mouse keys Slow keys Sticky keys Toggle keys
Beep when features turned on or off from keyboard	Select this option for an audible indication when a feature such as sticky keys or slow keys is activated, or deactivated.
Import Feature Settings	Click on this button to import an `AccessX` configuration file.
Enable Sticky Keys	Select this option to perform multiple simultaneous keypress operations by pressing the keys in sequence. Alternatively, to enable the sticky keys feature, press Shift five times. You can set the following sticky keys preferences: Beep when modifier is pressed: Select this option for an audible indication when you press a modifier key. Disable if two keys pressed together: Select this option to specify that when you press two keys simultaneously, you can no longer press keys in sequence to perform multiple simultaneous keypresses.
Enable Repeat Keys	Select this option to enable the autorepeat settings for your keyboard. You can set the following autorepeat preferences: Delay: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the interval to wait after the first keypress before the automatic repeat of a pressed key. Speed: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the number of characters per second to enter.
Type to test settings	The test area is an interactive interface so you can see how the keyboard settings affect the display as you type. Type text in the test area to test the effect of your settings.

For more information about configuring basic keyboard accessibility preferences, see the Java Desktop System Release 3 Accessibility Guide.

Filter Preferences

Table 7–13 lists the keyboard accessibility filter preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–13 Keyboard Accessibility Filter Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Enable Slow Keys	Select this option to control the period of time that you must press-and-hold a key before acceptance. Alternatively, to enable the slow keys feature, press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds. You can set the following slow keys preferences: Only accept keys held for: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the period of time that you must press-and-hold a key before acceptance. Beep when key is: Select the appropriate option or options for an audible indication when a key is pressed, accepted, or rejected.
Enable Bounce Keys	Select this option to accept a key input and to control the key repeat characteristics of the keyboard. You can set the following bounce keys preferences: Ignore duplicate keypresses within: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the interval to wait after the first keypress before the automatic repeat of a pressed key. Beep if key is rejected: Select this option for an audible indication of key rejection.
Enable Toggle Keys	Select this option for an audible indication of a toggle keypress. You hear one beep when a toggle key is turned on. You hear two beeps when a toggle key is turned off.
Type to test settings	The test area is an interactive interface so you can see how the keyboard settings affect the display as you type. Type text in the test area to test the effect of your settings.

For more information about configuring filter accessibility preferences, see the Java Desktop System Release 3 Accessibility Guide.

Mouse Preferences

Table 7–14 lists the mouse accessibility preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–14 Mouse Accessibility Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Enable Mouse Keys	Select this option to make the numeric keypad emulate mouse actions. You can set the following mouse key preferences: Maximum pointer speed: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the maximum speed at which the pointer moves across the screen. Time to accelerate to maximum speed: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the duration of the acceleration time of the pointer. Delay between keypress and pointer movement: Use the slider or the spin box to specify the period of time that must pass after a keypress before the pointer moves.
Mouse Preferences	Click on this button to open the `Mouse` preference tool.

For more information about configuring the mouse accessibility preferences, see the Java Desktop System Release 3 Accessibility Guide.

Configuring Keyboard Behavior Preferences

To access the Keyboard Behavior preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Keyboard -> Behavior.

Use the Keyboard Behavior preference tool to modify the autorepeat preferences for your keyboard, and to configure typing-break settings.

You can set the preferences for the Keyboard Behavior preference tool in the following functional areas:

Keyboard
Typing Break
Layouts
Layout Options

Keyboard Preferences

Use the Keyboard tabbed section to set general keyboard preferences. To start the Keyboard accessibility preference tool, that is, AccessX, click on the Accessibility button. For information about configuring keyboard accessibility options, see Configuring Keyboard Accessibility Options.

Table 7–15 lists the keyboard preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–15 Keyboard Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Key presses repeat when key is held down	Select this option to enable keyboard repeat. If keyboard repeat is enabled, when you press-and-hold a key, the action associated with the key is performed repeatedly. For example, if you press-and-hold a character key, the character is typed repeatedly.
Delay	Use the slider to specify the delay from the time you press a key to the time that the action repeats.
Speed	Use the slider to specify the speed at which the action is repeated.
Cursor blinks in text boxes and fields	Select this option to enable the cursor to blink in fields and text boxes.
Speed	Use the slider to specify the speed at which the cursor blinks in fields and text boxes.
Type to test settings	The test area is an interactive interface so you can see how the keyboard settings affect the display as you type. Type text in the test area to test the effect of your settings.

Typing Break Preferences

Use the Typing Break tabbed section to set typing break preferences.

Table 7–16 lists the typing break preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–16 Typing Break Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Lock screen to enforce typing break	Select this option to lock the screen when you are due to take a typing break.
Work interval lasts	Use the spin box to specify how long you can work before a typing break occurs.
Break interval lasts	Use the spin box to specify the length of your typing breaks.
Allow postponing of breaks	Select this option if you want to be able to postpone typing breaks.

Keyboard Layout

Use the Layouts tabbed section to set your keyboard layout. Select your keyboard model from the drop-down list. Use the navigational buttons to add or remove a selected layout from the list of available layouts.

You can choose different layouts to suit different locales.

Keyboard Layout Options

Use the Layout Options tabbed section to set your keyboard layout options. Select an option from the list of available layout options, then click Add to add the option to the selected options list.

To remove an option from the Selected options list, select the option, then click Remove to remove the selected option.

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

To access the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts.

A keyboard shortcut is a key or combination of keys that provides an alternative to standard ways of performing an action.

Use the Shortcuts preference tool to display the default keyboard shortcuts. You can customize the default keyboard shortcuts to your requirements. In addition, you can also set shortcut key preferences for multimedia functions.

