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System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices


Customizing the InfoExplorer Windows Program

You can customize the InfoExplorer program by setting defaults and preferences. For example, you can specify which information bases and printer to use by default. You can also specify such things as the number of history events to track and the type of print output.

The primary difference between defaults and preferences is that the InfoExplorer program initiates defaults at startup. When setting defaults, you must exit and restart the program to have the changes take effect (except for default printer settings). When setting preferences, the changes take place immediately.

The following sections describe customizing the InfoExplorer Window Interface:

Changing Defaults in the InfoExplorer Window Interface

In InfoExplorer, you can set many defaults. The InfoExplorer program uses the default settings at startup. Use the Defaults option in the Options pull-down menu to set defaults for:

Changing the Default Window Size

When you start the InfoExplorer program, window size is determined by system default. You can customize the default window size to suit your needs. Specifically, you can set the default window size for navigation and reading windows using the Window Size option in the Options pull-down menu. The new default then determines the window size for current and future InfoExplorer sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Window Size with the InfoExplorer Program (InfoExplorer Help). For information on changing window size using the .Xdefaults file, see Setting Window Size with X Resources (InfoExplorer Help).

Designating a Default Navigation Article

By system default, the InfoExplorer program initially displays the Topic & Task Index as the primary navigation article. You can change this default to the navigation article that best suits your purposes. Then, at startup, the InfoExplorer program automatically displays the new default navigation article.

For procedural information, see Setting Defaults (InfoExplorer Windows).

Designating Default Files

You might want a trainee to follow a specific path while using the InfoExplorer program, or you might want to retrace your path from a previous session. To handle this, you can designate a specific history file as the default history file. Then, when you use the History option, the default history file leads you or the trainee down the designated path.

You can also designate a bookmarks file or a notes file as the default bookmarks or notes file and follow those specific paths in subsequent sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Defaults (InfoExplorer Help).

Designating a Default Note Template File

When you create a note in InfoExplorer, the note editor window is initially blank. You can type the note into the blank window or paste in selected text from the reading window. To use a specific form when writing notes, you can specify a note template. If you have built and saved many note templates, you can designate one of them as the default. Then, when you use the Note option, the InfoExplorer program displays the default note template.

For procedural information, see Setting Defaults (InfoExplorer Help).

Changing the Default Search Information Base

By default, when you search with the InfoExplorer program, the search includes all information bases loaded with the program. However, it is not always necessary to include every information base in your search. To make your searches more efficient, you can specify which information bases to search during current and future sessions. You can also easily reset the selection to its original form (system default) so that the information bases loaded with the program are again included in a search.

For procedural information, see Setting Defaults (InfoExplorer Help).

Designating Default Printers

You might have printers that are better suited for artwork or pretty print. The Pretty Print option uses the troff program to convert a document to output for a phototypesetter. With the InfoExplorer program, you can designate a default printer for each of the different types of print: simple (text print), pretty (more elaborate print, retaining text font and style characteristics), or artwork. When you issue a print command for a screen containing one type of print or artwork, the printer you have designated automatically receives that particular command.

For example, when you choose the Print Graphic option of the info pull-down menu, the print job is automatically sent to the printer you designated for artwork.

Note: The troff document-formatting program must be installed on your system before you can use the pretty print feature.

For procedural information, see Setting Defaults (InfoExplorer Help).

Changing Preferences in the InfoExplorer Window Interface

In InfoExplorer, you can set many preferences. You use the Preferences option in the Customize pull-down menu to set defaults for:

Changing the Font Size

If the font size in the reading and navigation windows is too large or too small, you can change the default font size. The system default font size is medium. However, you can change it to X-small, small, large, or X-large. You can then apply the changes to the current session or both current and future sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).

Changing the Artwork Display

Some hypertext articles have artwork. You determine whether to display this artwork in an artwork window or in the reading window. To do this, you select one of the Inline, Separate Window, or Don't Care options of the Customize pull-down menu. If you choose the Don't Care option, artwork appears in a separate artwork window unless specifically designed to appear in the reading window.

After determining how to display artwork, you can apply the changes to the current session only or to current and future sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).

Auto-Holding Articles

The Auto-Hold option of the Customize pull-down menu determines whether the InfoExplorer program opens a new reading window for each new article. By system default, the InfoExplorer program replaces the contents of a reading window when you link to another article. To keep articles open as you move through the information base, you use the Auto-Hold option. When you set the Auto-Hold option to On, you can follow links without losing the articles from which you have linked. You can apply the changes to the current session only or to current and future sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).

Designating Print Article

You can select between Simple Print and Pretty Print. Simple Print does not support graphics. The Pretty Print option uses the troff program to convert a document to output for a phototypesetter.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).

Changing the History Event Size

A history list can range in size from 0 (zero) to 500 events. For example, if the history list size is set at 10 events, the history list contains your last 10 links.

The system default for the history event size is 100 events. You can change the default size to fit your particular situation. You can then apply the changes to the current session only or to current and future sessions.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).

Changing the Preferred Library

You can designate one of the defined libraries as a "preferred library" to be used if InfoExplorer is started without a library specified at the command line.

For procedural information, see Setting Preferences (InfoExplorer Help).


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