You can customize many of the characteristics of your desktop environment. The customization of each aspect of the desktop is controlled by a dedicated software tool that is called a desktop environment preference tool. For convenience, the preference tools are grouped under the following headings:
Basic
Accessibility
Advanced
You can open your preference tools in either of the following ways:
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences. Choose the tool that you require from the submenus.
Double-click on the Start Here object
on the desktop. A Nautilus
window opens at the Start Here location. Double-click on the Preferences object in the Nautilus
window to display
your preference tools. Double-click on the tool that you require.
This section describes how to configure the desktop environment in the following chapters.
Using the Basic Preference Tools
Read this chapter to find out how to customize your desktop background, and how to configure your keyboard settings and your mouse settings. This chapter also describes how to configure shortcut keys, how to set your sound preferences, and how to configure your network proxy. This chapter also contains information on how to customize your screensaver, how to choose a theme and fonts for your desktop, and how to customize your application menubars and toolbars. This chapter also describes how to customize window focus behavior.
Using the Advanced Preference Tools
This chapter describes how to configure file types, your preferred applications, and your panels. This chapter also contains information on how to customize your sessions and startup programs.
Using the Accessibility Preference Tools
Read this chapter to find out how to use the accessibility features of the desktop environment. This chapter describes how to use the keyboard accessibility features.
The basic preference tools enable you to customize your desktop background, and to configure your keyboard settings and your mouse settings. You can use the basic preference tools to configure shortcut keys, to set your sound preferences, and to configure your network proxy. You can also use the basic preference tools to customize your screensaver, choose a theme and fonts for your desktop, and to customize your application menubars and toolbars. You can also customize window focus behavior.
This chapter describes how to use the basic preference tools to customize your desktop.
You can open one of the basic preference tools in either of the following ways:
From the Desktop Preferences menu
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences. Choose the preference tool that you require from the submenu. The dialog for the tool is displayed.
From the Start Here location
Open a Nautilus
window, then choose Go -> Start Here.
Alternatively, double-click on the Start Here object
on the desktop. The Start Here location is displayed.
Double-click on the Desktop Preferences object in the Nautilus
window to display your preference tools.
Double-click on the tool that you require. The dialog for the tool is displayed.
The desktop background is the image or color that is applied to your desktop. You can customize the desktop background in the following ways:
Select an image for the desktop background. The image is superimposed on the desktop background color. The desktop background color is visible if you select a transparent image, or if the image does not cover the entire desktop.
Select a color for the desktop background. You can select a solid color, or create a gradient effect with two colors. A gradient effect is a visual effect where one color blends gradually into another color.
You can also change the appearance of your desktop background from within
the Nautilus
file manager.
Table 9–1 lists the background settings that you can configure.
Table 9–1 Settings for Desktop Background
Use the Font
preference tool
to select the fonts to use on in your applications and on the desktop.
Table 9–2 lists the font settings that you can configure.
Table 9–2 Settings for Fonts
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Application font |
Click on the font selector button to select a font to use in your applications. |
Desktop font |
Click on the font selector button to select a font to use on your desktop only. |
Use the Keyboard
preference tool to select the autorepeat settings for your keyboard, and to
configure the sound events that are associated with the keyboard.
You can customize the settings for the Keyboard
preference tool in the following functional areas:
Keyboard
Sound
Use the Keyboard tabbed section to set general
keyboard preferences. To start the Keyboard
accessibility preference tool, that is, AccessX
,
click on the Accessibility button.
Table 9–3 lists the keyboard settings that you can configure.
Table 9–3 Settings for Keyboard
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Keyboard repeats when key is held down |
Select this option to enable keyboard repeat. If keyboard repeat is enabled, when you press-and-hold a key, the action associated with the key is performed repeatedly. For example, if you press-and-hold a character key, the character is typed repeatedly. |
Delay |
Select the delay from the time you press a key to the time that the action repeats. |
Speed |
Select the speed at which the action is repeated. |
Blinks in text boxes and fields |
Select this option to enable the cursor to blink in fields and text boxes. |
Speed |
Use the slider to specify the speed at which the cursor blinks in fields and text boxes. |
Use the Sound tabbed section to set your preferences for keyboard sound.