You can also create hot keys on Solaris systems. Hot keys are keyboard shortcuts that start applications.

Table 7–17 lists the keyboard shortcut settings that you can customize on Linux systems.

Table 7–17 Keyboard Shortcuts Preferences on Linux Systems


Dialog Element	Description
Text editing shortcuts	Select one of the following settings: GNOME Default: Use this setting for standard shortcut keys. Emacs: Use this setting for `Emacs` shortcut keys.
Desktop shortcuts	This table lists several actions and the shortcut keys that are associated with each action. To change the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press the keys that you want to associate with the action. To disable the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press Back Space.

Table 7–18 lists the keyboard shortcut settings that you can customize on Solaris systems.

Table 7–18 Keyboard Shortcuts Preferences on Solaris Systems


Dialog Element	Description
Text editing shortcuts	Select one of the following settings: GNOME Default: Use this setting for standard shortcut keys. Emacs: Use this setting for `Emacs` shortcut keys.
Desktop shortcuts	This table lists several actions and the shortcut keys that are associated with each action. To change the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press the keys that you want to associate with the action. To disable the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press Back Space.
Custom Shortcuts	To add a hot key, perform the following steps: Click New. A Custom Binding dialog is displayed. Enter the command to associate with the hot key in the New Command field. Alternatively, to browse for the command, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the command, click OK. The command is added to the Custom Shortcuts section of the Desktop shortcuts table. Click in the Shortcut column of the command in the Custom bindings section of the Desktop shortcuts table. Press the key or key combination that you want to associate with the command. To edit a hot key, select the hot key in the Custom Shortcuts section of the Desktop shortcuts table, then click Edit. Edit the command in the Custom Binding dialog. To remove a hot key, select the hot key in the Custom Shortcuts section of the Desktop shortcuts table, then click Delete.
Multimedia keys table	To add the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press the keys that you want to associate with the action. To disable the shortcut keys for an action, click on the action to select the action, then press Back Space.
Use PCM volume instead of Master volume	Select this option if you want to use Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) volume instead of Master volume.

Customizing Menus and Toolbars in Applications

To access the Menus & Toolbars preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Menus & Toolbars.

You can use the Menus & Toolbars preference tool to customize the appearance of menus, menubars, and toolbars for GNOME-compliant applications.

Table 7–19 lists the menu and toolbar preferences that you can modify for GNOME-compliant applications.

Table 7–19 Menu and Toolbar Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Show icons in menus	Select this option to display an icon beside each item in a menu. Some menu items do not have an icon.
Detachable toolbars	Select this option if you want to move toolbars from application windows to any location on the screen. If you select this option, handles are displayed on the left side of the toolbars in your applications. To move a toolbar, click-and-hold the handle, then drag the toolbar to the new location.
Toolbar button labels	Choose one of the following options to specify what to display on the toolbars in your GNOME-compliant applications: Text below icons: Select this option to display text as well as an icon on each toolbar button. Text beside icons: Select this option to display an icon only on each toolbar button, and with text on the most important toolbar buttons. Icons only: Select this option to display an icon only on each toolbar button. Text only: Select this option to display text only on each toolbar button.
Preview	Displays a preview of the selected toolbar button label.

Setting Mouse Preferences

To access the Mouse preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Mouse.

Use the Mouse preference tool to configure your mouse for right-hand use or for left-hand use. You can also specify the speed and sensitivity of mouse movement.

You can customize the settings for the Mouse preference tool in the following functional areas:

Buttons
Cursors
Motion

Button Preferences

Use the Buttons tabbed section to specify whether the mouse buttons are configured for left-hand use. You can also specify the delay between clicks for a double-click.

Table 7–20 lists the mouse button preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–20 Mouse Button Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Left-handed mouse	Select this option to configure your mouse for left-hand use. When you configure your mouse for left-hand use, the functions of the left mouse button and the right mouse button are swapped.
Timeout	Use the slider to specify the amount of time that can pass between clicks when you double-click. If the interval between the first and second clicks exceeds the time that is specified here, the action is not interpreted as a double-click.

Pointer Preferences

Use the Cursors tabbed section to set your mouse pointer preferences.

Table 7–21 lists the mouse pointer preferences that you can modify:

Table 7–21 Mouse Pointer Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Small	Select this option to display a small mouse pointer.
Medium	Select this option to display a medium mouse pointer.
Large	Select this option to display a large mouse pointer.
Highlight the pointer when you press Ctrl	Select this option to enable a mouse pointer animation when you press and release Ctrl. This feature can assist you to locate the mouse pointer.

Motion Preferences

Use the Motion tabbed section to set your preferences for mouse movement.

Table 7–22 lists the mouse motion preferences that you can modify:

Table 7–22 Mouse Motion Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Acceleration	Use the slider to specify the speed at which your mouse pointer moves on your screen when you move your mouse.
Sensitivity	Use the slider to specify how sensitive your mouse pointer is to movements of your mouse.
Threshold	Use the slider to specify the distance that you must move an item before the move action is interpreted as a drag-and-drop action.

Customizing Your Panels

To access the Panel preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Panel.

The Panel preference tool enables you to configure the behavior of panels. Any changes that you make with the Panel preference tool affect all of your panels.

Table 7–23 lists the panel preferences that you can modify:

Table 7–23 Panel Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Close drawer when launcher is clicked	Select this option if you want a drawer on a panel to close when you choose a launcher in the drawer.
Drawer and panel animation	Select this option if you want your panels and drawers to show and to hide in an animated style.
Animation speed	Select the speed of the panel animation from the drop-down list.

