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AIX Operating System
1.1 CONTENTS
X-Windows is a tool designed to help enhance the usability of the overall application processing environment. X-Windows provides facilities that can help you work with existing application programs as well as design and implement new applications. X-Windows permits multiple application processes to operate within multiple windows displayed on a virtual terminal. You can manage windows directly or with application programs. You can hide windows partially or completely. You can also update partially hidden and completely hidden windows. Each window can have a specific character set (font) associated with it. Additionally, each window can have its own keyboard mapping. This capability permits character sets available on the IBM RT, PS/2, or the S/370 systems (with some exceptions) to be connected to a specific window. Keyboard mapping coupled with the capability to access all system characters provides National Language Support (NLS). X-Windows provides many popular window management functions, including opening, moving, resizing, or circulating a window. X-Windows provides the capability to manage local and remote displays. Remote display management can be accomplished with other RT, PS/2, and S/370 systems connected through TCP/IP. X-Windows also provides a library of C language functions and macros and FORTRAN functions and subroutines to interface clients with servers. Refer to IBM AIX X-Windows Programmer's Reference for more information on these functions. Through various commands and calls, end users or application programs can acquire the services of the windowing functions. This chapter shows you how to use the following X-Windows functions: Starting X-Windows
The steps in the following box tell you how to start X-Windows. Be sure that X-Windows is installed. (For installation instructions, refer to Appendix A, "Installing AIX X-Windows.") +--- Starting X-Windows -------------------------------------------------+
1. If you do not know how to log in, refer to Using the AIX Operating System. If you want X-Windows to start each time you log in, see "Logging into AIX X-Windows Automatically" in topic 3.4. 2. Next to the shell prompt, type the command xinit. The xinit command does three things: a. Starts the X Server, except
on the S/370 system, using the X command. This controls the
Note: For more info on these commands, see Chapter 2, "AIX X-Windows Commands." 3. After executing xinit, you see a screen similar to this: PICTURE 1 Note: To type in a window, the mouse cursor must be in that window. An AIX Shell window functions as a terminal. The mouse cursor must be in the AIX Shell window to type in it. You can run programs just as you would on any other terminal connected to your system. For example, type li and press Enter to see the contents of your current directory. aixwm provides two ways to make menu selections using the mouse. To choose an item in a menu, do one of the following: Use the mouse to move the cursor to the desired
item, and then click any button on the mouse.
aixwm highlights your selection. For fast selection, refer to "Button/Key Selection" and "Pop-up Button Selection" in topic 2.6.2. You can use the window manager to manipulate windows. Use Reset to move a window. For example, you may want the AIX Shell window in a different place. When you apply Move to a window, a rubber-band outline is moved with the mouse. The rubber-band outline is the outline that is displayed in the window. Use the following steps to move a window: +--- Moving a Window ----------------------------------------------------+
The following figure shows an example of an AIX Shell window and the rubber-band outline created by using the Move item in the window manager menu: PICTURE 2 In addition to moving a window, you can also resize it. Use Resize to resize a window by moving a corner or an edge. When you apply Resize to a window, a rubber-band outline of the window is displayed. Use the following steps to resize a window: +--- Resizing a Window --------------------------------------------------+
Note: You may need to restart some commands or programs after resizing a window. The following is an example of a window with a rubber-band outline which was created by using the Resize item in the window manager menu. (The cursor shape changes when using Resize.) PICTURE 3 Two kinds of X-Windows clocks are available from the Tools submenu: the Analog Clock and the Digital Clock. Use the following steps to open the Analog Clock window: +--- Opening a Clock Window ---------------------------------------------+
The following figure shows a clock similar to the analog
clock:
PICTURE 4
To display a digital clock, follow the same steps as those for the analog clock, but select Digital Clock. The digital clock looks similar to this on your screen: PICTURE 5 1.7 Hiding and Showing a Window When you apply Hide/Show to a window, it makes the window into an icon window. When you apply Hide/Show to an icon window, it makes the window reappear. Programs or commands running in a window continue running when you use Hide/Show. For example, if you are compiling a C language program in a window, you can hide the window and the program will continue compiling. To use Hide/Show, use the following steps: +--- Hiding and Showing a Window ---------------------------------------+
Note: An icon window can be moved to any place on the display just as any other window can be moved to any place on the display. The following is an example of an icon window: PICTURE 6 1.8 Opening an AIX Shell Window To open an AIX Shell window, use the following steps: +--- Opening an AIX Shell Window ---------------------------------------+
Circulate causes the lowest window in a stack of overlapping windows to be raised. If used successively, Circulate causes each window to be raised in turn. If you think of windows as being stacked on top of each other, then imagine when you circulate windows, the lowest one is raised to the top. If a window covers a large area of the display, there may be windows that you cannot see until you circulate them. To circulate among the windows, use the following steps: +--- Circulating Windows -----------------------------------------------+
When you select Cancel, aixwm disconnects the selected window from the X Server. The window disappears from the display. In most cases, commands or programs running in the window are also canceled. To cancel a window, use the following steps: +--- Canceling a Window ------------------------------------------------+
+--- Stopping the Server -----------------------------------------------+
Note: Stopping the server also kills the clients. X-Windows also provides the following functions: Copy and paste between terminal windows. For
more information, "The
Fast selection of window manager menu items.
For more information,
Change initial layout of screen. For more information,
see the xinit
Use Set to set various keyboard and mouse options,
display the window
Customize the window manager menu. For more
information, see
Use a tablet as a locator device. (AIX X-Windows
supports the tablet
PICTURE 7 |