The information in this chapter describes how to use windows
in the GNOME Desktop. You can use several types of window manager with the
GNOME Desktop, for example, Metacity
and Sawfish
. Many of the functions in Metacity
are also available in Sawfish
. This chapter describes
the functions that are associated with the Metacity
window manager.
You can display many windows at the same time in the GNOME Desktop. Your windows are displayed in subdivisions of the GNOME Desktop that are called workspaces. A workspace is a discrete area in which you can work. Every workspace contains the same desktop, the same panels, and the same menus. However, you can run different applications, and open different windows in each workspace. You can display only one workspace at a time, but you can have windows open in other workspaces.
The Workspace Switcher
applet displays a
visual representation of your windows and workspaces, as show in Figure 6–1.
You can add workspaces at any time. To add workspaces to the GNOME Desktop,
right-click on the Workspace Switcher
applet, then
choose Preferences. The Workspace Switcher
Preferences dialog is displayed. Use the Number of workspaces spin box to specify the number of workspaces you require.
A window manager controls how windows appear and behave. The window manager manages where your windows are located, and which window has focus. The window frame contains buttons that enable you to perform standard actions such as moving, closing, and resizing windows.
You can configure some window manager settings in the Windows
preference tool. This manual describes the functions
that are associated with the default configuration of the Metacity
window manager. The default configuration is specified in the Window Behavior
preference tool.
The GNOME Desktop features the following types of windows:
Application windows
When you start an application, an application window opens. The window manager applies a frame to the application window. By default, the top edge of the application window contains a titlebar. The titlebar contains buttons that you can use to work with the window. The buttons in an application window frame enable you to perform actions such as open the Window Menu, or close the window. The Window Menu provides a number of actions that you can perform on the window.
The following figure shows a typical application window.
Dialog windows
A dialog window is a popup window in which you enter information or commands. The dialog appears within a window frame.
You can use the top edge of the frame to work with the window. For example, you can use the titlebar to move the dialog. The frame also contains buttons that enable you to do the following:
Open the Window Menu
Close the dialog window
Typically, you open a dialog window from an application window. When you open a dialog window, the window is usually raised and has focus. Some dialog windows do not allow you to use the application until you close the dialog.
The following figure shows a typical dialog window.
A window frame is a border around a window. The window frame contains a titlebar. The titlebar contains buttons that you can use to work with the window.
You can apply several themes to your window frames. The theme determines
how the frame looks. To choose a theme for all your window frames, use the Theme
preference tool.
You can use the window frame to perform various actions with the window. In particular, the titlebar contains various buttons. The following figure shows the titlebar of an application window:
Dialog windows also contain some of the window frame control elements. Table 6–1 describes the active control elements on window frames, from left to right.
Table 6–1 Window Frame Control Elements
This section describes the menus and applets that you can use to work with windows and workspaces.
The Window Menu is a menu of commands that you can use to perform actions on your windows. To open the Window Menu perform one of the following actions:
Click on the Window Menu button on the window that you want to work with.
Press Alt + spacebar.
Press-and-hold Alt, then right-click on any part of the window that you want to work with.
Table 6–2 describes the commands and submenus in the Window Menu.
Table 6–2 Window Menu Commands and Submenus
Menu Item |
Function |
---|---|
Minimize |
Minimizes the window. |
Maximize or Unmaximize |
Maximizes the window. If the window is already maximized, choose Unmaximize to restore the window to its previous size. |
Roll Up or Unroll |
Reduces a window so that only the titlebar is visible. If the window is already rolled up, choose Unroll to restore the window to its previous size. |
Move |
Enables you to use the arrow keys to move the window. |
Resize |
Enables you to use the arrow keys to resize the window. |
Close |
Closes the window. |
Put on All Workspaces or Only on This Workspace |
Puts the window on all of your workspaces. If the window is already on all of your workspaces, choose Only on This Workspace to put the window on the current workspace only. |
Move to workspace-name or Only on workspace-name |
Moves the window to the workspace that you choose. If the window is on all of your workspaces, choose Only on workspace-name to put the window on the workspace that you want. |
Window List
displays a button for each application
window that is open. You can use the Window List
to perform the following tasks:
To minimize a window
Click on the button that represents the window.
