301 lines
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301 lines
13 KiB
HTML
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<TITLE>AfterStep FAQ: Modules</TITLE>
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<H2><A NAME="s6">6. Modules</A></H2>
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.1">6.1 How do I get multiple Wharfs/Pagers on the screen?</A>
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</H2>
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<P> It's pretty easy. You just have to have the Wharf exist under several
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different names, and then configure each of them using its name. For
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example, if you make a link to Wharf called MyWharf (type "man ln" at a
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command prompt if you don't know how to make links), you would add extra
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lines to the Wharf configuration file (or new section in a .steprc) for the
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new binary name: ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/mywharf. The file would
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then include lines like this:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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*MyWharfAnimate
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*MyWharf "label" Icon.xpm Exec "something" something
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>Same for the Pager. Note that the default pager file includes several
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additional lines already, for *WPager, *XPager, *YPager, and *Zpager. Use
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links with those names to use the defaults (and remove the comment marks
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from the relevant lines).
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<P>In the newest versions, you'll also need to edit the database file: mirror
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the Wharf appearance with the new name.
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<P>Note: Apparently, due to the way the Wharf configuration file parser works,
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links with names like Wharf2 (i.e. the same original name with characters
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appended to it) will not work: the parser will think you are referring to the
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original module and will get confused. You have to give each link a
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distinctive name. Try, for instance, MyWharf.
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<P>In the latest versions of AfterStep, there is also a different version of
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GoodStuff included with AfterStep; this is called Zharf. It allows
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variable-sized buttons, and it includes names for the icons. You can start
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it up with the default configuration from your startmenu (look under
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"Modules"). Configuration is basically the same as for Wharf.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.2">6.2 How can I get asclock to appear properly in Wharf?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>First, you need AfterStep 0.98 beta 4 or later. These version have the
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MaxSwallow option. Then, add a command such as this to the wharf file or line
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(depending on whether you use .steprc):
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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*Wharf asclock nil MaxSwallow "asclock" asclock -12 -shape &
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>You must replace the `-12' with '-24' to display 24 hour time.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.3">6.3 How do I configure asclock to use fewer colors? </A>
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</H2>
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<P>When installing, after executing configure, asclock configure should be launched
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by default. Otherwise, go to the modules/asclock directory and do the
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following:
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<OL>
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<LI> Execute sh configure</LI>
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<LI> Several menus will appear, asking for the default language for dates
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(yes, you can change it!) and the number of colors used. There is one option
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to use 2-bit color, resulting in an asclock that uses only 4 colors, but still
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looks pretty good.</LI>
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<LI> Done. Now go and compile asclock as usual.</LI>
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</OL>
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.4">6.4 Why does asclock show the wrong time?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>This happens most often on Red Hat Linux installations. There's a broken
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link; this is a fairly well-known problem. Just make a link between
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/usr/lib/zoneinfo and /usr/share/zoneinfo. If you don't know about links,
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try typing 'man ln' at a command prompt.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.5">6.5 Why does my latest version of MaxSwallow do odd stuff?</A>
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</H2>
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<P> In the newest versions of AfterStep (i.e. starting with the 1.4.5 series
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of patches), the Wharf underwent some re-working, in order to allow the use
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of some newer programs (designed for Window Maker). As a result, different
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patches turned up for the Wharf.
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<P>The final result of this work can be seen in version 1.5. The old
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"MaxSwallow" has been removed, and replaced with "Swallow". The older
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"Swallow", with its size limitation, is gone. The "MaxSwallow" keyword now
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re-sizes the button to fit the app being swallowed. There is also a "Size"
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keyword, to resize the buttons, and ignore any other size determination.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.6">6.6 What's wrong with WharfAnimate?</A>
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</H2>
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<P> There are really two questions here.
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<P>First, in 1.4.4, WharfAnimate was broken. This was fixed in 1.4.5.0.
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<P>Second, some people complain that Animate is too slow. This is defined at
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compile time. You should adjust the three animate lines in configure.h to a
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lower number; that will speed up the animation. Version 1.5 includes three
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new configuration options: WharfAnimateSteps, WharfAnimateStepsMain,
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WharfAnimateDelay. These are defined in the wharf configuration file, and
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control the animation of Wharf. The old compile-time configuration is also
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still available, but these new options will hopefully make things easier.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.7">6.7 Can you add xyz to the Wharf?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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You know, it would be really nice if the Wharf supported text titles/cascading
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menus/tabs on the side/plug-in modules/swallowing running applications in
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folders/scrollbars on folders/starting applications only if they're not already
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running. Why doesn't someone do it?
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>This is a holy war. You will be crucified at dawn. Unless you implement it
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yourself and post a patch.
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<P>No, seriously, there has been a lot of discussion about these topics.
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<P>Many people believed that AfterStep should be kept as close as possible to the
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original NEXTSTEP interface, while others thought it should be extended and be
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made as configurable as possible.
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<P>Now Window Maker is following the original NEXTSTEP interface, while AfterStep
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is going its own way. Extensive configurability is one of these "own ways".
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<P>So please send a message to one of the relevant lists saying exactly what
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you'd like to be implemented; or, even better, do it yourself and send a
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patch.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.8">6.8 Can I have swallowed apps under a folder?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>You can have this only if you have version 1.4.5.55N2 or later.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.9">6.9 Can I have a folder within a folder?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>Yes. In version 1.5, folders can be nested. Just nest the sub-folder
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specification within the main folder specification.
