Change User Preferences allows users or system administrators to set user preferences.

By default, you access Change User Preferences from the Console window's Setup menu (Setup -> Change User Preferences). For other methods of displaying this local client, information about disabling it, and directions for creating a user preferences file that is loaded when the user logs in, see the System Administrator's Guide.

Components of the Change User Preferences Window

Change User Preferences is composed of a series of hide boxes providing access to fields that correspond to remote configuration parameters in the pref group.

Change User Preferences has a menu bar with a File menu and a Sections menu, a messages area, and several buttons:

• The File menu provides commands for writing values to and reading values from files and NVRAM:
  

  • Save to File-Specifies the name of a file to which all current parameter settings should be written. A popup dialog box presents the default filename or the last filename entered during this session.

  • Read from File-Specifies a file from which all parameter settings should be read for display in the Change User Preferences window. Presents the default filename or the last filename entered during this session.

  • Connect to New Unit-Presents a popup box requesting a terminal name and the config-pref-read-only-password or config-pref-read-write-password required for configuration data access. Displays that terminal's Change User Preferences window.

  • Close-Closes Change User Preferences.

• The Sections menu contains a listing of the Change User Preferences hide boxes, allowing you an alternative way to select one to open. You can also select a command to open or hide all hide boxes.
  

• The Messages area below the hide boxes displays Preferences daemon messages.
  

• The four buttons along the bottom of the window allow you to commit changes to the current X session or to the configuration database:
  

  • Apply-Applies current changes to the current X session. Applies changes to configuration files according to specifications set for the Auto Save feature. Parameters may take effect immediately after you click on Apply, at boot time, at session startup, or when a client is initialized. When you click on Apply, a message in the Messages area indicates when the change takes effect.

  • Restart-Removes changes that have not been applied.

  • Defaults-Loads parameter settings from the file defined in the config-default-file parameter. By default, the value in this parameter is the initial configuration file loaded at boot time.

  • Cancel-Removes changes that have not been applied and quits the Change User Preferences utility (closes the window).

The following sections describe the Change User Preferences hide boxes and the fields in them. The tables describing the hide box contents include a description of each field and the name of the corresponding remote configuration parameter.

For more information about the preference parameters, see the Remote Configuration Parameter Quick Reference.

Audio Preferences

The Audio hide box affects the maximum volume of audio clients.

Audio Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Maximum Gain (percent)	Maximum volume of audio clients	pref-audio-maximum-gain

Bell Preferences

The parameters in the Bell hide box affect the terminal bell,

Bell Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Enable Bell	Turns bell on	pref-bell-enable
Bell Base Volume (percent)	Bell's base volume as a percentage of the maximum volume	pref-bell-volume
Bell Pitch (Hz)	Bell pitch	pref-bell-pitch
Bell Duration (milliseconds)	Bell duration	pref-bell-duration
Ring Bell	Rings the bell	none

Compatibility Preferences

The parameters in the Compatibility hide box ensure compatibility with older equipment or software.

Compatibility Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Permit Old X Bugs	Bypasses error checks on requests that old X clients are not expected to fail	pref-compatibility-permit-old-x-bugs
Be Compatible With Old DECwindows Vendor String	Prefixes the display vendor string with DECwindows (for older DECwindows applications)	pref-compatibility-decwindows-vendor-string
Be Compatible With Old DECwindows Keyboards	Right modifiers mimic left modifiers (as with old DEC keyboards)	pref-compatibility-decwindows-keyboards
Be Compatible With Old DECwindows Images	Incoming X images are byte-swapped (not done by some old DECwindows applications)	pref-compatibility-decwindows-images

Console and Utilities Preferences

The parameters in the Console and Utilities hide box affect the Console, logout utility, screen lock utility and screen blank utility.

Console and Utilities Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Console Key Sequence	Non-standard key sequence for displaying the Console	pref-console-key-sequence
Automatic Logout After (minutes)	How long the terminal is idle before logging the user out	pref-console-auto-logout-idle-time
Automatic Logout Cancel Delay (seconds)	How long the terminal waits for the user to cancel an automatic logout	pref-console-auto-logout-cancel-delay
Automatic Lock Screen After (minutes)	How long the terminal is idle before automatically locking the screen	pref-console-auto-lock-idle-time
Lock Screen Default Password	Password for locking the screen	pref-console-lock-screen-default-password
Delay When Blanking Screen (milliseconds)	How long after the user selects Blank Screen before the screen goes blank	pref-console-blank-screen-delay
Show Console Message Timestamps	Timestamps are displayed with Console messages	pref-console-show-timestamps

Environment Variables Preferences

The Environment Variables hide box is used to set variables for certain local clients. If you are using the NCD Display Manager, user variables obtained from XDM (such as HOME and USER) appear in this field.

