Glossary
.desktop
file
.directory
file
.omf
file
application registry
The application registry is a location that contains text
files which register applications. The location of the application registry
for the GNOME Desktop is
/usr/share/gnome/application-registry
.
desktop entry file
A data file that provides information about an item in a menu.
The desktop entry file specifies the details for the item such as a name,
a command to run, an icon, and so on. Desktop entry files have a
.desktop
file extension.
directory entry file
A data file that provides information about a menu. The directory
entry file specifies details such as a name for the menu, a tooltip for the
menu, and an icon to represent the menu. Directory entry files have a
.directory
file extension.
file content sniffer
A file content sniffer specifies a pattern to search for in
a file. A file content sniffer associates the pattern with a MIME type. If
a match for the pattern is found, the MIME type associated with the pattern
is the MIME type of the file.
GConf configuration source
A storage location in the
GConf
repository. For example,
xml:readonly:/etc/gconf/gconf.xml.defaults
.
GConf preference key
An element in the
GConf
repository
that corresponds to an application preference. For example, the
/apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen
key corresponds to
the
Show splash screen on login
option in the
Sessions
preference tool.
GConf path file
A file that lists the GConf configuration sources, and the
order in which to search the sources.
GConf schema
A collective term for a schema key and a schema object.
GConf schema definition file
A
GConf
schema definition file
lists the keys in a particular application, and defines the characteristics
of the keys.
GConf
schemas are generated from schema
definition files. Schema definition files have a
.schemas
file extension.
GConf schema key
A key that stores a schema object for a preference key. For
example,
/schemas/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name
is
a schema key for the
/desktop/gnome/interface/font_name
preference key.
GConf schema object
An element in a configuration source that contains information
about a preference key. The schema object contains information such as a default
value for the preference key, and documentation on the preference key.
Interoperable Object Reference
An Interoperable Object Reference (IOR) is a string reference
to a  CORBA object. An IOR encodes a hostname and port to which messages can
be sent to control the object. The IOR also contains an object key to identify
the object.
MIME
Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension.
MIME information file
A MIME information file is a text file that associates MIME
types with file extensions and filename patterns. MIME information files have
a
.mime
file extension.
MIME keys file
A MIME keys file provides information about a MIME type that
is used in the user interface. For example, the MIME keys file specifies an
icon to represent files of that MIME type. MIME keys files have a
.keys
file extension.
MIME type
A MIME type identifies the format of a file. The MIME type
enables applications to read the file. For example, an email application can
use the
image/png
MIME type to detect that a Portable Networks
Graphic (PNG) file is attached to an email.
MIME type registry
The MIME type registry is a location that contains text files
which register MIME types for the desktop environment. The location of the
MIME type registry for the GNOME Desktop is
/usr/share/mime-info
.
OMF file
Open Source Metadata Framework file. This is a file that is
associated with the XML file for a manual. The OMF file contains information
about the manual that is used by the Help browser. OMF files have a
.omf
file extension.
PAM
Pluggable Authentication Modules.
pattern mask
A pattern mask is a series of hexadecimal characters in a
file content sniffer. The pattern mask identifies bits in the pattern to ignore
when searching for a pattern in a file.
screensaver
A screensaver is an application that replaces the image on
a screen when the screen is not in use. The screensaver application for the
GNOME Desktop is
XScreenSaver
.
screensaver display
A screensaver display is an application that displays images
on the screen of the user when the screen is not in use.
UDP
User Datagram Protocol.
Uniform Resource Identifier
A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a string that identifies
a particular location in a file system or on the web. For example, the address
of a web page is a URI.
vfolder
A virtual representation of items that reside in a physical
location or physical locations on your system. For example, a vfolder might
represent the contents of several directories. In terms of menus, a vfolder
is a representation in a menu of items that might be physically located in
several directories.
vfolder information file
An XML file that describes a vfolder. Vfolder information
files specify the structure of your menus.
websafe color palette
The websafe color palette is a general-purpose palette of
216 colors. The websafe color palette is designed to optimize the use of color
on systems that support 8-bit color. The websafe color palette is also called
the
Netscape color palette
and the
Netscape
color cube
.
