DTFILE(1)

📦
version 2.5.3 · 2 versions
, in nixos 26.05

💖 NAME 💖

Okay bestie, meet dtfile — the CDE File Manager. That’s the whole name line, and yes, the page header is dtfile(user cmd), folded in here so we can get straight to the good stuff ✨.

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

dtfile [options...]

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

📌 Note, bestie: Although dtfile may be invoked from the command line, developers who wish to interface to File Manager function should use CDE Actions (see “CDE Actions” in “RELATED INFORMATION”). That’s the official vibe check, no cap.

The CDE File Manager is the Desktop’s primary interface to the file system. It provides a GUI for file manipulation and application execution. Literally the main character of your file-management era 💅.

The main File Manager interface consists of a top-level window which shows the contents of a single folder or a set of nested folders (folder tree). A single File Manager process may provide many top-level windows, each of which may show the contents of a different folder. Obsessed with the multi-window energy 🫶.

The File Manager has many manipulation features. It will allow a user to:

  • Traverse folders via a double-click, menu options, or a click-and-type mechanism.
  • Change folder display modes (i.e. large icons, small icons, alphabetical order, date order, single folder, folder tree, etc.) and filtering options.
  • Create, move, copy, link, and delete objects via menu options and/or drag-and-drop.
  • Rename objects via menu options or a click-and-type mechanism.
  • Modify object file system attributes via menu options.
  • Invoke actions (applications such as Edit or Print) on objects via a double-click, menu options, or drag-and-drop.
  • Locate objects by name or by contents.
  • Place frequently used objects on a desktop/workspace.

The File Manager also supports additional features for two special types of top-level windows: application views and the trash container 👑.

Application views are designed to organize application objects such as actions.

Application view windows have the same general appearance and function as folder windows with the following exceptions:

  • The user is not allowed to traverse above the main application view.
  • When a user drags an object from an application view to another application view or to a folder, the object is copied to the new location (as opposed to being moved as is the case in a folder.)

The trash container is designed to be a holding area for objects that users wish to delete. Like application views, the trash container window has the same general appearance as a folder window; however, trash container function differs as follows: Users may move, restore, or delete a trash object and may change the display mode for the trash container. Users MAY NOT:

  • Traverse out of the trash container.
  • Copy, rename, or execute any other manipulation on a trash object.

🛠️ Key Supported Tasks 🛠️

🖥️ Desktop 🖥️

A Desktop is a place where users can store commonly used objects for easy access. Within the CDE, each workspace is considered a Desktop. A user may place any object on the background of a workspace and the object will remain there. The user can also select actions for that object via a popup menu which is activated by selecting mouse button 3. Mouse button 3 is the secret menu handshake, iykyk 🖱️.

📁 Folder Window 📁

A folder window is a top-level window which shows the contents of a single folder or a set of nested folders (folder tree). Folder windows may be launched from the Front Panel, actions, or a command line interface. The objects in a folder are displayed in a user-selected icon/text combination. The icon visual shows the icon type. Users can use menu options to reread folder views, open new folder views, and to select/unselect all objects in a folder. In tree mode, buttons next to icons representing subfolders allow users to expand or collapse folder branches and to control whether all objects in a folder or only the folder structure is shown in the window. Folder tree branch control is lowkey iconic 🌳.

🧩 Application View Window 🧩

An application view window is a top-level window which shows the contents of a single application folder. An application folder is a restricted folder which is designed to organize application objects such as actions. Application views are launched from the Front Panel or a predefined action.

🗑️ Trash Container Window 🗑️

When an object is no longer needed, a user can move the object to the trash container. The trash container is a restricted folder which is used to store files temporarily until the user asks to permanently remove them. A user can view the contents of the trash container in a top level window which is launched from a menu option in a folder or application view, the Front Panel, or a predefined action. Users can also restore objects from the trash container provided that actions have not been taken to permanently remove them. Restore-window rights: respected 🫶.

✨ Object Movement and Modification ✨

Menu options are provided which allow users to create objects, rename objects, copy objects, modify object properties, and move objects to a desktop or to the trash container. (NOTE: In addition to the menu options, users can rename objects with the following steps:

  1. Click mouse button 1 on the text portion of an object icon.
  2. An edit box will appear; type the new file name.
  3. Select Enter.)

