@begin(header)
author: Eric Mandel
show_author: ShowNone
author_organization: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
node_expert: eric@cfa.harvard.edu
expiration_date: 12/31/93
last_modifier: Eric Mandel
last_mod_date: 11/1/92
mod_num: 1
@end(header)
@b<This window will tell you about X11 resources in general, and ASSIST resources in particular.>

The X11 Window System supports a @b<Resource> mechanism to allow you
to tailor windows to your individual taste.  Resources are ASCII
strings are used by many X11 programs to specify general options such
as window color, size and placement, fonts, button labels, etc., and
also to specify options specific to particular programs, such as
whether the @b<xclock> program should display an analog or digital
face.  Any resource for any program can be set by you to suit your
individual needs.

Resources are specifed in resource file using resource name/value pairs:

ASSIST*columns:		name:r mode value

The specific name for a resource depends on the X11 widget that owns
the resource. The resource can include the "*" wildcard character.
See the X11 documentation for more information concerning how
resources are named.

One of the easiest methods of specifying resources is to add them to
the $HOME/.Xresources file, a catch-all file for X resources.  This
file is read when X first starts up, and the resources are loaded into
the X11 xrdb data base.  If you wish to change a resources in the
$HOME/.Xresources file, simply edit the file and then re-run the the
program @b<xrdb> to re-initialize the X resource data base:

xrdb -merge $HOME/.Xresources

Another way to tailor resources for an individual program is to
maintain a private copy of that program's resource file.  These files
contain all resources for a specific program.  They generally are
named for the @b<class> of the program, rather than the program
itself.  The ASSIST program is of class @b<AGS> and so the resource
file is also called @b<AGS>.  The default version of this file resides
in /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults (or some other site-specific location).

To make a private copy, create a sub-directory of your home directory
called app-defaults (this is the traditional name for a resource
directory).  Move the default @b<AGS> file into the your own
app-defaults directory and edit that file to change resource values.
Then set the XAPPLRESDIR environment variable to point to the directory
containing the edited resource file:

setenv XAPPLRESDIR /home/<user>/app-defaults

The @b<AGS> resources will now be taken from the @b<AGS> file
contained in this directory.  Note that the @b<setenv> command
described above is generally added to your .login file, so that
it is always set when you log in.

The @b<AGS> resource file allows you to alter the visual appearance of
the ASSIST program. You can change fonts, border widths, labels, and
other resources used by the program. There are hundreds of resources
specified in this file.  Among those that are of particular interest
are:

ASSIST*parameditViewport.height:		150 @break
ASSIST*runraisin:				True @break
ASSIST*usexih:					False @break
ASSIST*foreground:				darkgreen @break
ASSIST*background:			lightgoldenrodyellow @break
ASSIST*Close*foreground:			maroon @break
ASSIST*button1.foreground:		maroon @break
ASSIST*grapherMaxWidth: 			1000 @break
ASSIST*grapherMaxHeight: 		600

The @b<parameditViewport.height> resource controls the initial height
of the @b<parameter editor>.  If the value is set to 0, the height of
the parameter editor will be such that all parameters are displayed.

The @b<runraisin> resource determines whether the IRAF window will
be raised with the @b<Run> command is executed.  Some people like to
iconify this window and not see the output on the screen.  In this
case, @b<runraisin> should be set to "False", or else the window
will be de-iconified when a command is run.

The @b<usexih> resource will cause the help window to be in the same
style as that of the IRAF @b<xirafhelp> tools and the @b<xman> tool.
Italics and bold fonts are used, making the help display much
prettier.  On the other hand, this style of window does not support
the facility to search for keywords within the text using ^S, as does
the plain text window, and is thus less functional than the latter.

The @b<foreground> and @b<background> resources determine the basic
colors of the ASSIST windows.  These are other color resources that
control button colors as well.  You can spend hours getting your
colors just right (as we did in choosing the default colors!)

The @b<grapherMaxWidth> and @b<grapherMaxHeight> resources control
the maximum size of the grapher trees.

There are many more resources available to users.
To learn more about ASSIST parameter editor resources:
@button<Param Resources, Param_Resources>

To learn more about ASSIST stack placement resources:
@button<Stack Placement, Stack_Placement>

To learn more about ASSIST stack size resources:
@button<Stack Size, Stack_Size>

To learn more about resources for the IRAF xterm and host xterm:
@button<Xterm Resources, Xterm_Resources>