# Front Panel Tasks

The instructions assume that you are using a mouse. Most tasks can also be done without a mouse; see Keyboard Shortcuts for the Desktop for more information.

## Tour of the Front Panel

1. - TourMainPanel

   - TourSubpanels

## Basic Front Panel Skills

1. - ChooseFrontPanelControlTA

   - ToDisplaySubpanel

   - ToGetHelpOnControl

   - FPPopupMenus

   - PopupMenuContents

## Customizing the Front Panel

1. - MoveFrontPanelTA

   - IconifyFrontPanelTA

   - InterchangeControls

   - DropControlOnSubpanel

   - ToRemoveControl

   - AddSubpanel

   - ToReplaceControlInMainPanel

   - ToRestoreFrontPanel

   - AdvancedCustomization

## Customizing Workspaces

1. - TorenameWorkspace

   - ToChangeNumberOfWorkspaces

## Tour of the Main Panel

The default Main Panel includes these controls. Since it can be customized, your Front Panel may contain additional or different controls.

These terms are used to describe controls:

Click

- What happens when you click the control.

Drop

- What happens when you drop a file or folder icon on the control.

Indicator

- What the image of the control represents.

Clock &newline;Indicator: Displays the current time.

Calendar &newline;Click: Starts the Calendar application. &newline;Indicator: Displays the current date.

File Manager--Home &newline;Click: Opens a File Manager view of your home folder. &newline;Drop: Opens a File Manager view of the dropped folder.

Text Editor--Personal Applications &newline;Click: Starts the desktop Text Editor application. &newline; Opens the dropped file in a new Text Editor window. &newline;This control position is reserved for a personal application of your choice. You can put an application here by first installing the application icon into the Personal Application subpanel, and then using the control's pop-up menu to place that control in the Main Panel.

Mailer &newline;Click: Starts the Mailer. &newline;Drop: Opens the file's contents in the Mailer's New Message window. &newline;Indicator: Indicates arrival of new mail.

Lock &newline;Click: Locks your workstation, preventing unauthorized input.

Workspace switch. &newline;Click: Displays other workspaces.

Busy Light &newline;Indicator: Blinks when the system is running an action.

Exit &newline;Click: Logs you out of the current session.

Default Printer &newline;Click: Displays the status of the default printer, lets you cancel print jobs on that printer. &newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer.

Style Manager &newline;Click: Starts the Style Manager application. If the application is already running, its window is raised to the top of the window stack.

Application Manager &newline;Click: Opens an Application Manager window.

Information Manager> &newline;Click: Opens the Book List window displaying the available information libraries.

Trash Can &newline;Click: Opens the Trash Can window. &newline;Drop: Moves the file or folder to the Trash Can.

## Tour of the Subpanels

The default Front Panel includes these subpanels. Since it can be customized, your Front Panel may contain additional subpanels, and the subpanels may contain additional or different controls.

These terms are used to describe controls:

Click

- What happens when you click the control.

Drop

- What happens when you drop a file or folder icon on the control.

Indicator

- What the image of the control represents.

## In All Subpanels

1. Install Icon &newline;Drop: Creates a control based on the dropped file, folder, or action icon, and installs the control in the subpanel.

## Personal Applications Subpanel

1. Use the Personal Applications subpanel for applications you use frequently. Install applications into the subpanel by dragging their icons from the Application Manager to the Install Icon control.

   Text Editor--Personal Applications. &newline;Click: Starts the desktop Text Editor application. &newline;Drop: Opens the dropped file in a new Text Editor window. &newline;This control is duplicate of the control in the Main Panel.

   Terminal &newline;Click: Starts a terminal emulator.

   Icon Editor &newline;Click: Starts the dekstop Icon Editor.

## Personal Printers Subpanel

1. Use the Personal Printers Subpanel for printers you use frequently. Install printers into the subpanel by dragging them from the Printers application group to the Install Icon control.

   Default Printer &newline;Click: Displays the status of the default printer, lets you cancel print jobs on that printer. &newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer. &newline;This control is a duplicate of the control in the Main Panel.

   Print Manager &newline;Click: Opens the Print Manager window. &newline;Drop: Prints the file on the default printer.

## Information Manager Subpanel

1. Information Manager &newline;Click: Opens the Book List window displaying the available information libraries. This control is a duplicate of the control in the Main Panel.

   Desktop Introduction &newline;Click: Displays the help volume "Introducing the Desktop."

   Front Panel Help &newline;Click: Displays the Front Panel help volume.

   Help Manager &newline;Click: Opens a Help Viewer window displaying the top level of help information.

   On-Item Help &newline;Click: Provides on-item help for the Front Panel. Click this control, then click the control on which you want help.

## To Activate a Front Panel Control

- Click the control.

Some controls do not have a click action--for example, the clock control and busy indicator.

## To Open and Close Subpanels

Initially, the Text Editor, Printer, and Information Manager controls have subpanels. You can add subpanels to other controls. See AddSubpanel.

## To Open a Subpanel

1. - Click the arrow button above the control.

## To Close a Subpanel

1. If you have not moved a subpanel from its initial position, it closes automatically when you choose a control.

   - Click the down arrow at the bottom of the subpanel.

   - Or, choose Close from the subpanel's Window menu.

## To Get Help on a Control

## Mouse

1. - Choose Help from the control's pop-up menu.

   - Or:

     1. Display the Information Manager subpanel.

     2. Choose On-Item Help in the subpanel.

     3. Click the control you want help on.

## To Display the Front Panel Pop-up Menu

- Point to the control and press mouse button 3.