So yes, bestie, click the text, type the new name, hit Enter. Rename speedrun, periodt 💅.

💾 File System Awareness 💾

The File Manager is file system aware. It can be enabled to launch dialogs that allow editing of file system specific parameters (See FILES - dtfile.config). File-system-specific parameter editing is a whole vibe ⚙️.

A menu option/dialog box combination is provided to allow users to search for objects by name or by content. During a name search, the File Manager looks for an object whose name matches specified search criteria. During a content search, the File Manager looks for an object which contains specified character strings. Content searches are case insensitive. When an object is located, the File Manager can either open a window to display the folder where the object is located or place the object on the desktop. Search by name or by content — both slay 🔥.

🧭 Folder Traversal 🧭

Simple folder traversal can be accomplished by double-clicking on a folder icon. This action displays the contents of the selected folder. If the user moves the mouse before releasing the mouse button on the second click of a double click (“double-click-drag” action), a new window will pop up to show the contents of the selected folder. The new window will be placed at the position where the user released the mouse button. Double-click-drag is giving “open it right here” energy ✨.

In addition, the File Manager provides the following folder traversal mechanisms:

  • 💬 This dialog lists folders that are frequently used. A user may traverse to a new folder by double-clicking on a folder in this list.
  • Click-and-Type Mechanism — When a user clicks on the “Text Path”, it is remapped to a text edit widget. Again the user may traverse to a new folder by typing a new folder title and then selecting Enter.
  • Iconic Path Selection — If a user double-clicks on a folder icon in the iconic path, the File Manager will update the current window to show the contents of the selected folder.
  • Find Dialog — This dialog searches the file system for a folder or folders whose name(s) match user-supplied criteria. The user may open new windows for folders located by the Find dialog.
  • Home and Up Menu Options — These options allow the user to traverse to $HOME and parent folders respectively.
  • Tree Display Mode — In this mode, the folder hierarchy is displayed as a tree that can be traversed by selecting the buttons located next to the folder icons (See Tree Mode below).
  • Tree Mode — In tree mode, the current folder and its subfolders are shown initially. Traversing into subfolders can be accomplished by single-clicking on the button next to the folder icon. Clicking the left mouse button over the folder button cycles through three states: partially expanded, fully expanded, and collapsed. Clicking the middle mouse button cycles through these three states in reverse order. When the user first clicks on the folder button, the contents of the subfolder are read and added to the tree (partially expanded state). If the user clicks on the button a second time, the non-folder contents of the folder are added to the tree (fully expanded state). If the user clicks on the button a third time, the folder contents are removed from the tree (collapsed state). If a folder does not have subfolders, the partially expanded state is skipped. If a folder does not contain non-folder objects, the fully expanded state is skipped. If a folder is empty, the folder button is desensitized. Three-state folder button cycle? The way that is so specific and so iconic 🎀.

🎨 Setting Display Preferences 🎨

The File Manager provides many options for displaying objects. For example, objects can be displayed in iconic or non-iconic formats. The user may also choose to position files in either a grid or random pattern. (NOTE: The File Manager provides a Clean Up menu option which can be used to align randomly placed objects to a grid pattern.) If the user has write permission in a folder and the user chooses to randomly place files, the positioning information is saved when the user leaves the folder. Therefore, each time the user reenters the folder the files will be positioned as they were when the user left the folder. Random placement that remembers itself? We love a folder with memory 🌈.

🧚 Object Filtering 🧚

Folders can contain many different types of objects. The File Manager’s filtering mechanism allows the user to selectively display objects depending on their type. The File Manager also provides a Show Hidden Files menu toggle option which allows the user to turn the filtering mechanism on and off. Show Hidden Files toggle — the plot twist button 👀.

🎬 Object Type/Action Association 🎬

When an object is selected, the File Manager builds an Actions menu for that object based on the type of the object. For example, data files are provided with a menu containing the following actions: Open, Print. Folders are provided with a menu containing: OpenNewView, OpenInPlace. Actions can be run on an object by selecting an object and then selecting an action from the Actions menu. Also, double-clicking on an object will activate the default action for the object. Object-type-based Actions menu? Main character behavior 👑.

