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Date:	Fri, 5 Jul 2002 07:20:46 PST7
From:	Harry Chris Motin <hmotin@attglobal.net >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: Basic Help

Content Type: text/plain

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Butch,

While you're reading up on the basic features of Os/2's WorkPlace Shell
(WPS), here are some more basic things you should know:

1. Properties Notebook
Most objects have a properties notebook, which you can reach by
highlighting the object and RMB to bring up a menu. Select "Properties".
Alternatively, you can highlight the object and single LMB click on the
object, while holding the ALTERNATE key. That will open the Properties
Notebook right away. Using this notebook you can configure many things
on the object to your liking:

A. If it's a folder object, whether or not it will open in the icon,
tree or detailed view

B. If it's a folder object, whether or not the files in it are
alphabetically sorted

C. If it's a data file, what is the application associated with that
object

D. If it's a folder object, whether or not the folder automatically
closes after you select an item in it.

E. If it's a data object, whether or not you want to make it a
template (more on this later)

The above are just a few examples. Windows has something somewhat
similar, but nowhere near as extensive or versatile

2. Templates
You have a folder labelled "Templates". I believe it's inside of the
"OS/2 System" folder on your desktop. Inside the Templates folder are
template objects for just about anything you want to create. If you want
to create Internet objects, like URL objects, FTP objects, etc., you can
drag out a template from there to start you well along the way. Some
OS/2 programs even add new templates to this Template folder upon
installation. For example, my BackAgain 2000 program added a "Backup
Set" template, allowing me to easily create backups of different
prescriptions. My Mesa/2 spreadsheet program added a couple of templates

You can create and add your own templates to this folder. For data
objects you create object as normal in the application (like a
spreadsheet file or a word processor file). Then, you make it a template
document by checking the "Template" option on the "Icon" tab of the
Properties notebook of that file. Finally, whenever you want to create a
new document, using that template as the starting point, you tear off a
copy from your template document icon (RMB drag from the template icon
and deposit the result somewhere else) to start your document

3. Application associations
You can associate various data files with different applications, so
that when you manipulate them, you actually use the built-in tools from
the application (Window has this, but not nearly as well-built or well
thought out). With associations you have:

A. Double clicking on the object opens it inside the application (no
big deal here, Windows has this!!)

B. Dragging the data file object to the printer object, prints the
file, using the printing setup you established for it in the application
(Windows sometimes has this!). If the WPS integration is thorough,
however, it will print the file, without opening up the application
(Windows does not have this at all!). You just drag it to the printer
object and it prints! That's it! For example, I created a form document,
using Describe, my word processor. I have a shadow of that document on
my desktop. Periodically, I want 10 printed copies of that form. I just
drag it to the printer object, drop it there and my printer immediately
starts up and spits out 10 copies. Describe does not open up. Therefore,
I don't have to close it, when done. That's a nice touch, I think!

C. You can change or modify the application associations system-wide.
Therefore, if you change your browser from Netscape to Mozilla, you can
change the association of all the *.htm and *.html files on your hard
drive to the new browser.

There are several OS/2 applications, some of them shareware or
freeware, that allow you to do this. I use a program called Association
Editor. In OS/2 associations are by file type (Acrobat Document, Back
Again/2000 Backup Set, Assembler Code, Describe Document, etc.), or by
file filter (*.BMP, *.PDF, *.EPS, etc.). You can associate 1, 2 or more
applications with a given file type, or file filter (the first
application is the default association application). For example, on my
system I have 2 instances of my browser, Netscape. One instance I use to
dial up my Internet provider, connect to the Internet and then go to
various Internet sites. The other instance I use to view *.htm and
*.html files, stored on my computer (I don't want to dial up the
Internet). The second instance is the default. Therefore, I can double
click on *.htm and *.html files, stored on my hard drive, and open them
up in Netscape. However, if I drag one of these hard drive files to the
first instances of Netscape, that result starts the Internet dial up
process with the end result that I am connected to the Internet and the
hard drive file is loaded in Netscape

4. WPS-Oriented Applications
Good OS/2 applications are WPS-aware and WPS-oriented. That means that
they are object oriented. You can access many different functions and
actions by RMB on an object to bring up a context sensitive menu for
that object. So, for example, in my Mesa spreadsheet, such objects
include cell ranges, icons on toolbars, graphs and parts of graphics,
etc.

HCM
_______________________________________________________________________________

Sheridan George wrote:
>
> =====================================================
> If you are responding to someone asking for help who
> may not be a member of this list, be sure to use the
> REPLY TO ALL feature of your email program.
> =====================================================
>
> Harry Chris Motin wrote:
> >
> >
> > Butch,
> >
>
> >
> > The above are the standard ways of creating copies, moves and shadows.
> > In a few instances, however, they are modified. For example, making a
> > shadow is the standard operation for a file that is in a folder on the
> > hard drive (not on the desktop), but for which you create something on
> > your desktop. Therefore, if the file is in a hard drive folder, using
> > the RMB, only, creates a shadow (you see the string attached to the
> > icons as you do the operation). It does not create a move. Try it. Go to
> > your "Drive C" folder and find the icon of a file somewhere on your hard
> > drive. For example, use the C:\CONFIG.SYS file icon. If you RMB this
> > file from C: to the desktop (don't release the RMB), you will see the
> > attached string, indicating a shadow creation operation.
> >
> > HCM
>
> Extra info. to know before trying HCM's suggestion. In the above paragraph is the sentence "If you RMB
> this file from C: to the desktop (don't release the RMB), you will see the attached string, indicating
> a shadow creation operation." All of that is correct. What is needed is how to cancel the operation.
>
> After you have amazed yourself at how easy it is to create shadows and/or moves and copies and you
> want to stop, simply press the Esc key before releasing the RMB. (It's OK to release the Shift, Ctrl,
> or Ctrl-Shift keys; just don't release the RMB before pressing Esc.) That stops the operation. Use
> the same technique when you catch a mistake before the RMB is released. Once the RMB is released the
> operation is complete.
>
> Sheridan George
>
> =====================================================
>
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>
> =====================================================

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