Hardware

In the following sections you will find examples of how to configure some hardware aspects of your GNOME desktop, including keyboard or mouse preferences, handling of removable drives (and other media) or screen resolution.

Configuring Bluetooth Settings

The Bluetooth module lets you set the visibility of your machine over Bluetooth, the name of your machine used for Bluetooth communication and whether you want to show the Bluetooth applet in your panel. To configure Bluetooth connectivity, follow these steps:

  1. Click Computer+Control Center+System+Bluetooth or right-click the Bluetooth icon in GNOME panel and select Preferences.

  2. On the General tab set the visibility of the Bluetooth applet icon in the Notification area of the GNOME panel. Right-click the applet icon to set connections with Bluetooth devices and file transfers.

  3. On the General tab use options under Power switches for switching the Bluetooth adapter on and off. The available options depend on the hardware used.

  4. If the Bluetooth hardware is available and switched on, there is another available tab. Under Visibility setting set the visibility of the machine over a Bluetooth network. If the Temporary visible option is chosen use the slider to set the visibility period. The Friendly name option specifies the name of the computer in the Bluetooth network.

  5. The Known devices section lists all known Bluetooth devices. Use the button with the plus icon to configure a new device connection.

  6. Click Close.

To configure file sharing over Bluetooth, follow these steps:

  1. Click Computer+Control Center+System+Personal File Sharing.

  2. In the Share Files over Bluetooth section configure the sharing of files in your ~/Public directory. Use Share Public files over Bluetooth to activate or deactivate sharing of this directory. Specify whether remote devices can delete public files and whether they are required to bond with your computer.

  3. In the Receive Files over Bluetooth section specify whether to accept files sent over Bluetooth, from which devices and whether you want to be notified about received files.

  4. Click Close.

Modifying Keyboard Preferences

To modify some keyboard settings (such as autorepeat preferences or typing break sessions) click Computer+Control Center+Hardware+Keyboard.

Figure 3.2. Keyboard Preferences Dialog

Keyboard Preferences Dialog

  1. On the General tab you can set some general keyboard preferences, such as enabling keyboard repeat with individual delay and speed options or enabling or disabling the blinking of the cursor and defining the speed. For more information about the individual options, click Help.

  2. To select your keyboard model click the Layouts tab and select your model from the Keyboard model list.

  3. To add a new language layout, click Add and choose a language layout to add to the list. You can select different layouts to suit different locales. Select one layout as Default.

  4. On the Typing Break tab you can set typing break preferences. For more information about the individual options click Help.

  5. If all options are set according to your wishes, click Close.

For configuration of keyboard accessibility options refer to the Section 4.2.1.4, “Accessible Keyboard”.

Configuring the Mouse

To modify some mouse options click Computer+Control Panel+Hardware+Mouse to open the Mouse Preferences.

Figure 3.3. Mouse Preferences Dialog

Mouse Preferences Dialog

  1. The General tab is divided into several sections. Use the radio buttons in the Mouse Orientation section to specify if the mouse buttons are configured for left-hand or right-hand use.

  2. Check the option in the Locate Pointer section on the General tab to enable a mouse pointer animation when you press and release Ctrl. This feature can help you locate the mouse pointer.

  3. Use the sliders in the Pointer Speed section on the General tab to define the Acceleration and Sensitivity of your mouse pointer.

  4. Use the slider in the Drag and Drop section on the General tab to modify the distance that you must move an item with the pointer before the action is interpreted as a drag and drop action.

  5. Use the slider in the Double-Click Timeout section on the General tab to define the maximum delay between the two clicks of a double-click. If the interval between two clicks is greater than the interval specified here, the action is interpreted as two separate clicks instead of a double-click. Use the light bulb icon to check double-click sensitivity: the light will light up briefly for a click, but stay lit for a double-click.

  6. If all options are set according to your wishes, click Close.

For configuration of mouse accessibility options refer to Section 4.2.1, “Mouse Behavior”.

Installing and Configuring Printers

The Printing module lets you connect to any available local or remote CUPS server and configure printers.

  1. To start the Printers module, click Computer+Control Center+Hardware+Printing.

  2. The CUPS server to which you are connected is shown in the status bar. To connect to a different CUPS server, click Server+Connect, enter URL of the CUPS server and press Connect. The printers available at the server are shown in the main window. Update the list of available printers with the Refresh button.

  3. To add a new printer press New in the toolbar and follow the configuration wizard.

  4. To configure printer properties, set it as the default printer or view its print queue, right-click the printer's icon and select appropriate option from the menu.

Figure 3.4. Printer Configuration Dialog

Printer Configuration Dialog

For detailed information refer to Chapter 7, Managing Printers.

Configuring Screens

To specify the resolution, refresh rate and orientation for your screen or to configure multiple screens, click Computer+Control Center+Hardware+Display and modify the options.

  1. Press Detect Displays to detect all monitors connected to your computer.

  2. To set options for any monitor, click on the monitor's icon in the blue preview area and set its Resolution, Refresh Rate, and Rotation (orientation) using the drop-down lists underneath.

  3. If you use multiple monitors, you can set their respective positions by dragging their icons in the blue preview area to the appropriate location. Alternatively, you can configure your monitors to show the same image by checking Mirror Screens.

  4. To show an applet icon in your system tray which enables you to rotate your screens, check Show Displays in Panel.

Figure 3.5. Monitor Resolution Settings Dialog

Monitor Resolution Settings Dialog

For more information about screen rotation support refer to Abschnitt „Drehen der Ansicht“ (Kapitel 33, Verwenden von Tablet PCs, ↑Referenz).

Setting Sound Preferences

The Sound Preferences tool lets you manage sound devices. You can also specify which sounds to play when particular events occur.

Click Computer+Control Center+Hardware+Sound to open the Sound Preferences tool.

Setting Sound Devices

Use the Hardware tab to configure the device to use for various types of sounds.

Figure 3.6. Setting Sound Devices

Setting Sound Devices

Select one device present in the system from the list of available sound devices. Below the list, choose the sound device setting you prefer from the Settings for the selected device drop-down list. Here you can turn the device off, use only its input or output, or use both input and output of the sound device.

Use the Input tab to set the input device volume or to mute the input temporarily. You can also select default device for audio input in the Choose a device for sound input list.

Use the Output tab to set the device for sound output from the list of devices. Below the list, you can set detailed settings for the selected output sound device, like sound balance.

Setting Sound Effects

Use the Sound Effects tab to configure sound event functions.

Figure 3.7. Setting Sound Effects Preferences

Setting Sound Effects Preferences

Check Enable window and button sounds to play sounds when particular events occur in the desktop. -

Select the Sound Theme to use or select No sounds to switch sound themes off.

Check the alert sound you prefer from the list, and set the Alert Volume.