To restore a minimized window
Click on the button that represents the window.
To give focus to a window
Click on the button that represents the window.
When you open an application window, Window List
displays a button that represents the window. The window list buttons show
which application windows are open. You can view which windows are open even
if some windows are minimized, or other windows overlap a window. Window List
can display buttons for the windows in your current
workspace, or in all workspaces. To select this option, you must change the
preferences of Window List
.
You can also right-click on a window list button to open the Window Menu for the window that the button represents. When you
open the Window Menu from Window List
,
the Window Menu does not contain the workspace commands.
For more information on the Window Menu commands, see Window Menu.
Figure 6–2 shows Window List
when the following windows are open:
gedit
Dictionary
GHex
GNOME Terminal
The buttons in the applet show the status of your windows. Table 6–3 explains the information that the window list buttons provide about the window. The examples in Table 6–3 refer to Figure 6–2.
Table 6–3 Window Status Information on Window List Buttons
State |
Indicates |
Example |
---|---|---|
Button is pressed in. |
The window has focus. |
gedit |
Square brackets around window title. |
The window is minimized. |
[Dictionary] |
Button is not pressed in, no square brackets around title. |
The window is displayed, and is not minimized. |
ghex |
Numeral on button, in parentheses. |
The button represents a group of buttons. |
Gnome-terminal (3) |
Window List
can group
the buttons that represent windows in the same class under one window list
button. The Gnome-terminal button in Figure 6–2
is an example of a button that represents a group of buttons. The following
figure shows an example of Window List
with a button
group open:
To open a list of the windows in a group, click on the window list button that represents the group. You can click on the items in the list to give focus to windows, minimize windows, and restore windows.
To open the Window Menu for a window in a button
group, right-click on the window list button that represents the group. A
list of the windows in the group is displayed. To open the Window
Menu for a window in the group, click on the item in the list. When
you open the Window Menu from the Window List
, the Window Menu does not contain the workspace
commands. For more information on the Window Menu commands,
see Window Menu.
Workspace Switcher
displays a visual representation of your workspaces, as shown in Figure 6–3. Figure 6–3 shows the applet when the GNOME session contains
four workspaces. Your workspaces appear as buttons on the applet. The background
of the button in the applet that represents the current workspace is highlighted.
The current workspace in Figure 6–3 is the workspace
at the left of the applet. To switch to another workspace, click on the workspace
in the applet.
Workspace Switcher
also displays the application
windows and dialogs that are open in your workspaces.
The applet displays the workspaces in order from left to right across
the rows of the applet. In Figure 6–3, the applet
is set up to display the workspaces in one row. You can specify the number
of rows in which your workspaces are displayed in Workspace Switcher
. You can also change the default behavior of the applet to
display the names of your workspaces in the applet.
This section describes how to manipulate windows.
A window that has focus can receive input from the mouse and the keyboard. Only one window can have focus at a time. The window that has focus has a different appearance than other windows.
You can use the following elements to give focus to a window:
Element |
Action |
---|---|
Mouse |
Click on the window, if the window is visible. |
Shortcut keys |
Use shortcut keys to switch between the windows that are open. To give focus to a window, release the keys. The default shortcut keys to switch between windows are Alt + Tab. |
|
Click on the button that represents the window in |
|
Click on the window that you want to give focus to in the |
Top edge panel |
Click on the icon at the extreme right of the top edge panel. A list of your open windows is displayed. Choose the window from the list. |
To minimize a window perform one of the following actions:
Click on the Minimize button on the window frame.
Open the Window Menu, then choose Minimize.
If the window has focus, click on the button that represents
the window in Window List
. If the window does not
have focus, click twice on the button that represents the window.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
, then choose Minimize
from the popup menu.
When you maximize a window, the window expands as much as possible. To maximize a window perform one of the following actions:
To maximize the window, click on the Maximize button on the window frame. Alternatively, open the Window Menu, then choose Maximize.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
, then choose Maximize
from the Window Menu.
