Document revision date: 10 November 2000

## Using DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS

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## 7.12 Changing Message Window Settings

To change the settings in your Message Window:

1. Choose Message Window from Session Manager's Applications menu.
   Session Manager displays the Message Window.

2. Choose Message Window... from the Message Window's Options menu.
   The Message Window Options dialog box is displayed.

From the Message Window Options dialog box, you can change the following settings:

> #### Startup State

> Click on the Icon radio button to specify that the Message Window be displayed an icon when you start it.

> #### Scrolled Lines Saved

> By default, you can scroll through the last 50 lines of text in Session Manager's message area to view messages you may have missed. The Scrolled Lines Saved slider lets you vary the number of lines that Session Manager saves.

> #### Header Text

> Session Manager message area is labeled Messages. To change this heading, type a new heading in this text entry box.

## Chapter 8
Customizing Menus and Menu Bars

You can change Session Manager's and FileView's menus and menu bars by deciding what to include on a menu bar, adding menu items to menus, and defining your own menu items. For example, if you write your own application, you can add it to Session Manager's Applications menu and invoke it as you would any other DECwindows application.

This chapter describes how to do the following:

- Add a menu item to a pull-down menu
- Remove a menu item from a pull-down menu
- Define your own menu item definitions
- Modify menu bars
- Change Session Manager's menu bar so that it looks and behaves like FileView

## 8.1 Customizing Menus

You can customize Session Manager's and FileView's menus by changing the menu items they contain.

By displaying the Menus dialog box, you can see how a pull-down menu is created and what happens when you choose a menu item from a Session Manager or FileView menu. Once you understand the components of menus, you can modify them and the menu items they contain.

To display the Menus dialog box, choose Menus... from Session Manager's or FileView's Options menu. The following dialog box is displayed:

The Menus dialog box contains the following components:

- The Menu Names list box displays currently defined menu names.
- The menu name entry box is located below the Menu Names list box. Use it when you define your own menu names.
- The items in menu list box displays the menu items on the currently selected menu in the Menu Names list box. The name of the menu you select is displayed above this list box.
- The Item Names list box displays available menu items that you can add to Session Manager and FileView menus.
- The Item Name entry box displays the item name that you select in the Item Names list box. You can use this entry box to define your own menu items, as described in Section 8.1.2.
- The DCL Command entry box displays the DCL command or command file associated with the menu item that is currently selected in the Item Names list box.

### 8.1.1 Looking at the Contents of a Menu

In the Menus dialog box, look at the menus that are already defined.

1. In the Menu Names list box, select the menu name whose contents you want to display.
   The items in menu list box displays the menu items in the selected menu. For example, if you select Applications from the Menu Names list box, the menu name (Applications) appears above this list box. This list box displays all of the menu items on the Applications menu.
2. Select each menu name in turn to display the corresponding pull-down menu in the items in menu list box.

### 8.1.2 Adding an Item to a Menu

To add a menu item to a pull-down menu:

1. In the Menu Names list box, select the menu name to which you want to add an item.
   The item in menus list box displays the menu items on the menu you selected. The name of the menu you selected is displayed above the list box.
2. In the Item Names list box, select the item that you want to add to the menu.
3. Click on the arrow button that appears. The item is added to the menu you selected.
4. Use the up and down arrows that appear in order to change the location of the item on the menu.
5. Click on OK or Apply to see your changes.
   Or click on Reset or Cancel to retain the original settings.

Note Enabling the Sort & Merge setting ensures that the private customization file that you create when you customize FileView is merged with any other system or public customization files that FileView reads. If you disable the Sort & Merge setting, FileView cannot merge your new definition with the public and system definitions for that menu. A menu also becomes unsorted if you rearrange the contents of a menu. For more information about how FileView uses private, public, and system customization files, see Chapter 14.

### 8.1.3 Removing an Item from a Menu

To remove a menu item from a pull-down menu:

1. In the Menu Names list box, select the menu name that contains the menu item you want to remove.
2. In the items in menu list box, select the menu item you want to remove.
3. Click on the Trashcan button that appears.
   The menu item is deleted from the list.
4. Click on Apply or OK to save your change.
   Or click on Reset or Cancel to retain the original settings.

Note When you remove a built-in menu item from a pull-down menu, you create a copy of that menu in your private customization file. Any subsequent changes made to the public customization file (for example, a new menu item is added to a pull-down menu) are not reflected in your private Session Manager or FileView. For more information about how Session Manager and FileView use private, public, and system customization files, see Chapter 14.

### 8.1.4 Looking at a Menu Item Definition

Each item on a Session Manager or FileView menu has a corresponding DCL command definition or command file that executes when you choose that item. You can replace a menu item's current command definition with a new command definition that executes a different series of commands. For example, when you choose the Type menu item from FileView's Commands menu, the command file VUE$LIBRARY:VUE$TYPE runs. By designing a new command file and associating it with the Type menu item, you can run a different series of commands when you choose Type from FileView's Commands menu.