❓ Quick Help ❓

The File Manager provides quick help via F1 throughout the dtfile application. This includes quick help on object icons. To access quick help, position the cursor/pointer over the item for which you wish to get help, then press F1. Cursor over the thing, F1, boom — help acquired 🫶.

Okay so bestie, the File Manager literally serves popup menus for objects inside a File Manager view or on the Desktop. To pop one open for a specific object, you put the cursor over that object and press and hold mouse button 3 💅. A popup menu appears — and it's giving exactly the list of actions you can do to that object.

And if you've selected multiple objects? The popup menu shows all of those actions that can be done on all of the selected objects at once. Team work, no cap 🫶.

✋ Direct Manipulation

Objects can be dragged between different File Manager views, to Desktops, and to cooperating clients. Direct manipulation may be used to copy, move, or link objects, and also to supply objects as input to applications. Peep the REGISTERING OBJECTS AS DROP SITES section for the deets 📌.

The File Manager also supports drops of buffers on its views and objects such as CDE Mailer attachments. Very slay of it.

⌨️ Terminal Access

There's a menu option that gives users access to terminal windows. That's it, that's the whole vibe 🖥️✨.

🚪 Exit Services

Menu options exist that let users close File Manager views, and that let users save setting information before exiting a File Manager session. Log off responsibly 💖.

🪄 Object Name Completion

The File Manager supports object name completion in these text widgets, and yes I'm listing them:

  • the "Text path"
  • the "Destination Folder" field of the "Go To" dialog
  • the "Search Folder" field of the "Find" dialog

Press control+spacebar and the name will complete to the extent that it can. Iconic. ✨

🌍 Multibyte Character Set Support

The File Manager is fully internationalized. It supports both single-byte and multi-byte locales. Global queen behavior 🌈👑.

🚨 Error Condition Notification

The File Manager uses dialog boxes to report various error conditions. So when something goes wrong, you get a lil box about it 🙈.

✨ OPTIONS ✨

The following options are available from the command line. Buckle up, there's a lot 🎀:

🖥️ -noview

Dtfile runs in "server mode". In other words, a window is not displayed until a cooperating client makes a request to display a folder. Lowkey shy but make it infrastructure 💅.

💾 -session session_file

Dtfile runs with the session file specified in the session_file parameter. Session files are generated as a dtfile session shuts down. Very "we saved your vibes for later" 🫶.

📁 -dir folder

OR

📂 -folder folder

Dtfile displays a window for each folder specified in the folder parameter.

Heads up bestie: no spaces are allowed in folder fr fr.

If this option is not used, the user's current folder (the folder from which dtfile was started) is displayed.

🏷️ -title title_name

This option lets the user specify a title (title_name) for the File Manager windows. All windows and dialogs generated by this session will use this title. If this option is not used, the name of the folder shown in a window will be used as the window title. Main character window energy, honestly 💖.

📖 -help_volume help_volume_name

Lets the user specify a help volume (help_volume_name) to use with the File Manager windows. This option is useful if the user is using the File Manager to display a specific folder and wants specific help for that folder.

Note: All File Manager views that are created from this folder will also use this help volume. It spreads, iykyk 🦋.

🔒 -restricted

Dtfile will not display folders above the restricted folder — nope, not going up there 🙅‍♀️. If the -dir option is used, the folder specified by that option is the restricted folder. If the -dir option is not used, the user's current folder is the restricted folder.

🔲 -grid on/off

Dtfile displays files in a pattern specified by the on/off parameter. As the name implies, on/off will either have a value of on or a value of off.

  • on — Files are always displayed in a grid pattern. The File Manager automatically rearranges the files if a file is moved. This is the default pattern. ✨
  • off — Files are always displayed where they are placed by the user. The File Manager does not rearrange the files. Chaos, but make it intentional 💀.

🌳 -tree on/off

Controls whether dtfile displays files in single folder mode (off) or in folder tree mode (on).

