3.0 The Window System 

The goal of this session is to describe some of the basic functionality of the CDE graphical environment. 

By the end of this session, you should be ready to: 


3.1 OpenWin or CDE? 

 The version of the Solaris Unix operating system we are running, comes with your choice of (2) graphical front ends; OpenWindows and CDE (Common Desktop Environment). OpenWindows is the classic graphical environment used by SunOS and earlier releases of Solaris. CDE is a newer environment that is not specific to the Sun flavor of Unix but was developed by multiple Unix vendors in an effort to standardize the graphical user interface (GUI) used by their operating systems. 

Which should you use? That depends on your background. If you've used OpenWindows in a previous life, and you hate change, then I suppose OpenWindows is the GUI for you. On the other hand, if you've never used a Unix system before and/or you have a background using Microsoft Windows (we'll forgive you) you will probably feel more at home with CDE. 

You can switch back and forth between the two GUIs if you so desire. Your selection is made at the time you login by using the Options/Sessions menus on the login window. 

This tutorial was written specific to users using the CDE graphical environment. 

 
3.2 The Players 

 The graphical window system on our systems provides the ability to perform a variety of functions concurrently. By default, your window system starts off with several useful windows. These windows, and others, are the tools you use to access your account, and run your programs.  Each of these items may be used extensively throughout your computer experience, but this is by no means a complete list of available applications. These programs merely provide a basis of functionality to get you started. 



3.2.1 The File Manager 

This is the window located in the upper right quadrant of the screen. 

The File Manager (see Figure 3.1) provides a graphical representation of the Unix file system and an interface to the Unix file commands to be described later in this tutorial. Like many other computing platforms, the File Manager utilizes the folder analogy, and provides a great deal of functionality through simple mouse oriented commands. 
  
 
 
  
3.2.2 Emacs 

Emacs is the window located in the lower left quadrant of the screen. 

Emacs (see Figure 3.2) is an advanced text editor and macro command language interface. It will be described in detail later in the tutorial. 
 

 



3.2.3 Xterm 

The Xterm window is located in the lower right quadrant of the screen. 

The Xterm (see Figure 3.3) provides a command line interface to the UNIX operating system. It is used extensively for executing file commands or starting other programs. 

 
   


3.2.4 Console scroll window 

This is located in the upper, left quadrant of the screen. 

The Console window (see Figure 3.4) is used to trap error and warning messages. Messages displayed here are sometimes of critical importance, but for the most part can be ignored unless your computer performance is suffering. 
  
  

  
3.3 Using the Mouse 

As we discussed earlier, moving your mouse pointer over the Xterm window activated that window, and allowed you to work within it. In fact, if you move the pointer to the other windows, you will see that the behavior is identical; as the pointer moves into a given window, it is made active. 

While the mouse, in fact, has three buttons, only the left and right buttons are used extensively.  The mouse is used for more then just selecting the windows. Later in this tutorial you'll find all kinds of uses for the mouse; copying/pasting text, menu selections, drag/drop files, etc. 

 
3.4 Window Characteristics 

Each window has several characteristics which it shares in common with all other windows. These characteristics allow you to handle all windows identically, regardless of their content. 

Each window is framed by a thin border. This border can be used as a "grabbing point" to resize the window in different directions. At the corner of each of these borders are raised corner brackets. These can be used to resize a given window both horizontally and vertically at the same time. 

Each window has a title bar immediately below the top border. This area may also be used as a grabbing point with which to move the window around the desktop. Within the title bar, on the left hand side, is what's known as the window menu. The window menu allows you to close (quit), minimize, maximize, or relocate a window to another workspace (more about that later). Double clicking the window menu with the left mouse button (SELECT) will close the window altogether. By the way, a double click always uses the left mouse button. To perform a double click, simple tap and release the button twice, fairly quickly. 

Within the title bar on the right hand side are two functional buttons used to minimize and maximize the size of the window. 

 
 

Each window has an activity area, often referred to as the "Text Pane" in the case of text based windows. This area occupies the inner area of the window; for example, the area where text is printed within the Xterm. 

 With these areas in mind, we can manipulate each window in a number of ways. 

  
3.5 Basic Windows Maneuvers 

Throughout this section, we will be manipulating the Xterm window, as it's a fairly docile beast, and not likely to run rampant across your workspace. 

 
3.5.1 Resizing a Window 

Often, it becomes necessary to resize a window, for a variety of reasons which won't be discussed at this time. Assuming for the moment that you desperately need to increase the size of your Xterm window, there are several methods you might use. 

The fastest method to increase the size of the window is to move the mouse pointer to the maximize button on the far right hand side of the title bar, and single click using the left mouse button. 

If you did this correctly, the Xterm window will leap up, pushing each of it's borders (top, left, bottom, and right) to their extreme positions so that the Xterm window fills the desktop. Repeating the operation will return the window to its prior size and position. 

Another method for resizing a window which requires more finesse, is to utilize the window frame and resizing brackets in the corners of the window. 

