Java Desktop System Release 3 User Guide

Preface

This guide describes how to use the Java^TM Desktop System Release 3. Most of the information in this guide is generic to all releases of the Java Desktop System Release 3. Where the information is not generic, the platform is indicated.

Supported Systems

This release of the Java Desktop System supports the following systems:

Systems running Linux on Intel-compatible hardware, including most desktop and laptop systems from most vendors.
Systems running the Solaris^TM 10 Operating System on SPARC® platforms.
Systems running the Solaris 10 Operating System on x86 platforms.

Table P–1 describes where you can find information about systems that are supported by the Solaris Operating System, relevant to this product release. In the Java Desktop System documentation, the term x86 refers to the processor families shown in Table P–1.

Table P–1 Supported Solaris Systems


Architecture	Processor Families	Solaris Systems
SPARC	SPARC64 UltraSPARC	See the Solaris 10 Hardware Compatibility List at the following location: `http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl`
x86	AMD64 Pentium Xeon	See the Solaris 10 Hardware Compatibility List at the following location: `http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl`

Who Should Use This Guide

This guide is for users who plan to use the Java Desktop System as the default desktop environment. Use this guide if you need to do the following:

Work with applications in the desktop.
Customize the look and feel of your personal desktop.
Find out more about specific functionality.

Before You Read This Guide

Before you read this guide, click on the Desktop Overview icon on the desktop background. This launches a help browser from where you can access overview information about the Java Desktop System.

Familiarize yourself with the following topics:

Three-button mouse devices
Graphical user interfaces
Command line interfaces

See Appendix A, Mouse and Keyboard Functionality for information about mouse usage, shortcut keys, basic window skills, and basic dialog skills.

How This Guide Is Organized

This guide is organized as follows:

Chapter 1, Getting Started

This chapter provides information about how to start, manage, and end Java Desktop System sessions.
Chapter 2, Working With Panels

Panels are a key component of the Java Desktop System. This chapter tells you how to use the different parts of your panels, and how to invoke the available functions of the Java Desktop System using panels.
Chapter 3, Working With Menus

This chapter provides information about how to use and customize the menus in the Java Desktop System.
Chapter 4, Working With Windows

This chapter describes basic windows functions such as moving and resizing. This chapter also describes the controls that you use with windows.
Chapter 5, Using Your File Manager

This chapter describes how to use the file manager to work with your file system.
Chapter 6, Using Your Desktop Background

This chapter describes how to use the desktop background to start applications, and open your files and folders. The chapter also describes how to use Trash from the desktop background, how to use the desktop background menu, and how to customize the desktop background.
Chapter 7, Using Your Preference Tools

This chapter describes how to use the preference tools to customize the Java Desktop System.
Appendix A, Mouse and Keyboard Functionality

This appendix provides information about mouse usage, shortcut keys, basic window skills, and basic dialog skills.
Appendix B, Common Tasks

This appendix describes some of the basic tasks that you perform across many of the Java Desktop System applications.
Glossary

The glossary contains a list of terms used in this guide, and definitions of the terms.

Associated Documentation

Java Desktop System Release 3 on Linux:

Java Desktop System Email and Calendar User Guide
StarOffice 8 Administration Guide
StarOffice 8 Getting Started Guide
StarOffice 8 Programming Guide for BASIC

Java Desktop System Release 3 on Solaris 10:

Java Desktop System Email and Calendar User Guide
StarOffice 7 Office Suite Administration Guide
StarOffice 7 Office Suite Basic Programmer's Guide
StarOffice 7 Office Suite Setup Guide
StarOffice 7 Office Suite User's Guide

Documentation CD

The accompanying Java Desktop System Release 3 Documentation CD contains files or links for those manuals directly-related, or closely associated with, the Java Desktop System Release 3 on Linux.

Accessing Sun Documentation Online

The docs.sun.com^SM Web site enables you to access Sun technical documentation online. You can browse the docs.sun.com archive or search for a specific book title or subject. The URL is http://docs.sun.com.

Ordering Sun Documentation

Sun Microsystems offers select product documentation in print. For a list of documents and how to order them, see “Buy printed documentation” at http://docs.sun.com.

Typographic Conventions

The following table describes the typographic conventions used in this book.

Table P–2 Typographic Conventions


Typeface or Symbol	Meaning	Example
`AaBbCc123`	The names of commands, files, and directories: onscreen computer output	Use `ls -a` to list all files. Edit your `.login` file. `machine_name% you have mail.`
`AaBbCc123`	What you type, contrasted with onscreen computer output	`machine_name%` `su` `Password:`
`AaBbCc123`	Command-line placeholder: replace with a real name or value	To delete a file, type `rm` `filename`.
AaBbCc123	Book titles, new words, or terms, or words to be emphasized	Read Chapter 6 in User's Guide. These are called class options. You must be the root user to do this.

Shell Prompts in Command Examples

The following table shows the default system prompt and root user prompt for the C shell, Bourne shell, and Korn shell.

Table P–3 Shell Prompts


Shell	Prompt
C shell prompt	`machine_name%`
C shell root user prompt	`machine_name#`
Bourne shell and Korn shell prompt	`$`
Bourne shell and Korn shell root user prompt	`#`

Mouse Usage Conventions

The following table lists the conventions for mouse usage in documentation for the Java Desktop System.

Action	Definition
Click	Press and release the left mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Click-and-hold	Press and do not release the left mouse button.
Left-click	Same as click. Left-click clarifies the action when there might be confusion with right-click.
Middle-click	Press and release the middle mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Right-click	Press and release the right mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Double-click	Press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession, without moving the mouse.
Drag	Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. For example, you can drag a window or an icon. The left and middle mouse buttons can perform drag actions.
Drag-and-drop	Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. Release the mouse button to place the object in a new location. For example, you can drag-and-drop a window or an icon.
Grab	Point to an item that you can move, and click-and-hold on the mouse button. For example, you can grab the titlebar of a window, then drag the window to a new location.