🌲 -tree_files never/always/choose

Controls whether or not files may be displayed in the folder tree mode.

  • never — Files are never displayed. The user may toggle between two states: partially expanded and collapsed.
  • always — Files are always displayed. The user may toggle between two states: fully expanded and collapsed.
  • choose — Files may or may not be displayed. The user may toggle between three states: partially expanded, fully expanded, or collapsed.

Three-state toggle? She's flexible, we love her 🧚.

🔤 -order order_type

Dtfile displays files in the order specified by the order_type parameter. order_type must have one of the following values:

  • alphabetical — Files are displayed in alphabetical order. This is the default order.
  • file_type — Files are displayed in groups based on their filetypes.
  • date — Files are displayed in an order based on the date when they were last modified.
  • size — Files are displayed in an order based on their size.

👀 -view view_type

Dtfile displays files in the format specified by the view_type parameter. view_type must have one of the following values:

  • no_icon — Files are displayed by name.
  • large_icon — Files are displayed by name and large icon. The icon shows the type of the file. This is the default format. 🎀
  • small_icon — Files are displayed by name and small icon. The icon shows the type of the file.
  • attributes — Files are displayed by attributes. A small icon is used to represent the file type. (This format is similar to the listing obtained by issuing ls -l from an aixterm command line.)

↕️ -direction direction

Dtfile displays files in the direction specified by the direction parameter. direction must have one of the following values:

  • ascending — Files are displayed in an ascending direction. This is the default direction.
  • descending — Files are displayed in a descending direction.
Okay so listen 👂: both the -noview and the -session options are normally used by the session manger to start dtfile. The -title, -help_volume, and -restricted options can also be set via resources (see the RESOURCES section). The -grid, -tree, -treefiles, -order, -view, and -direction options can also be set by 1) selecting the Set Preferences option from the View pulldown menu or by 2) resources (see the RESOURCES section).

📏 -small_icon_width size

The default small icon width is 24 pixels. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped (😭 not the clipping). To avoid clipping, use this option to specify small icon width. size must be in pixel.

📐 -small_icon_height size

The default small icon height is 24 pixels. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this option to specify small icon height. size must be in pixel.

🖼️ -large_icon_width size

The default large icon width is 38 pixels. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this option to specify large icon width. size must be in pixel.

🖼️ -large_icon_height size

The default large icon height is 38 pixels. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this option to specify large icon height. size must be in pixel.

🌸 EXAMPLES 🌸

🗓️ dtfile -view no_icon -order date -direction

The File Manager will display files in text format, ordered by date, most current to oldest date. Fresh to stale, we respect the timeline ⭐.

🔐 dtfile -dir /u/guest -restricted

The File Manager will begin execution by displaying a window showing the /u/guest folder. The user will not be allowed to navigate above this folder. Boundaries, bestie 🫶.

💾 dtfile -session session.jan.12

The File Manager will run with the session file called session.jan.12. Cute name, honestly 🎀.

🎛️ RESOURCES 🎛️

Here's the whole resource fam — name, class, type, default. Every single one, no skipping 💅:

