To Customize a Built-In Application Group
Log in as root.
If the application group is located in /usr/dt/appconfig/appmanager/language, copy the application group to /etc/dt/appconfig/appmanager/language.
For example, the following command copies the Desktop_Tools application group:
cp -r /usr/dt/appconfig/appmanager/C/Desktop_Tools \ /etc/dt/appconfig/appmanager/C
The new copy of the application group will have precedence over the built-in version.
Modify the copy of the application group. For example, you can add new action files (executable files with the same name as actions).
To see the changes, log out and back in.
Modifying the Search Path Used To Locate Applications
The major reason for modifying the application search path is to add an application server. When you add an application server to the search path, Application Manager gathers all the server's system-wide application groups.
For more information on the application search path, see "Application Search Path".
The Default Search Path
The default application search path includes the directories shown in Table 4-3.
Table 4-3 Default Application Search Path Directories
Scope | Search Path Directory |
|---|---|
Personal | HomeDirectory/.dt/appmanager |
System-wide | /etc/dt/appconfig/appmanager/language |
Built-in | /usr/dt/appconfig/appmanager/language |
Adding an Application Server to the Application Search Path
In addition to modifying the application search path, you may need to perform additional configuration tasks to enable communication with the application server. See "Administering Application Services".
To Set a System-Wide Application Search Path
Log in as root.
If the file /etc/dt/config/Xsession.d/0010.dtpaths doesn't exist, create it by copying /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0010.dtpaths.
Open /etc/dt/Xsession.d/0010.paths for editing. Add or edit a line that sets and exports the DTSPSYSAPPHOSTS variable:
export DTSPSYSAPPHOSTS=hostname:[,hostname]
For example, the following line adds the system ApServA to the application search path:
export DTSPSYSAPPHOSTS=ApServA:
Inform all users on the system that they must log out and then log back in for the change to take effect.
To Set a Personal Application Search Path
Open HomeDirectory/.dtprofile for editing.
Add or edit a line that sets and exports the DTSPUSERAPPHOSTS variable:
export DTSPUSERAPPHOSTS=hostname:[,hostname]
For example, the following line adds the systems ApServB and ApServC to the application search path:
export DTSPUSERAPPHOSTS=ApServB:,ApServC:
Log out and then log back in.
General Application Manager Administration
General Application Manager administration tasks include:
Removing an application
Rereading the database of applications during a session
To Remove an Application
If an application has been registered using the dtappintegrate tool, you can also use dtappintegrate to reverse the process. When an application is unregistered, its application group is removed from Application Manager, and its actions, data types, icons, and help are no longer available.
To Update Application Manager During a Session
You must rebuild Application Manager if you add applications and want those changes to take effect immediately.
Reload Applications is useful for updating Application Manager when applications are added to an application server. However, Reload Applications does not detect applications that have been removed from an application server, or applications that have been moved from one location to another. These changes take effect when the user logs out and back in.
Changing the Text Editor and Terminal Emulator
Both the text editor and terminal emulator applications can be started by choosing a control in the Front Panel, or by double-clicking an icon in Application Manager.
These applications are also started by other desktop activities.
The text editor application opens when the user selects a text file in File Manager and chooses Open from the Selected menu. The default text editor is dtpad.
A terminal emulator runs when a user chooses Open Terminal from File Manager's File menu, or when an action opens a terminal emulator window. The default terminal emulator is dtterm.
You can configure the desktop to use a different text editor or terminal emulator application in these situations.
To Change the Default Text Editor or Terminal Emulator
If the change is system-wide, log in as root.
Create an action for the new text editor or terminal emulator application.
You can use the Create Action application. Figure 4-3shows a Create Action window filled in for an application named TextPad. For more information about Create Action, see Chapter 11, Creating Actions and Data Types Using Create Action.
Figure 4-3 Create Action window
Or, you can create the action definition manually; for example:.
ACTION TextPad { LABEL TextPad TYPE COMMAND WINDOW_TYPE NO_STDIO EXEC_STRING /usr/TP/bin/TextPad %(File)Arg_1% DESCRIPTION Double-click this icon to start the \ TextPad application. }For information on creating action definitions manually, see Chapter 12, Creating Actions Manually.
Place the configuration file containing the new action in the proper directory:
System-wide: /etc/dt/appconfig/types/language
Personal: HomeDirectory/.dt/types
If it doesn't already exist, create the appropriate user-prefs.dt file by copying /usr/dt/appconfig/types/language/user-prefs.dt to:
System-wide: the /etc/dt/appconfig/types/language directory
Personal: the HomeDirectory/.dt/types directory
Edit the TextEditor or Terminal action in the system-wide or personal user-prefs.dt file. Modify the MAP_ACTION line to map the action to the new action.
For example, change the line:
MAP_ACTION Dtpad
to:
MAP_ACTION TxtPd
Save the user-prefs.dt file.
Double-click Reload Actions in the Desktop_Tools application group to reload the actions database.