Managing the Session

To configure the session management of the desktop environment, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> Sessions. The Sessions preference tool recognizes the following types of application:

• Applications that are session-managed. When you save the settings for your session, the session manager saves all of the session-managed applications. If you log out, then log in again, the session manager automatically starts the session-managed applications.

• Applications that are not session-managed. When you save the settings for your session, the session manager does not save any applications that are not session-managed. If you log out, then log in again, the session manager does not start non-session-managed applications. You must start the application manually. Alternatively, you can use the Sessions preference tool to specify non-session-managed applications that you want to automatically start.

Defining Session Behavior When You Log In and Log Out

To set how a session behaves when you log in and log out, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> Sessions. Make the changes you require in the Session Options tabbed section. For example, you can select to display a splash screen when you log in.

To Use Startup Applications

You can configure your sessions to start with applications that are not session-managed. To configure non-session-managed startup applications, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> Sessions. Use the Startup Programs tabbed section to add, edit, and delete applications. If you save your settings and log out, the next time that you log in, the startup applications start automatically.

To Browse Applications in the Current Session

To browse the applications in the current session, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> Sessions. The Current Session tabbed section lists the following:

• All GNOME applications that are currently running, that can connect to the session manager, and that can save the state of the application.

• All desktop preference tools that can connect to the session manager, and that can save the state of the tool.

You can use the Current Session tabbed section to perform a limited number of actions on the session properties of an application or preference tool. For example, you can edit the startup order, and restart style of any GNOME application or preference tool that is in the list.

To Save Session Settings

To save your session settings, perform the following steps:

1. Configure your session to automatically save settings when you end the session. To configure your session, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> Sessions. The Sessions preference tool starts. Select the Automatically save changes to session option on the Session Options tabbed section.

2. End your session.

If you do not select the Automatically save changes to session option, when you log out, a dialog asks if you want to save your current settings. To save your settings, select the option, then continue to log out.