Windows XP bars and buttons
Windows XP got its name from one its most basic elements: the window. The rectangular work area for a program, file, or other task is called a window.
Below is an example of a Microsoft Word window. While Word
is a word processing program, the example below features many of the elements
common in Windows XP.
The workspace is the white area inside the window. This is
where you do your work with a program, such as writing a letter. Depending on
what program you're working with, the workspace will appear differently.
More Windows XP bars and buttons
Windows XP offers several tools, menus, and commands that
make the operating system easy to use.
The title bar is the horizontal bar at the
top of a window. It's displayed as white text on a blue background by default.
The Control menu button is the icon at the
far left end of the title bar. The Control menu button opens a menu you can use
to control the window.
The Close button is at the far right end of
the title bar. It looks like a box with an X in it. Click the
Close button to close a window or exit a program. Next to the Close button,
you'll see the Minimize and Maximize buttons. Learn more about these buttons in
the next lesson.
More Windows XP bars and buttons
The menu bar is the below the title bar. It
contains several menus, which let you see a list of commands.
Some menu options are followed by ellipsis,
or ... Choosing a menu option followed by an ellipses will
open a dialog box, which feature helpful tools to help you perform tasks.
Some Windows XP programs have toolbars across
the top of the window. The toolbar buttons allow you to print, cut, paste, and
perform other tasks. The options vary depending on the program.
v
To review taskbar functionality, see Lesson
1.
Scrolling
The scroll bar
appears at the right side or the bottom of a window when all information in
that window cannot be seen at the same time. Use the scroll bar to view hidden
information.
The scroll bar features scroll arrows that allow you to move
easily through a document. It's especially convenient when viewing a long
document.
To scroll:
▶ Click the
▶ Click the
▶ Click the
▶ Click the
▶ Click the
OR
▶ Click and drag the
scroll bars to view your document.