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<P>In versions prior to 1.5, you could not nest folders. Thadeu Penna
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(<CODE>tjppenna@aol.com</CODE>) cleverly worked around this limitation by creating a
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folder which calls another Wharf:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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My dirty solution was: one of the Wharf's buttons is a call
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to Pier (a secondary Wharf). In this way, I got one additional level. The
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main disadvantage is for each button in the Pier, you have to write a small
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script that calls the program and after to kill the Pier. The geometry was
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quite easy to evaluate. I have used, for the first button of the Pier, the
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same icon as in the Wharf, therefore it seems as a Folder with an additional
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level. It is a little slower than Wharf itself.
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.10">6.10 Can I have two columns in my Wharf?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>Yes, in version 1.5. Use WharfColumns. WharfColumns was broken, but it's
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fixed now.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.11">6.11 Why can't I find the man page for Wharf?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>Spell it "Wharf" and not "wharf".
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.12">6.12 What's wrong with the mouse buttons in the pager?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>In 1.4.5.55, the left and middle mouse button bindings were reversed,
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because of a request from Red Hat. Several users have expressed
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dissatisfaction with this arrangement, however, so it will not be
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maintained. Version 1.5 is back to the old style.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.13">6.13 How can I have more/fewer/larger desktops?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>The Pager module in the latest AfterStep versions is highly flexible. It
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can be configured to show several desktops, each with several screens, and
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it can be placed just about anywhere you like it.
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<P>To change the size of the desktop, edit the base.{your bitdepth}bpp file to
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reflect the size of the desktop that you want. "2x2" means "two panes wide
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by two panes high".
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<P>To change the number of desktops, you need to do two things. First, you
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need to change the call to pager in your autoexec file. The syntax for
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starting Pager is "Pager {1st desktop} {last desktop}", where the first
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desktop is always 0. So, if you wanted to have two desktops, you would add
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the following line to your autoexec file:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<HR>
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<PRE>
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Module "I" Pager 0 1
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</PRE>
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<HR>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>You should also then comment out or remove the definitions for the extra
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desktops in your pager configuration file.
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<P>The Pager can be placed anywhere on the desktop, by editing the value of
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"*PagerGeometry". This uses the standard X geometry values.
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<P>Pager can also be displayed vertically and horizontally. Just adjust the
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values of "*PagerRows" and "*PagerColumns".
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<P>Notice, also, that the pager configuration file has changed in version 1.5,
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in order to allow the new functionality. Do not recycle your old pager
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configuration, but use the new default as the basis for new customization.
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.14">6.14 Fine, but how do I get the pager off the desk entirely?</A>
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</H2>
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<P>You can get rid of the pager by removing it from the autoexec file.
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<P>Pager can be swallowed in the Wharf. In version 1.5, it is also possible
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to do this under a Wharf folder. Use "MaxSwallowModule".
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<P>
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<H2><A NAME="ss6.15">6.15 How do I enable sound in AfterStep?</A>
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</H2>
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<P> First, make sure you have the necessary hardware, and have a kernel
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compiled with sound support. You can check that your sound actually works
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by trying the following at a command prompt:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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cat [some au file] > /dev/audio
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>Then, edit the ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/audio file. You should see
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lines like these (if you don't, add them):
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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*AudioPlayCmd /usr/bin/showaudio
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*AudioDir /usr/local/share/afterstep/desktop/sounds
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*AudioDelay 1
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>
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<P>Again, if these aren't there, add them. Verify that the AudioPlayCmd is a
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valid program and that the sounds you want to play are in
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/usr/local/share/afterstep/desktop/sounds/ (or set it to the appropriate
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directory).
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<P>Below that section, you should see many lines like this:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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#*Audio startup gong.au
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>Simply remove the comment (#) from the beginning of the line and if
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you wish, set the startup event to some other au file. The format is:
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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*Audio [event] [sound]
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>Do that for the rest of the Audio events, and as one AfterStepper put it,
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you'll literally add new bells and whistles to AfterStep.
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<P>In some versions of AfterStep, sound is disabled by default. You can get
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the audio module to work in two ways. The first is to open the "Start"
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menu, click on "Modules", and then click on "Audio". The other is to start
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the Audio module in your autoexec file. Just add the line
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<P>
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<BLOCKQUOTE><CODE>
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<PRE>
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Module "I" Audio
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</PRE>
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</CODE></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<P>to your autoexec file.
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<P>The Audio module was apparently broken in some versions, but nobody seems to
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know why. You should make sure you have the latest version of AfterStep
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before asking why your Audio module does not work: all current versions seem
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to be functioning correctly. If you are still having trouble, <EM>and
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you've read this and followed the instructions carefully</EM>, you might
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want to ask questions on the mailing list.
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<P>You should also be aware that the configuration of the Audio module has
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undergone some changes. So, if you've changed your version of AfterStep,
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and Audio is suddenly not working for you, check that you removed your old
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configuration before asking what is wrong.
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<P>Finally, if you are getting errors complaining about an incorrect path,
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check your base.{yourbppnumber}bpp file. The AudioPath used to be set in
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the base file, but it is now set in the configuration file for the Audio
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module. This change affects versions since 1.4.5.0; but 1.4.5.0 was
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accidentally released with the AudioPath configured in the base file. Fix
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the definition, and the problem will go away.
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<P>
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<HR>
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