Tips

          Open Scripts
          
          The program manager is a flexible tool for
          creating Open Scripts that can be used repeatedly.
          This increases productivity and minimizes the
          amount of memorization required.  For convenience
          many predefined Open Scripts have been included
          with the Freedom Desktop.  By using the program
          manager users can customize their local
          copy of the Open Scripts to suit their needs.  New
          Open Scripts can also be created by your local
          UNIX guru for your use.
          
          It is possible to add or remove groups from the
          program manager and to add or remove scripts from
          a specific group.  Any sh (shell) script can be
          easily converted into an Open Script.  The Open
          Script enhances the shell script by associating an
          icon and a brief description to it.  As with the
          rest of the applications, the program manager
          understands the Drag and Drop protocol.
          Directories and Files (including Open Scripts) can
          be dragged to or from the program manager and to
          or from the trash can or the file manager.  All of
          these provide the user with a convenient way of
          organizing his work and performing custom tasks.
          
          Using Links in Program Manager Groups
          
          It is recommended that the user create a group
          with links to often used directories.  This way
          the user can change to those directories quickly.
          The user just opens the appropriate group and
          double-click on the directory (link) needed.  The
          user needs to understand the difference between a
          directory and a link to a directory.  A link to a
          directory is just a reference to a specific
          directory.  It is not a copy or the directory
          itself.  In very few instances a directory needs
          to be moved or copied to one of the program manager
          groups.  Although it is possible, it is seldom
          necessary to replicate a directory structure under
          one of the group directories.  Therefore make sure
          that a link is created when using this tip.
          
          Groups
          
          The grouping approach is a convenient way of
          organizing different tasks; a group is created to
          hold the files related to a specific task.  The
          users can then either link, copy or move files or
          directories to the group.  The decision of whether
          copying, moving or linking files is often made
          based on personal preferences and the following
          considerations.
          
          Copy means creating a new instance of the file
          without destroying the original.  This provides
          the user with a way of going back to the original
          file version.  On the other hand this consumes
          more space and introduces redundancy; the user
          needs to remember and keep track of the different
          copies created.
          
          The action of moving a file to a group removes the
          original copy of the file.  If the user makes
          unwanted changes to the file there is no original
          to go back to; each change made to the file needs
          to be undone.  The advantage is that no redundancy
          is introduced.
          
          Linking means creating a reference or link to a
          file.  This does not rename the file or create a
          new copy.  Only a reference is created. Of course
          links are files too but they consume very little
          space.  On the other hand, if the file, the link
          points to, gets renamed  or changes location, the
          link does not get updated automatically.  Avoid
          moving or copying directories to groups.  Create
          links instead.
          
          New Updates and Freedom Desktop Groups
          
          There is another important consideration in
          designing user defined Open Scripts.  New updates
          of the software will include more Open Scripts
          samples and groups.  Although the user's local
          group directories are not updated automatically, a
          user may decide that he or she wants to update
          them,  To update it is necessary to run the script
          Update_user during the installation of the
          software or any time after.  This is when a problem
          may arise.  Update_user may overwrite files inside
          the group directories.  Only files that share a
          common name with the ones found on the new version
          of the software, are in danger of being
          overwritten.  As a rule, all the OpenScripts on
          the new releases of the software will use names
          that start with a capital  letter.  Good practice
          would be to use filenames starting with a lower
          case letter for files that are going to be placed
          in any of the program manager groups.  See the
          Installation notes for more information about this
          topic.
          
          Running Multiple Copies of the File Manager
          
          Usually it is necessary to have more than one copy
          of the file manager running simultaneously.  This
          is specially helpful when you are working with
          several directories concurrently.  Files can be
          dragged and dropped between any two instances of
          the file manager.
          
          Error Messages
          
          When Freedom Desktop cannot complete a task
          successfully, it usually displays the error
          "command terminated abnormally".  There are many
          conditions that can cause this error to occur.
          Sometimes the cause of the problem is not obvious.
          For these cases the user can switch to the
          terminal mode.  In this mode commands are sent to
          the terminal window for execution.  Repeating the
          transaction that caused the error will display an
          error message in the terminal.  In the terminal
          more descriptive error messages  can be obtained.
          The user needs to be careful when using the
          terminal mode.  The next tip explains why.
          
          The Terminal Mode
          
          Freedom Desktop can be setup to translate user
          actions into UNIX commands (terminal mode).  This
          feature is included as a tutorial capability that
          allows users to learn or  improve  their
          knowledge of the operating system.  In the
          terminal mode, the file manager issues its
          commands to the terminal window where they are
          executed.  A complication is that when a command
          invokes an application like the vi editor, that
          application will intercept all terminal input
          afterwards.  Subsequent commands will be sent to
          the application running on the terminal window
          with unpredictable results.  Be aware of this side
          effect resulting from having the terminal mode
          option on.  Because of this, novice users should
          use this mode with caution.
          
          Synchronize
          
          At any given time the terminal window and the file
          window in the file manager can be acting on
          different directories.  This provides the user
          with a flexible way of working with two
          directories concurrently.  The synchronize option
          in the Option menu can be used to change the
          current directory of the terminal window to that
          shown on the file window.  By default the keep
          synchronized toggle is on, which means that
          whenever the current directory of the file window
          changes, a cd command gets sent to the terminal
          window.  This should keep both windows
          synchronized.  In some instances the user does not
          want any command sent to the terminal window. For
          example, if the user wants to work with two
          directories concurrently this toggle should be
          off.  This toggle should also be off if the
          terminal window is busy with an application like
          the vi editor.  See the previous tip for more
          information about this issue.
          
          Refreshing the File Directory Information
          
          In few instances, Freedom Desktop does not update
          the file window with the latest directory
          information.   This is done for efficiency reasons
          and usually does not represent a problem.  If the
          user wants to update the file window with the
          latest directory information, he/she just needs to
          invoke the Arrange Icons option in the View menu.
          
          Cut and Paste
          
          The user can cut and paste between terminal
          windows and data fields.  This reduces the amount
          of typing required.  A portion of the text can be
          selected by pressing the left mouse button, and
          dragging the cursor across the text.  When the
          text is selected, it is copied into the primary
          selection that is simply a named piece of data
          stored on the display server.  The user can paste
          text from the primary selection into any data
          field (or application that supports selections) by
          clicking the middle mouse button.  For instance,
          the user can issue the print working directory
          command (pwd) in the terminal window of one
          instance of the file manager.  Wait for the
          result, cut it, and paste it into the Selection
          field (Change Directory Dialog Box) of another
          instance of the file manager.  After doing this
          both instances of the file manager should share
          the same current directory.
          
          Changing the Look of the Desktop
          
          The user can customize the look of Freedom Desktop
          by changing two resource files located in his/her
          home directory.  These resource files are called
          Freedom and .Xdefaults.  All the applications that
          Freedom Software provides, belong to the Freedom
          class.  The user can change the attributes of the
          class.  This forces a global change (the look and
          feel of all the applications change).  The user
          can also use these resource files to change the
          look of a particular application (.i.e.  the file
          manager).  A detailed description of the format
          used for the resource files is beyond the scope of
          this manual.  For more information, see X(1X).
          
          Changing File and Directory Properties
          
          By using the properties dialog box, the user can
          change the properties of a group of files
          simultaneously (global change).  The -- Apply to
          All Selected -- toggle is provided with this
          purpose.  The properties of a whole directory
          structure can also be changed by using the --
          descend through directories -- toggle.
          