Changing Passwords on Linux Systems

To access the Password preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Password.

The Password preference tool enables you to change your login password. To change your login password, perform the following steps:

Start the Password preference tool. A Query dialog is displayed.
Enter the old password.

Note –
You are not prompted for the old password if you are logged on as root user.
Enter the new password, then enter the new password again to confirm.

Your new password takes effect the next time you log in.

Configuring PDA Devices on Linux Systems

To access the PDA Devices preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices.

A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a hand-held computer that you can use as a personal organizer. You can store appointments, tasks, contacts, and other information on your PDA. You can also transfer this information between your PDA and applications in the Java Desktop System on Linux. For example, you can copy your calendar appointments from your PDA to Email and Calendar, and from Email and Calendar to your PDA.

When you transfer data between your PDA and your computer, you perform a HotSync operation. The actions that occur during a HotSync operation are controlled by conduits. A conduit is an application that manages the transfer of data between your computer and your PDA.

One of the actions that you can specify for a conduit is to merge data between your PDA and your computer. This is called a synchronize action. For example, you might add contact information to your PDA, then add different contact information in Email and Calendar. You want to add the contact information on your PDA to Email and Calendar, and you want to add the contact information in Email and Calendar to your PDA. To do this, you must synchronize the data between your PDA and Email and Calendar.

The PDA Devices preference tool enables you to configure a PDA to work with the Java Desktop System on Linux, and to modify PDAs that you have already configured. You can perform the following tasks with the PDA Devices preference tool:

Configure a PDA
Modify the configuration of a PDA
Configure how PDAs can connect to your computer
Modify how PDAs can connect to your computer
Configure how conduits transfer data between your PDA and applications in the Java Desktop System
Back up PDA data

A background application waits for a PDA to attempt to synchronize with your computer. This background application is called the PDA daemon. When a PDA attempts to synchronize with the computer, the PDA daemon synchronizes the data on the PDA with data on the computer.

Tip –

The PDA Monitor panel application displays the activity of the PDA daemon. To add PDA Monitor to a panel, right-click on the panel, then choose Add to Panel -> Utility -> PDA Monitor. For more information about PDA Monitor, see the online Help for PDA Monitor.

To Configure a PDA

You can configure a PDA in one of the following ways:

Use the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant. If you have not configured a PDA on your computer previously, the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant is displayed when you start the PDA Devices preference tool. The Gnome Pilot Settings assistant guides you through the configuration process for a PDA.
Use the PDA Devices preference tool. If you have configured a PDA on your computer previously, the Pilot Settings dialog is displayed when you start the PDA Devices preference tool. Use the Pilot Settings dialog to enter details for the PDA.

To Use an Assistant

Perform the following steps:

Connect your PDA to your computer. If your PDA has a cradle, place the PDA in the cradle.
Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool. Click on the Forward button in the assistant to begin the configuration process.

Enter information about how the PDA connects to your computer in the Cradle Settings page. The following table describes the settings in the Cradle Settings page:

Element	Description
Name	Type a name for the connection in the text box.
Port	Enter a port for the connection in the drop-down combination box. For example, if your PDA uses a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, you might enter `/dev/ttyUSB1` in this field. If the PDA does not connect properly, you might need to try another port. The default value for the Port field is `/dev/pilot`. If you do not want to change the default value in this field, you can make a symbolic link from the port that the PDA uses to `/dev/pilot`. For example, if your PDA uses a USB port, run a command similar to the following command: `#` `ln -s /dev/ttyUSB1 /dev/pilot` Note – You must have the appropriate permissions to access the port that you specify. If you do not have the appropriate permissions, contact your system administrator.
Speed	Select the speed of the connection from the drop-down list. Tip – Select the lowest speed. When you are sure that the connection to the PDA works reliably at the lowest speed, select the next highest speed. Continue to do this until you find the highest speed at which the connection to the PDA works reliably.
Timeout	Use the spin box to specify the number of minutes for the connection to be idle before the connection is broken.
Type	Select the type of port from the following options: Serial: Select this option for a serial port. USB: Select this option for a USB port. IrDA: Select this option for an infrared port. Network: Select this option for a network connection port.

When you complete the connection information, click on the Forward button. A Pilot Identification page is displayed.

Enter identity information for the PDA in the Pilot Identification page. The following table describes the elements in the Pilot Identification page:

Element	Description
Yes, I've used sync software with this pilot before	Select this option if you have previously set the username and identifier on this PDA. If you configure a PDA with a computer, the username and ID are set on the PDA.
No, I've never used sync software with this pilot before	Select this option if you have not previously set the username and identifier on this PDA.
User Name	If you have not previously set the username and identifier on this PDA, type the username in this text box.
ID	If you have not previously set the username and identifier on this PDA, type the identifier in this text box. This identifier must be unique between different PDAs that you use.

When you complete the identity information, click on the Forward button. An Initial Sync page is displayed.

Press the HotSync button on your PDA. Depending on the option you selected on the Pilot Identification page, the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant does one of the following:
- If you selected the Yes, I've used sync software with this pilot before option, the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant gets the username and identifier that is currently registered on the PDA from the PDA.
- If you selected the No, I've never used sync software with this pilot before option, the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant sets the username and identifier on the PDA to the values in the User Name text box and ID text box.
When the initial synchronization is complete, click on the Forward button. A Pilot Attributes page is displayed.

Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Attributes page. The following table describes the settings in the Pilot Attributes page:

Element	Description
Pilot Name	Type a name for the PDA. This name identifies the PDA in the user interface.
Local basedir	Enter the directory where you want to store your PDA data.

