Workbench as Backdrop

Retrofan · 28 December 2010, 23:19

Hi:

A fast-thread and newbie questi

n:

I've installed AmigaSys4aga and OS3.9 (it's not specifically related to them) and now I've lost the Sys4 right hand menu (surely because of the R13 update without BB's)
If I click on Workbench-Backdrop before it finishes booting, I get it.

So, the question is:
How do I get the Workbench as backdrop fixed?

Perhaps it's too easy for you, but please take a minute to tell me...

Thanks

EDIT: Well, as I said it was going to be a short thread (the shortest one, without answers).... I tried to snapshot all, but as I had an internal Cd with the OS3.9 inside, I coudn't and I was searching another thing... I should have done it, because that's all you have to do.
Thanks (I won't delete it because it's possible it can be someone more stupid than me...

)

tero · 29 December 2010, 04:49

Hi Retrofan,
simply remove the cd from drive and snapshot should work. if it is installed the cd is no longer required.
as for the menu, i've got no idea. a wild guess: you did the 3.9 install as described in amigasys readme? using the 3.9 installer from cd will break amigasys.

thomas · 29 December 2010, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retrofan

How do I get the Workbench as backdrop fixed?

Select "Workbench as backdrop" from the Workbench menu, then select "Snapshot window" from the Window menu.

The setting will be saved in envarc:sys/workbench.prefs, so make sure this file is not write protected.

Retrofan · 29 December 2010, 13:54

Thanks to both. I didn't think to receive any answer, and surely I didn't explain well that I already did it. The thing is I tried snapshot all and I had to have hurry because as soon as I saw I coudn't because the Cd was write prottected I started to search in preferences. I'm tired of snapshot all drawers and I knew I had to take out the cd to make it, but as I had been reading post at work about the Sys4Aga with OS3.9, I went directly to those answers. Some told about that you have to install first Sys4, later BB1 and 2 and then you can install the R13 update. In fact I lost the Sys4 menu after I installed it. Others told that you had to manually change the Birdie preferences (although I coudn't) for the ones of the R13... really I didn't find how.
Later I started to compare startup-sequences, in vain too.

After all that useless search I saw that when booting I could just select Workbench as backdrop and then the menu appeared. The curious is that if I was doing it too late I had the workbench as backdrop, but I didn't get the Sys4 menu. So the thing was clear: I had to set Workbench as backdrop, so I hurried to write this thread, but I edited it just because I found I only had to make that snapshot all and I thought not to delete the thread (it was only some minutes it taked me to find it) because perhaps (surely) it's going to happen to other people.

desiv · 18 May 2012, 05:46

OK, bumping an old thread for something kind of related and something I'm just missing..

I understand that selecting "backdrop" gets rid of the WB window and places it all on the screen, giving you some more real estate..

My question is, "why would you ever NOT use that?"

Is there an advantage/features to using WB in a Window???

I always just set it to backdrop when I got my Amigas, and I never really thought about it..

Just wondering...

desiv

Etze · 18 May 2012, 08:03

Back in the old days I used to use the WB in a window. Just because I was able to "hide" a window behind the WB-window. Today I don't feel that this is a big advantage anymore...

daxb · 18 May 2012, 10:19

An advantage of using WB as backdrop is that you don`t waste space. It is more solid and you cannot accidentally move the window.

Rebel-CD32 · 18 May 2012, 10:46

You can set your Workbench window up as an icon bar which can be brought to the front or sent to the back while running other applications on Workbench, rather than closing, iconifying or resizing windows to get access to the icons on the desktop.

This girl demonstrates the idea on her 1MB A600: [ Show youtube player ]

Retrofan · 18 May 2012, 11:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

This girl demonstrates the idea on her 1MB A600: [ Show youtube player ]

I was searching what the missile launcher was, but I found it:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24340362@N08/4502710695/

Yes, it's off topic, but how can she control it with the Amiga? Where can I get it?

thomas · 18 May 2012, 13:51

http://www.platon42.de/poseidon.html

Quote:

Supported USB hardware so far:
...
USB Rocket Launchers | Toy missile launchers with USB connector | RocketTool (included)

desiv · 18 May 2012, 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel-CD32

You can set your Workbench window up as an icon bar which can be brought to the front or sent to the back while running other applications on Workbench, rather than closing, iconifying or resizing windows to get access to the icons on the desktop.

AHa!!!
OK, That makes sense..
So you can use your Workbench "Window" as a dock, so to speak.
Considering they didn't have a dock application yet (did anyone?), that's pretty neat actually.
Thanx,

And Thanx Cammy for having a visual answer already.. ;-)

desiv

robotriot · 29 December 2018, 10:49

Resurrecting this thread for a related question I have.

I want to set my OS 3.9 Workbench to backdrop, but when I select Snapshot -> Window (or Snapshot -> All), nothing seems to happen. When I reboot my Amiga, the Workbench is in window mode again. I've checked the file workbench.prefs under ENVARC:SYS and it is writeable. It only contains "FORM" if that matters.

Can anyone help me with getting this to work again?

thomas · 29 December 2018, 11:29

The information I gave above is not correct. The actual file is wbconfig.prefs.

As it seems in OS 3.9 backdrop is the default. So you just need to delete that file and reboot.

The process to change it is correct, though. Check or uncheck backdrop in the menu, then select snapshot window while the backdropped window is active. If it does not work for you then you didn't correctly install the OS, or you installed some patch which breaks it.

