This appendix discusses some of the basic skills that you need to work with the Java Desktop System.
This section describes the button conventions and action terminology used in this manual. This section also describes the mouse pointers.
All the instructions in this manual are for the following types of mouse devices:
Devices that are configured for right-hand users.
Three button devices. If you have a two-button mouse device, then you press the two buttons simultaneously to simulate the effect of a middle mouse button.
The mouse button conventions used in this manual are as follows:
Mouse Button |
Definition |
---|---|
Left mouse button |
The button on the left side of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use. |
Middle mouse button |
The middle button of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use. |
Right mouse button |
The button on the right side of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use. |
To reverse the handedness of your mouse device, start the Mouse
preference tool, then select the options that you require.
If you do reverse the handedness of your mouse device, then you must reverse
the mouse button conventions used in this manual.
The following table describes the actions that you can perform with the mouse:
For example, if you want to copy text then perform the following steps:
Select the text with the left mouse button.
Move the mouse pointer to the location where you want to copy the text.
Click on the middle mouse button.
You can also right-click on the desktop background to open the Desktop background menu.
As you use the mouse, the appearance of the mouse pointer can change. The appearance of the pointer can provide feedback about a particular operation, location, or state. The following table lists and describes some of the mouse pointers.
Pointer |
Associated Action |
Description |
---|---|---|
Point to an item, choose a menu item |
Normal pointer. The pointer that appears during normal use of the mouse. |
|
Drag-and-drop |
Move pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, the object is moved from the old location to the new location. |
|
Drag-and-drop |
Copy pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a copy of the object is created where you drop the object. |
|
Drag-and-drop |
Symbolic link pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a symbolic link to the object is created where you drop the object. A symbolic link is a special type of file that points to another file or folder. |
|
Drag-and-drop |
Ask pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a menu opens. You can choose to move or copy the object, or to create a symbolic link to the object. |
|
Drag-and-drop |
Not available pointer. Indicates that you cannot drop the object at the current location. |
|
Move panel object |
Move panel object pointer. Indicates that you have selected a panel object to move. |
|
Resize window horizontally |
Horizontal resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a vertical window border to resize the window horizontally. |
|
Resize window vertically |
Vertical resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a horizontal window border to resize the window vertically. |
|
Resize window horizontally and vertically |
Corner resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a corner of a window border to resize the window horizontally and vertically. |
|
Resize window pane or resize table column |
Window pane or table column resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a column in a table to resize. |
The conventions used in this manual to describe actions that you take with the mouse are as follows:
Action |
Definition |
---|---|
Click |
Press and release the left mouse button, without moving the mouse. |
Click-and-hold |
Press and do not release the left mouse button. |
Left-click |
Same as click. Left-click clarifies the action when there might be confusion with right-click. |
Middle-click |
Press and release the middle mouse button, without moving the mouse. |
Right-click |
Press and release the right mouse button, without moving the mouse. |
Double-click |
Press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession without moving the mouse. |
Drag |
Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. For example, you can drag a window or an icon. The left and middle mouse buttons can perform drag actions. |
Drag-and-drop |
Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. For example, you can drag-and-drop a window or an icon. Release the mouse button to place the object in a new location. |
Grab |
Point to an item that you can move, and click-and-hold on the mouse button. For example, you can grab the titlebar of a window, then drag the window to a new location. |
For almost every task that you can perform with the mouse, you can use the keyboard to perform the same task. Shortcut keys are keys that provide you with a quick way to perform a task.
You can use shortcut keys to perform general Java Desktop System tasks
and to work with interface items such as panels and windows. You can also
use shortcut keys in applications. To customize your shortcut keys, use the Shortcuts
preference tool.
You can also modify the desktop preferences to use keyboard accessibility features.
The following sections describe the shortcut keys that you can use.
General shortcut keys enable you to use the keyboard to perform general Java Desktop System tasks. The following table lists some general shortcut keys:
Default Shortcut Keys |
Function |
---|---|
Ctrl + Esc |
Opens the Main Menu. |
Super + R |
Displays the Run Application dialog. |
Print Screen |
Takes a screenshot. |
Alt + Print Screen |
Takes a screenshot of the window that has focus. |
Ctrl + Alt + right arrow |
Switches to the workspace to the right of the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + left arrow |
Switches to the workspace to the left of the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + up arrow |
Switches to the workspace above the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + down arrow |
Switches to the workspace below the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + d |
Minimizes all windows, and gives focus to the desktop background. |
F1 |
Starts the online help browser, and displays appropriate online Help. |
Window shortcut keys enable you to use the keyboard to perform window tasks. The following table lists some window shortcut keys:
Default Shortcut Keys |
Function |
---|---|
Alt + Tab |
Switches between windows. When you use these shortcut keys, a list of windows that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select a window. |
Alt + Esc |
Switches between windows in reverse order. Release the keys to select a window. |
F10 |
Opens the first menu on the left side of the menubar. |
Alt + spacebar |
Opens the Window Menu. |
Arrow keys |
Moves the focus between items in a menu. |
Return |
Chooses a menu item. |
Esc |
Closes an open menu. |
Ctrl + Alt + right arrow |
Switches to the workspace to the right of the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + left arrow |
Switches to the workspace to the left of the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + up arrow |
Switches to the workspace above the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + down arrow |
Switches to the workspace below the current workspace. |
Ctrl + Alt + d |
Minimizes all windows, and gives focus to the desktop background. |
Panel shortcut keys enable you to use the keyboard to perform panel tasks. The following table lists panel shortcut keys:
Default Shortcut Keys |
Function |
---|---|
Ctrl + Alt + Tab |
Switches the focus between the panels and the desktop background. When you use these shortcut keys, a list of items that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select an item. |
Ctrl + Alt + Esc |
Switches the focus between the panels and the desktop background. Release the keys to select an item. |
Ctrl + F10 |
Opens the popup menu for the selected panel. |
Tab |
Switches the focus between objects on a panel. |
Return |
Chooses the selected panel object or menu item. |
Shift + F10 |
Opens the popup menu for the selected panel object. |
Arrow keys |
Moves the focus between items in a menu. Moves the focus between interface items in an applet also. |
Esc |
Closes an open menu. |
F10 |
Opens the Applications menu from the |
Application shortcut keys enable you to perform application tasks. You can use shortcut keys to perform application tasks more quickly than if you use a mouse. The following table lists some application shortcut keys:
Shortcut Keys |
Command |
---|---|
Ctrl + N |
New |
Ctrl + X |
Cut |
Ctrl + C |
Copy |
Ctrl + V |
Paste |
Ctrl + Z |
Undo |
Ctrl + S |
Save |
Ctrl + Q |
Quit |
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.