Tech Support::CDE FAQ   

X-terminal and CDE Questions
Q. What is Common Desktop Environment (CDE)?
Q. How do I login using CDE?
Q. How do I use Common Desktop Environment(CDE) or other window managers?
Q. Which is my default window manager?
Q. What are the main features of CDE?
Q. What applications are available for use?
Q. How can I look up more applications?
Q. How do I setup dtmail to send mail?

Q. What is Common Desktop Environment (CDE)?
The Solaris Common Desktop Environment, compatible among various workstation manufacturers, provides users with a desktop graphical interface on a Sun Workstation running Solaris 2.4 or later.

This window environment helps you organize and manage your work. The desktops provides windows, workspaces, controls, menus and a front panel.

  • Windows contain software applications, and are frames with controls so you can move them, size them or place them in other workspaces.
  • Workspaces are the screen areas where you place the windows needed for your work. The default is FOUR.
  • Controls enable you to manipulate objects, select choices, or type information.
  • Menus provide access to commands you use to manage windows and operate applications.
  • The Front Panel is a collection of frequently used controls, available in every workspace.

More details can be found at CDE white paper

Q. How do I login using CDE?

You can login into any host by using the graphical CDE login screen, which is displayed below.

Enter your grad or babbage username and password. And you should be all set. The login screen has a couple of options. Start Over : Resets the login screenOptions : Allows you to choose a window manager, and on certain systems, the remote host you want to log into
Help : Displays the possible options on this screen

Q. How do I use Common Desktop Environment(CDE) or other window managers?

AlThe systems in the csee network support two window managers. One is CDE and the second is FVWM. The user can select either one when s/he logs in for the first time. From the second time onwards, the user's last desktop is the default option. You can change the default option, if needed, at the login screen, Option menu.

Q. Which is my default window manager?

The window manager that you last used is the default setting. All the details of the session you were last in, will be saved to your home directory.

Q. What are the main features of CDE?

Once you login to the desktop using CDE, you will see a Front Panel which contains the default, most commonly used options.

The front panel, from left to right, allows access to the following.
Clock : Shows current time

Calendar : Shows current date. Postion the mouse on it and clicking once invokes the calendar manager.

Folder : Is a pull-up menu consisting of the Home folder, icons to open floppy and CD-ROM. The Folder menu is displayed below.

Personal applications : A pull-up menu that contains a text editor, a terminal program, a web browser. The menu is shown below.

Mailer: The default mail program is dtmail, a mailer program with GUI

Workspaces: CDE allows FOUR default workspaces.You can customize each workspace to your choice.

Printer: This option contains the print manager and displays the default printer for the current host

Style Manager: Contains options to customize the controls for the mouse, screen, window, fonts, colors etc.

Applications: Is a pull-up menu where you can access all the installed applications, desktop controls and common tools. CDE is a drag-and drop interface. If there is any application/ tool that is useful for you, you can rag it from one of these options and install it in the personal application folder.

Help Menu: This pull-up menu contains all the help for the front panel, for the desktop and other relevant topics

Trash: The last icon in the Front Panel is the trash. You can delete items by dragging them to the trash can.

Q. What applications are available for use?

In addition to the front panel access to applications, you can position your mouse on the desktop and click the third button. That will bring up the workspace menu, which is a list of options which are most commonly used. The options under Programs option is the default CDE configuration.

CSEE Apps is a menu of all commercial and shareware applications available to you on the CSEE machines. They are classified into 6 categories of Applications, Mail programs, Editors, Image editors, Network related and general utilities.

Q. How can I look up more applications?

Go to the application menu and choose one of the available options. Each of them have a list of applications which you might find useful. For easy access , you can drag them from the application manager and install it on the personal application menu.

Q. How do I setup dtmail to send mail?

First make sure that your .mailrc file in your root directory is writable by you. If not then you can doit using :
chmod 644 .mailrc
edit .mailrc using an editor and add the line:
set smtpmailserver='mailserver.cse.usf.edu'
where mailserver is :
babbage for CS and VLSI group
morden for AI group
figment for the VISION group

You can also set it within the dtmail program under :
Options->Advanced
set the Host to send mail from field to : mailserver.cse.usf.edu
Where mailserver is as above.

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