To resize a window in one direction, lets say up for this example, simply position the mouse pointer over the top border of the window. When the mouse pointer is in the correct position, the mouse pointer will change its appearance from a pointer to something that looks like an arrow pointing to a line. This provides you with visual confirmation that you're in a special area of the window that has different functional characteristics then other parts of the window. 

Once you've correctly positioned the mouse over the frame border, pressing and holding the left mouse button (SELECT) will allow you to move the frame up and down either enlarging the window or shrinking the window. Once you reached a desired size, releasing the mouse button will adjust the window to the new border position. 

This same basic functionality holds true for the left, right, and bottom window borders. 

To resize a window vertically and horizontally at the same time, simply position the mouse pointer over one of the resizing brackets in each of the corners of the window. Again, when the mouse pointer is in the correct position its appearance will change to something that looks like an arrow pointing into the corner of two intersecting lines. Pressing and holding the left mouse button as before, will allow you to move the window frame, this time in two directions at the same time. 

By the way, that mouse operation, clicking, holding, and releasing the left mouse button, is what is known as a drag/drop operation. You'll see it come up again. 

  
3.5.2 Moving a Window 

Along with resizing, it is often necessary to move a window to a new location on the screen. This can be done by moving the mouse pointer over the title bar area of the window (but not over the window menu, minimize, or maximize icons). The mouse pointer will be shaped like an northeastern pointing arrow, which is it's default shape. 

Once over the proper area, pressing and holding the left mouse (SELECT) button will grab the window for movement. The entire window frame will move appropriately, following your mouse pointer tirelessly. Once you have found a suitable new home for the window, releasing the mouse button will move the window to that location. There's that drag/drop operation again. 

Incidentally, moving your mouse pointer over an icon allows you to move it around the screen in the same fashion described above. Since there is no title bar associated with an icon, simply move the pointer to a space inside the icon, hold the left mouse button, and drag it to the new location. 

 
3.5.3 Overlaying Windows 

 It wont take very long before you find yourself with windows that overlap each other maybe two or three deep. The mouse is not the only tool available for manipulating a window. The keyboard has several keys available for window control. One of the most important of these keys is the <Front> key, which is located on the function key pad to the left of the main keypad. 

The <Front> key pushes the window directly under the mouse pointer to the front of the screen. If a window is already at the front position, front pushes this window to the back. This is very helpful for finding a buried window when you have several windows on your desktop overlapping each other. 



3.5.4 Opening and Minimizing a Window 

Another important key is the <Open> key, located directly under the <Front> key. This key will toggle the current window open or minimized. 

A minimized window is one that is reduced to an icon, and is usually placed at the top, left of the screen. To open a minimized icon, simply move the pointer over the icon and press the <Open> key. 

The formal way to minimize a window is to simply press the minimize icon represented as a graphical dot on the right hand side of the title bar. A single click of the left mouse button on the minimize button will reduce the window to an icon. Double clicking the icon will open the window again restoring its original size and position. 

  
3.5.5 Quitting a Window 

Minimizing a window does not stop it from functioning; it merely moves it to a smaller location for the sake of neatness and reduced real estate on the screen. Once a window is no longer needed, it can be quit completely, which removes the window completely from the screen, without leaving an icon. 

To quit a window, you must either choose Close from the window menu or exit the application or window using whatever internal function it might use to quit. 

Most applications have some designated menu structure or key sequence that can be used to quit the program and close the window. When possible the application specific method should be used to quit the program. File/Exit menu in Netscape, <Ctrl-X><Ctrl-C> in Emacs, the exit command in an Xterm are all different examples of how to quit a specific application and close the window. 

To quit a window using the window menu, move the mouse pointer over the window menu icon located on the left hand side of the title bar, and click with the left mouse button. Choosing Close will quit the application and close the window. Notice in the window menu that it has Alt-F4 next to the word Close. <Alt-F4> is a keystroke sequence that can also be used to exit an application and close a window. 

 
3.5.6 A Note on Permanency 

It may be comforting to know that anything you do to change your workspace can be saved permanently. The window system can restore your original setup each time you reenter the window system, or the last workspace you used. The default setup, restoring the last workspace, can be reconfigured, but we'll leave that for a later time. 


 
3.6 The Workspace Menu 

Along with the default windows presented to you when you first log in, the Workspace Menu allows you to startup other applications. You'll remember that this is the same menu we used to logout of the system earlier. 

To bring up the Workspace Menu, move the mouse pointer outside of any active window to the background area of the screen and click the right mouse button (MENU) once. As we see, this menu contains six primary submenus; Accessories, Network Tools, Text Processing, Statistical/Math, Desktop Tools, and Help. The programs represented in theses categorized menus are not all the applications installed on the system but rather they reflect the most used, and most helpful applications installed on the system. 

To bring up the Accessories menu, simply move the mouse pointer over the word "Accessories" and press the mouse button once. If you've done this correctly, you will see a much larger list of available software (see Figure 3.6). Some of these items will be discussed later. To start any of these programs, simply move your mouse pointer over the desired program name, and press the mouse button once. 

Once the program has been brought up in this fashion, you may use the techniques discussed earlier to quit the program.