To see the name of the DCL command file that is associated with a particular menu item, select that menu item in the Item Names list box in the Menus dialog box. The associated command file is displayed in the DCL Command entry box.

### 8.1.5 Changing a Menu Item Definition

To change the DCL command or command file that executes when you choose a menu item from a menu:

1. In the Item Names list box, select the menu item that you want to change.
2. Delete the name of the current command in the DCL Command entry box.
3. Type the name of the new command or command file.
   If you want to make changes to a built-in (predefined) FileView command file, you can use the command file for that menu item as a template.
   To modify a command file that executes a built-in FileView command, copy the command file from the VUE$LIBRARY directory and edit it. You can recognize the contents of the command files by their file names. For example, the FileView command file that executes the Type command is named VUE$TYPE.
   Give your command file a name that identifies the task it performs and a file type of COM, for example, EDIT.COM. Do not delete the command files in the VUE$LIBRARY directory that execute FileView's built-in menu items. Also, do not give your command file the same name as an existing FileView command file.
   If you delete your new menu item definition, FileView uses the original command file to execute the built-in menu item.
   Chapter 15 illustrates a sample command file. For more information about writing command files, see the Guide to Using VMS Command Procedures.

### 8.1.6 Adding a User-Defined Menu Item

To define a menu item and add it to a pull-down menu:

1. Click on the text entry box above the DCL Command entry box.
2. Type the name of the new menu item exactly as you want it to appear.
   For example, type SHOW USERS.
3. In the DCL Command entry box, type the DCL command you want to associate with your new menu item.
   For example, type the command SHOW USERS. To associate your menu item with a command file, type:

       $ @command_file_name.COM

4. Click on the up arrow button that appears below the Item Names list box.
5. If you want to add your new menu item to a menu, see Section 8.1.2.

### 8.1.7 Deleting a User-Defined Menu Item

To delete a menu item name that you defined:

1. In the Item Names list box, select the menu item that you want to delete.
2. Click on the Trashcan button that appears.

### 8.1.8 Defining a New Menu Name

You can create new menu names to which you can then add menu items. To create a menu name:

1. Click on the text entry box below the Menu Names list box.
2. Type the name of the menu you want to add, exactly as you want it to appear on the menu.
   For example, type PERSONAL.
3. Click on the up arrow button that appears below the Menu Names list box.
4. If you want to add menu items to this new menu, see Section 8.1.2.
5. Click on Apply or OK to see your change.
   Or click on Reset or Cancel to retain the original settings.

### 8.1.9 Deleting a User-Defined Menu Name

To delete a menu name that you defined:

1. In the Menu Names list box, select the menu name that you want to delete.
   A Trashcan button appears below the Menu Names list box.
2. Click on the Trashcan button.

## 8.2 Customizing Menu Bars

Once you create a new menu, you need to add it to a menu bar. You can also remove menus that you do not need.

To add a menu name to a menu bar:

1. Choose Menu Bar... from Session Manager's or FileView's Options menu.
   The Menu Bar dialog box is displayed.

   Existing menu names appear in the right-hand list box. New menu names appear in the left-hand list box.
2. In the left-hand list box, select the menu name you want to add to a menu bar.
3. Click on the arrow button that appears to move the menu name to the right-hand list box.
4. Click on Apply or OK to see your change.

To remove a menu name from a menu bar.

1. Choose Menu Bar... from Session Manager's or FileView's Options menu.
   The Menu Bar dialog box is displayed.
2. In the right-hand list box, select the menu name that you want to remove from the menu bar.
3. Click on the arrow button that appears.
4. Click on OK or Apply to see your change.

Note Any changes you make to a menu bar affect only the current Session Manager or FileView window. If you want different menu bars for different tasks---for example, one for system management tasks and another for text-processing tasks---you can create multiple menu bars and save them as views, as described in Chapter 9.

## 8.3 Combining Session Manager and FileView

By adding the Session Manager as FileView menu item to Session Manager's Options menu, you can combine Session Manager's and FileView's features into one window.

To make Session Manager menu bar look and behave like a FileView window:

1. Choose Menus... from Session Manager's menu.
   Session Manager displays the Menus options dialog box.
2. In the Menu Names list box, select the Options {Session Manager} menu name.
   The items in menu list box displays Session Manager's Options menu.
3. In the Item Names list box, select the Session Manager as FileView item.
4. Click on the left arrow button that appears.
   Session Manager as FileView is displayed on Session Manager's Options menu.
5. Click on OK or Apply to see your changes.
   Or click on Reset or Cancel to retain the original settings.
6. Choose Session Manager as FileView from Session Manager's Options menu.
   Your Session Manager menu bar is now displayed as a FileView window.
7. To reset your Session Manager to its original form, choose Session Manager from the Views menu.

