Java Desktop System Release 3 User Guide

Using Menus and Panel Applications

This section describes the menus and panel applications that you can use to work with windows and workspaces.

Window Menu

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:

Table 4–2 describes the commands and submenus in the Window Menu.

Table 4–2 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.

On Top

Places the window above any other open windows on the desktop background. 

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 Right or Move to Workspace Left

Move the window to the workspace to the right of the current workspace. If the window is already in the last workspace at the right of the Workspace Switcher, choose Move to Workspace Left to move the window to the workspace to the left of the current workspace.

Move to Another Workspace

Moves the window to another workspace. Select the workspace to which you want to move the window from the submenu. 

Window List

The Window List displays a button for each application window that is open. You can use the Window List to perform the following tasks:

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 4–2 shows Window List when the following windows are open:

Figure 4–2 Window List Panel Application

Window List panel application. The context describes the graphic.

The buttons in the panel application show the status of your windows. Table 4–3 explains the information that the window list buttons provide about the window. The examples in Table 4–3 refer to Figure 4–2.

Table 4–3 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)

Grouping Buttons

Window List can group the buttons that represent windows in the same class under one window list button. The Gnome-terminal button in Figure 4–2 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:

Window List panel application with 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

Workspace Switcher displays a visual representation of your workspaces, as shown in Figure 4–3. Figure 4–3 shows the Workspace Switcher when the Java Desktop System session contains four workspaces. Your workspaces appear as buttons on the panel application. The background of the button in the Workspace Switcher that represents the current workspace is highlighted. The current workspace in Figure 4–3 is the workspace at the left of the panel application. To switch to another workspace, click on the workspace in the panel application.

Figure 4–3 Workspace Switcher Panel Application

Workspace Switcher panel application. The context describes the graphic.

Workspace Switcher also displays the application windows and dialogs that are open in your workspaces.

The panel application displays the workspaces in order from left to right across the rows of the panel application. In Figure 4–3, the panel application 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 Workspace Switcher to display the names of your workspaces in the panel application.

Window Selector

You can view a list of all windows that are currently open. You can also choose a window to give focus to. To view the window list, click on the Window Selector panel application. The following figure shows an example of the Window Selector panel application:

Window selector panel application displayed from the bottom edge panel.

To give focus to a window, select the window from the Window Selector panel application.

The Window Selector lists the windows in all workspaces. The windows in all workspaces other than the current workspace, are listed under a separator line.