Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uflorida!ukma!husc6!wjh12!clp
From: clp@wjh12.harvard.edu (Charles L. Perkins)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: defaults database goes away...
Keywords: dread dwrite dremove Pseudo terminal
Message-ID: <382@wjh12.harvard.edu>
Date: 18 Aug 89 03:30:25 GMT
References: <2218@hub.UUCP>
Reply-To: clp@wjh12.UUCP (Charles L. Perkins)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge MA
Lines: 27

I have seen this problem happen semi-randomly...it's almost certainly a bug
 in 0.9 -- suddenly many or all of your Preferences will vanish...

A temporary fix which I came up with is:

  (1) When you have your system as you want it to be, change to your home
	directory and do a "dread -l >.defaults"

  (2) In your .login file add the line "dwrite <~/.defaults"

  (3) In your .logout file add the line "dwrite <~/.defaults"

This last step is helpful only for the rare case that you've changed the
 .defaults file (now the definitive listing of your preferences) and want
 this to be seen on your next login (necessary for Workspace options and
 any other preferences that are "looked at" before .login is run).

I've still noticed a problem now and then that Workspace LaunchThese goes
 away and won't come back after the first new login.  I don't understand
 this at all...

General Note:  I have "strings"ed all the Applications to try to get a list
		of ALL the defaults you can set and reset.  This was only
		partly sucessful since I have limited patience looking thru
		the (huge) output generated.  If anyone has a definitive list
		(or wants my list) please let me know...
								Charles