Tip You can also make Session Manager's menu bar look and behave like a FileView window by adding the Show/Hide Work Area menu item to one of Session Manager's menus.

## Chapter 9
Customizing FileView

In addition to customizing FileView's menus and menu bar, you can change other FileView features. For example, you can change the look of your file list, build your own pop-up menus, and create a customized FileView window.

This chapter describes how to use FileView's Options menu to customize FileView.

## 9.1 Changing the Look of Your File List

When you first start DECwindows, your file list in the FileView window contains the following information about every file in your current directory:

- The file name
- The file type

You can change the way the files in your current and subsequent file lists are listed. For example, you might want to list each file by its size or the date it was created or change the order in which the files are listed.

To change the way files are listed, choose Layout... from FileView's Options menu. FileView displays a dialog box:

The settings in the Layout dialog box are divided into groups. Some settings are preset and are already in effect. When you choose a setting from the Layout dialog box, it affects every subsequent file list until you change the setting again.

### 9.1.1 Changing the Fields in Your File List

By using the check buttons in the Fields column, you can display the following information about each file in your file list:

Field | Information Displayed
--- | ---
Node | DECnet node name of the file 1
Device | Device on which the file is stored
Directory | Directory in which the file is stored
Type | File type of the file
Version | Version number of the file
Size Used | Size, in blocks, used in the file
Size Allocated | Size, in blocks, allocated to the file
Create Date | Date and time the file was created
Modify Date | Date and time the file was last modified
Backup Date | Date and time the file was last backed up
Expire Date | Date the file expires
File Owner | Owner, in numeric or text format, of the file
Protection | Protection settings for the file
File ID Number | Unique file identification for the file
Sort/Filter Key | Displays the sort key field

1For a description of DECnet node names, see the DECwindows Motif for OpenVMS Applications Guide.

### 9.1.2 Displaying File Version Numbers

In the Layout dialog box, the Show Highest Version option is enabled by default. This setting is indicated by the shaded radio button, and only the highest version of each file in your current directory is displayed. Every version number of a file is not shown.

To display all versions of the files in your current directory, click on the Show All Versions radio button. All of the versions of your files are displayed.

### 9.1.3 Changing the File Order in Your File List

By default, the files in your file list are listed in the order in which they appear in the directory structure. This order is alphabetical unless your file list includes files from more than one directory. To list files alphabetically, even if multiple directories are shown, click on the By Name radio button under the Order column. To list files alphabetically by file type, click on the By Type radio button. You can choose only one radio button from the Order column at a time.

To list your files in ascending (low to high) order and descending (high to low) order, click on one of the following options represented by the Ascending or Descending groups of radio buttons:

Option | Sorts files in file list by
--- | ---
Size Used | Blocks used
Size Allocated | Blocks allocated to the file
Create Date | Date and time each file was created
Modify Date | Date and time each file was most recently changed
Backup Date | Date and time each file was most recently backed up
Expire Date | Expiration date

### 9.1.4 Saving Your File List Changes

Once you finish working with the Layout dialog box, you need to save your changes.

Choose | To
--- | ---
OK | Save new settings and dismiss the dialog box.
Apply | Save new settings without dismissing the dialog box.
Reset | Redisplay the current settings if you changed settings without applying them.
Cancel | Dismiss the dialog box without changing any settings.

## 9.2 Changing Your FileView Window Settings

You can change FileView's icon name and window name as well as its startup state. To change your FileView window settings, choose Window... from FileView's Options menu. FileView displays the Window dialog box.

From the Window dialog box, you can change the following settings:

> #### Icon Name

> To change FileView's icon label, type the new label name in the Icon Name entry box.

> #### Window Name

> To change FileView's window label, type the new window name in the Window Name entry box.

> #### Initial State

> When you start FileView, it displayed as a window. Click on the Icon button in the Initial State entry box to specify that FileView be stored as an icon when you start it.

## 9.3 Building Pop-Up Menus and Defining Double-Click Commands

As described in Chapter 6, FileView provides pop-up menus and double-click command definitions to make it easier for you to work with files. Using the File Types dialog box, you can modify the pop-up menus and double-click command definitions associated with each file type.

To display the File Types dialog box, choose File Types... from FileView's Options menu.

The File Types dialog box contains the following components:

- The File Types list box displays the file types for which double-click menu items and pop-up menus are currently defined.
- The pop-up menu (labeled with an asterisk [*]) list box displays the currently defined menu items on the pop-up menu of the selected file type. The name of the pop-up menu is displayed above this list box (in place of the asterisk).
- The Item Names list box displays the menu items currently defined in FileView.
- The Double-Click Item entry box displays the menu item that executes when you double click on a file of the selected type.

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