NAME

defaultsedit, defaults_merge, defaults_from_input defaults_to_indentpro, defaults_to_mailrc, indentpro_to_defaults, lockscreen_default, mailrc_to_defaults, scrolldefaults − window- and mouse-based default parameters editor

SYNOPSIS

defaultsedit

DESCRIPTION

defaultsedit is a standard tool provided with the SunView environment. 

defaultsedit presents a convenient user interface for inspecting and setting default parameters.  It can be viewed as a replacement for the traditional UNIX .∗rc files that contain options to programs.  Currently, you can use defaultsedit to manipulate options to the programs indent, mail and mailtool, stty, and defaultsedit, as well as the menu, scrollbar, text subwindow and tty subwindow packages and the SunView environment. 

Any program or package which a user can customize by setting or changing a parameter could be written such that it gets its options from the database manipulated through defaultsedit.  For information on how to do this see the chapter on the Defaults Database in the SunView System Programmer’s Guide. 

OPTIONS

defaultsedit accepts all of the generic tool arguments discussed in suntools(1). 

SUBWINDOWS

defaultsedit consists of four subwindows.  From top to bottom they are:

controlcontains the name of the category currently displayed, and buttons labeled SAVE, QUIT, RESET, and EDIT ITEM.  To change the category, click on the word CATEGORY with the left mouse button, or use the menu that pops up when you click with the right mouse button. 

messagea small text subwindow where messages from defaultsedit are displayed. 

parametersshows all current default parameter names with corresponding values.  Clicking the left mouse button over a parameter displays a help string in the message subwindow. 

edita small text subwindow which enables text editing of parameter values.  This is useful for very long text values, such as a long mailing list. 

USING DEFAULTSEDIT

SAVESaves the current values for all categories in your private database — that is, the .defaults file in your home directory. 

QUITexits without saving any changes. 

RESETresets the default parameters of the current category to the values in your private database. This is useful if you change some values, then change your mind and want to restore the original values. 

EDIT ITEMPressing the right mouse button over the EDIT ITEM button brings up a menu with three choices:  COPY ITEM, DELETE ITEM and EDIT LABEL.  Only text or numeric items can be edited.  Also, note that edits made using this menu will appear only in your private defaults database, not in the master database.  The three editing operations are described below. 

COPY ITEMSelecting COPY ITEM causes the current item to be duplicated.  You can then edit both the label and the value of the the newly created item.  Only items with text or numeric values can be copied in this way.  COPY ITEM is useful when you want to change the number of instances of a certain type of item — for example, to insert a new mail alias into your defaults database. 

DELETE ITEM
Selecting DELETE ITEM will delete the current item from your private database. It cannot be permanently deleted if the corresponding node is present in the master database. However, you can make it behave like an undefined node by giving it the special value \255Undefined\255. 

EDIT LABEL
Selecting EDIT LABEL allows you to edit the label of the current item. When you select EDIT LABEL, the label of the current item changes from bold to normal face.  Then you can select the label and edit it as a normal panel text item.

FILES

~/.defaults/usr/lib/defaults/∗.d
Note: A performance optimzation may be enabled by setting the Private_only parameter in the Defaults category. If this is set to True, only the user’s private defaults file is consulted.

SEE ALSO

Windows and Window-Based Tools: Beginner’s Guide

The SunView System Programmer’s Guide

BUGS

Editing of choice items or categories is not supported by defaultsedit.  Neither is editing of the master defaults database — to add a new program to the master defaults database, you have to edit a master defaults textfile. 
Switching between certain categories may cause the database to be reread and over-write any changed values. Therefore, using the "Save" button for each category changed is recommended.
 

Sun Release 3.2  —  Last change: 29 May 1986