Copyright ã1992 by Scott Hess.  All Rights Reserved.

Drag&Drop

Stuart allows the user to drop files from the Workspace into Stuart windows and cause text related to that file to be sent to the subprocess.  The PasteOnDrop preference determines what happens when a file is dropped.  It can chose to not accept dropped files, or to apply one of the three types of filename pasting to them (see Appendices/Preferences and Filename Pasting).

You can also modify the type of action taken when a file is dropped by depressing modifier keys when the file is initially dragged.  If the Command key was depressed, the drop is considered to be a `cd' filename paste.  If Alternate is depressed, it's a 'pushd'.  If Control is depressed, it's a regular filename paste.  Unfortunately, you must depress the appropriate key before the drag begins, because NeXTSTEP2.0 provides Stuart no method of finding out the actual state of the keys when the file is dropped, nor is a satisfactory method available for changing the cursor depending on which modifier keys are depressed.

The CopyOnDrop preference can cause dropped filenames to be pasted to the Pasteboard as Pasteboard filename data which can be used by other commands, such as the Paste menu entries (see Menus/Edit/Paste).  The MakeMainOnDrop preference causes Stuart to make the dropped-in window the main window after the drop, and to make Stuart the active application.

The drag&drop settings also determine how the Shelf works (see Shelf).