Some applications play a bell sound to indicate a keyboard input error. Use the options in the Sound tabbed section to configure the bell sound. Table 9–4 lists the keyboard sound settings that you can configure.
Table 9–4 Settings for Keyboard Sound
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Off |
Select this option to disable the keyboard bell. |
Beep |
Select this option to enable the keyboard bell. |
A keyboard shortcut is a key or combination of keys that provides an alternative to standard ways of performing an action.
Use the Keyboard Shortcuts
preference tool
to display the default keyboard shortcuts. You can customize the default keyboard
shortcuts to your requirements.
You can also create hot keys. Hot keys are keyboard shortcuts that start applications.
Table 9–5 lists the keyboard shortcut settings that you can customize.
Table 9–5 Default Settings for Keyboard Shortcuts
You can use the Menus & Toolbars
preference tool to customize the appearance
of menus, menubars, and toolbars for GNOME-compliant applications.
Table 9–6 lists the menu and toolbar settings that you can customize for GNOME-compliant applications.
Table 9–6 Settings for Customizing Applications
Use the Mouse
preference tool
to configure your mouse for right-hand use or for left-hand use. You can also
specify the speed and sensitivity of mouse movement.
You can customize the settings for the Mouse
preference tool in the following functional areas:
Buttons
Cursors
Motion
Use the Buttons tabbed section to specify whether the mouse buttons are configured for left-hand use. You can also specify the delay between clicks for a double-click.
Table 9–7 lists the mouse button settings that you can configure.
Table 9–7 Settings for Mouse Buttons
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Left-handed mouse |
Select this option to configure your mouse for left-hand use. When you configure your mouse for left-hand use, the functions of the left mouse button and the right mouse button are swapped. |
Delay |
Use the slider to specify the amount of time that can pass between clicks when you double-click. If the interval between the first and second clicks exceeds the time that is specified here, the action is not interpreted as a double-click. |
Use the Cursors tabbed section to set your mouse pointer preferences.
Table 9–8 lists the mouse pointer settings that you can configure.
Table 9–8 Settings for Mouse Pointers
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Cursor Theme |
Select the mouse pointer theme that you require from the list box. |
Show position of cursor when the Control key is pressed |
Select this option to enable a mouse pointer animation when you press and release Ctrl. This feature can assist you to locate the mouse pointer. |
Use the Motion tabbed section to set your preferences for mouse movement.
Table 9–9 lists the mouse motion settings that you can configure.
Table 9–9 Settings for Mouse Motion
Setting |
Function |
---|---|
Acceleration |
Use the slider to specify the speed at which your mouse pointer moves on your screen when you move your mouse. |
Sensitivity |
Use the slider to specify how sensitive your mouse pointer is to movements of your mouse. |
Threshold |
Use the slider to specify the distance that you must move an item before the move action is interpreted as a drag-and-drop action. |
The Network
Proxy
preference tool enables you to configure how your system
connects to networks. You can configure the desktop environment to connect
to a proxy server, and specify the details of the proxy
server. A proxy server is a server that intercepts requests to another server,
and fulfills the request itself, if it can. You can enter the Domain Name
Service (DNS) name or the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the proxy server.
A DNS name is a unique alphabetic identifier for a
computer on a network. An IP address is a unique numeric
identifier for a computer on a network.
Table 9–10 lists the network proxy settings that you can configure.
Table 9–10 Network Proxy Settings
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Use HTTP Proxy |
Select this option to use a proxy server for the HTTP service. |
Location |
Enter the DNS name, or the IP address of the proxy server to use when you request a HTTP service. |
Port |
Enter the port number of the HTTP service on the proxy server. |
Proxy requires username and password |
Select this option if the proxy server requires a username and password. |
Save username and password to disk |
Select this option to save the username and password. |
Username |
Enter your username for the proxy server. |
Password |
Enter your password for the proxy server. |
A screensaver is an application that you can use to replace the image on your screen when the screen is not in use. You can use screensavers in the following ways:
Activate after a specified period of idle time.