  • dirWidth — Class DirWidth, Type XmRDimension, Default 555
  • dirHeight — Class DirHeight, Type XmRDimension, Default 305
  • appWidth — Class AppWidth, Type XmRDimension, Default 365
  • appHeight — Class AppHeight, Type XmRDimension, Default 365
  • rereadTime — Class RereadTime, Type XmRInt, Default 10 (s)
  • checkBrokenLink — Class CheckBrokenLink, Type XmRInt, Default 180 (s)
  • maxDirectoryProcesses — Class MaxDirectoryProcesses, Type XmRInt, Default 10
  • maxRereadProcesses — Class MaxRereadProcesses, Type XmRInt, Default 5
  • maxRereadProcsPerTick — Class MaxRereadProcsPerTick, Type XmRInt, Default 1
  • moveThreshold — Class MoveThreshold, Type XmRInt, Default 4 (pix)
  • title — Class Title, Type XmRString, Default NULL
  • rootTitle — Class RootTitle, Type XmRString, Default "ROOT"
  • help_volume — Class Help_volume, Type XmRString, Default NULL
  • fileManagerIcon — Class FileManagerIcon, Type XmRString, Default home.i.bm
  • restrictMode — Class RestrictMode, Type XmRBoolean, Default false
  • showFilesystem — Class ShowFilesystem, Type XmRBoolean, Default true
  • grid — Class Grid, Type string, Default on
  • treeView — Class TreeView, Type string, Default off
  • treeFiles — Class TreeFiles, Type string, Default never
  • order — Class Order, Type string, Default alpha
  • view — Class View, Type string, Default large_icon
  • direction — Class Direction, Type string, Default ascend
  • desktopIcon — Class DesktopIcon, Type string, Default large
  • objectPlacement — Class ObjectPlacement, Type string, Default top rt
  • openFolder — Class OpenFolder, Type string, Default current
  • smallIconWidth — Class SmallIconWidth, Type XmRInt, Default 16
  • smallIconHeight — Class SmallIconHeight, Type XmRInt, Default 16
  • largeIconWidth — Class LargeIconWidth, Type XmRInt, Default 32
  • largeIconHeight — Class LargeIconHeight, Type XmRInt, Default 32

📏 Dtfile *dirWidth

Specifies the width of a File Manager folder window.

📐 Dtfile *dirHeight

Specifies the height of a File Manager folder window.

🪟 Dtfile *appWidth

Specifies the width of a File Manager application view window

🪟 Dtfile *appHeight

Specifies the height of a File Manager application view window.

🔄 Dtfile *rereadTime

Determines how often the File Manager rereads the open folders and monitors the Desktop objects. This resource must be specified in seconds.

If it is set to 0, the reread will not occur and the user must manually reread the folders. This will conserve processor cycles but may cause views to become stale as well. Tradeoffs, bestie 😭.

Determines how often the File Manager checks open folders for broken links. This resource must be specified in seconds.