Environment Variables Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Environment Variables	Current environment variables for use by local clients	pref-environment

Font Preferences

The parameters in the Font hide box affect font diagnostic messages and the directories in which the terminal searches for fonts.

Font Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Show Extended Font Diagnostics	All font actions that require file system or network access are reported	pref-font-extended-diagnostics
Current Font Path	Current font search path	pref-font-path

Keyboard Preferences

The parameters in the Keyboard hide box affect keyboard attributes.

Keyboard Preferences Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Function Key Style	How the X server interprets function keys	pref-keyboard-function-key-style
Enable Keyboard Autorepeat	Keys repeat automatically when held down	pref-keyboard-auto-repeat
Autorepeat Begin After (milliseconds)	How long a key must be held down before it starts repeating	pref-keyboard-auto-repeat-start
Autorepeat Rate (keys per second)	How many times per second keys repeat when held down	pref-keyboard-auto-repeat-rate
Keyclick Volume (percent)	Volume of the keyclick (as a percentage of its maximum volume)	pref-keyboard-keyclick-volume
Led 1 Led 2 Led 3 Led 4 (on some keyboards)	The condition indicated by each keyboard LED	pref-keyboard-leds

OpenGL Preferences

The parameters in the OpenGL hide box control graphics processing by applications that use OpenGL. This hide box appears on HMX and Explora 700 terminals only.

OpenGL Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Allow Dithering	Enables color dithering operations to improve color resolution when rendering to a visual with few color bit planes	pref-opengl-allow-dither
Allow Blending	Enables color blending control and operations for hidden surface elimination	pref-opengl-allow-depth
Allow Depth Test	Enables Z-buffering control and operations	pref-opengl-allow-depth
Allow Alpha Test	Enables alpha test control	pref-opengl-allow-alpha
Allow Scissor Test	Enables scissor test control and operation	pref-opengl-allow-scissor
Allow Stencil Test	Enables stencil test control and stenciling operation	pref-opengl-allow-stencil
Allow Polygon Stipple	Enables stippling operations	pref-opengl-allow-polygon-stipple
Allow Logical Operations	Bitwise logical operations are performed on pixels	pref-opengl-logic-operations
Fast Perspective Rendering	Enables fast perspective for rendering primitives in perspective viewing situations	pref-opengl-fast-perspective
Activate Alpha Buffer for RGBA Visuals	Allows built-in non-zero-depth alpha buffers to be used	pref-opengl-have-alpha-buffer
Enable 8-bit Color-Index double buffered Visual	Advertises 8-bit color-index double-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-8cidb
Enable 8-bit Color-index single buffered visual	Advertises 8-bit color-index single-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-8cisb
Enable 8-bit RGBA double buffered visual	Advertises 8-bit RGBA double-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-8rgbdb
Enable 8-bit RGBA single buffered visual	Advertises 8-bit RGBA single-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-8rgbsb
Enable 24-bit RGBA double buffered Visual	Advertises 24-bit RGBA double-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-24rgbdb
Enable 24-bit RGBA single buffered Visual	Advertises 24-bit RGBA single-buffered visual type to clients	pref-opengl-have-24rgbdb

PEX Preferences

The parameters in the PEX hide box control certain aspects of applications that are based on the PEX extension. For descriptions of other PEX options, see "PEX Parameters" and "PEX Color Parameters". This hide box appears on HMX and Explora 700 terminals only.