Activate when you lock your screen.
Manage power used by your monitor when your system is idle.
You can customize the settings for the Mouse
preference tool in the following functional areas:
Display Modes
Advanced
Use the Display Modes tabbed section to set display mode preferences.
Table 9–11 lists the display mode settings that you can configure.
Table 9–11 Settings for Screensaver Display Mode
Use the Advanced tabbed section to set advanced screensaver preferences.
Table 9–12 lists the advanced screensaver settings that you can configure.
Table 9–12 Advanced Screensaver Settings
Setting |
Function |
---|---|
Grab Desktop Images |
Some screensavers can take a screenshot of your screen, then manipulate the screenshot to create your screensaver display. Select this option to enable screensavers to take a screenshot of your screen. |
Grab Video Frames |
Some screensavers can capture a frame of video, then manipulate the captured image to create your screensaver display. If your system has a video capture card, select this option to enable screensavers to capture a frame of video. |
Choose Random Image |
Select this option to enable screensavers to use images from a directory that you select. Type the path for the directory in the field. Alternatively, click Browse to display a dialog from which you can select a directory. |
Verbose Dialognostics |
Select this option if you want to display screensaver diagnostic information. |
Display Subprocess Errors |
Select this option if you want to display errors related to screensaver subprocesses on screen. |
Display Splash Screen at Startup |
Select this option to if you want |
Power Management Enabled |
Select this option to enable power management of your monitor. Power management can reduce energy consumption by your monitor when you are not using the monitor. |
Standby After |
Specify how long to wait to put the monitor in standby mode. When the monitor is in standby mode, the screen is black. |
Suspend After |
Specify how long to wait to put the monitor in power-saving mode. |
Off After |
Specify how long to wait to switch off monitor. |
Install Colormap |
Select this option to install a private colormap when the screensaver is active. Use of a private colormap might improve the quality of the color in particular screensaver displays. |
Fade to Black When Blanking |
Select this option if you want your display to fade to black when the screensaver activates. |
Fade from Black When Unblanking |
Select this option if you want your display to fade from black to the screen contents when the screensaver stops. |
Fade Duration |
Specify how long to take to fade to black when the screensaver activates. |
The Sound
preference tool enables
you to control when the GNOME sound server starts. You can also specify which
sounds to play when particular events occur.
You can customize the settings for the Sound
preference tool in the following functional areas:
General
Sound Events
Use the General tabbed section of the Sound
preference tool to specify when to launch the GNOME sound
server. You can also enable sound event functions.
Table 9–13 lists the general sound settings that you can configure.
Table 9–13 Settings for Sound
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Enable sound server startup |
Select this option to start the GNOME sound server when you start a GNOME session. When the sound server is active, the desktop environment can play sounds. |
Sounds for events |
Select this option to play sounds when particular events occur in your desktop environment . You can select this option only if the Enable sound server startup option is selected. |
Use the Sound Events tabbed section of the Sound
preference tool to associate particular sounds with particular
events.
You must select the Enable sound server startup option, and the Sounds for events option before you can access the Sound Events tabbed section.
Table 9–14 lists the sound events settings that you can configure.
Table 9–14 Settings for Sound Events
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Sounds table |
Use the Sounds table to associate particular sounds with particular events. The Event column displays a hierarchical list of events that can occur. To expand a category of events, click on the right arrow beside a category of events. The File to play column lists the sound file that plays when the event occurs. |
Play |
Click on this button to play the sound file that is associated with the selected event. |
Sound file drop-down combination box, Browse |
To associate a sound with an event, select the event in the Sounds table. Enter the name of the sound file that you want to associate with the selected event in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively, click Browse to display a Select sound file dialog. Use the dialog to specify the sound file that you want to associate with the selected event. Note – You can only associate sound files in .wav format with events. |
Use
the Theme
preference tool to select a theme for
your desktop environment and for your window frames. You can customize the
settings for the Theme
preference tool in the following
functional areas:
Widget Theme
Window Frames
The desktop environment theme and the window frame theme are not the
only themes that determine the appearance of your desktop environment. For
example, Nautilus
includes themes that you can
use to change the look-and-feel of the Nautilus
windows and the desktop.
