TITLE
    Mac OS: Usage of the Term Desktop
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		106090
12/12/00
1/4/01
TOPIC

    In the Mac OS, the term "desktop" has several different meanings, which are explained in this article.

DISCUSSION

    There are four primary uses of the term "desktop":

    • desktop
    • Desktop file
    • Desktop Folder
    • Desktop folder

    desktop

    This term, normally lowercase, refers to the central work area you see on your monitor's screen after you start up your Macintosh computer. This is where the desktop pattern or desktop picture defined in the Appearance control panel appears.

    Desktop file

    If you have ever heard that you need to "rebuild the Desktop," that was a reference to this invisible file that stores information about the contents of your hard disk. To learn about the Desktop file, see:

    Article 10182: " Mac OS: Rebuilding the Desktop File and Icon Recovery "
    Article 106027: " Mac OS X Public Beta: About the Desktop File "

    Desktop Folder (Mac OS 9 and earlier only)

    When you leave items on the desktop, they are stored in an invisible folder on the hard disk named Desktop Folder. Items stored in the Desktop Folder exclude the Trash and any disk icons that appear on the desktop. Since you can't see the Desktop Folder, it may help to imagine that the desktop is a folder that is always open on your monitor's screen.

    If you have more than one hard disk or hard disk partition, the Mac OS creates an invisible Desktop Folder on each disk or partition. This also applies to removable media.

    If you turn on the Multiple Users feature of Mac OS 9, there may be more than one Desktop Folder per disk or disk partition.

    Desktop folder (Mac OS X Public Beta only)

    Each user with an account on a Mac OS X Public Beta computer has a folder named Desktop in his home directory. The Desktop folder stores items which a particular user places on the desktop when logged in to the computer.

    Behavior and location of the Desktop Folder

    For more information on where the Desktop Folder is located, who can access its contents, and how its visibility may change, see:

    Article 86042: " Mac OS X Public Beta, Mac OS 9: Multiple Users Creates a Desktop Folder for Each User ".


Document Information
Product Area: Mac OS System Software
Category: Mac OS 9.0; Mac OS X
Sub Category: General Topics
Keywords: kmos90, kmosX

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