OS/2 Workplace Shell Configuration Techniques Document Number GG24-4201-00 August 1994 International Technical Support Organization Boca Raton Center Take Note! Before using this information and the product it supports, be sure to read the general information under “Special Notices” on page xvii. First Edition (August 1994) This edition applies to OS/2 Version 2.1. Order publications through your IBM representative or the IBM branch office serving your locality. Publications are not stocked at the address given below. An ITSO Technical Bulletin Evaluation Form for reader′s feedback appears facing Chapter 1. If the form has been removed, comments may be addressed to: IBM Corporation, International Technical Support Organization Dept. 91J, Building 235-2 Internal Zip 4423 901 NW 51st Street Boca Raton, Florida 33431-1328 When you send information to IBM, you grant IBM a non-exclusive right to use or distribute the information in any way it believes appropriate without incurring any obligation to you. Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 1994. All rights reserved. Note to U.S. Government Users — Documentation related to restricted rights — Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp. Abstract This document describes interfaces to the Workplace Shell of OS/2 Version 2.1. It provides a discussion and examples of using the CONFIG.SYS, .RC files, .INI files and programs to install, customize and distribute the OS/2 Workplace Shell in a stand-alone and distributed environment. This document was written for IBM Technical Professionals. Some knowledge of OS/2 is assumed. (290 pages) Copyright IBM Corp. 1994 iii iv OS/2 Workplace Shell Configuration Techniques Contents Abstract . iii Figures . ix Tables . xv Special Notices . xvii Preface . xix How This Document is Organized ....................... xix Related Publications . xx International Technical Support Organization Publications ......... xx Acknowledgments . xxi Chapter 1. Introduction . 1 Chapter 2. Changing the Desktop via the CONFIG.SYS ............ 5 2.1 Desktop Loading Statements ......................... 7 2.1.1 Restarting Applications .......................... 7 2.1.2 Shutdown Alternatives . 8 2.1.3 PROTSHELL= . 8 2.1.4 SET RUNWORKPLACE= . 9 2.2 Single Application Access .......................... 9 2.2.1 Using AmiPro for OS/2 as a Desktop ................ 11 2.2.2 Using DeScribe as a Desktop ..................... 11 2.2.3 Using CorelDRAW! as a Desktop ................... 11 2.2.4 Using Aldus PageMaker for Windows as a Desktop ........ 13 2.3 Multiple Application Access via File Managers ............. 13 2.3.1 Using the WIN-OS/2 File Manager as a Desktop .......... 13 2.3.2 Using Norton Commander as a Desktop .............. 14 2.4 Application Access via CMD.EXE ..................... 14 2.4.1 OS/2 Full Screen Interface ....................... 14 2.4.2 OS/2 Window Interface ......................... 15 2.5 Multiple Application Access via .CMD Files ............... 15 2.5.1 Multiple Application Access Using STARTUP.CMD ........ 16 2.5.2 SET RUNWORKPLACE=user.CMD . 17 2.6 WIN-OS/2 as Your Desktop ......................... 18 Chapter 3. Using the Resource Files to Change the Desktop ....... 19 3.1 The Default .INI Files ............................. 20 Copyright IBM Corp. 1994 v 3.2 The Default .RC Files ............................ 20 3.3 The MAKEINI Compiler ........................... 21 3.3.1 Making a New .INI File ......................... 22 3.3.2 Changing an Existing .INI File ..................... 24 3.3.3 The LOCK.RC File ............................ 25 3.4 The Structure of .RC File Commands ................... 26 3.5 The User .RC File Structure ......................... 28 3.5.1 RC File Header ............................. 29 3.5.2 System Information . 30 3.5.3 The International Information ..................... 40 3.5.4 Desktop Settings . 42 3.5.5 Object Definitions . 44 3.5.6 Color and Display Settings ...................... 84 3.6 The System.RC File Structure ....................... 86 3.7 Examples of RC Files ............................ 87 3.7.1 Creating a New Desktop ........................ 87 3.7.2 Using an Existing Desktop ....................... 109 Chapter 4. Using .INI files to Change the Desktop .............. 119 4.1 The Structure of a .INI File ......................... 120 4.1.1 The Difference Between OS2.INI and OS2SYS.INI ......... 120 4.2 Reading and Writing Data to the .INI Files ................ 120 4.2.1 Retrieving All Keys for a Single Application ............ 122 4.2.2 Retrieving a Single Key Value .................... 125 4.2.3 Setting a Single Key Value ...................... 126 4.3 Changing the Desktop Settings ...................... 127 4.3.1 System Settings . 