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toolbar

  (tūl'bär') pronunciation
n.

A row of icons on a computer screen that activate commands or functions when clicked.


 
 

Area of a computer screen, often across the top, containing Buttons and Menus. In some applications a toolbar can be docked at any edge of the screen or torn off to become a floating palette. Toolbars can also be turned off (caused not to appear). Also called a button bar.

 
Wikipedia: toolbar
For the Wikipedia toolbars, see .
An early toolbar on a Xerox Alto Computer. ("Draw", 1975)
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An early toolbar on a Xerox Alto Computer. ("Draw", 1975)

In a graphical user interface on a computer monitor a toolbar is a row, column, or block of onscreen buttons or icons that, when clicked, activate certain functions of the program. Earlier forms of toolbars were defined by the programmer and had set functions. Most modern programs and operating systems however, allow the end user to modify and customize toolbars to fit their personal needs. A prominent example of a customizable toolbar is the Microsoft Windows Taskbar; functions of which range from an expandable programs menu, task listing, system tray and clock.

The first toolbar appeared on the Xerox Alto computer in 1973[citation needed].

Toolbars are seen in common applications such as Microsoft Word, and as add-ons for web browsers such as Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.

Web Browser Toolbars

Toolbars for browsers are best known for adding functionality and ease-of-use options to the end user. While the browser itself handles basic browsing navigation (Back, Stop, Reload, etc), toolbars often add additional functionality to browsers (additional search fields, form-fill, links back to popular sites. etc)

An example of a web browser toolbar, the Google toolbar, in Firefox
An example of a web browser toolbar, the Google toolbar, in Firefox

Prominent third party web browser toolbars include:[citation needed]

Web Browser Controversy

While third-party browser toolbars also add functionality for the end user, they are typically considered a White elephant, due to security flaws introduced between the toolbar and browser programs. Moreover, a large number of third party toolbars are made for this express purpose. Posing as Search Bars, these persistent Trojan Horse viruses often act as a "foot in the door" to other viruses and spyware, in addition to bombarding the user with advertisements. Another common attribute of these toolbars is the fact they cannot be disabled or uninstalled by any traditional means, and may require a power user or a computer technician to remove them.


Elements of graphical user interfaces

About box · Accordion · Balloon help · Button · Check box · Combo box · Combutcon · Context menu · Dialog box · Disclosure widget · Drop-down list · File dialog · Grid view · Heads-up display · Icon · Infobar · Label · List box · Menu · Menu bar · Pie menu · Progress bar · Radio button · Ribbon · Scrollbar · Sidebar · Slider · Spinner · Status bar · Tab · Text box · Toolbar · Tooltip · Tree view · Widget

See also

External links


 
Translations: Translations for: Toolbar

Dansk (Danish)
n. - værktøjsbjælke (på computerskærm)

Français (French)
n. - (Comput) barre d'outils

Deutsch (German)
n. - (Comp.) Tool-Leiste

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - γραμμή εργαλείων

Español (Spanish)
n. - barra de símbolos gráficos que pueden ser utilizados como botones para activar funciones, etc.

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - verktygslist

中文(简体) (Chinese (Simplified))
工具栏

中文(繁體) (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 工具欄

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (컴퓨터) 도구 막대

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) قائمه في أعلى الشاشه تبين العمليات المتاحه (كومبيوتر)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רצועה בראש המרקע המכילה כפתורים להפעלת תוכניות-שירות שונות (מחשב)‬


 
 

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Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Business Dictionary. Dictionary of Business Terms. Copyright © 2000 by Barron's Educational Series, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Toolbar" Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

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