Opening Drawers and Files 

The most common action in Wanderer is opening something with a double-click. 

Typical examples:
double-click SYS: to open the system volume
double-click Prefs to open system preferences
double-click ScreenMode to change screen resolution
double-click a program icon to start a tool
double-click a drawer to browse its files

Each opened drawer appears in its own window. 5. Wanderer Windows A Wanderer window displays the contents of a disk or drawer. 

A typical window may contain: 
icons
file names
drawers
programs
scroll bars
window depth gadget
close gadget
resize gadget
title bar

The user can move windows, resize them, bring them to the front, or close them. Depending on settings, Wanderer may show files as icons or in another view mode.

Starting Programs 

Programs are usually started by double-clicking their icons. 

Typical beginner examples:
open SYS:Prefs
double-click Locale to change language or regional settings
double-click Input to adjust mouse and keyboard behavior
double-click ScreenMode to select a display mode
open Tools or Utilities
double-click a utility program

Some programs start directly. Others may open a requester, ask for a file, or show a settings window. 

If a program does not start, possible reasons include: 
missing libraries
missing assigns
wrong ToolTypes
wrong file permissions
program not compatible with the current AROS version

Copying Files 

Copying files in Wanderer is usually done visually. 

A typical copy operation works like this:
Open the source drawer.
Open the destination drawer.
Select the file or drawer you want to copy.
Drag it from the source window to the destination window.
Drop it into the destination window.

Depending on the system behavior, Wanderer may copy the file or may offer options such as copy, move, or cancel. 

A common use case is copying files from one drawer to another, for example: from RAM: to Work:
from a download drawer to a tools drawer
from removable media to the system disk
from SYS:Storage to another location

Moving Files 

Moving files is similar to copying. The user normally drags the file from one place to another. Depending on the source and destination, the system may move the file instead of copying it, especially when both locations are on the same volume. 

Typical moving use cases:
organizing documents
moving downloaded files into a work drawer
cleaning up the desktop
moving tools into a dedicated utilities drawer

Beginners should be careful when moving files from system drawers, because some programs or scripts may expect files to remain in specific places.

Renaming Files and Drawers 

Files and drawers can usually be renamed from Wanderer through a menu command or icon information window. 

Renaming is useful for:
organizing documents
giving clear names to projects
cleaning up downloaded files
making drawers easier to understand

However, beginners should avoid renaming important system drawers such as: 
C
S
Libs
Devs
Prefs
Classes

Changing those names may cause programs or startup scripts to fail.

Deleting Files 

Files can usually be deleted from Wanderer by selecting them and using a delete command from the menu or context menu, depending on the distribution. 

Typical delete use cases:
removing temporary files
cleaning RAM:
deleting old documents
removing unused downloads

Beginners should be careful when deleting files from SYS: because this may damage the system installation.

Showing Files 

That Have No Attached Icon One important Amiga-like concept is that not every file automatically has a visible icon. In AROS, some files may exist in a drawer but not appear in Wanderer if they do not have an attached icon file. Usually, visible icons are connected to .info files. 

For example:
MyProgram is the actual program
MyProgram.info is the icon information file
If the .info file is missing, the object may not appear in normal icon view. Why Files May Be Invisible A file may not appear because: it has no .info icon file
Wanderer is set to show only iconified files
the file is a command-line tool
the file is a configuration file
the drawer contains system files not meant for normal desktop use

How to Show Files Without Icons Wanderer usually provides an option similar to Show All Files or Show All. When enabled, Wanderer displays files even if they do not have attached icons. 

This is useful for viewing: 
command-line tools
scripts
configuration files
text files
files copied from another system
downloaded files without icon metadata

For beginners, this is very important: if a file seems to be missing, it may still be there but simply not shown because no icon is attached.

Creating or Using Icons for Files 

If a file has no icon, the user may still work with it, but it may be less convenient from the desktop. 

Possible solutions include:
enable Show All Files
copy an existing icon and adjust it
create an icon using an icon editor, if available
save icon information through an information window
launch the file from the Shell instead

For programs, the icon can also store ToolTypes, so adding an icon can make startup easier. If files without icon are shown after "Show all" and you "Snapshot" Window or all, icons are automatically created.

Icon Information 

Icons may have an information window that shows or edits properties. For that select icon and then from menu "Icon/Information"

This may include:
file name
icon type
default tool
ToolTypes
comment
protection bits
stack size
startup options

For programs, the stack size can be important. If it is too small, a program may crash or behave incorrectly.

Using the Menus 

Wanderer uses Amiga-style menus, usually accessed by holding the right mouse button or using the menu system at the top of the screen. 

Menus may contain commands such as:
open
copy
rename
delete
snapshot
clean up
show all files
update or refresh
information
view options

Menu names and exact commands may vary depending on the AROS version and distribution.

Snapshot and Clean Up 

Two common desktop functions are Snapshot and Clean Up. Clean Up Clean Up arranges icons neatly in a window or on the desktop. It is useful when icons overlap or are scattered. Snapshot Snapshot saves the current position of icons or windows. This means that after reopening the drawer, icons may appear in the same place as before. 

Typical use case:
Arrange icons in a drawer.
Use Clean Up if needed.
Use Snapshot to save the arrangement.

Using RAM: 

RAM: is a special temporary disk stored in memory. 

It is useful for:
temporary downloads
unpacking archives
testing files
quick file transfers
temporary notes or scripts

Important: files in RAM: are usually lost after reboot, so important files should be copied to SYS:, Work:, or another permanent volume.

Typical Beginner Use Cases 

Use Case 1: Opening Preferences
Open SYS:.
Open Prefs.
Double-click a preference program such as ScreenMode, Locale, or Input.
Change the setting.
Use Save for permanent changes or Use for temporary changes.

Use Case 2: Starting a Utility 
Open SYS:.
Open Tools or Utilities.
Double-click the desired program icon.
Use the program window that opens.

Use Case 3: Copying a File from RAM: to Work: 
Open RAM:.
Open Work:.
Drag the file from the RAM: window to the Work: window.
Drop it into the destination.
Check that the file appears in Work:.

Use Case 4: Finding a File 
Without an Icon Open the drawer where the file should be.
If the file is not visible, choose Show All Files or a similar option.
Look for the file name.
If needed, start it from the Shell or create an icon for it.

Use Case 5: Organizing a Drawer 
Open the drawer.
Move icons to useful positions.
Use Clean Up to arrange them.
Use Snapshot to save their positions.

Difference Between Wanderer and Shell 

Wanderer and Shell are two ways to work with the same system. 

Wanderer is graphical:
easier for beginners
good for browsing files
useful for starting programs
convenient for drag-and-drop actions

Shell is text-based: 
more precise
good for commands and scripts
useful for advanced file operations
important for troubleshooting

Many AROS users use both.

Beginner Tips

If a file appears to be missing, try Show All Files.
Be careful when changing or deleting files inside SYS:.
Use RAM: only for temporary files.
Use Work: or another permanent volume for important files.
Double-click icons to open drawers or start programs.
Use Snapshot if you want icon positions to stay saved.
If a program does not start from Wanderer, try starting it from the Shell to see error messages.
Remember that .info files are important because they store icon information.