## Contents of the Pop-up Menus

The contents of a control's pop-up menu depend on the behavior of the control and its location.

## Pop-up Menus for Main Panel Controls

1. If the control starts an application, the first entry in the menu is a command that starts the application. Choosing the menu item has the same effect as clicking the control.

   Add Subpanel

2. Adds a subpanel to the control

Delete Subpanel

- Removes the subpanel and its contents

Help

- Displays on-item help for the control

## Switch Area Pop-up Menu

1. The switch area is the portion of the workspace switch not occupied by other controls or workspace buttons.

   Add Workspace

2. Adds a workspace

Help

3. Displays help for the workspace switch

## Pop-up Menus for Workspace Buttons

1. The workspace buttons are used to change workspaces. Each button has its own menu.

   Add Workspace

2. Adds a workspace

Delete

3. Deletes the workspace

Rename

4. Turns the button label into a text field for editing the name

Help

5. Displays help for the workspace switch buttons

## Pop-up Menu for Subpanel Controls

1. The pop-up menu for subpanel controls includes a command for making the control the current Main Panel control.

   Copy to Main Panel

2. Duplicates the control in the Main Panel, replacing the current Main Panel control

Delete

3. Deletes the control from the subpanel

Help

4. Displays on-item help for the control

## To Move the Front Panel or a Subpanel

When you move a subpanel from its location above the Main Panel, it will remain open until you explicitly close it.

## To Move the Main Panel

1. - Drag the Front Panel using its move handles.

## To Move a Subpanel

1. - Point to the subpanel's window frame. Hold down mouse button 1 as you drag the subpanel to its new location.

## To Minimize the Front Panel

- Click the Minimize button.

The Front Panel's window icon is labelled with the name of the current workspace.

To restore the Front Panel window, double-click its window icon.

## To Interchange Main Panel and Subpanel Controls

1. Display the subpanel.

2. Point to the subpanel control you want to put in the Main Panel.

3. Choose Copy to Main Panel from the control's popup menu to exchange the subpanel control with the main panel control.

## To Add an Application or Other Icon to a Subpanel

You can add any type of icon to the Front Panel. However, the most convenient use for this feature is adding application icons.

1. Display the icon for the application or file you want to add. It can be in File Manager or Application Manager.

2. Display the subpanel.

3. Drag the object to the Install Icon control.

## Behavior of Added Controls

1. When you add a control to the Front Panel by dragging an icon from File Manager or Application Manager, its behavior in the Front Panel depends on its original behavior.

   In most cases, clicking the control has the same effect as double-clicking the icon in File Manager or Application Manager.

   An exception is folders. When you install a folder into a subpanel, clicking the control opens a File Manager view of that folder.

## To Remove a Control

- Point to the control.

- Choose Delete from the control's popup menu.

If you delete a control you've installed, you can restore it by repeating the installation process. However, it is more difficult to restore built-in controls or controls provided by your system administrator. See TypesOfControls.

## To Add or Remove a Subpanel

1. Point to the control in the main panel whose subpanel you want to add or remove.

2. Choose Add Subpanel or Delete Subpanel from the control's pop-up menu.

When you delete a subpanel, you delete all the controls in it. See ToRemoveControl.

## To Replace a Control in the Main Panel

The easiest way to replace a control in the Main Panel is to exchange it with a subpanel control. If the control does not have a subpanel, you can create one temporarily or permanently.

1. If the control you want to replace does not have a subpanel, create one by choosing Add Subpanel from the control's pop-up menu.

2. Display the new subpanel.

3. Drop the object you want in the Main Panel (for example, an application icon in Application Manager) onto the Install Icon control in the subpanel.

4. Choose Copy to Main Panel from the new control's pop-up menu to put that control into the Main Panel.

5. Optional: Remove the subpanel by choosing Delete Subpanel from the main control's pop-up menu.

## To Restore the Uncustomized Front Panel

The following procedure:

- Removes controls you added using the Install Icon control

- Restores any subpanels and controls you removed

- Removes any subpanels you created

1. Open Application Manager and change to the Desktop_Tools application group.

2. Double-click Restore Front Panel.

This procedure does not affect customizations done by manually creating or editing Front Panel configuration files; it applies only to customizations done using the Front Panel's pop-up menus and Install Icon control.

## Advanced Front Panel Customization

Advanced Front Panel customization consists of any customization that must be done by creating or editing a Front Panel configuration file.

Advanced customization includes:

- All system-wide customizations

- Adding, deleting, or changing controls in the workspace switch

- Interchanging the position of Main Panel controls&emdash;for example, interchanging the position of the Clock and Calendar controls

- Adding special controls such as application windows and indicators

- Animating a control

- Major layout changes&emdash;for example, adding a row to the Main Panel

Advanced customization is covered in the Common Desktop Environment Advanced User's and System Administrator's Guide.

## To Rename a Workspace

1. Use the workspace switch to change to the workspace you want to rename.

2. Click the workspace button (again).

3. Type the new workspace name.

4. Type Return or click outside the button.

## To Add and Remove Workspaces

## To Add a Workspace

1. 1. Point to a workspace switch area.

   2. Choose Add Workspace from the workspace button's pop-up menu.

   A workspace named "New" is added (see TorenameWorkspace).

## To Remove a Workspace

1. 1. Point to the workspace switch button.

   2. Choose Delete Workspace from the workspace button's pop-up menu.