When you complete the name and directory information, click on the Forward button. A Success page is displayed.

Click on the Apply button on the Success page to close the Gnome Pilot Settings assistant.

Alternatively, click on the Cancel button to cancel the configuration of the PDA.

To Use the PDA Devices Preference Tool

Perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
In the Pilots tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, click Add.
To receive the username and identifier from the PDA, click on the Get from pilot button in the Pilot Settings dialog. To assign a username and identifier to the PDA, type the username and identifier in the text boxes, then click on the Send to pilot button.
Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Name and Local basedir fields. For more information about the fields, see To Use an Assistant.

To Modify a PDA

Perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
In the Pilots tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the PDA that you want to modify, then click Edit.
To receive the username and identifier from the PDA, click on the Get from pilot button in the Pilot Settings dialog. To assign a username and identifier to the PDA, type the username and identifier in the text boxes, then click on the Send to pilot button.
Enter name and directory information for the PDA in the Pilot Name and Local basedir fields. For more information about the fields, see To Use an Assistant.
Click OK on the Pilot Settings dialog.

To Configure How PDAs Connect

To configure how PDAs connect to your computer, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
In the Devices tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, click Add.
Enter connection information for the PDA in the Device Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Device Settings dialog, see To Use an Assistant.

To Modify How PDAs Connect

To modify how PDAs connect to your computer, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
In the Devices tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, select the hardware settings that you want to modify, then click Edit.
Enter hardware settings for the PDA in the Device Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Device Settings dialog, see To Use an Assistant.

To Specify How to Transfer PDA Data

To specify how to transfer data between your PDA and applications, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
Ensure that the PDA daemon is active and functions properly. To do this, add the PDA Monitor panel application to a panel. If the PDA Monitor icon appears in black and white, the PDA daemon is active.
In the Conduits tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, use the Pilot Name drop-down list to select the PDA whose conduits you want to configure.

To enable a conduit, select the conduit from the table, then click on the Enable button. Enter configuration details for the conduit in the Conduit Settings dialog. The elements in the Conduit Settings dialog are described in the following table:

Element	Description
Action	Select the action to perform when you do a HotSync operation. Select one of the following options: Disabled: Select this option to take no action for this conduit. Synchronize: Select this option to synchronize data on your PDA with data on your computer. Copy from pilot: Select this option to copy data from your PDA to your computer, and overwrite the data on your computer. Copy to pilot: Select this option to copy data from your computer to your PDA, and overwrite the data on your PDA.
One Time Action	Select an action to perform one time only. The action is performed the next time that you do a HotSync operation. Select one of the following options: None: Select this option to if you do not want to configure a one-time conduit action. Synchronize: Select this option to synchronize data on your PDA with data on your computer. Copy from pilot: Select this option to copy data from your PDA to your computer, and overwrite the data on your computer. Copy to pilot: Select this option to copy data from your computer to your PDA, and overwrite the data on your PDA.
Backup directory	Enter the directory where you want to store your PDA backup data. Backup conduit only.
Only backup changed bases	Select this option to back up only data that has changed since the last backup. The unchanged data is not deleted from your backup directory. Backup conduit only.
Remove local base if deleted on pilot	Select this option to delete data from your computer that has been deleted from your PDA. Backup conduit only.
# of old backups to keep	Use the spin box to specify how many previous backups to retain on your computer. Backup conduit only.

For information about the EAddress, ECalendar, and EToDo conduits, see the online Help for Email and Calendar.

To configure a conduit that is enabled, select the conduit from the table, then click on the Settings button. Enter configuration details for the conduit in the Conduit Settings dialog.
To disable a conduit, select the conduit from the table on the Pilot Settings dialog, then click on the Disable button.
Click OK to close the Conduit Settings dialog.

To Back Up PDA Data

You might want to back up the data on your PDA to your computer, to avoid data loss if you have a problem with your PDA. To back up PDA data to your computer, perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> PDA Devices to start the PDA Devices preference tool.
Ensure that the PDA daemon is active and functions properly. To do this, add the PDA Monitor panel application to a panel. If the PDA Monitor icon appears in black and white, the PDA daemon is active.
In the Conduits tabbed section on the Pilot Settings dialog, use the Pilot Name drop-down list to select the PDA whose data you want to backup.
Select the Backup conduit from the table, then click on the Enable button.
Enter configuration details for the Backup conduit in the Conduit Settings dialog. For more information about the elements in the Conduit Settings dialog, seeTo Specify How to Transfer PDA Data.
Press the HotSync button on your PDA.

For information about how to restore backup data, see the online Help for PDA Monitor.

Setting Printer Preferences on Linux Systems

To access the Printer Preferences tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Printer Preferences.

You can use the Printer Preferences tool to add printers and to manage print and job queues.

To Add a New Printer

Perform the following steps:

Click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Printer Preferences.
Double-click on the New Printer icon.

If you are not logged in as root user, you are prompted to enter the root password, then click OK.
Follow the instructions in the Add a Printer assistant as follows.
- Specify whether you want to add a local printer attached to your computer or a remote printer attached to the network.
  
  Note –
  Before you add a remote printer, you must have the following information from your system administrator: Printer Type, Host, and Queue.
- Enter the printer details.
- Enter the name for your printer.
- If the details you entered for your printer are correct, click Apply to add your printer.

To Manage Print Jobs

To manage your print jobs, double-click on the printer icon. Choose the Edit menu item to perform print job management activities.

Table 7–24 lists the print job management activities that you can perform.

