Developer's Topics
Chapter 11, Integrating applications into the Desktop
Putting your icon on the Desktop

Putting your icon on the Desktop

SCO OpenServer system users expect to be able to start your application by double-clicking on its icon. If your application works with text, graphic, or other data files, users also assume that dropping a file icon on your icon will start your application working on that file.

SCO OpenServer system uses an object-oriented approach to defining application icons. A Desktop icon is an object defined by one or more pixmap files (the icon picture), one or more object scripts (that specify what happens when users manipulate the icon), and an object directory (to hold the pixmaps and object scripts). The icon label is taken by default from the name of the object directory. At the beginning of a session, the software looks in designated directories for icon objects, then displays the corresponding icons.

To put your icon on the Desktop:

  1. Define the icon graphic in four pixmap files: one each for activated and closed, and small versions of the activated and closed icons.

  2. Define the actions triggered by user manipulation of the icon in object script files.

  3. ``Install icon files'' with the deskconfobj installation tool.

NOTE: The Object Builder client allows you to graphically create objects. You can use Object Builder to perform step 2 interactively. Using Object Builder is generally easier than defining icon triggers manually. Refer to the Graphical Environment Guide and the objbld(XC) manual page for more information.

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