PEX Preferences Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Nominal Line Width (pixels)	Sets the standard width of lines and curves	pref-pex-nominal-line-width
Nominal Edge Width (pixels)	Sets the standard width of edges of surface primitives when displayed	pref-pex-nominal-edge-width
Nominal Marker Size (pixels)	Sets the standard size of marker primitives	pref-pex-nominal-marker-size
Dither Flat Shaded Surface	Enables dithering of flat shaded surfaces	pref-pex-dither-flat-shaded-surface
Dither Interpolated Surface	Enables dithering of Gouraud-shaded surfaces	pref-pex-dither-interpolated-surface
Surface Interior Style	Specifies the rendering style of surface interiors	pref-pex-surface-interior-style
Surface Interpolation Method	Specifies shading method for surface interiors	pref-pex-surface-interp-method
Surface Reflection Model	Specifies how to apply lighting effects to all surfaces	pref-pex-surface-reflect-model
Color Clipping Method	Specifies the method for correcting colors with RGB components outside the acceptable ranges	pref-pex-color-clipping-method

Pointing Devices Preferences

The parameters in the Pointing Devices hide box affect the mouse and other pointing devices.

Pointing Devices Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Current Pointing Device	Whether the pointer is a mouse or other device	pref-xserver-current-pointing-device
Mouse section
Threshold Distance (pixels)	Number of pixels the mouse must be moved before the acceleration factor is applied	pref-mouse-threshold
Acceleration Ratio (percent)	Percentage by which the mouse motion threshold is multiplied to change the speed at which the pointer is moved	pref-mouse-acceleration
Button Arrangement	Right- or left-handed mouse button mapping	pref-mouse-arrangement
Touchscreen section
Button Press Threshold	Relative force exerted on the touch screen before a button press event is generated	pref-xserver-touchscreen-button-press-threshold
Button Release Threshold	Relative force exerted on the touch screen before a button release event is generated	pref-xserver-touchscreen-button-release-threshold

Power Management Preferences

The parameters in the Power Management hide box affect power management on VESA-compliant monitors.

Power Management Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Enable VESA Monitor Power Management	Enables power management. WARNING: Enabling power management on equipment that is not VESA-compliant can cause serious risk of personal injury or equipment damage.	pref-power-manage-enable
Standby After (minutes)	How long the terminal is idle before the transition to the standby state	pref-power-manage-standby-time
Suspend After (minutes)	How long the terminal is idle before the transition to the suspend state	pref-power-manage-suspend-time
Powerdown After (minutes)	How long the terminal is idle before the transition to the power down state	pref-power-manage-powerdown-time

Screen Background Preferences

The parameters in the Screen Background hide box affect the screen background.

Screen Background Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Screen Background Type	Appearance of the screen background	pref-screen-background-type
Solid Color	Color if the screen background type is solid color	pref-screen-background-color
Bitmap File	Bitmap file if the screen background type is bitmap	pref-screen-background-bitmap-file
Bitmap Foreground Color	Color of the foreground if the screen background type is bitmap	pref-screen-background-bitmap-foreground
Bitmap Background Color	Background color if the screen background type is bitmap	pref-screen-background-bitmap-background

Screen Saver Preferences

The parameters in the Screen Saver hide box affect the screen saver.

Screen Saver Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Enable Screen Saver	Turns on the screen saver	pref-screensaver-enable
Allow Exposures After Screen Saver	Causes clients to redraw themselves when the screen saver restores the screen	pref-screensaver-exposures
Save Screen After (seconds)	How long the terminal is idle before the screen saver starts	pref-screensaver-time
Change Screen Saver After (seconds)	How long the screen saver waits before modifying its pattern	pref-screensaver-interval
Screen Saver Style	Type of screen saver image	pref-screensaver-style
Screen Saver Bitmap File	Bitmap file if screen saver style is bitmap	pref-screensaver-bitmap-file

X, SIE, and Graphics Preferences

The parameters in the X, SIE, and Graphics hide box affect X graphics and performance attributes.

X, SIE, and Graphics Field	Description	Corresponding Parameter
Enable Benchmark Optimizations	Optimizes some graphics operations for benchmark testing	pref-xserver-benchmark-optimizations
Enable Graphics Optimizations	Optimizes some graphics operations with a possible loss in accuracy	pref-xserver-graphics-optimizations
Screen Resolution (dots per inch)	The resolution reported by the X server to clients and the font server	pref-xserver-screen-resolution
Use Backing Store	How backing store is provided to client windows	pref-xserver-backing-store
SIE Sampling Method	SIE sampling method used in scaling	pref-sie-sampling-method
SIE Contrast Threshold	Contrast value used in SIE scaling operations	pref-sie-contrast-threshold