To restore a maximized window perform one of the following actions:
Click on the Maximize button on the window frame.
Open the Window Menu. Choose Unmaximize.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
to open the Window Menu. Choose Unmaximize.
To restore a minimized window, click on the button that represents the
window in Window List
.
To close a window perform one of the following actions:
Click on the Close Window button on the window frame.
Open the Window Menu. Choose Close.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
, then choose Close from
the Window Menu.
If you have unsaved data in the window, you are prompted to save your data.
To resize a window perform one of the following actions:
Point to a corner of the window. The mouse pointer changes to indicate that you can resize the window. Grab the corner and drag the window to the new size.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
. Choose Resize from the Window Menu. Use the arrow keys to resize the window.
Press-and-hold Alt, then middle-click near the corner that you want to resize. The mouse pointer changes to indicate that you can resize from the corner. To resize the window, drag from the corner on which you middle-clicked.
To resize a window horizontally point to one of the vertical edges of the window. The mouse pointer changes to indicate that you can resize the window. Grab the edge and drag the window to the new size.
To resize a window vertically point to the bottom edge of the window. The mouse pointer changes to indicate that you can resize the window. Grab the edge and drag the window to the new size.
You cannot resize some dialog windows. Also, some application windows have a minimum size below which you cannot reduce the window.
To move a window perform one of the following actions:
Grab the titlebar of the window and drag the window to the new location.
Press-and-hold Alt, then drag the window to the new location.
Open the Window Menu, then choose Move. Use the arrow keys to move the window to the new location.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
, then choose Move from
the Window Menu. Use the arrow keys to move the window
to the new location.
You can roll up and roll down windows, as follows:
Reduce the window so that only the titlebar is visible.
Switch a window from a rolled-up state so that the full window is displayed.
To roll up a window perform one of the following actions:
Double-click on the titlebar of the window. To roll down the window, double-click on the titlebar again.
Open the Window Menu. Choose Roll Up. To roll down the window, choose Unroll.
Right-click on the button that represents the window in Window List
, then choose Roll Up
from the Window Menu. To roll down the window, choose Unroll.
To put a window in all workspaces, open the Window Menu. Choose Put on All Workspaces. To set the window to appear only in the current workspace, choose Only on This Workspace.
You can move a window to another workspace in either of the following ways:
Use Workspace Switcher
In the Workspace Switcher
display, drag the
window to the workspace you require.
Use the Window Menu
Open the Window Menu. To move the window to the next workspace choose Move to workspace-name.
This section describes how to manipulate workspaces.
You can switch between workspaces in any of the following ways:
Use Workspace Switcher
Click on the workspace that you want to switch to in Workspace
Switcher
.
Use shortcut keys
The default shortcut keys to switch between the workspaces are as follows:
Default Shortcut Keys |
Function |
---|---|
Ctrl + Alt + right arrow |
Selects the workspace to the right. |
Ctrl + Alt + left arrow |
Selects the workspace to the left. |
To add workspaces to the GNOME Desktop, right-click on Workspace Switcher
, then choose Preferences.
The Workspace Switcher Preferences dialog is displayed.
Use the Number of workspaces spin box to specify the
number of workspaces you require. Workspace Switcher
adds new workspaces at the end of the workspace list.
The default names of your workspaces are Workspace 1, Workspace 2, Workspace 3, and so on. To assign
names to your workspaces, right-click on Workspace Switcher
,
then choose Preferences. The Workspace
Switcher Preferences dialog is displayed. Use the Workspaces
names list box to specify the names of your workspaces. Select
a workspace, then type the new name for the workspace.
When you delete a workspace the windows in the workspace are moved to another workspace, and the empty workspace is deleted.
To delete workspaces from the GNOME Desktop, right-click on Workspace Switcher
, then choose Preferences.
The Workspace Switcher Preferences dialog is displayed.
Use the Number of workspaces spin box to specify the
number of workspaces you require. Workspace Switcher
deletes workspaces from the end of the workspace list.