Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!lethe!yunexus!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!apple!afsg!ron
From: ron@afsg.apple.com (Ron Flax)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.aux
Subject: Re: Desktop info lost after a 'soft' crash
Message-ID: <531@afsg.apple.com>
Date: 7 Feb 91 20:55:21 GMT
References: <1417@ucl-cs.uucp> <2900@redstar.cs.qmw.ac.uk>
Organization: Apple Federal Systems Group
Lines: 20

In article <2900@redstar.cs.qmw.ac.uk> liam@cs.qmw.ac.uk (William Roberts;) writes:
>The desktop for the "/" volume is handled by the Desktop Manager using files 
>in the System Folder, but the "desktop" itself - position of disk icons, 
>folders etc on the desktop, is stored in a subdirectory $HOME/.desk with one 
>file per hostname. As two different users, you get two different home 
>directories and so two different .desk directories. This might not answer your 
>question, but it is what I know on the subject and might give you some clues.

Actually this is incorrect.  The $HOME/.desk/<hostname> files only
contains position info for objects that are "on the desktop", on a per
usr basis.  So things like your $HOME Folder get mounted on the desktop
for easy access, and if you place files/folders onto the desktop they
too will be remembered here.  But that's all that .desk is used for.
The rest of the desktop database is stored in the System Folder in 4
files: Desktop DB, Desktop DF, .fs_cache, and .fs_dirIDs.

--
Ron Flax
ron@afsg.apple.com	
Apple Federal Systems Group