File Manager enables you to use removable media, such as diskettes and CD-ROMs, on the workspace. You can view the contents of your diskettes or CD-ROMs if you have a system with at least one diskette drive or one CD-ROM drive and you are running Solaris CDE 1.1 or later.
Removable media are mounted on your file system in removable media folders. File Manager enables you to view the contents of the removable media without having to know the location of these folders.
File Manager restricts the view of a diskette or CD-ROM window to the removable media folder and its subfolders. You cannot navigate out of the folder /floppy/diskette_name when you view the diskette labeled /diskette_name or navigate out of the folder /cdrom/cdrom_name when you view the CD-ROM labeled /cdrom_name.
The File Selection dialog box enables you to perform certain tasks, such as Open or Save As, on the files in file systems for all mounted CD-ROMs and diskettes, as well as for your home folder. You can choose your home folder or mounted CD-ROMs and diskettes through the menu button at the end of the Enter Path or Folder name text field.
When you drag a file or folder icon from a regular folder window, the default drag-and-drop behavior is:
A copy operation when you drop the icon onto a diskette window.
A move operation when you drop the icon onto a folder window.
A move operation when you drop the icon onto the Trash Can or to the Trash window.
When you drag a file or folder icon from a diskette window, the default drag-and-drop behavior is:
A copy operation when you drop the icon onto another diskette window.
A copy operation when you drop the icon onto a folder window.
A move operation when you drop the icon onto the Trash Can or to the Trash Can window.
When you drag a file or folder icon from a CD-ROM window, the default drag-and-drop behavior is:
A copy operation when you drop the icon onto a diskette window.
A copy operation when you drop the icon onto a folder window.
You cannot drag and drop files or folders onto a CD-ROM.
CDE reads and writes the following file-system formats:
DOS High Density (commonly used by PCs running Windows or DOS)
NEC-DOS Medium Density (sometimes used by older PCs)
UNIX (Solaris version, as written by CDE running on a SPARC-based workstation)
UNIX (IA version, as written by CDE running on an IA–based workstation)
CDE supports DOS High Density and NEC-DOS Medium Density formats whether running on SPARC or IA, but the following restrictions apply to the UNIX format:
A SPARC-based workstation cannot read or write diskettes formatted as "UNIX" on an IA system
An IA– based workstation cannot read or write diskettes formatted as "UNIX" on an SPARC system
If you need to use the same diskettes on SPARC-based and IA–based systems, use the DOS High Density format.
This section describes tasks that you can perform using diskettes and CD-ROMs with File Manager.
Insert the diskette into a disk drive.
Select Open Floppy from the Files subpanel on the Front Panel, or from the File Manager File menu.
If the diskette is formatted and readable by the system (see Supported Formats), File Manager displays a view of the diskette's contents. If the diskette is unformatted or is unreadable by the system, File Manager displays the Format Floppy dialog box.
If your system has more than one disk drive, File Manager opens one window for each readable diskette you insert when you choose Open Floppy from the File menu.
Insert the CD-ROM into a CD-ROM drive.
File Manager displays a window containing a view of the CD-ROM contents.
If you close the CD-ROM's File Manager window, you can reopen it by selecting Open CD-ROM from either the File Manager File menu or from the Folders Subpanel on the Front Panel.
Choose Format Floppy from the diskette's File Manager window File menu.
The Format Floppy dialog box appears.
Select one of the formatting options (see Supported Formats).
Click Format or press Return.
(Optional) To rename the diskette, type the new name in the Floppy Name text field and press Return.
Choose Rename Floppy from the diskette's File Manager window File menu.
The Rename Floppy dialog box appears.
Type the new name in the Floppy Name text field.
Click Rename or press Return.
Choose Eject from the File Manager window File menu.
Remove the diskette or CD-ROM from the disk drive.
Select the icon for the file or folder you want to copy.
Choose Copy to from the Selected menu.
The Copy Object dialog box appears.
Type a full path name in the Destination Folder text field.
Use /floppy as the directory name. For example, if you want to copy the file report onto a diskette named john, you would type /floppy/john.
Type the file or folder name in the Name for copy text field.
In the above example, you would type report.
Click OK or press Return.
You cannot copy files or folders to a CD-ROM.
Select the icon for the file or folder you want to move.
Choose Move to from the Selected menu.
The Move Object dialog box appears.
Type a full path name in the Destination Folder text field.
Use /floppy as the directory name. For example, if you want to move the file report onto a diskette named john, you would type /floppy/john.
Click OK or press Return.
You cannot move files or folders to a CD-ROM.
Choose the Put in Trash command from the file or folder icon's pop-up menu (displayed by pressing Shift+F10 or mouse button 3).
Or, select the file or folder's icon, then choose Put in Trash from the Selected menu.
Or, drag the file or folder's icon and drop it onto the Trash Can control in the Front Panel.
Or, drag the file or folder's icon to an open Trash Can window.
Choose New File or New Folder from the File menu.
Type a name in the New File Name field of the New File dialog box or New Folder Name field of the New Folder dialog box.
Click OK or press Return.
To close the New File or New Folder dialog box without creating a new file or folder, click Cancel or press Escape.
You cannot create files or folders on a CD-ROM.