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Java Desktop System Release 3 User Guide

Access Keys

A menubar is a bar at the top of a window that contains the menus for the application. An access key is an underlined letter in a menubar, menu, or dialog that you can use to perform an action. On a menubar, the access key for each menu is underlined.

To open a menu, press Alt, then press the access key. In the menu, the access key for each menu item is underlined. To choose a menu item, press the access key for the menu item. The following table shows example access keys from the Text Editor application:

Access Keys 

Function 

Alt + F

Opens the File menu.

N

Chooses the New item on the File menu.

You can also use access keys to access elements in a dialog. In a dialog, one letter in most dialog elements is underlined. To access a particular dialog element, press Alt, then press the access key. The following table shows an example access key from the Preferences dialog in the Text Editor application:

Access Key 

Function 

Alt + U

Gives focus to the Use default theme font check box.

You can use also other keys to navigate within a window or dialog.

Key 

Function 

Tab

Moves the focus from element to element in a window or dialog. 

Arrow keys 

Use the arrow keys to perform the following actions: 

  • In a menubar, move the focus from one menu to the next menu. In an open menu, move the focus from one menu item to the next menu item.

  • Move the focus from one option to the next option to make your selection, for example, within a group of radio buttons in a dialog.

  • Change the value that a spin box displays.