If it is set to 0, the check for broken links will not occur.
  • Dtfile *maxDirectoryProcesses — sets the maximum number of background processes that can be devoted to folder activities. And yes, that includes reading the folder, updating the folder, writing positional information for the folder, checking for broken links, and checking for other folder updates. 💅
  • Dtfile *maxRereadProcesses — sets the maximum number of background processes devoted to folder reread activities, aka checking for broken links or checking for other folder updates. ✨
  • Dtfile *maxRereadProcsPerTick — sets how many reread processes may be started per reread timer tick. In other words, the currently displayed folders get checked for changes in a round-robin fashion: x folders per timer tick, where x is equal to maxRereadProcsPerTick. 🎀
  • Dtfile *moveThreshold — sets the number of pixels the cursor must move while a button is held down before the drag controller recognizes that button-down action as a drag. 🖱️
  • Dtfile *title — sets the title for all File Manager windows. If this resource is set to NULL, then the title of each File Manager window will be the name of the folder displayed in that window. 🪟
  • Dtfile *rootTitle — sets the title of the root folder. This title shows up in the title bar of any File Manager window that is showing the root folder, and it’s also the name shown with the icon representing the root folder on the Desktop. 🌟
  • Dtfile *help_volume — specifies the help volume. 🧚
  • Dtfile *fileManagerIcon — specifies the icon to display when a File Manager window is minimized. 🎀
  • Dtfile *restrictMode — determines whether or not the user is operating in restricted mode. If this resource is set to true, the user is operating in restricted mode. The user is restricted to the user's $HOME folder and below. All folder change requests are interpreted relative to the user's $HOME folder. All folders above the user's $HOME folder are hidden from the user. If this resource is set to false, the user's folder requests are not limited in any way. 🔒
  • Dtfile *showFilesystem — determines whether or not the path name for the current folder is visible. If this resource is set to TRUE, the path name is visible. If it is set to FALSE, the path name is not visible. This resource can be used to hide the file system from the user. 🙈
  • Dtfile *grid — determines the pattern used to display files. This resource must have one of two values:
    • on — Files are always displayed in a grid pattern. The File Manager automatically rearranges the files if a file is moved. This is the default pattern.
    • off — Files are always displayed where they are placed by the user. The File Manager does not rearrange the files.
  • Dtfile treeView — determines whether files are displayed in single folder mode (on) or folder tree mode (off). 🌳
  • Dtfile *treeFiles — the manpage's own line here is literally This folder tree mode. (yes, that’s all it gives us, no cap 😭). The values are:
    • never — Files are never displayed. The user may toggle between two states: partially expanded and collapsed.
    • always — Files are always displayed. The user may toggle between two states: fully expanded and collapsed.
    • choose — Files may or may not be displayed. The user may toggle between three states: partially expanded, fully expanded, or collapsed.
  • Dtfile *order — determines the order used to display files. This resource must have one of four values:
    • alphabetical — Files are displayed in alphabetical order. This is the default order.
    • file_type — Files are displayed in groups based on their filetypes.
    • date — Files are displayed in an order based on the date when they were last modified.
    • size — Files are displayed in an order based on their size.
  • Dtfile *view — determines the format used to display files. This resource must have one of four values:
    • no_icon — Files are displayed by name.
    • large_icon — Files are displayed by name and large icon. The icon shows the type of the file. This is the default format.
    • small_icon — Files are displayed by name and small icon. The icon shows the type of the file.
    • attributes — Files are displayed by attributes. A small icon is used to represent the file type. This format is similar to the listing obtained by issuing ls -l from an aixterm command line.
  • Dtfile *direction — determines the direction used to display files. This resource must have one of two values:
    • ascending — Files are displayed in an ascending direction. This is the default direction.
    • descending — Files are displayed in a descending direction.
  • Dtfile *desktopIcon — determines the type of icon used to represent files/folders on the Desktop. This resource must have one of two values:
    • large — Large icons are used to represent files/folders on the Desktop.
    • small — Small icons are used to represent files/folders on the Desktop.
  • Dtfile *objectPlacement — specifies the placement scheme used to place objects on the Desktop. This resource has the following syntax: primary_layout secondary_layout. The primary_layout determines whether an object placed on the Desktop is put into a row or a column. The secondary_layout determines where to place new rows or columns. The layouts must have one of four values:
    • top — Objects are placed top to bottom. (vertical value)
    • bottom — Objects are placed bottom to top. (vertical value)
    • left — Objects are placed left to right. (horizontal value)
    • right — Objects are placed right to left. (horizontal value)

The user should use one value from each category — vertical and horizontal. For example, if the primary_layout is top, then the secondary_layout should be either left or right. In this case, the secondary_layout should NOT be top or bottom. Likewise, if the primary_layout is left, then the secondary_layout should be either top or bottom. In this case, the secondary_layout should NOT be left or right.

  • Dtfile *openFolder — determines how a folder is opened when a user double clicks on a folder icon. This resource must have one of two values:
    • current — Open the folder in the current window. This is the same as using the OpenInPlace action.
    • new — Open the folder in a new window or, if a window showing this folder currently exists, move the existing window to this workspace and place it in the forefront. Note: Only one view of a folder can be opened at once under these conditions. If the user defines an 'open folder' file type, the folder icon will change state to indicate when a given folder is currently open somewhere in the user's environment. In order to define an 'open folder' file type, the user should 1) define a file type with the same name as the normal folder file type except that the name is preceded with OPEN_, 2) create an 'open folder' icon, and 3) use the name of the 'open folder' icon as the icon name in the 'open folder' file type definition. 👑
  • Dtfile *smallIconWidth — the default small icon size is 16 pixel. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this resource to specify small icon width. 🎀
  • Dtfile *smallIconHeight — the default small icon height is 16 pixel. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this resource to specify small icon height. 🎀
  • Dtfile *largeIconWidth — the default large icon width is 32 pixel. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this resource to specify large icon width. 🦋
  • Dtfile *largeIconHeight — the default large icon height is 16 pixel. Any customized icons that have larger size will be clipped. To avoid clipping, use this resource to specify large icon height. 🦋

✨ ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS ✨

💬 Tool Talk Messages

The following Tool Talk Desktop and Media requests are supported by the File Manager:

  • Edit (Document and Media Exchange Message Set) — the specified file is opened for editing in a separate window. 📝
  • Display (Document and Media Exchange Message Set) — the specified file is opened for viewing only in a separate window. 👀
  • Quit (Desktop Message Set) — this request will terminate the File Manager and its children. 💀

🎀 CDE Actions

The following Desktop actions can be used to access File Manager folder and application view windows as well as the File Manager trash container window. These actions are defined in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/types/$LANG/dtfile.dt.