AMIGASYSTEM · 29 December 2018, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by robotriot

Resurrecting this thread for a related question I have.
I've checked the file workbench.prefs under ENVARC:SYS and it is writeable. It only contains "FORM" if that matters.

Delete wbconfig.prefs from ENVARC: SYS and restart the system, done this way you will have already automatically solved the window problem, if you want you can also save and create a new wbconfig.prefs that you will find in ENVARC:SYS

robotriot · 29 December 2018, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas

The information I gave above is not correct. The actual file is wbconfig.prefs.

As it seems in OS 3.9 backdrop is the default. So you just need to delete that file and reboot.

The process to change it is correct, though. Check or uncheck backdrop in the menu, then select snapshot window while the backdropped window is active. If it does not work for you then you didn't correctly install the OS, or you installed some patch which breaks it.

Thanks for the tip, turns out wbconfig.prefs was write protected, now it works just fine.

28 December 2010, 23:19	#1
Retrofan Ruler of the Universe Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lanzarote/Spain Posts: 6,185	Workbench as Backdrop Hi: A fast-thread and newbie questin: I've installed AmigaSys4aga and OS3.9 (it's not specifically related to them) and now I've lost the Sys4 right hand menu (surely because of the R13 update without BB's) If I click on Workbench-Backdrop before it finishes booting, I get it. So, the question is: How do I get the Workbench as backdrop fixed? Perhaps it's too easy for you, but please take a minute to tell me... Thanks EDIT: Well, as I said it was going to be a short thread (the shortest one, without answers).... I tried to snapshot all, but as I had an internal Cd with the OS3.9 inside, I coudn't and I was searching another thing... I should have done it, because that's all you have to do. Thanks (I won't delete it because it's possible it can be someone more stupid than me...) Last edited by Retrofan; 29 December 2010 at 01:14.

29 December 2010, 13:54	#4
Retrofan Ruler of the Universe Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lanzarote/Spain Posts: 6,185	Thanks to both. I didn't think to receive any answer, and surely I didn't explain well that I already did it. The thing is I tried snapshot all and I had to have hurry because as soon as I saw I coudn't because the Cd was write prottected I started to search in preferences. I'm tired of snapshot all drawers and I knew I had to take out the cd to make it, but as I had been reading post at work about the Sys4Aga with OS3.9, I went directly to those answers. Some told about that you have to install first Sys4, later BB1 and 2 and then you can install the R13 update. In fact I lost the Sys4 menu after I installed it. Others told that you had to manually change the Birdie preferences (although I coudn't) for the ones of the R13... really I didn't find how. Later I started to compare startup-sequences, in vain too. After all that useless search I saw that when booting I could just select Workbench as backdrop and then the menu appeared. The curious is that if I was doing it too late I had the workbench as backdrop, but I didn't get the Sys4 menu. So the thing was clear: I had to set Workbench as backdrop, so I hurried to write this thread, but I edited it just because I found I only had to make that snapshot all and I thought not to delete the thread (it was only some minutes it taked me to find it) because perhaps (surely) it's going to happen to other people. Last edited by Retrofan; 29 December 2010 at 16:35.

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29 December 2010, 04:49	#2
tero Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: M'Gladbach Age: 46 Posts: 621	Hi Retrofan, simply remove the cd from drive and snapshot should work. if it is installed the cd is no longer required. as for the menu, i've got no idea. a wild guess: you did the 3.9 install as described in amigasys readme? using the 3.9 installer from cd will break amigasys.

18 May 2012, 05:46	#5
desiv Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Salem, OR Posts: 1,767	OK, bumping an old thread for something kind of related and something I'm just missing.. I understand that selecting "backdrop" gets rid of the WB window and places it all on the screen, giving you some more real estate.. My question is, "why would you ever NOT use that?" Is there an advantage/features to using WB in a Window??? I always just set it to backdrop when I got my Amigas, and I never really thought about it.. Just wondering... desiv

18 May 2012, 08:03	#6
Etze A3000-Fan Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Germany Posts: 321	Back in the old days I used to use the WB in a window. Just because I was able to "hide" a window behind the WB-window. Today I don't feel that this is a big advantage anymore...

18 May 2012, 10:19	#7
daxb Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 3,303	An advantage of using WB as backdrop is that you don`t waste space. It is more solid and you cannot accidentally move the window.

18 May 2012, 10:46	#8
Rebel-CD32 Amiga will never die! Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tasmania, Australia Age: 43 Posts: 532	You can set your Workbench window up as an icon bar which can be brought to the front or sent to the back while running other applications on Workbench, rather than closing, iconifying or resizing windows to get access to the icons on the desktop. This girl demonstrates the idea on her 1MB A600: [ Show youtube player ]

29 December 2018, 10:49	#12
robotriot Tubby mechanical friend Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Regensburg / Germany Posts: 107	Resurrecting this thread for a related question I have. I want to set my OS 3.9 Workbench to backdrop, but when I select Snapshot -> Window (or Snapshot -> All), nothing seems to happen. When I reboot my Amiga, the Workbench is in window mode again. I've checked the file workbench.prefs under ENVARC:SYS and it is writeable. It only contains "FORM" if that matters. Can anyone help me with getting this to work again?

29 December 2018, 11:29	#13
thomas Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Germany Posts: 6,985	The information I gave above is not correct. The actual file is wbconfig.prefs. As it seems in OS 3.9 backdrop is the default. So you just need to delete that file and reboot. The process to change it is correct, though. Check or uncheck backdrop in the menu, then select snapshot window while the backdropped window is active. If it does not work for you then you didn't correctly install the OS, or you installed some patch which breaks it.

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