Table 7–24 Print Job Management Activities


Dialog Element	Description
Pause Jobs	Select this item to temporarily stop your job from printing.
Resume Jobs	Select this item to resume your printing job.
Cancel Jobs	Select this item to cancel your printing job.

To Manage Printer Queues

The print queue shows the documents that are waiting to be printed. You can perform printer queue management duties from the Printer menu.

To manage your printer queues, double-click on the printer icon. Choose the Printer menu item to perform printer queue management activities.

Table 7–25 lists the printer queue management activities that you can perform.

Table 7–25 Printer Queue Management Activities


Dialog Element	Description
Pause Printer	Select this item to temporarily stop your printer.
Set as Default	Select this item to set the current printer as your default printer.
Print Test Page	Select this item to print a test page.

To View Documents Waiting to Print

For documents waiting to print, you can view, but not change, the status of the job. To view your current print jobs, double-click on the printer for which you want to view the documents waiting to print.

Table 7–26 shows the information displayed for each document in the print queue.

Table 7–26 Print Job Status


Dialog Element	Description
Name	Shows the name of the document.
Job Number	Shows the number assigned to the print job.
Owner	Shows the username of the person who sent the document to the printer.
Size	Shows the size of the document in kilobytes.
State	Shows the current status of the document, such as Spooling, Paused, or Printing.

To Set Printer Options

Perform the following steps:

Log in as root user.
From the Printers dialog, highlight the printer that you want to modify, then choose File -> Properties.
From the Properties dialog, you can customize the settings for printers in the following functional areas:
- General
- Paper
- Advanced

To Set General Options

Use the General tabbed section to view and to modify information about the selected printer, such as the printer name and location.Table 7–27 lists the general options that you can modify.

Table 7–27 General Options


Dialog Element	Description
Name	Shows the name of the selected printer.
Description	Provides a brief description of the selected printer.
Location	Shows the location of the selected printer.
Resolution	Use the drop-down list to select the resolution to use for the printer.
Status	Shows the status of the selected printer.
Print a Test Page	Click to print a test page.

To Set Paper Options

Use the Paper tabbed section to specify paper values, and to choose the paper layout for the selected printer.

Table 7–28 lists the paper options that you can specify.

Table 7–28 Paper Options


Dialog Element	Description
Paper size	Use the drop-down list to select the paper size to use for the printer.
Paper type	Use the drop-down list to select the paper type to use for the printer.
Source	Use the drop-down list to select the paper tray to use for the printer. The source specifies where the paper is located in the printer.
Double Sided	Use the drop-down list to select the layout to use for the printer.

To Set Advanced Options

Use the Advanced tabbed section to specify advanced values for the selected printer.

Table 7–29 lists an example of advanced options that you can specify for a specific printer.

Table 7–29 Advanced Options


Dialog Element	Description
Floyd-Steinberg Dithering	Use the drop-down list to select the type of dithering to use for the printer, for example, Floyd-Steinberg dithering.
Manual Feed of Paper	Use the drop-down list to select whether you want to switch on or off the paper manual feed.
Page Region	Use the drop-down list to select the paper size to use for the printer.
Number of Copies	Use the drop-down list to select the number of copies that you want to print.
Density	Use the drop-down list to select the density to use for the printer.
Economy mode	Use the drop-down list to select the economy mode to use for the printer.
RET Setting	Use the drop-down list to select the Resolution Enhancement Technology (RET) setting to use for the printer. RET inserts smaller dots at the edges of lines and smooths any rough edges.

Choosing Your Preferred Applications

To access the Preferred Applications preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Preferred Applications.

Use the Preferred Applications preference tool to specify the applications that you want the Java Desktop System to use when the preferred application starts. For example, you can specify Xterm as your preferred terminal application. When you click Launch, then choose Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal, Xterm starts.

You can customize the preferences for the Preferred Applications preference tool in the following functional areas:

Web Browser
Mail Reader
Text Editor
Terminal

Web Browser Preferences

Use the Web Browser tabbed section to configure your preferred web browser. The preferred web browser opens when you click on a URL. For example, the preferred web browser opens when you select a URL in an application, or when you select a URL launcher on the desktop background.

Table 7–30 lists the preferred web browser preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–30 Preferred Web Browser Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Select a Web Browser	Select this option if you want to use a standard web browser. Use the drop-down combination box to select your preferred web browser.
Custom Web Browser	Select this option if you want to use a custom web browser.
Command	Enter the command to start the custom web browser. To enable the browser to display a URL that you click on, include `“%s”` after the command.
Start in Terminal	Select this option to run the command in a terminal window. Select this option for a browser that does not create a window in which to run.

Email Client Preferences

Use the Mail Reader tabbed section to configure your preferred email client.

Table 7–31 lists the preferred email client preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–31 Preferred Email Client Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Select a Mail Reader	Select this option if you want to use a standard email client. Use the drop-down combination box to select your preferred email client.
Custom Mail Reader	Select this option if you want to use a custom email client.
Command	Enter the command to start the custom email client.
Start in Terminal	Select this option to run the command in a terminal window. Select this option for an email client that does not create a window in which to run.

Text Editor Preferences

Use the Text Editor tabbed section to configure your preferred text editor.

Table 7–32 lists the preferred text editor preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–32 Preferred Text Editor Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Select an Editor	Select this option if you want to use a standard text editor. Use the drop-down combination box to specify your preferred text editor.
Custom Editor	Select this option if you want to use a custom text editor. A Custom Editor Properties dialog is displayed. Name: Type the name of the custom text editor. Command: Enter the command to start the custom text editor. This application can open multiple files: Select this option if the default text editor can open multiple files. This application needs to be run in a shell: Select this option to run the command in a terminal window. Select this option for an editor that does not create a window in which to run. After you specify a custom text editor, you can click on the Properties button to display the Custom Editor Properties dialog. You can use the dialog to modify the properties of the custom text editor.
Use this editor to open text files in the file manager	Select this option if you want the file manager to start the custom text editor to display text files.