  • Dtfile — opens a folder window for a specified folder.
  • Dtappmgr — opens an application view window.
  • Dttrash — opens a window to display the contents of the Trash Container.
  • OpenNewView — opens a new window to show the contents of the selected folder.
  • OpenInPlace — displays the contents of the selected folder in the current window.
  • FILESYSTEM_MOVE — moves a set of dragged objects to the selected drop site.
  • FILESYSTEM_COPY — copies a set of dragged objects to the selected drop site.
  • FILESYSTEM_LINK — creates symbolic links to a set of dragged objects from the selected drop site.

🫶 Registering Objects As Drop Sites

Every CDE data type has three associated drop attributes: MOVE_TO_ACTION, COPY_TO_ACTION, and LINK_TO_ACTION. The File Manager registers every object whose data type has a value for at least one of these attributes as a drop site.

When an object is dragged to a drop site, the File Manager is triggered by the drag-and-drop API. The drag-and-drop API provides the File Manager with a gesture code (Move, Copy, or Link) which is dictated by a combination of the modifier keys used and the manner in which the drop site was registered. Based on the gesture code and the data type of the drop site, the File Manager retrieves a drop attribute (ie. MOVE_TO_ACTION) from the Datatypes database. The File Manager then calls the CDE API, DtActionInvoke according to the following rules:

  1. If objects A and B are dropped on object C, then the parameters to DtActionInvoke are as follows:
DtActionInvoke (drop action name, C, A, B)
  1. There is one exception: if object C is an action, then the parameters will not include object C. ie
DtActionInvoke (drop action name, A, B)

🌸 FILES 🌸

Okay so File Manager uses the following files — yes, all of them, bestie, it’s giving “whole squad” energy 💅✨

🌟 dtfile

Executable file. This file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/bin.

🎀 dtfile_copy

Utility to support folder copy. This executable file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/bin.

🫶 dtfile_error

This script can be used by applications to display an error dialog when it would be difficult or impossible to do in the context of the executing program. For example, it can be used when exec fails in a child process or if an error is detected before an application’s main window can be realized. This executable file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/bin.

🦋 Dtfile

App-defaults file. This file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/app-defaults/$LANG. See the RESOURCES section for a list of those resources which can be set using the app-defaults file.

💖 dtfile.config

Configuration file. This file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/config/$LANG. It may be used to add a file system specific button to the File Properties dialog. This button launches an additional dialog allowing the user to modify file system specific parameters. For example, the user can add a stanza defining a dialog for setting the Access Control List for a file from the Andrew File System. If the user also adds a stanza defining a dialog for setting the Access Control List for the Distributed File System, then the File Manager will determine which dialog is associated with the selected file and will display that dialog. See the text in the dtfile.config file for instructions on how to create stanzas.

🌈 dtfile.dt

CDE type/action definition file. This file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/types/$LANG.

Icon files. These files are located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/icons/$LANG.

🧚 dtfile.cat

Message catalog. This file is located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/lib/nls/msg/$LANG.

👑 Filemgr.sdl, FM*.tif, FM*.pm

Help files. These files are located in /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/help/$LANG/Filemgr and /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/help/$LANG/Filemgr/graphics.

💜 dtfile.1

Man page. Iconic, honestly.

💖 SEE ALSO 💖

Go peek at these if you want the full lore, bestie:

  • Data Interchange Mechanisms (drag-and-drop library)
  • Window Manager
  • Object Services (action/filetype database)
  • ICCCM Messaging
  • ToolTalk

💅 signed, sealed, delivered by the dtfile(user cmd) source/version footer — plus whatever date your copy stamped down there — because every manual deserves a cute little outro, periodt 🫶✨

📦 where this page comes from