Common Desktop Environment

The Solaris Common Desktop Environment (CDE) is an advanced Motif-based desktop with an easy-to-use interface that provides a consistent look and feel across UNIX platforms. SunSoft, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM Corporation, and Novell, Inc. each contributed technologies to establish a new cross-platform standard for user and application interfaces based on the X Window System and Motif.

While maintaining compliance with the CDE standards, Solaris CDE offers additional benefits to its users and developers, including performance improvements and significant defect fixes, thus providing a higher quality product. Existing OpenWindows utilities were integrated with CDE via a special folder in Application Manager. New features include a spell checker and an image viewer to display, rotate, scale, and convert graphic images and PostScript files.

With Solaris CDE you can run OpenWindows applications without modification, with drag-and-drop interaction from OpenWindows applications to CDE applications. All OpenWindows and OPEN LOOK applications run without any need for modification, recompilation, or unwieldy compatibility libraries. If you are used to the OpenWindows environment, you have access to the familiar backdrops, color palettes, and pop-up Workspace menu.

CDE User Environment

The CDE user environment includes the following features:

• Login Manager for logging into the desktop, which is available automatically as your workstation is booted. Choose from the Remote Login menu item Options menu to be able to run your desktop on any system on your network.

• An Integrated Motif environment that contains a Front Panel from which you can launch desktop applications. You can customize your desktop look by choosing such things as font size, color, and backdrop.

• The Workspace menu, which is a pop-up menu that contains items for managing the desktop workspace.

• An online Help information system that provides information on the various desktop applications.

CDE Development Environment

The CDE 1.2 Development Environment is included in optional packages for users who develop software in CDE. These packages contain:

• Utility applications, man pages, libraries, and header files to help you develop CDE applications

• Widgets to ease porting OPEN LOOK^TM and Microsoft Windows applications to CDE, as well as terminal emulator, text editor, and file selection box widgets

• Application Builder, a tool for creating graphical user interfaces that use CDE application program interfaces (APIs)

• Desktop KornShell (dtksh), a scripting language

• Demonstration programs in source form for Motif, ToolTalk^TM messaging, and other CDE services

Significant CDE Application Features

• Web- and Internet-aware features in File Manager and Enterprise Mailer

• Spell checker integrated into Text Editor and Enterprise Mailer

• Basic IMAP4 support in Enterprise Mailer

• Removable media support for CD-ROMs and diskettes

• Access Control List (ACL) support

• Multimedia image and audio support

• Auto lock screen

• Federated Naming Space (FNS) support in Calendar (for NIS+ only)