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Amiga computer related discussion => Amiga Software Issues and Discussion => Topic started by: Sutty100 on March 16, 2011, 12:17:33 PM
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I am trying to learn the basics of workbench (1.3) I was wondering if anybody has any handy shortcuts or basic tips to help me get used to a new OS. Also a specific question when I have a window or gadget as i believe they are called am I correct!? open such as the say window and there is no close button how do I close it?
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Press RIGHT AMIGA (next to Alt on the right of the keyboard) and X to cut, RIGHT AMIGA and C to copy and RIGHT AMIGA V to paste.
If you want to quit a program press RIGHT AMIGA and Q. If that fails press CTRL and C.
Press up and down in a Shell window displays the last command/s that you typed.
To interrupt a script file press CTRL and D.
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In Workbench the windows are still called "windows", gadgets are the names given to things like the close button, depth button, strings where you type, basically most of the parts of the GUI are called gadgets. These things are usually called "widgets" in other OSs that caught up later in the game.
A "Screen" is the main desktop area of Workbench, and the plane that any other program is open on behind Workbench. You can flip between the open screens with the depth gadgets on the right of the screen's title bar.
To close a Shell window you can type "endcli".
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It sounds funny that Workbench 1.3 is "new" but anyway...
Things are a little different in 1.3 from Workbench 2+ For example, with Workbench there's no way to create a new directory (directories are called "drawers" in Workbench instead of "folders"), so you can either use the CLI to do it (the makedir command), or if you look on the Workbench floppy, there's an empty drawer which you can copy using the menus at the top of the screen.
Menus appear when you hold down the right hand mouse button, and appear at the top of the screen for all applications and windows, sort of how they do in MacOS. However, they disappear again as soon as you let go of the right mouse button, and if the mouse pointer is over an item when you let go of the button, that's the item you selected.
Also, in 1.3 the depth gadgets on the windows are different to 2+ in that there are 2 of them - one to move the window to the front, the other to move it to the back. Windows don't automatically pop to the front when you click on them as they do in other OSes. This is an option in Workbench 2+ but not in 1.3 IIRC.
The RAM disk is handy for temporary storage - it works like a normal disk but you lost the contents as soon as you restart or turn off power. And you may find that many things are easier using the CLI as Workbench 1.3 is quite limited in some areas, so it might help to learn some of the commands... You can open the CLI with the icon in the System drawer on the Workbench disk.
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Press RIGHT AMIGA (next to Alt on the right of the keyboard) and X to cut, RIGHT AMIGA and C to copy and RIGHT AMIGA V to paste.
If you want to quit a program press RIGHT AMIGA and Q. If that fails press CTRL and C.
Yep, most menu shortcuts use the right Amiga key, and they're reasonably standard across all applications, quite similar to those in MacOS actually... And while cut, copy and paste are common, Workbench itself doesn't support cut 'n' paste of files so you have to make a copy (Right Amiga-C) and then drag it to where you wanted.
Edit: In your post you ask about closing windows - most windows can be closed by clicking the box in the very top left of the window - to the left of the title. In this screenshot, you can see the close gadget to the left of the work "Workbench" in the top window...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/Amiga_Workbench_1_0.png)
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Great postings. Workbench 1.3 is my favorite and since I use Directory Opus for all my file handling I do not feel that I am missing anything.
I feel that Workbench 1.3 almost has a timeless design, at least compared to what else was available in that period.
Not much of a tip: If you are low on memory then consider closing some of your drawers in Workbench, if will free up a tiny bit of memory.
Are there any 'Easter eggs' in Workbench 1.3?
I can highly recommend this site for more reading on Workbench 1.3:
Homepage: http://www.amigahistory.co.uk (http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/)
Direct Link: http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/bench13.html (http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/bench13.html)
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DOpus is a lifesaver for Workbench of all versions, especially 1.3. I use DOpus 4.11 on my last active 1.3 system.
Most of the Amiga books published in the 80s and 90s will focus primarily on 1.3, too.
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Are there any 'Easter eggs' in Workbench 1.3?
http://www.amigahistory.co.uk/messages.html
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I always wondered why Workbench 1.3 did not support some kind of 'View all files' or 'create folder' like in version 2.0. Are you able to create folders in the save function in Deluxe paint or other programs?
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You can download several different manuals for 1.3 OS, Workbench, etc. by going to:
http://amiga-manuals.npage.de/index.html
Many of these are in pdf format.
I agree with matt_H somewhat, I just prefer Disk Master II which can be found on aminet.
If you would rather a real paper manual, they show up on eBay for pretty cheap from time to time.
I still use an A1000 with 1.3.3 (and 1.2 for those really old games!) and love it.
Good luck!
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Just thought I would :bump: this in case someone missed it.
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Press RIGHT AMIGA (next to Alt on the right of the keyboard) and X to cut, RIGHT AMIGA and C to copy and RIGHT AMIGA V to paste.
If you want to quit a program press RIGHT AMIGA and Q. If that fails press CTRL and C.
Press up and down in a Shell window displays the last command/s that you typed.
To interrupt a script file press CTRL and D.
Christ if I read that I need to do all that when I am using a GUI-DRIVEN OS JUST TO CLOSE A WINDOW then I'd think this Amiga has one rubbish OS.
How about just telling the guy "Just click the close gadget on the top left of the window".
If that doesn't work (and as new user the next question I'd ask "why wouldn't it?") then try the keyboard short cuts.
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Christ if I read that I need to do all that when I am using a GUI-DRIVEN OS JUST TO CLOSE A WINDOW then I'd think this Amiga has one rubbish OS.
Except he asked for any advice in addition to how to close a window.
The above was general advice (copy/paste) as well as how to close a program with shortcuts.
Why not tell him just to click the close gadget??
and there is no close button
That's why..
Also, I've seen several programs which run on their own screens that let you close them by clicking on the top left of the screen, even tho you might not be able to see the close button/gadget.
desiv
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Oh I see he is running the speech synthesis "Say" program, and this opens a window without a close gadget.
Software which runs in a window, has no menu option to quit it and creates a window without a gadget IMO is just bad programming.
My bad.