objects

							                           Common Objects:
                   Pointers, Icons & Screen Controls
In a graphical computing environment (also called a Graphical User Interface (or GUI,
pronounced "gooey"), such as Microsoft Windows, Mac          , , etc.),,there
                                                    conjunction withXFree86 These
are several "screen objects" intended to be used in OS       BeOS the mouse.
most commonly fall into the categories of Pointers, Icons and .Screen Controls
                                                                  These
objects vary between different environments, but are generally similar; all examples
shown here are from Microsoft Windows. If you have not yet read the section concerning
the mouse, please do so now. There will be many references relating to the use of the
                                               !)
mouse with the various objects. (Tell me about the Mouse

                                    Pointers

                                      , section
As briefly touched on in the previous the Pointer is controlled by the mouse. It is
a "You are Here" representation of where you are in the computer environment. It also
acts as a tool, allowing interaction with the computer. The different pointers indicate the
type of task the computer is ready for at any given location; it automatically changes the
pointer for you.
    The "Normal Select" pointer, represented by a simple arrow, is generally the primary
pointer type; the computer is ready for darn near anything you want to throw at it.

     The "Help Select" pointer, an arrow with a question mark, is waiting for you to
point and click an object so that the computer can provide context sensitive help relating
to that object. You usually have to indicate that you are interested in obtaining help, first.
Often this is done simply by clicking a button with a question mark "?" or the word
"Help" written on it.

     The "Working in Background" pointer, an arrow with an hourglass, indicates that
the computer is doing something, but most likely, you can go about your business as
usual. It tends to pop up a lot when the GUI is first entered and occasionally while
printing.

    The "Busy" pointer, a large hourglass, is the computer's way of saying "Leave me
alone!" or "I'm not listening!" When you see this one, pay attention and leave it alone. It
usually means that it is working very hard at something, and to bother it now could very
easily distract it and "derail it's train of thought", literally. I've induced many computer
"crashes" this way. (Sorry about the pun: derailed train = train crash.)
At this point I probably need to introduce the concept of "crashing a computer". Just like
you, a computer can only do "so much" at one time. After that point is reached, just like
you, it can get confused. Have you had one of those mornings where you forget where
you put the shoes you wanted to wear that day? Same thing, but more realistically, the
computer forgot what it did with that piece of data it just had. KA-BOOM!
     The "Precision Select" pointer, a targeting crosshair, is generally reserved for graphic
or image editing. Depending on what you use your computer for, you may never see this
one.

   The "Text Select" pointer looks like a capital "I". This one is pretty common; it will
show up in any application that works with any form of text: word processors,
spreadsheets, e-mail applications, graphics applications ... pick something!

     The "Unavailable" pointer, similar to a "do not enter" symbol, means exactly that!
Whatever it is that you are trying to do, the computer won't let you. It is trying to save
you a lot of trouble, in the long run.

         The "... Resize" pointers, the double ended arrows, allow you to grab the edge
of a window, or sometimes an embedded object its size or scale. There are
                                        , and adjust
four versions of this: vertical, horizontal, and two diagonals. The diagonals work nicely
with embedded objects.

    The "Move" pointer, the four pointed arrow, allows you to move an entire window.
You first have to indicate that you are interested in moving a window.

     The "Link Select" pointer, the hand with the index finger extended, is generally
reserved for use with a web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet
Explorer. The "Normal Select" pointer changes to this one when it is being pointed at an
object that represents a way to view another web page.

                                    Icons

          Icons are little pictures that represent applications, folders and
          files. A few clicks of the mouse on an icon can replace long,
          complex command line instructions that tell your computer
          what to do.

           Of the four icons pictured here, only the one titled
           "research.doc" is a real file; the rest are Shortcuts (commands
           that direct the computer to look someplace for instructions or
           data). The "research.doc" icon will open up the program the
program was written in as well as the file itself. As far as shortcuts go, for instance, any
icon with an arrow embedded in the bottom corner (see the Microsoft Word icon) is a
shortcut to the program itself. Otherwise you would look through your program listings in
your start menu for the program which may be several folders deep. Having a shortcut
would prevent you from scrolling and clicking needlessly looking for the program you
need.

                               Embedded Objects
Embedded objects are simply an icon containing the path to the application and/or
program that has been placed insided a different program (sort of like an email
attachment). For instance, the example above shows a Microsoft Access database file
icon placed inside a Microsoft Word document. When the database icon is clicked, the
application and the program will be opened.


                              Screen Controls

Screen controls simply let the user navigate either back and forth, up and down, or out of
the window if needed. They also allow you to choose from several options given within a
page as well. For instance, the controls at the top right-hand corner of your
screen       allow you to manipulate the current window quickly in three (well,
actually four) different ways.

  The "minimize button" control at the far left of the three minimizes the page
temporarily to a miniature window along the bottom of the screen which looks like

this:
To activate the window again after minimizing it just click on the miniature window and
the application will restore itself to its full size.

  The "restore button" control in the middle of the group reduces the page to one-half its
size so you can take a glimpse at the screens "behind" the page. To restore the page to its
full screen you would need to click on the "maximize button" control on the reduced
window which looks like this:

  The "close button" control at the far right does what it says: close and terminate the
application until you open it back up again.


       The "start" button is normally at the bottom left-hand corner of your screen and
shows a list of all programs, recently opened documents, computer settings, search
options, and a run program option. You would click on this button and the options just
described will appear above the button in a new window.


This is the horizontal scroll bar which allows you to scroll up and down a page on a
computer screen. It's normally located at the right-hand side of your computer screen.
Simply click the grayed in area above or below the box in the bar to move the page up or
down. You can also click and drag the scroll box up and down to move whichever way
you like as well.