|
<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Reference Manual > Windows and dialog boxes > Windows terminology |
This is a program designed to run under Microsoft Windows and this manual often refers to components of the user interface in the operating system. This is a brief list of some of the terms used:
This is the main part of the interface. A window is a visible box with most, or all of the following:
•a Title bar with an Icon, window description, and the Buttons to minimize, maximize and close the Window
•a Menu with Menu items to invoke modules in the program
•a Toolbar with Buttons for quick access to Menu items
•a Body that displays the information relevant for this Window
•a Status bar that gives important information about the Window
A Window can be can be moved and have its size changed. It can also be made full screen (maximized), shrunk to a very small window (minimized) and closed.
This is a particular type of Window.
For the purposes of this manual a Dialog box is a Window without a Menu.
A Dialog box may have a Toolbar for frequently used facilities, but no equivalent menu items.
A Dialog box will often be Modal, which means when it appears it freezes the underlying program. In this case you cannot do anything else until you have finished with the Dialog box.
A Dialog box may be Modeless, which means when it appears it does not freeze the underlying program. A Modeless window remains on the screen until it is closed.
This is a particular type of Modal Dialog box that has a narrow Title bar. It is used for small Windows that remain on top of the underlying window for repeated access.
Individual components on a window are called Controls:
This is complex group of controls that are combined together in a particular way in order to present a consistent behaviour when used. The same user control can be used in various windows to enter the same type of information.
The top (banner) that identifies the window. Also has Buttons to control the window.
This Control is a list of words that are used to access a list of Menu items.
Some Menu items have a further list of Menu items.
A Menu item will usually do one of the following:
•Whatever action the Menu item text describes
•Open a relevant Window, Dialog box or Tool window for further input
•Toggle an option "on" or "off", these menu items have a Check box alongside the text to show whether the option is on or not
Some Menu items have a Shortcut key associated with them, so that the Shortcut key can be used instead of selecting the Menu Item.
Many Menus will have letters that can be used for selection by holding down the Alt key.
This Control is a short list of Menu items that appears with a click of the right hand mouse button.
A Context menu will often be found in Edit box and List view Controls.
The selected action is done on the selected items or text in the Control.
This Control is a set of picture Buttons that act in the same way as Menu items.
A Toolbar underneath a Menu will give quick access to some of the Menu Items.
This Control comprises one or more lines of information at the bottom of a Window.
Sometimes parts of a Status Bar can be used as Buttons.
This Control is a vertical or horizontal line across the middle of a Window or Dialog box.
A Splitter is not normally visible but the Cursor will change to two parallel lines when you are positioned over a Splitter. Using the Mouse you can drag the Splitter to make one side of the Window or Dialog box larger and the other side smaller.
This is the name given to any Control that can be clicked with the left hand mouse button to invoke an action.
A Button will have either text or a picture on it to show its purpose.
This Control is a box of one or more lines into which text can be keyed and changed.
A Text box will usually have a Context menu for Cut, Paste and other common actions.
This Control is a box of one or more lines into which rich text can be keyed and changed.
A Rich text box will usually have a Context menu for Cut, Paste and other common actions.
This is the name for any text on a window that has no functionality. Often used to label other Controls.
This contains a list from which the user can select one item, or sometimes more than one.
A text box for entering some text with a list from which the user can select one item, if preferred.
This Control gives a vertical list with columns of information.
Items in a List view can be selected (by various means).
Each column in a List view has a header that describes the contents. The List view can often be sorted by clicking the header.
The vertical bar between headers can be used to change the width of the column. Double clicking the bar will expand the column to fit its longest contents.
A List view will sometimes have a Context menu.
Selected items are shown in the left hand column and all the selected items will normally be involved in operations such as cut, copy and delete.
One item in a list view is the focused item. The full row for the focused item is highlighted, the colour of which can be controlled in the Options Settings, "Fonts and Settings" tab.
The focused item is normally involved in operations such as insert, insert before, paste, paste before and paste special.
This shows rows of data with various columns similar to a spreadsheet.
This is the name for one or more characters put together: parts of words, whole words, parts of sentences, whole sentences. Strings can also include spaces and other punctuation marks.