Use the Widget Theme tabbed section of the Theme
preference tool to select a theme for your desktop environment.
Your desktop environment theme specifies the visual appearance of your panels,
menus, and applets. The desktop environment theme also specifies the appearance
of GNOME-compliant application interface items. For example, the theme affects
the appearance of buttons, scrollbars, check boxes, and so on.
You can choose from the list of available themes, or you can install new themes. The list of available desktop environment themes includes several themes for users with accessibility requirements.
Table 9–15 lists the desktop environment theme settings that you can configure.
Table 9–15 Settings for Desktop Environment Themes
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Available themes |
Select the theme that you require from the list box. |
Install new theme |
You can add a theme to the list of available themes. The new theme must be an uncompressed folder. To add a theme to the list of available themes, click on the Install new theme button. A dialog is displayed. Enter the location of the theme folder in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively, to browse for the folder, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the folder, click OK. You can find many GTK themes on the Internet. |
Go to theme folder |
Click on this button to open a file manager window on the default theme folder. You can delete themes from the file manager window. |
Use the Window Frames tabbed section of the Theme
preference tool to select a theme for your window frames.
You can choose from the list of available themes, or you can install new themes.
The list of available window frame themes includes several themes for users
with accessibility requirements.
Table 9–16 lists the window frame theme settings that you can configure.
Table 9–16 Settings for Window Frame Themes
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Available themes |
Select the theme that you require from the list box. |
Install new theme |
You can add a theme to the list of available themes. The new theme must be an uncompressed folder. To add a theme to the list of available themes, click on the Install new theme button. A dialog is displayed. Enter the location of the theme folder in the drop-down combination box. Alternatively, to browse for the folder, click on the Browse button. When you have selected the folder, click OK. |
Go to theme folder |
Click on this button to open a file manager window on the default theme folder. You can delete themes from the file manager window. |
Use the Window Focus
preference tool to customize window focus behavior for your
desktop environment.
Table 9–17 lists the window focus settings that you can customize.
Table 9–17 Settings for Window Focus
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Click to give focus |
Select this option to give focus to a window when you click on the window. The window retains focus until you click on another window. |
Point to give focus |
Select this option to give focus to a window when you point to the window. The window retains focus until you point to another window. |
Raise window on focus |
Select this option if you want your windows to be raised when the windows receive focus. |
The Advanced preference tools enable you to customize the behavior and appearance of your applications, panels, and other user interface items. You can use the Advanced preference tools to configure file types, your default applications, and your panels. You can also use the Advanced tools to customize your sessions and startup programs. This chapter describes how to use the Advanced tools to customize your desktop environment.
You can open an Advanced preference tool in either of the following ways:
From the Desktop Preferences menu
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced. Choose the tool that you require from the submenu. The dialog for the tool is displayed.
From the Start Here location
Open a Nautilus
window, then choose Go -> Start Here.
Alternatively, double-click on the Start Here object
on the desktop. The Start Here location is displayed.
Double-click on the Desktop Preferences object in the Nautilus
window, then double-click on the Advanced folder. The Advanced preference tools are
displayed.
Double-click on the tool that you require. The dialog for the tool is displayed.
The CD Database
preference tool
enables you to configure a CD database that your system can query. A CD database
contains information about CDs, such as the name of the artist, the title,
and the track list. When an application plays a CD, the application can query
the CD database about the CD, then display the information.
Table 10–1 describes the
elements on the CD Database
preference tool.
