Chapter 5

Registering an Application

This chapter describes how to create a registration package for an application and how to register the application onto the desktop.

• "Overview of Application Registration"

• "General Steps for Registering an Application"

• "Step 1: Modifying Font and Color Resources"

• "Step 2: Creating the Desktop Application Root"

• "Step 3: Creating the Registration Package Directories"

• "Step 4: Creating the Actions and Data Types for the Application"

• "Step 5: Putting the Help Files in the Registration Package"

• "Step 6: Creating Icons for the Application"

• "Step 7: Creating the Application Group"

• "Step 8: Registering the Application Using dtappintegrate"

• "Example of Creating a Registration Package"

When an application is fully registered onto the desktop, it has:

• Its own application group at the top level of the Application Manager

• An action that starts the application. The action is represented by an icon in the application group

• Optionally, data types for its data files

Application registration is a non-invasive operation to the application:

• It does not involve modification of the application executable itself. Therefore, you can register existing applications on a system.

• It does not require that any of the application's delivered files (such as the executable and app-defaults) be moved to other file locations.

• It can be undone easily. The dtappintegrate tool, which is used to register applications, provides a command-line option for reversing the process.

You will want to create a registration package if you are:

• A system administrator who wants to register an existing application onto the desktop

• A software programmer who wants to create an installation package for a desktop-smart application

Overview of Application Registration

This section explains:

• The purpose of application registration

• Features provided to your application by application registration

---

Note - For a detailed example that shows how to register an existing application, see "Example of Creating a Registration Package".

---

Features Provided by Application Registration

Application registration provides a graphical way for users to:

• Locate your application.

  Upon installation, your application is "registered" into the Application Manager and has its own application group.

Figure 5-1 Application groups at the top level of Application Manager

• Start your application.

  The application group for your application contains an icon the user can double-click to start your application.

Figure 5-2 An application group containing an icon to start the application

• Identify and manipulate data files. The application's data files will have a unique icon in File Manager.

  The user can use data file icons to:

  • Start (Open) the application

  • Print data files

Figure 5-3 A data file's pop-up menu containing ``Open'' and ``Print''

• Perform other operations, such as mailing, compressing, viewing, or playing (audio) data