Terminal Preferences

Use the Terminal tabbed section to configure your preferred terminal.

Table 7–33 lists the preferred terminal preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–33 Preferred Terminal Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Select a Terminal	Select this option if you want to use a standard terminal. Use the drop-down combination box to specify your preferred terminal application.
Custom Terminal	Select this option if you want to use a custom terminal application.
Command	Enter the command to start the custom terminal.
Exec Flag	Enter the `exec` option to use with the command application.

Setting Remote Desktop Preferences on Linux Systems

To access the Remote Desktop preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Remote Desktop.The Remote Desktop preference tool enables you to share a Desktop session between multiple users, and to set remote desktop preferences.

Table 7–34 lists the remote desktop preferences that you can set. These preferences have a direct impact on the security of your system.

Table 7–34 Remote Desktop Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Allow other users to view your desktop	Select this option to enable remote users to view your desktop. All keyboard, pointer, and clipboard events from the remote user are ignored.
Allow other users to control your desktop	Select this option to enable other users to access and control your desktop from a remote location.
Users can view your desktop at this web address: web address	Click on the web address link to send your system web address by email to a remote user.
When a user tries to view or control your desktop	Select the following options to specify the security considerations when a user tries to view or control your desktop: Ask you for confirmation: Select this option if you want remote users to ask you for confirmation when they want to share your desktop. This option enables you to be aware of other users who connect to your desktop. You can also decide what time is suitable for the remote user to connect to your desktop. Ensure the user is using encryption: Select this option if you require that all clients who connect to your desktop use encryption. This option is provided so that you can make a policy decision on whether unencrypted connections are allowed. Require the user to enter this password: Select this option to authenticate the remote user if authentication is used. This option provides an extra level of security.
Password	Enter the password that the client who attempts to view or control your desktop must enter.

Setting Screen Resolution Preferences

To access the Screen Resolution preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Screen Resolution.

Use the Screen Resolution preference tool to specify the resolution settings for your screen. Table 7–35 lists the screen resolution preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–35 Screen Resolution Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Resolution	Use the drop-down list to select the resolution to use for the screen.
Refresh rate	Use the drop-down list to select the screen refresh rate to use for the screen.
Make default for this computer `(name)` only	Select this option to make the screen resolution settings the default settings for the system that you are logged in to only.

Setting Screensaver Preferences

To access the Screensaver preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Screensaver.

A screensaver is an application that you can use to replace the image on your screen when the screen is not in use. You can use screensavers in the following ways:

Activate after a specified period of idle time.
Activate when you lock your screen.
Manage power used by your monitor when your system is idle.

You can customize the settings for the Screensaver preference tool in the following functional areas:

Display Modes
Advanced

Display Modes Preferences

Use the Display Modes tabbed section to set display mode preferences.

Table 7–36 lists the display mode preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–36 Screensaver Display Mode Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Mode	Use the drop-down list to specify the behavior of the screensaver application. Select from the following options: Disable Screen Saver: Select this option if you do not want to use the screensaver application. Blank Screen Only: Select this option if you want your screen to become blank when your screen locks. Only One Screen Saver: Select this option if you want to display a single screensaver display from the display list when your screen locks. Random Screen Saver: Select this option if you want to display a random selection of screensaver displays from the screensaver display list when your screen locks.
Display list	Select the screensaver display that you require.
Blank After	Use the spin box to specify how long to wait after the last use of the mouse or keyboard, to activate the screensaver.
Cycle After	Use the spin box to specify how long to show a particular screensaver display before the next display.
Lock Screen After	Select this option if you want the screen to lock after the screensaver is activated. Use the spin box to specify the delay between the activation of the screensaver and when the screen locks.
Preview	Click on this button to preview the screensaver display that is selected in the screensaver display list. To stop the preview, press any key or click a mouse button.
Settings	Click on this button to display the options for the screensaver display that is selected in the screensaver display list.

Advanced Preferences

Use the Advanced tabbed section to set advanced screensaver preferences.

Table 7–37 lists the advanced screensaver preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–37 Advanced Screensaver Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Grab Desktop Images	Some screensavers can take a screenshot of your screen, then manipulate the screenshot to create your screensaver display. Select this option to enable screensavers to take a screenshot of your screen.
Grab Video Frames	Some screensavers can capture a frame of video, then manipulate the captured image to create your screensaver display. If your system has a video capture card, select this option to enable screensavers to capture a frame of video.
Choose Random Image	Select this option to enable screensavers to use images from a directory that you select. Type the path for the directory in the field. Alternatively, click Browse to display a dialog from which you can select a directory.
Verbose Diagnostics	Select this option if you want to display screensaver diagnostic information.
Display Subprocess Errors	Select this option if you want to display errors related to screensaver subprocesses.
Display Splash Screen at Startup	Select this option if you want `Xscreensaver` to display a splash dialog when `Xscreensaver` starts.
Power Management Enabled	Select this option to enable power management of your monitor. Power management can reduce energy consumption by your monitor when you are not using the monitor.
Standby After	Use the spin box to specify how long to wait to put the monitor in standby mode. When the monitor is in standby mode, the screen is black.
Suspend After	Use the spin box to specify how long to wait to put the monitor in power-saving mode.
Off After	Use the spin box to specify how long to wait to switch off the monitor.
Install Colormap	Select this option to install a private colormap when the screensaver is active. Use of a private colormap might improve the quality of the colors in particular screensaver displays.
Fade to Black When Blanking	Select this option if you want your display to fade to black when the screensaver activates.
Fade from Black When Unblanking	Select this option if you want your display to fade from black to the screen contents when the screensaver stops.
Fade Duration	Use the spin box to specify how long to take to fade to black when the screensaver activates.

