2    Starting Your Session

This chapter describes how to log in to a DIGITAL UNIX workstation and begin using window applications. It also provides instructions for reading online documentation and how to get help on any application.

The features described in this chapter require use of the mouse. To learn about using the mouse, read Chapter 3.

2.1    Starting a Session

If your installation and startup procedure is successful, DECwindows displays a Start Session screen that prompts you for your login name and password. (When the operating system is installed, an account with an associated login name and password is established for you.)

To start a session:

1. Position the mouse pointer over the login text-entry box and click MB1.

2. Type your login name, then press Return.

   The Password text-entry box gets input focus.

3. Type your password.

   To preserve the secrecy of your password, the letters you type are not displayed on the screen.

4. Press Return, or click on the OK button, if you have entered your login name and password correctly.

If you provide wrong information or make a typing mistake and do not correct it, your system does not let you start a session. Instead, it displays a warning that some information is incorrect.

Press Return or click on the Acknowledge button to dismiss the message. Then retype your information and press Return.

If your system is idle for awhile, the screen saver feature blanks your screen. To restore the screen image, simply move the mouse or press any key.

If your user information is correct, your session begins and The Session Manager menu bar and console window (dxconsole) are displayed on your screen. The Session Manager console displays any informational, warning, and error messages you receive during a session.

If your home directory does not exist or is not writable, the login will default to failsafe mode. Failsafe mode provides a DECterm window to use to recover from your problem.

If your customized session is corrupted, your session might immediately exit. If this occurs, force failsafe mode by pressing the F1 or F2 function key instead of the Return key after typing your password. Use the DECterm window to correct your customization errors.

2.1.1    Starting Applications

DECwindows applications increase your productivity by automating basic tasks. For example, Mail automates sending and receiving interoffice messages; Cardfiler automates creating and filing index cards.

To run an application, choose the application from the Session Manager Applications menu. DECwindows displays the application in a window. Chapter 5 provides more information on starting and using these applications.

If you want to run character-cell applications or work with files and directories, open a terminal emulator window by choosing DECterm or xterm from the Session Manager Applications menu.

Use a terminal window to enter UNIX commands, access files and directories, or use any other keyboard user interface. If your system is part of a network, you can communicate with other systems and share information and resources.

2.1.2    Reading Documentation On Line

All documentation, including this guide, is available on line. The Bookreader software lets you read documentation on your workstation screen.

Start the Bookreader by choosing Bookreader from the Session Manager Applications menu. The book Using Bookreader and libraries of books should appear in a library window. If they do not, check with your system manager or refer to the section "Displaying the Documentation" in the Installation Guide.

Libraries contain groups of related book titles. An icon to the left of each library and title indicates whether the title is a library or a book.

To display the titles of books in a library, double click on the library. A list of book titles for that library appears. To open a book, double click on the book title. For more information about using the Bookreader, see Section 5.2.

2.1.3    Pausing a Session

You can put your current session on hold indefinitely and lock your workstation without ending your session. Any running applications continue to run. When your session is on hold, a blank screen is placed over the workstation screen and the pause dialog box is displayed. Enter your password into this box to resume your session.

Before you put your session on hold, make sure you save any files. Then, if your system fails, you will not lose any information.

To put your current session on hold, choose Pause from Session Manager's Session menu. Your screen is cleared and the pause dialog box is displayed. Type your password and press Return or click on OK to resume your session. All updates to windows are performed and you can resume working without having to re-create your workspace environment.

2.1.4    Ending a Session

To end your session, choose End Session from the Session Manager Session menu. The Session Manager displays a dialog box asking for confirmation to end your session and save any settings that changed. At the end of your session, all windows are closed and the Start Session screen appears on your workstation screen.

2.2    Getting Help

To get help with any DECwindows application, use the Help menu in the application window:

The Help system provides information about screen objects, concepts, system messages, or tasks to perform in applications. The Help system is designed to let you request general information on an application and quickly narrow the focus of your inquiry.

A Help menu is available in each Application's menu bar. Most Help menus are organized as follows:

Menu Item	Function
Context-Sensitive Help	Describes any object in the window, such as a menu or push button, and tells how to use the object.
Overview	Summarizes the purpose and functions of the application, and allows navigation to help on those functions.
Using Help	Activates the Help system and tells how to find the information needed.
Product Information	Tells what version of the application is running.

2.2.1    Opening a Help Window

To get help about tasks in any application, choose Overview from the application's Help menu.

To get help about screen objects such as menu names, scroll bars, system messages, and dialog boxes in most applications:

1. Choose Context-Sensitive Help from the application's Help menu.

   The pointer will change to a question mark.

2. Click on the screen object.

   A Help window opens, displaying information about the object you specified.

An example of a Help window follows.

You can display product information about your application, such as the copyright notice, by choosing Product Information from the application's Help menu. In some applications, the Help menu also contains a Glossary menu item, which you can use to look up terms specific to your application.

The Overview topic contains overview text and lists additional topics. These topics are highlighted when you position the pointer on them. Double clicking on a highlighted topic causes the text for that topic to be displayed.

When you first open a Help topic, the following message may be displayed in a message window on your screen:

Starting Bookreader

This occurs because the Bookreader software is responsible for displaying the help windows. Bookreader will be started automatically for you.

Use the buttons and arrows at the bottom of the window to move through the text. To close the topic that is displayed on the screen, click on the Close button:

To go back to one or more of the topics viewed previously, click on the Go Back button until you reach the desired topic. A dimmed button, like the Go Back button shown below, means that you are at the first topic:

To move to the next topic or the previous topic, click on the arrow to the right or the left of the word Topic:

To move to the next screen or the previous screen, click on the arrow to the right or the left of the word Screen. If the end of the current topic appears, moving to the next screen opens the next topic.

For more information about using Help in any application:

1. Choose Using Help from the application's Help menu.

   A Help window appears.

2. In the Help window, choose Overview from the Help menu.

2.2.2    An Alternative Help Style

Some applications do not use Bookreader to display a help Topic window. A plain font is used to display text in the alternative help system. In the Topic window, the overview text appears in the top window pane, and the list of additional topics appears in the bottom pane.

This help system lets you select additional topics, retrace your steps, or branch off to a different topic. You can also return to the On Window topic and start down another topic path.

To display an additional topic:

1. Select the item from the list of additional topics.

2. Choose Go To from the View menu.

For still faster navigation, double click on the topic you want. Double clicking on a topic is a shortcut for selecting the topic and choosing Go To.

Help displays the selected topic. Continue to select other topics from the list of additional topics or redisplay the previous topic by clicking on the Go Back button.

In addition to reading help in a Help window, you can:

• See the path you followed to get to a current topic

  Use the Search menu to look at a recorded history of your help session.

• Search Help for titles and keywords

  Use the Search menu to search Help for words or phrases to see whether they appear in topic titles or in Help text. For example, you might want to see whether a Mail topic title contains the word "Sending," or you might want to find the topics in which the word "message" appears.

• Save help text in a file

  Use the edit menu to select text from a Help topic and save it in a file. This option lets you print the file for later reference or mail it to another user.