Element |
Description |
---|---|
Send no info |
Select this option if you do not want to send any information to the CD database server. |
Send real info |
Select this option to send your name and hostname information to the CD database server. |
Send other info |
Select this option to send another name and hostname to the CD database server. Enter the name in the Name field. Enter the hostname in the Hostname field. |
FreeDB round robin server |
FreeDB is a CD database. The FreeDB round robin server is a load-sharing configuration of FreeDB servers. Select this option to access the FreeDB CD database from this server. |
Other FreeDB server |
Select this option to access the FreeDB CD database from another server. Select the server that you require from the server table. |
Update server list |
Click on this button to update the list of available FreeDB servers in the server table. |
Other server |
Select this option to use another CD database. Enter the name of the server on which the database resides in the Hostname field. Enter the port number on which you can access the database in the Port field. |
Use the File Types and
Programs
preference tool to specify how files of various types
are created, displayed, and edited. For example, you can specify that if a
file is a plain text file, the file is launched in a text editor.
Nautilus
and other GNOME applications check
the contents of a file to determine the type of a file. If the first lines
do not determine the type of the file, then the application checks the file
extension.
Table 10–2 describes the elements
on the File Types and Programs
preference tool.
Element |
Description |
---|---|
Table |
To view the contents of a category of file types, click on the right arrow next to the category name. The category expands, and displays a description of each file type, and the file extension that is associated with the file type. To select a file type that you want to work with, click on the file type. |
Add File Type |
Click on this button to add a file type. For more information, see To Add a File Type. |
Add Service |
Click on this button to add a service. For more information, see To Add a Service. |
Edit |
To edit a file type, a service, or a file type category, select the item that you want to edit, then click Edit. |
Remove |
To remove a file type or a service, select the item that you want to remove, then click Remove. |
To add a file type, perform the following steps:
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> File Types and Programs
to start the File Types and Programs
preference
tool.
Click on the Add file type button. The Add file type dialog is displayed.
Enter the properties of the file type in the dialog. The following table describes the dialog elements on the Add file type dialog:
Option |
Function |
---|---|
No Icon |
Choose an icon to represent the file type. To choose an icon, click on the No Icon button. An icon selector dialog is displayed. Choose an icon from the dialog. Alternatively, to choose an icon from another directory, click Browse. When you choose an icon, click OK. |
Description |
Type a description of the file type. |
MIME Type |
Enter the MIME type for this type of file. |
Category |
Enter the category to which you want the file type
to belong in the |
Filename Extensions |
Enter the filename extensions to associate with the file type. Enter a filename extension in the field on the left side, then press Return. To delete a filename extension, select the filename extension in the field on the right side, then click on the Remove button. |
Viewer Component |
Information to be supplied in a future release. |
Default action |
Information to be supplied in a future release. |
Program to Run |
Specify a program to associate with the file type. Enter the command to start the program in this field. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command to run. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command to run. |
Run in Terminal |
Select this option to run the program in a terminal window. Choose this option for a program that does not create a window in which to run. |
Click OK.
To add a service, perform the following steps:
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Advanced -> File Types and Programs
to start the File Types and Programs
preference
tool.
Click on the Add service button. The Add service dialog is displayed.
Enter the properties of the service in the dialog. The following table describes the dialog elements on the Add service dialog:
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Description |
Type a description of the service. |
Protocol |
Enter the protocol for the service. |
Program |
Specify the program to associate with the service. Enter the command to start the program in this field. Alternatively, to choose a command that you entered previously, click the down arrow button, then choose the command to run. You can also use the Browse button to choose a command to run. |
Run in Terminal |
Select this option to run the program in a terminal window. Choose this option for a program that does not create a window in which to run. |
Click OK.
The Panel
preference tool enables you to configure the behavior of panels. Any changes
that you make with the Panel
preference tool affect
all of your panels.
Setting |
Function |
---|---|
Close drawer when launcher is clicked |
Select this option if you want a drawer on a panel to close when you choose a launcher in the drawer. |
Animation |
Select this option if you want your panels to show and to hide in an animated style. |
Animation speed |
Select the speed of the panel animation from the drop-down list. |
Use the Preferred
Applications
preference tool to specify the applications that
you want the desktop environment to use when the desktop environment starts
an application for you. For example, you can specify Xterm
as your preferred terminal application. When you open the Desktop menu then choose New Terminal, Xterm
starts.
