1) New configuration mode 1-1) Directories Now, everything goes to ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep or /usr/share/afterstep ! You can use your old .steprc config file with afterstep -f myoldsteprc, however, this isn't recommended. New versions of asapps (ie the nice little programs included in apps/) will also put their config. file here in a near future, like modules currently do. 1-2) AfterStep config. files & colordeph If your colordepth is 8bpp, files ending by .8bpp will be used, the same for 16bpp & 32bpp : it allows you to have different configuration for color-rich or color-poor X, different videocards, etc. 1-3) Config. files in this directory 1-3-A) Files you must *not* change 1-3-A1) "autoexec.(yourcolordepth)bpp" will launch several programs at startup; however, your desktop configuration when you close AfterStep is saved in ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/.windows (this file is called from autoexec) 1-3-A2) "base.(yourcolordepth)bpp" configures directories where AfterStep, its modules & its pixmaps are 1-3-A3) "startmenu" is remade everytime you start/restart AfterStep : don't edit it ! All changes will be lost ! 1-3-A4) in "desktop" directory, you mustn't change files in desks/ hierarchy. YOU SHOULDN'T NEED TO MODIFY THEESE FILES !!! 1-3-B) Files you can change 1-3-B1) "modulesname" configures modules (like Auto, Wharf, Pager, Audio) : change it the way you like (except Pager background files) 1-3-B2) "start" directory : simply put here files to add to 'Start' menu, for exemple, creating a file called 'My option' containing 'xedit' will create a 'My option' entry in 'Start' menu, which will lauch 'xedit' when clicked. You can also createe subdirectories to create submenus ! All this is read when AfterStep is launch & a temporary "startmenu" file is created, so don't edit it since all your changes will be lost ! WARNING : you must end the line by a carriage return or AfterStep will complain about the popup lacking an end spec or something. 1-3-B3) "desktop/backgrounds" directory : put there pictures you'd like to put in the background, however XPM format is obligatory ! cp mypicture.xpm ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/desktop/backgrounds Then, restart AfterStep & open 'Start/Desktop/Background pictures' to change screen background : your picture has been automatically added to Desktop menu. Solid colors can also be put, just copy this example : ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/desktop/backgrounds/black.xpm 1-3-B4) "desktop/buttons" directory : if you add your own window buttons here, you will have to create a look file 1-3-B5) "desktop/icons" directory : if you add your own window icons here, you will have to create a feel file 1-3-B6) "desktop/sounds" directory : if you add your own sounds here, you will have to edit "modules" to configure Audio 1-3-B7) "desktop/feels/" & "desktop/looks" : see section below 2) New functions Start menu is opened when you left click in the root window while right clicking will open a list of all windows opened 2-1) look & feel files "look" & "feel" files live in "desktop/looks" & "desktop/feels/"; they define windows colors & reactions ! If you wish to create your own file, just refer to afterstep man page ! If you want to change AfterStep look without restart it, just select the look of your choice in 'Start/Desktop/Looks/', in 2 seconds all windows will be redrawn with that look & all modules will be restarted. If you want to change AfterStep feel (ie the way it reacts), just do the same with feel files ! NB : You can use diffent look & different feel files on different desktops, however since this is very CPU hungry, it isn't defined by default ! Just edit configure.h & define DIFFERENTLOOKNFEELFOREACHDESKTOP ! NB2: But by default, you can use different pictures for each desktop, just change them in 'Start/Desktop/Background picture', to add more options simply put XPM pictures in "desktop/backgrounds" directory. 2-2) GetHelp When you want to open a program manpage, just right click on left button ! Help program is defined in configure.h 2-3) Zap When you want to change to next window with the less effort possible, just type Alt-Tab or left click on left button ! 2-4) Menu fonctions To move a windows to another desktop (you can also drag in from the pager), to resize it (...) just left click on second left button 2-5) Windows opened To know which windows are opened, just right click on second left button. You can also focus on a specific window clicking on it in this list ! 2-6) Put in foreground / Put in background Click on the titlebar to do this ; Alt-F11 will put current window on top af all the others while Alt-F10 will put current window in the backgound of all the others ! 2-7) Iconify/Maximise Iconifying a window is changing it to a little picture (with or without background, edit configure.h to change this) Left clicking/Right clicking on first right button will respectively do this ! 2-8) Shade/Stick Shading a window is hiding it behind its titlebar. Sticking it is making the window follow you on any screen. Left clicking/Right clicking on second right button will respectively do this ! 2-9) Closing/Killing Closing a window is ending a program normally. Killing a window is closing a program which doesn't answer anylonger. Left clicking/Right clicking on third right button will respectively do this ! 2-10) Desktop saving When you close AfterStep, all the windows still opened are saved in ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/.windows, next time you start, AfterStep will open them by himself ! Edit configure.h & add NO_SAVEWINDOWS if you don't want that. Module Save isn't doing the same : it writes desktop state in ~/.xinitrc (default for each relauch), so for exemple : * put "modules/Save/Save desktop into xinitrc" into "~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/start/Modules/" & restart afterstep : this entry is added into startmenu. * open a clock, a biff, some programs you always want to have & run : Modules/Save desktop into xinitrc * close all this stuff FIRST, then afterstep & restart : it's back here ! * if you then reclose & restart AF, programs you've written in xinitrc will also be written in ~/GNUstep/Library/AfterStep/.windows, therefore you should ONLY USE afterstep default saving rather than Module Save's ugly one ! 2-11) Start/Quit/Close this session This will ask you wheter or not you want to close current session. 2-12) asapps Many programs are included, like asclock, ascd ... To run any, just click on 'Start/Application/StEP Applications' NB : if you don't compile & install xiterm with XPM support, you won't be able to run "X terminal (pixmap)" ! NB2: IF YOU WANT TO USE "pppchecker" TO CALL, DON'T FORGET TO CREATE ~/.ppprc ; AN EXEMPLE IS INCLUDED IN applications/asppp/ppprc NB3: If you're using bash & xiterm, try : PS1='(\u@\h:\w)% \[\033]0;\w\007\]' tcsh fans will use : set prompt="%{\033]2;%n@%M:%/ - %l\007\033]1;%l@%m\007%}[%T] %B%m%b:%.02 %# " And watch xiterm titlebar while you change directory ... very COOL !