#: 16724 S12/OS9/68000 (OSK)
    21-Oct-92  02:39:42
Sb: #16717-Desktop hacks
Fm: Ed Gresick 76576,3312
To: Mike Haaland 72300,1433 (X)


 Mike,

 Pulling up a directory using DESKTOP isn't exactly a 'speedy Gonzoles'.
 Much of the speed depends upon whether DESKTOP can recognize what the
 file is from its extension.  If there is no extension, it will read the
 file's header.  Once a directory has been read, the information is
 there 'permanently' - until either DESKTOP is exited or that window
 is killed.  Of course, the window can be hibernated to help reduce
 screen clutter.  DESKTOP reads a script file to determine what program
 to call, if any, when a file is selected.  I'm appending a typical
 configuration file.

 Times to read a directory the first time are -

          CMDS, all binaries, 406 files, 50 seconds
          a C directory with mostly .c files, a few .h files and
             a makefile, 44 files, 4 seconds

 DESKTOP does not use dedicated file icons.  Instead, it has several
 different icons for directories, text files, images, .c, .r .a files,
 programs, etc.  The type of file is listed in the center of the icon
 and the file name at the bottom.  If the file type can't be identified,
 the icon is filled with 0s and 1s.  Double clicking the icon will
 either execute the program or call the program the file type calls for
 in accordance with the configuration file.  Trying to execute an
 unidentified file results in an error (as to be expected).

 In addition to displaying icons, the user may elect to have the
 directory in a text mode.  This is very similar to the display
 obtained from 'dir -e' with the type of file, if recognized, added.

 Typical DESKTOP configuration file -

 shell shell
 *
 * Devices
 *
 /h0   hard
 /d0   floppy
 /r0   ram
 /h0\GWINDOWS/DESKTOP/BUCKET   bucket
 *
 *
 * File Types
 *
 :text umacs @ >>%
 :binary
 :module
 :rof  rdump @ >>%
 :prog @ >>%
 :subr
 :mult
 :data
 :trap
 :sys
 :fman
 :drvr
 :desc
 :make make -f=@ ^100 >>%
 :script  @ >>>%
 :c umacs @ >>%
 :asm  umacs @ >>%
 :font
 :qfonts
 :gadget
 :recognizer
 :image viewimage @ >>%
 :window   wedit @ >>%

 Ed Gresick - DELMAR CO