Any new software installation has "default" settings that you may not like. For me, e17 always seems to be set up with default desktop and window behaviors that drive me bananas. This How-To will deal with changing the way your OzOS installation does (or doesn't) do the following things:
1. Edge Flipping between Virtual Desktops;
2. Focusing application windows with mouse clicks; and
3. Putting icons on the Desktop
Along the way, we'll be using some excellent gui tools to achieve these changes and you may like to experiment with some of the other settings that are available.
Let's start.
1. Edge Flipping between Virtual Desktops
I use Virtual Desktops a lot. I love them. But I want to move between them deliberately, not every time my mouse happens to touch the edge of the screen. That's the default behavior in every e17 installation I've ever used and I really don't like it. Here's how to change that behavior.
From the main menu, select Configuration>Configuration Panel
In the first column of icons, select "Screen" and in the second column select "Virtual Desktops"
Use the "Advanced" button (near the bottom-right of the dialog) to get all the options. Your dialog should look something like this:
The "Desktops" area shows a preview of all your desktops - you can use the sliders to change both number and layout.
Its the "Desktop Mouse Flip" area you need to change to stop (or start) edge flipping.
The first check box is the one you want to disable to stop the flipping. (You will still be able to navigate between VDs by mouse-clicks on the visual "pager" or via keyboard shortcuts - using the Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys)
I tend to leave the other options enabled (I quite like being able to drag a window to an adjacent desktop and making the navigation of desktops a continuous loop by allowing them to wrap)
When all is as you want it, click "Apply" and then "OK". You are done.
2. Window focus on click
Second only to edge-flipping in the Annoying Behaviors Top Ten is default window focus settings on e17 - windows don't get focus unless you click on the title bar.
Lets change that so clicking anywhere on a partly buried windows brings it to the top and gives it focus.
Open the "Configuration Settings" tool again (Configuration>Configuration Settings from the Main menu)
Select "Windows" in the first column and "Window Focus" in the second.
We will use the "Advanced" settings.
You can change a number of things here to make windows behave as you want them (That's applications windows in OzOS - not MS WindowsTM - that NEVER behaves as I want!)
"Focus" should be "Click to focus"
"New Window Focus" should be "All new windows get focus"; and, most importantly,
There should be a check against "A click in a window always focuses it" in "Other Settings".
Do "Apply" and "OK" and you are done.
3. Desktop Icons
My personal preference when using e17 is to have a clean desktop - no icons.
By default OzOS does have icons on the Desktop (its less scary for new users that way)
To turn them off, you have to change the behavior of the e17 native file manager.
Start up the Configuration Settings tool again (Configuration>Configuration Settings from the Main menu)
Select "File Manager" in the first column and "File Manager" in the second.
You need to uncheck the checkbox next to "Show Desktop Icons" to have a clean desktop - or check it to get them back.
The /Desktop folder in your home directory will still be active whether or not the icons are shown on the Desktop. You just need to navigate to it with your file manager like any other folder.
Remember - e17 is one of the most configurable Linux desktop managers there is. If there is something you would like change about the way it looks or behaves, it can probably be done. Use this and our other how-tos to explore the configuration options and then try out your ideas. The CafeLinux Forums are always there if you need help and, of course, you can use the OzOS "back-up e17" (available if you have installed the oz-desktop-extras package from Applications>System Tools on the Main menu) to protect your system from inadvertent breakage.
Aubrey
OzOS Specialist in Inadvertent Breakage