127 4.3.2 Changing Country Settings ...................... 148 4.3.3 Changing Your Colors ......................... 166 4.3.4 Changing the System Fonts ...................... 172 4.3.5 Changing Your Mouse Mappings ................... 178 4.3.6 Changing Other Mouse Settings ................... 182 4.3.7 Changing Your Keyboard Mappings ................. 185 4.3.8 Workplace Shell Setup for Users with Special Needs ....... 189 4.3.9 Installing Your Own Fonts ....................... 196 4.4 Binary Data in the .INI Files ......................... 197 Chapter 5. CID and The WorkPlace Shell ................... 201 5.1 CONFIG.SYS . 201 5.1.1 ConfigSysLine . 202 5.1.2 UserExit and CMD File ......................... 202 5.2 RC Files . 203 5.3 Customization of INI ............................. 205 vi OS/2 Workplace Shell Configuration Techniques 5.3.1 REXX the INI Files ............................ 205 5.4 REXX from the LCU Command File .................... 208 5.4.1 OS2IniData Keyword . 213 5.5 Combined Scenario . 215 5.6 CID Conclusions . 216 Appendix A. ITSO DESKTOPS Utilities .................... 217 A.1 Using PrfReset . 218 A.2 Deleting Desktops . 222 A.3 Managing Multiple Desktops on One Machine ............. 223 A.3.1 Installing the DLL ............................ 224 A.3.2 Creating a New Desktop ........................ 224 A.3.3 Switching Desktops . 226 A.4 Moving Desktops from One Machine to Another ............ 229 A.4.1 Exporting a Desktop Using the Desktops Program ........ 229 A.4.2 Importing a Desktop Using the Desktops Program ........ 230 A.4.3 From the Command Line ....................... 230 A.5 Recovering From a Corrupted Desktop ................. 232 Appendix B. Associating Your Data Files ................... 235 B.1 What is An Association? .......................... 235 B.2 Associating a Single File .......................... 235 B.3 Associating Groups of Files ........................ 239 B.3.1 Creating Group Associations ..................... 239 B.3.2 Default Group Associations ...................... 242 B.4 Template Associations . 242 B.4.1 Changing an Existing Template ................... 243 B.4.2 Creating a New Template ....................... 244 B.5 Using Associations .............................. 245 B.5.1 Project Based Organization ...................... 245 B.5.2 Type Based Organization ....................... 246 B.6 Work Area Folders and Associations ................... 247 B.6.1 Setting Up a Work Area Folder .................... 248 Appendix C. RC Syntax Diagrams ....................... 251 C.1 Keyword Instructions . 253 C.2 PM_InstallObject Keyword Instructions .................. 253 Appendix D. Deskman/2 ............................. 255 D.1 DeskMan/2 . 255 D.2 DM/2 Image . 261 D.3 VUEMan/2 . 262 D.4 DeskMan/2 User′s Guide .......................... 267 Contents vii D.5 DM/2 Command Line Interface ...................... 268 D.5.1 Installation and Configuration Command Files .......... 268 D.5.2 Operation Command Files. ...................... 268 D.5.3 Object Creation Command Files ................... 269 Appendix E. Alternate Shells . 271 E.1 Why Use a Different Shell? ......................... 271 E.2 TShell . 272 E.2.1 Programming the Start Group .................... 273 E.2.2 Available REXX Functions ....................... 275 E.3 MShell . 276 Appendix F. GG24-4201 Diskette Contents .................. 279 Index . 281 viii OS/2 Workplace Shell Configuration Techniques Figures 1. A User′s Desktop . 3 2. An Administrator′s Desktop ......................... 3 3. CONFIG.SYS Modification for Single Application Environment . 10 4. Structure of STARTUP.CMD for Single Application Environment . 10 5. STARTUP.CMD to Load AmiPro for OS/2 . 11 6. STARTUP.CMD to Load DeScribe . 11 7. STARTUP.CMD to Load CorelDRAW! . 12 8. STARTUP.CMD to Load Aldus Pagemaker for Windows . 13 9. STARTUP.CMD to Load WIN-OS/2 File Manager . 13 10. STARTUP.CMD to Load Norton Commander′s File Manager .... 14 11. CONFIG.SYS to Load an OS/2 Full Screen as the Desktop ..... 14 12. CONFIG.SYS to Load an OS/2 Window as the Desktop ........ 15 13. STARTUP.CMD to Load Multiple Applications ............. 16 14. STARTUP.CMD to Load Multiple Applications and Communications 16 15. STARTUP.CMD to Load WIN-OS/2 as the Desktop .......... 18 16. Workplace Shell INI Error ......................... 23 17. A Comment Line in an .RC File ...................... 28 18. Using ? as a Drive Letter ......................... 28 19. RC File Header ............................... 29 20. Default .RC File Border Width Setting .................. 30 21. Desktop With a Border Width of 50 ................... 31 22. The Confirmations Page in the System Setting Notebook ...... 31 23. Examples of PM_DefaultSetup .....................