What are the components of a windows?

Answer 1

By Tahir Buzdar

The popular windowing systems exhibit differences in terminology and appearance. However, their basic window components have definite similarities to the Microsoft Windows components.

Example

See the example of a typical window with its basic components identified.

Components

The following are the building blocks used in Microsoft Windows:

TITLE BAR

The title bar is located at the extreme top of the window. It is used to convey information to the user about the application and/or the object in the client area of the window.

Guidelines

Here are some basic guidelines:

· Center the window title in the top line of the window. In Microsoft windows the title area is positioned between the Control Menu on the left and the Minimize and Maximize Buttons on the right.

· Spell out the title as fully as possible using the ad hoc standard of mixed case with leading capitals on all significant words in the title.

· If the contents of the title bar are specific to the item opened in the window, the title should display information that uniquely identifies the current contents of the window.

· If the title bar is used to indicate the functionality of the window it should display the name of the menu item or command button that invoked the window.

Tips and Hints

By selecting and dragging the title bar with the mouse, the window can be moved about the workspace. If the window is not full screen, double-clicking on the menu bar will enlarge the window to fill the workspace. If the window is full size, double-clicking will reduce the window to its previous size.

MENU BAR

Introduction

Most of the popular windowing systems include a menu bar at the top of the screen or the top of an application's primary window. The menu bar includes the basic actions available to the user. Choosing one of the actions typically results in a drop-down menu being presented that contains a group of related actions from which the user can further choose.

The menu bar's formal name in each of the windowing systems will be somewhat different, as will its appearance and detailed operation. Each system, however, has a set of standard actions that should be consistently arranged on all menu bars in the system. Users expect to find these actions in standard locations.

In Microsoft Windows the standard actions are:

· File,

· Edit,

· View,

· Window,

· Help.

See the example of a menu bar containing the standard actions.

The following guidelines and examples are specifically for the Microsoft Windows environment. However, they are usually applicable with minor changes to other windowing environments.

Guidelines

Follow the ad hoc standards relating to menu bar actions:

· provide a menu bar in the primary window of all applications,

· conserve the standard order of common actions: File, Edit, View, Window, and Help, in all menu bars,

· use a standard format for menu bars,

· standardize usage of menu bars across the entire system.

Standard Order

· File is always first. However, the name of the File option may be changed to reflect the type of object that is being manipulated in the window, e.g. Drawing.

· Edit is next, followed by View (which is optional).

· Insert non-standard actions after File, Edit, and View.

· Follow the non-standard actions with Windows (which is optional).

· Make Help the last action on the menu bar.

Standard Format

· Identify actions by single words whenever possible. Present in mixed case letters, capitalizing only the first letter in each word (unless well known acronyms are included).

· Left-justify the actions on the menu bar. Place Help at the right end of the list or right-justified on the menu bar.

· Use consistent spacing: insert one space before File, two or three spaces between the remaining menu actions. If Help is right-justified, insert one space between Help and the right end of the menu bar.

· Provide a shortcut key (i.e., keyboard accelerator) for each menu action by underlining a unique character in each choice. This will accommodate users with a preference for keyboard use.

System-wide Standards

· Treat the standard actions as reserved words. They should have the same meaning in all menu bars.

· Maintain a dictionary of all menu bar actions to ensure that they are used consistently across applications.

· Treat the shortcut keys for standard action as reserved. Don't re-use them in any menu, even when the standard action is not present.

· Associate the shortcut key with each menu bar action in the dictionary. Maintain the association across applications to the maximum extent possible.

Examples

Menu bars from WordPerfect 5.2

and Microsoft Word 2.0b.

CONTROL MENU BOX

The control menu provides a mechanism whereby the user requests standard actions. When the user selects the control menu a set of menu items appear. These items should be from the set of standard control menu items. Only the menu items that are applicable should be enabled, the rest will be disabled, with text appearing gray and selection disallowed.

Standard Menu Items

The standard control menu items are:

· Restore - returns the window to the size it was prior to any minimize or maximize functions,

· Move - allows the user to reposition the window in the workspace,

· Size - allows the user to change the size of the window,

· Minimize - reduces the window and any dependants to an icon,

· Maximize - enlarges the window to the full-screen,

· Close - closes the window and any dependent windows,

· Switch To - invokes the operating system task list.

Tips and Hints

Microsoft Windows allows the user to access the Control Menu Box using the mouse (and clicking) or using the keyboard (by entering Alt+Spacebar). Control Menu Boxes are available on many different window components, including the application (primary) window, document (secondary) windows, program groups, and dialog windows. Consult your Microsoft Windows User's Guide for detailed operating instructions.

Remember to access the Control Menu with the mouse, single-click on the Control Menu Box. A double-click will close the window item (or initiate a dialogue concerning closing and saving any open documents).

MINIMIZE AND MAXIMIZE BUTTONS

Minimize

The minimize button is used to reduce the window to an icon. If the window has dependent windows that have been opened, all of the windows will be reduced to the icon with the parent window.

Maximize

The maximize (or restore) button is used to enlarge the window to full screen size, or to restore the window to it's previous size.

If the maximize button contains a single up arrow, selection will enlarge the window to the size of the workspace. When the window is full size, the button displays two triangles, one up and one down, and selection will return the window to its previous size.

SCROLL BARS

Introduction

All popular windowing systems provide scroll bars whenever the amount of information exceeds the available display space. They all employ a model based on a moving window rather than moving data.

In Microsoft Windows, a fixed-sized scroll button is used. Windows may be manipulated as follows:

· To scroll continuously in any direction, click and hold the appropriate scroll arrow.

· To scroll one line up or down, click the up or down scroll arrow on the vertical scroll bar.

· To scroll one screen up or down, click the scroll bar above or below the scroll box in the vertical scroll bar.

· To locate the pointer anywhere in the document, drag the scroll boxes as necessary.

· Employ the horizontal scroll bar to achieve similar results in the horizontal direction.

· Consult the Microsoft Windows User Guide for information on how to use the keyboard to manipulate scrolling (Microsoft, 1992).

Vertical Scroll Bar

The vertical scroll bar allows the user to scroll vertically through the contents of the window. If the window is not large enough to display all of the data vertically, the scroll bar will allow the user to manipulate the view in the window. By selecting and moving the scroll box along the scroll bar the relative position of the window is changed.

Horizontal Scroll Bar

The horizontal scroll bar allows the user to scroll horizontally through the window. If the window is not large enough to display all of the data horizontally, the scroll bar will allow the user to manipulate the view in the window. By selecting and moving the scroll box along the scroll bar the relative position of the window is changed.

Guidelines

Provide scroll bars in all cases where the window does not display all information.

When a choice exists, use vertical rather than horizontal scrolling.

WINDOW FRAME

The window frame is the outer border of the window. The window frame can be used to size the window by placing the mouse over the frame and dragging it to a new position.

Microsoft Windows provides a very flexible set of window resizing controls. There are resizing controls available in each corner and along each border (side) of a window.

When the pointer is positioned over a resizing control, it changes shape to a two-headed arrow. Drag the corner or border to resize the window. If you drag a border, the window size changes only on the side of the border which you drag. if you drag a corner, the two adjoining sides to the corner change size at the same time.

The user may also invoke the Size option on the Control Menu and use the keyboard and arrow keys to adjust the window size.

CLIENT AREA

The client area is the portion of the window in which graphical objects and controls are displayed. It provides the desktop for the user to work in within the window. Objects and controls are placed in the client area for user interaction.

Aliases

The client area is also referred to as the panel body, screen body, screen content, and window area.