DTFILSYS(5)
okay so this is the dtfilsys page from the file formats manual, and it’s literally the map of where CDE keeps everything. bestie, grab a lil snack, we’re touring directories 💖
💖 NAME 💖
dtfilsys — CDE file system; directory tree structure. yes, it’s the whole <pink>directory tree</pink> vibe, no cap ✨
🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋
the CDE file system is divided into three parts, bestie, and you’re gonna want all three in your brain:
- the root system,
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3, which is a read-only directory. it contains all the files that comprise the CDE. hands off, respectfully 💅 - the configuration directory,
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc, which is the directory CDE applications will search to locate configuration files that have been modified by the system administrator. default versions of these configuration files are typically located in/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3. - the temporary directory,
/var/dt, which contains temporary information or information that varies in size and existence. very main-character-energy: sometimes here, sometimes not 🫶
below is a diagram of the directory tree structure for CDE:
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig/appmanager/&<Lang>
/help/&<Lang>
/icons/&<Lang>
/types/&<Lang>
/backdrops/&<Lang>
/config
/palettes/&<Lang>
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/app-defaults/&<Lang>
/appconfig/appmanager/&<Lang>
/help/&<Lang>
/icons/&<Lang>
/types/&<Lang>
/bin
/config
/lib
/share/backdrops/&<Lang>
/include
/examples
/man
/palettes/&<Lang>
/var/dt/appconfig/appmanager
$HOME/.dt/appmanager
/help
/icons
/palettes
/sessions
/typesthe following guidelines apply to the contents of these directories, and yes, we’re going through every single one 🌸
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3— this directory is for use by the CDE system. applications should never create files in this directory although they may read and execute them. periodt./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/app-defaults/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the app-defaults files for the CDE clients. slay./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/appmanager/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the actions files used by the Application Manager./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/help/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the CDE help volumes and help files. iconique./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/icons/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the icons used by the CDE clients. cute lil icons, obviously 🎀/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/appconfig/types/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the actions and data types used by the CDE clients./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/bin— this directory contains the CDE clients. the actual executables, bestie./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/config— this directory contains default configuration files./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/lib— this directory contains the shared libraries used by the CDE clients./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share— this directory contains CDE elements, typically ASCII files, that are independent of the architecture. lowkey the shared stash ✨/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share/backdrops/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the backdrops used by the window manager workspaces and by the Style Manager./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share/examples— this directory contains examples of CDE functionality. for when you need inspo./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share/include— this directory is part of the development environment and includes header files associated with CDE./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share/man— this directory contains the man pages for the CDE clients. hi, that’s our whole thing 👑/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/share/palettes/&<Lang>— this directory contains the localized versions of the palettes used by the Style Manager to determine the color scheme. color theory but make it CDE 🌈/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc— this directory is specified as the CDE configuration directory./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig— this directory is used to hold system-administrator defined configuration files./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig/appmanager/&<Lang>— this directory is used to hold system-administrator defined configuration files for the Application Manager./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig/help/&<Lang>— this directory is used to hold system-administrator defined configuration files for the Help system./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig/icons/&<Lang>— this directory is used to hold system-administrator defined configuration files for icons./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/appconfig/types/&<Lang>— this directory is used to hold system-administrator defined configuration files for the action and filetype database./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/backdrops/&<Lang>— this directory contains backdrops provided by the system administrator./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/config— this directory is to contain modified versions of the CDE configuration files (installed in/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/config)./nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/etc/palettes/&<Lang>— this directory contains palettes provided by the system administrator./var/dt— this directory is used by CDE for some log files, temporary files, and files that vary in size. chaotic but necessary 💀/var/dt/appconfig/appmanager— this directory is created at login and is used by the Application Manager.$HOME/.dt— this directory contains information specific to the user. it’s giving personal space.$HOME/.dt/appmanager— this directory is used to hold user-defined configuration files for the Application Manager.$HOME/.dt/backdrops— this directory is used to hold user-customized backdrops for the Style Manager.$HOME/.dt/help— this directory is used to hold user-defined configuration files for the Help system.$HOME/.dt/icons— this directory is used to hold user-defined configuration files for icons.$HOME/.dt/palettes— this directory is used to hold user-customized palettes for the Style Manager.$HOME/.dt/sessions— this directory is used to store session information between CDE sessions.$HOME/.dt/tmp— this directory is used to hold temporary information.$HOME/.dt/types— this directory is used to hold user-defined configuration files for the action and filetypes database.
🧚 The Minimum Runtime Environment 🧚
the minimum environment required for a system to support CDE consists of the following files and directories. the original page’s formatting is a lil chaotic here, so i’m giving it to you exactly as it appears, bestie:
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/app-defaults/C/
tpad Dtksh Dtterm /nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-
cde-2.5.3/appconfig/tttypes/ types.xdr
/nix/store/6waxpwr8lzfzc9ka48gl7yh60rqvlkdb-cde-2.5.3/bin/ dsdm dtaction
dtappgather dtappintegrate dtexec dtksh dtpad dtspcd dtterm suid_exec
rpc.ttdbserver tt_type_comp ttsession👀 SEE ALSO 👀
dtenvvar(5)— go read that one next, bestie, it’s the companion vibe 🦋
okay that’s the whole dtfilsys page from the file formats manual. source/version: dtfilsys, file formats manual; date: not shown in this copy, so i’m not inventing one, no cap. byeee 💖✨
📦 where this page comes from
- nixos 26.05: cde 2.5.3
- 💖 girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash-1017 on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms