Appendix A User Interaction Changes

Desktop 

Multiple desktops 

One main workspace or virtual, multiple screen support (OLVWM).  

Multiple workspaces are accessible from the Front Panel; users can add, remove, and navigate between workspaces. 

Action feedback 

No indicator to provide feedback when application is launched.  

Indicator light on Front Panel, which initially blinks when application is first launched and when other actions occur.  

Application access 

Applications (and utilities) are accessible from Programs menu off Workspace menu. Programs menu customizable via GUI. 

Applications accessible from the Front Panel, the Application Manager, the Personal Applications subpanel, as well as the Programs submenu of the Workspace menu. No GUI for customizing Programs menu. 

Drag and drop to desktop 

When icon from File Manager dropped on desktop, the application associated with the icon is launched or executed. 

Dropping icon from File Manager onto desktop does not launch or execute: it creates a reference to the icon on the desktop (the original icon still appears in the File Manager).  

Fast help information 

Uses Magnify Help; has link to More Help window for further information.  

Uses On Item Help to go to item in Help handbook. 

Application Help 

Available by pressing keyboard Help key when in application.  

Help available from most menu bars (located at the far right of the menu bar) and dialog boxes; also available by pressing the keyboard Help key when in application. 

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Properties 

Multiple terms used to indicate properties 

Uses the term Properties (and sometimes, Settings), generally found under Edit menu. 

Uses the terms Options and Properties.  

Options refers to application-specific characteristics and is generally found under the File or Options menu. 

Properties is used to set object-specific characteristics and is generally found under the Edit menu.  

Global desktop options 

Set from the Workspace menu.  

Set from the Style Manager application. 

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Windows 

Window titles 

Generally follows the form:  

"File Manager V3.4: /home/username/Project_Folder".

Generally follows the form:  

"File Manager - Project_Folder". 

Version numbers not included in title (version numbers can be included in the application's About box).  

Title format specified in CDE Style Guide (see pages 92-93).

Move a window 

Click anywhere on window frame (except window corners) and drag to move the window.  

Click window title area and drag to move the window.  

Expand a window 

Double-click the frame to expand window: window expands vertically. The window position is retained.  

Click the maximize button to expand the entire window. The default is maximize equals full screen. To change the maximize direction to vertical only, use the Dtwm*maximumClientSize:verticalresource.

Resize a window  

Click any corner of the window and drag to resize.  

Click any part of the window frame (including the corners) and drag to resize the window. A resize outline box will display and update the window's size during the resize operation.  

Raise a window 

Click either the title bar or the window frame. 

Click anywhere in window. 

Remove or dismiss window 

Click pushpin to remove (dismiss) windows. 

Choose Close from the Window menu or press Alt + F4. OPEN LOOK applications run in CDE do not have pushpins, and are dismissed by the above actions. 

Closing a window to an icon (iconify)  

Choose the Close command from the Window menu to iconify. [Window menu is the boxed arrow in upper left corner of window.] 

Since Close is the default choice in the Window menu, a single-click on the Window menu icon will close the window (if default action in Properties is set to Left Mouse Press: Selects Default Item).  

Choose Minimize from the Window menu or click the minimize button at the upper right corner of the window frame. 

Quitting (terminating) an application 

Choose the Quit (or Exit) command in Window menu.  

Choose Close or Exit command in either the Window or File menu or double-click the Window menu icon to exit application. 

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Menus 

Menu layout type 

Uses menu buttons. 

Uses menu bar. 

Menu layout (standard) 

File-View-Edit-Properties 

File-Edit-View-Options-Help 

Keep menu on desktop  

Click a pushpin in the menu. 

Has tear-off menus. 

Default action from menu 

In Workspace Properties, can configure Left Mouse Press to represent Selects Default Item.  

In this mode, a single click on the menu button chooses the default menu item. The default item is shown in the menu surrounded by a ring. 

There is no default menu item. 

Quick menu access 

Abbreviated pop-up menu shows available commands. Displayed by clicking mouse button 3 (MENU). 

Same. 

Accessing menus from the keyboard 

No keyboard mnemonics used to access menus.  

Can use keyboard to display and choose from menu. The menu's mnemonic is shown by the underlined character in the menu's name (this may not be the first letter of the menu name). The menu is displayed by holding down Alt + the underlined letter. To access a particular menu option, press the key for the item's mnemonic, or press the down arrow to move to the item and press Return or Spacebar.  

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Dialog Boxes 

File selection  

(via typing file name or choosing from scrolling list) 

Generally offers command windows (for example, New, Load, Load/Save) that enable users to type or select a file.  

Offers a standard Common Desktop Environment file selection dialog box that can be modified to accommodate application-specific file navigation/selection options. See CDE Style Guide for examples and guidelines.

Print dialog box  

Print dialog boxes vary by application.  

Offers a common Print dialog box that can be modified to accommodate application-specific print options. See pages 116-122 of CDE Style Guide for examples and guidelines.

Remove or dismiss dialog box 

Property windows are a form of dialog box that use both a pushpin and buttons. The Apply button applies changes and dismisses an unpinned Property window but not a pinned one. To dismiss a pinned window, click the pushpin. 

Button actions determine whether dialog box remains up after action taken: Cancel dismisses the dialog box without performing any actions not yet applied, Close dismisses the dialog box, OK applies changes and dismisses the dialog box, and Apply applies changes and does not dismiss the dialog box. No pushpins are used when OPEN LOOK applications are run in CDE. See Chapter 7 of CDE Style Guide, "Common Dialogs," for more information.

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Controls 

Mutually-exclusive choice controls  

Uses Exclusive Settings control to present a group of mutually exclusive choices. Appearance: touching rectangles. 

Uses radio buttons: see pages 244-245 of CDE Style Guide for guidelines. Appearance: round buttons.

Controls for choosing related items/values 

Uses the abbreviated menu button, which displays the current choice without displaying the entire menu. Can either choose a value from the button menu or type a value in a text field and press Return to validate the value.  

Uses a ComboBox, a Command Box, or a SpinBox to perform the same functions as the abbreviated menu button types. ComboBox uses a scrollable list box, CommandBox uses a prompt for text input and a list component, and SpinBox presents values as a ring of items that wrap. See the "Controls, Groups, and Models" section of CDE Style Guide (starting on page 234) for descriptions and guidelines.

Toolbars 

Does not use toolbars. 

Uses toolbars. 

Button shape 

Rounded buttons. 

Square buttons. 

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Mouse 

Default mouse button functions 

Mouse button 1 = Select 

Mouse button 2 = Adjust 

Mouse button 3 = Menu  

Mouse button 1 = Select 

Mouse button 2 = Transfer (can be changed to Adjust through Style Manager)  

Mouse button 3 = Menu  

Extend selection 

On a 3-button mouse, use mouse button 2 (also called the ADJUST button) to do an extended selection. 

Click mouse button 1 at the beginning of the text that you want to select, move pointer to end of desired text, and click mouse button 2; text is highlighted.  

To do an extend selection, use Shift key + mouse button 1, or change the behavior of mouse button 2 from Transfer (the default setting) to Adjust through Style Manager. 

Displaying menus 

Click mouse button 3 on a menu button to display the menu.  

Click a menu bar entry with either mouse button 1 or mouse button 3 to display the menu. 

Opening icons: shortcut 

Double-click icons to open.  

Double-click icons to open. Single- or double-click Front Panel controls, and single-click Style Manager controls, to launch the related application. 

Quick Cut 

To move text to insertion point, hold down the Cut key, select text (a line is drawn through selected text), and release the Cut key. When key is released, text moves to the insertion point. 

To move text to insertion point, hold down Alt + Shift + mouse button 2 (Transfer), and select text (a line is drawn under selected text). When combination is released, text moves to the insertion point. 

Quick Paste 

To copy to the insertion point, hold down the Paste key, select text (a line is drawn under selected text), and release the Paste key. 

To copy to the insertion point, hold down Alt + mouse button 2 (Transfer), and select text (a line is drawn under selected text). When combination is released, text is copied to the insertion point. (This will also work with Alt + Control + mouse button 2.) 

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Drag and Drop 

Drag and drop 

(direct manipulation) 

Uses one set of drag-and-drop methods and visual feedback. 

The basics of drag and drop are similar to OPEN LOOK, but the specifics are different. See Chapter 3 of CDE Style Guide, "Drag and Drop," for details of drag-and-drop operations, performance guidelines, feedback, and graphics specific to CDE.

Drop onto minimized icons  

Can drop onto minimized icons on desktop; drop will result in appropriate action. 

Not supported.  

Can drop onto Front Panel controls (for example, Printer, Calendar Manager, Trash, Text Editor, Mailer). 

Drag and drop multiple messages from Mail application to File Manager 

Creates one mailfile icon per message in File Manager. 

Creates one mailbox that contains all the selected messages. 

Drag mail messages to another mailbox window 

Not available. 

Moves the selected messages to the destination mailbox. 

Drop selected icon into text window 

Text appears at drop point. 

Text appears at insertion point (same as choosing Include from the File menu). 

Drop zone (target)  

Drop zone (target) is a small rectangle typically located in top right of application's control area. 

No specific drop zone graphic is used; any editable control can serve as a drop zone. User gets feedback on validity of drop zone. 

Sourcing drags 

Uses drag-and-drop source indicator graphic.  

Several versions of source indicators are used, representing the type of selection (single or multiple) and the type of object selected. The drag icons are dynamically composed and contain the source indicator information. 

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Keyboard 

Keyboard accelerators and engravings 

Uses Meta key in combination with accelerator key. Standard examples: Meta + z = Undo, Meta + c = Copy, Meta + v = Paste, Meta + x = Cut. 

Uses default set of key bindings and enables customization of key bindings (for example, EMACS).  

Uses Control key in combination with accelerator key. Standard examples: Control + z = Undo, Control + c = Copy, Control + v = Paste, Control + x = Cut. 

Default key bindings sometimes differ from OPEN LOOK key bindings (see Appendix A of CDE Style Guide for key engravings). Customization is also available (see Chapter 10 of CDE User's Guide for customization information).

Sun Special keys 

Supported in OPEN LOOK. 

Supported in Solaris CDE. 

Deleting characters 

Can use either Backspace or Delete key. 

The Backspace key deletes characters to the left of the cursor; the Delete key deletes characters to the right of the cursor.