Configuring Sessions

To access the Sessions preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Sessions.

The Sessions preference tool enables you to manage your sessions. You can set session preferences, and specify which applications to start when you start a session. You can configure sessions to save the state of applications in the Java Desktop System, and to restore the state when you start another session. You can also use this preference tool to manage multiple Java Desktop System sessions.

You can customize the settings for sessions and startup applications in the following functional areas:

Session Options
Current Session
Startup Programs

Setting Session Preferences

Use the Session Options tabbed section to manage multiple sessions, and to set preferences for the current session.

Table 7–38 lists the session options that you can modify.

Table 7–38 Session Options


Dialog Element	Description
Show splash screen on login	Select this option to display a splash screen when you start a session.
Prompt on logout	Select this option to display a confirmation dialog when you end a session.
Automatically save changes to session	Select this option if you want the session manager to save the current state of your session. The session manager saves the session-managed applications that are open, and the settings associated with the session-managed applications. The next time that you start a session, the applications start automatically, with the saved settings. If you do not select this option, the Logout Confirmation dialog displays a Save current setup option when you end your session.
Sessions	Use this area of the dialog to manage multiple sessions in the Java Desktop System, as follows: To create a new session, click on the Add button. Use the Add a new session dialog to specify a name for your session. To change the name of a session, select the session in the Sessions table. Click on the Edit button. The Edit session name dialog is displayed. Type a new name for your session. To delete a session, select the session in the Sessions table. Click on the Delete button.

Setting Session Properties

Use the Current Session tabbed section to specify startup order values, and to choose restart styles for the session-managed applications in your current session.

Table 7–39 lists the session properties that you can configure.

Table 7–39 Session Properties


Dialog Element	Description
Order	The Order property specifies the order in which the session manager starts session-managed startup applications. The session manager starts applications with lower order values first. The default value is 50. To specify the startup order of an application, select the application in the table. Use the Order spin box to specify the startup order value.
Style	The Style property determines the restart style of an application. To select a restart style for an application, select the application in the table, then choose one of the following styles: Normal Starts automatically when you start a Java Desktop System session. Use the `kill` command to terminate applications with this restart style during a session. Restart Restarts automatically whenever you close or terminate the application. Choose this style for an application if the application must run continuously during your session. To terminate an application with this restart style, select the application in the table, then click on the Remove button. Trash Does not start when you start a Java Desktop System session. Settings Starts automatically when you start a Java Desktop System session. Applications with this style usually have a low startup order, and store your configuration settings for the Java Desktop System and session-managed applications.
State	Shows the current status of the application.
Program	Shows a brief description of the type of application.
Remove	Click on the Remove button to delete the selected application from the list. The application is removed from the session manager, and closed. Applications that you delete are not started the next time that you start a session.
Apply	Click on the Apply button to apply changes to the startup order and the restart style.

Configuring Startup Applications

Use the Startup Programs tabbed section of the Sessions preference tool to specify non-session-managed startup applications. Startup applications are applications that start automatically when you start a session. You specify the commands that run the non-session-managed applications in the Startup Programs tabbed section. The commands execute automatically when you log in.

You can also start session-managed applications automatically. For more information, see Setting Session Properties.

Table 7–40 lists the startup applications preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–40 Startup Programs Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Additional startup programs	Use this table to manage non-session-managed startup applications as follows: To add a startup application, click on the Add button. The Add Startup Program dialog is displayed. Enter the command to start the application in the Startup Command field or use the down-arrow to select a previously entered startup command. Alternatively, click Browse to display a Startup Command dialog. Use the dialog to specify the startup command that you want to associate with the startup program. If you specify more than one startup application, use the Order spin box to specify the startup order of the each application. The startup order is the order in which you want the startup applications to start. To edit a startup application, select the startup application, then click on the Edit button. The Edit Startup Program dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to modify the command and the startup order for the startup application. To delete a startup application, select the startup application, then click on the Delete button.

Setting Sound Preferences

To access the Sound preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Sound.

The Sound preference tool enables you to control when the Java Desktop System sound server starts. You can also specify which sounds to play when particular events occur.

You can customize the settings for the Sound preference tool in the following functional areas:

General
Sound Events
System Bell

General Sound Preferences

Use the General tabbed section of the Sound preference tool to specify when to launch the Java Desktop System sound server. You can also enable sound event functions.

Table 7–41 lists the general sound preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–41 General Sound Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Enable sound server startup	Select this option to start the sound server when you start a session. When the sound server is active, the Java Desktop System can play sounds.
Sounds for events	Select this option to play sounds when particular events occur in the Java Desktop System. You can select this option only if the Enable sound server startup option is selected.

Sound Event Preferences

Use the Sound Events tabbed section of the Sound preference tool to associate particular sounds with particular events.

Note –

You must select the Enable sound server startup option, and the Sounds for events option before you can access the components on the Sound Events tabbed section.