You can customize the settings for the Preferred Applications
preference tool in the following functional areas.
Web Browser
Text Editor
Terminal
Use the Web Browser
tabbed section to configure your preferred web browser. The preferred web
browser opens when you click on a URL. For example, the preferred web browser
opens when you select a URL in an application, or when you select a URL launcher
on the desktop.
Table 10–4 lists the preferred web browser settings that you can configure.
Table 10–4 Settings for Preferred Web Browser
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Select a Web Browser |
Select this option if you want to use a standard web browser. Use the drop-down combination box to select your preferred web browser. |
Custom Web Browser |
Select this option if you want to use a custom web browser. |
Command |
Enter the command to execute to start the custom web browser. To enable the browser to display a URL that you click on, include “%s” after the command. |
Start in Terminal |
Select this option to run the command in a terminal window. Select this option for a browser that does not create a window in which to run. |
Use the Text Editor
tabbed section to configure your preferred text editor.
Table 10–5 lists the preferred text editor settings that you can configure.
Table 10–5 Settings for Preferred Text Editor
Use the Terminal
tabbed section
to configure your preferred terminal.
Table 10–6 lists the preferred terminal settings that you can configure.
Table 10–6 Settings for Preferred Terminal
Option |
Function |
---|---|
Select a Terminal |
Select this option if you want to use a standard terminal. Use the drop-down combination box to specify your preferred terminal. |
Custom Terminal |
Select this option if you want to use a custom terminal. |
Command |
Enter the command to execute to start the custom terminal. |
Exec Flag |
Enter the exec option to use with the command. |
The Sessions
preference tool enables you to manage your sessions. You can set session preferences,
and specify which applications to start when you start a session. You can
configure sessions to save the state of applications in your desktop environment,
and to restore the state when you start another session. You can also use
this preference tool to manage multiple GNOME sessions.
You can customize the settings for sessions and startup applications in the following functional areas:
Session Options
Current Session
Startup Programs
Use the Session Options tabbed section to manage multiple sessions, and to set preferences for the current session.
Table 10–7 lists the session options settings that you can configure.
Table 10–7 Settings for Session Options
Use the Current Session tabbed section to specify startup order values, and to choose restart styles for the session-managed applications in your current session.
Table 10–8 lists the session properties that you can configure.
Table 10–8 Session Properties
Use the Startup Programs
tabbed section of the Sessions
preference tool
to specify non-session-managed startup applications.
Startup applications are applications that start automatically when you start
a session. You specify the commands that run the non-session-managed applications
in the Startup Programs tabbed section. The commands
execute automatically when you log in.
You can also start session-managed applications automatically. For more information, see Setting Session Options.
Table 10–9 lists the startup applications settings that you can configure.
Table 10–9 Settings for Startup Programs
This chapter describes how to use the Accessibility preference tools to customize the accessibility features of your desktop environment.
You can open an Accessibility preference tool in the following ways:
From the Desktop Preferences menu
Choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Accessibility. Choose the preference tool that you require from the submenu. The dialog for the tool is displayed.
From the Start Here location
Open a Nautilus
window, then choose Go -> Start Here.
Alternatively, double-click on the Start Here object
on the desktop. The Start Here location is displayed.
Double-click on the Desktop Preferences object in the Nautilus
window, then double-click on the Accessibility folder.
Use the Keyboard
accessibility
preference tool to set the keyboard accessibility preferences. The Keyboard
accessibility preference tool is also known as AccessX
.
Table 11–1 lists the keyboard accessibility settings that you can modify.
Table 11–1 Keyboard Accessibility Settings
For more information on configuring keyboard accessibility preferences, see GNOME 2.0 Desktop for the Solaris Operating Environment Accessibility Guide.