Common Desktop Environment

This guide provides comprehensive instructions for advanced customization of the DIGITAL UNIX Common Desktop Environment (CDE), aimed at system administrators and advanced users. It covers a wide range of configuration tasks to modify the appearance and behavior of the desktop.

Key areas detailed in the document include:

• Login and Session Management: How to configure the Login Manager (dtlogin) for display management, user authentication, and customizing the login screen's appearance and behavior. It also explains the Session Manager's role in starting user sessions, saving/restoring settings, and customizing session startup through various scripts and resources.
• Application Administration: Procedures for adding, administering, and registering applications with the CDE, including creating action and data type definitions, managing application groups, and modifying desktop search paths.
• Network Configuration: Steps for setting up the desktop in a networked environment, encompassing distributed file system access, remote printer access, email services, X authorization, and configuring dedicated application, database, icon, and help servers.
• User Interface Customization: Advanced methods for customizing the Front Panel (main panel, subpanels, controls, and workspace switch) and the Workspace Manager (window behavior, menus, button, and key bindings).
• Resource, Font, and Color Management: Administration of application resources, fonts (including X Logical Font Descriptions), and colors (palettes, color sets, and shadow thicknesses).
• Localization: Configuration of localized desktop sessions, including managing LANG and other National Language Support (NLS) environment variables, and localizing various desktop components like resource files, actions, data types, icons, backdrops, palettes, and help volumes.

The manual provides step-by-step procedures and examples for intricate modifications that extend beyond the standard user interface options, ensuring a tailored and efficient desktop experience for diverse system environments.