Using Drag and Drop in CDE

Drag and drop enables you to perform a variety of tasks using the mouse. Refer to "Chapter 1, Basic Skills" in Solaris Common Desktop Environment: User's Guide for complete drag-and-drop information. In certain areas, drag-and-drop behavior is different in CDE from what you might expect from OpenWindows behavior. The following list highlights only those operations that differ between the two desktops.

The task is described first, then OpenWindows (OW) behavior, and Common Desktop Environment (CDE) behavior.

File Manager Drag and Drop

• Select an icon from File Manager and drop it on a minimized icon on the desktop.

  OW: Results in appropriate action. If dropped on Print Tool, then the file would be printed. The OpenWindows environment does not have a Front Panel on which to drop icons.

  CDE workspace: Does not support drops on minimized icons. The Front Panel offers functionality similar to OW drag and drop. For example, dropping a selected icon on the Print control in the Front Panel results in the file being printed.

• Select and drop an icon on the workspace/desktop area.

  OW: Would result in that icon being launched or executed.

  CDE: Creates a reference to the dropped item. The original icon still appears in File Manager.

Mailer Drag and Drop

• Select and drag multiple messages from a Mailer header window to a File Manager window.

  OW: Creates one message icon per message. The original messages are not deleted.

  CDE: Creates one mailbox that contains all the selected messages. The original messages are not deleted.

• Select and drag a single message or multiple messages to another mailbox window.

  OW: Not available.

  CDE: Moves the selected messages to a destination mailbox.

• Drag and drop text selections or selected icons on the Mailer message or attachment area.

  OW: Inserts text selections icon in message area or attaches an icon in attachment list.

  CDE: Does not allow drops of text or icons. The message/attachment area is read-only. (They are allowed in the Compose window.)

Text Editor/Mailer Compose Window Drag and Drop

• Drop selected icon into text window in text region.

  OW: Text appears at drop point.

  CDE: Text appears at insertion point. Same as choosing Include from the File menu.

• Dragging multiple attachments to File Manager.

  OW: Attachments are copied and names are preserved.

  CDE: Mailer only supports dragging one attachment at a time.