Table 7–42 lists the sound event preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–42 Sound Event Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Sounds table	Use the Sounds table to associate particular sounds with particular events. The Event column displays a hierarchical list of events that can occur. To expand a category of events, click on the right arrow beside a category of events. The Sound File column lists the sound file that plays when the event occurs.
Play	Click on this button to play the sound file that is associated with the selected event.
Sound file	To associate a sound with an event, select the event in the Sounds table. Use the Sound file drop-down combination box to enter the name of the sound file that you want to associate with the selected event. Alternatively, click Browse to display a Select Sound File dialog. Use the dialog to specify the sound file that you want to associate with the selected event. Note – You can only associate `.wav` format sound files with events.

System Bell Settings

Use the System Bell tabbed section to set your preferences for the system bell.

Some applications play a bell sound to indicate a keyboard input error. Use the preferences in the System Bell tabbed section to configure the bell sound. Table 7–43 lists the system bell preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–43 System Bell Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Sound an audible bell	Select this option to enable the system bell.
Visual feedback	Select this option to enable visual feedback to indicate input errors.
Flash window titlebar	Select this option if you want window titlebars to flash to indicate an input error.
Flash entire screen	Select this option if you want the entire screen to flash to indicate an input error.

Customizing Themes

To access the Theme preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display -> Theme.

A theme is a group of coordinated settings that specifies the visual appearance of a part of the Java Desktop System. You can choose themes to change the appearance of the Java Desktop System. Use the Theme preference tool to select a theme. You can choose from a list of available themes. The list of available themes includes several themes for users with accessibility requirements.

A theme contains settings that affect different parts of the Java Desktop System, as follows:

Controls: The controls setting for a theme determines the visual appearance of windows, panels, and panel applications. The controls setting also determines the visual appearance of the GNOME-compliant interface items that appear on windows, panels, and panel applications, such as menus, icons, and buttons. Some of the controls setting options that are available are designed for special accessibility needs. You can choose an option for the controls setting from the Controls tabbed section in the Theme preference tool.
Window frame: The window frame setting for a theme determines the appearance of the frames around windows only. You can choose an option for the window frame setting from the Window Border tabbed section in the Theme preference tool.
Icon: The icon setting for a theme determines the appearance of icons on panels and on the desktop background. You can choose an option for the icon setting from the Icons tabbed section in the Theme preference tool.

To Create a Custom Theme

The themes that are listed in the Theme preference tool are different combinations of control options, window frame options, and icon options. You can create a custom theme that uses different combinations of control options, window frame options, and icon options.

To create a custom theme, perform the following steps:

Start the Theme preference tool.
Select a theme in the list of themes.
Click on the Theme Details button. A Theme Details dialog is displayed.
Click on the Controls tab to display the Controls tabbed section. Select the controls option that you want to use in the custom theme from the list of available options. The list of available control options includes several options for users with accessibility requirements.
Click on the Window Border tab to display the Window Border tabbed section. Select the window frame option that you want to use in the custom theme from the list of available options. The list of available window frame options includes several options for users with accessibility requirements.
Click on the Icons tab to display the Icons tabbed section. Select the icons option that you want to use in the custom theme from the list of available options. The list of available icon options includes several options for users with accessibility requirements.
Click Close to close the Theme Details dialog.
On the Theme preferences tool, click on the Save Theme button.
Type a name and a short description for the custom theme in the Save Theme to Disk dialog, then click Save. The custom theme appears in your list of available themes.

To Install a New Theme

You can add a theme to the list of available themes. The new theme must be an archive file that is tarred and zipped. That is, the new theme must be a .tar.gz file.

To install a new theme, perform the following steps:

Start the Theme preference tool.
Click on the Install Theme button.
Enter the location of the theme archive file in the drop-down combination box of the Theme Installation dialog. Alternatively, to browse for the file, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the file, click Open.
Click on the Install button to install the new theme.

To Install a New Theme

You can install new controls options, window frame options, or icons options. You can find many controls options on the Internet.

To install a new controls option, window frame option, or icons option, perform the following steps:

Start the Theme preference tool.
Click on the Theme Details button.
Click on a tab in the Theme Details dialog for the type of theme that you want to install. For example, to install an icons option, click on the Icons tab.
Click on the Install Theme button.
Enter the location of the option archive file in the drop-down combination box of the Theme Installation dialog. Alternatively, to browse for the file, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the file, click Open.
Click on the Install button to install the new option.

To Delete a Theme

You can delete controls options, window frame options, or icons options.

To delete a controls option, window frame option, or icons option, perform the following steps:

Start the Theme preference tool.
Click on the Theme Details button.
Click on a tab in the Theme Details dialog for the type of option that you want to delete.
Click on the Go to Theme Folder button. A file manager window opens on the default option folder.
Use the file manager window to delete the option.

Customizing Windows

To access the Window Behavior preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Desktop Preferences -> Display ->Window Behavior.

Use the Window Behavior preference tool to customize window behavior for the Java Desktop System.

Table 7–44 lists the window preferences that you can modify.

Table 7–44 Window Preferences


Dialog Element	Description
Select windows when the mouse moves over them	Select this option to give focus to a window when you point to the window. The window retains focus until you point to another window.
Raise selected windows after an interval	Select this option to raise windows a short time after the window receives focus.
Interval before raising	Use the slider to specify the interval to wait before raising a window that has received focus.
Double-click titlebar to perform this action	Use the drop-down list to select the behavior that you want to occur when you double-click on a window titlebar. Select one of the following options: Roll up: Shades the window. Maximize: Maximizes the window.
To move a window, press-and-hold this key then grab the window	Select the key to press-and-hold when you drag a window to move the window.

Setting Wireless Network Preferences on Linux Systems

To access the Wireless Network Configuration preference tool, click Launch, then choose Preferences -> Wireless Network Configuration.

Follow the instructions in the Wireless Network Configuration assistant to edit and switch to a different wireless network.