This Windows tutorial will provide the reader with some basic information about Windows. Although some users may be advanced, they still stand a chance to gain valuable insight and be able to utilize their Windows based PC more efficiently. Just to make my point, how many Windows users know that you can maximize a window by double-clicking anywhere on the window title bar? Just think of it, you do not have to maneuver the mouse into a small dedicated area to maximize the window, but move anywhere in the title bar closest to the current mouse position and just double-click. To restore the window to its previous state double-click on the title bar again.

The basic parts of a window indicated in above image are as follow:

• Control Menu
• Title Bar
• Minimize Button
• Maximize Button
• Close Button
• Menu Bar
• Toolbars
• Window Border
• Status Bar
• Horizontal Scrollbar
• Vertical Scrollbar

Each of above components of a window will be discussed in more detail below.

Control Menu

The following commands are available in the Control Menu:

• Restore
• Move
• Size
• Minimize
• Maximize
• Close

Above commands is better executed through their dedicated buttons on the window itself, therefore the commands in the Control Menu is better suited for use when using the keyboard. To access the Control Menu with the keyboard hold down Alt and then press the spacebar. Use the arrow keys to move to the required menu item and press the Enter key to execute the command.

Windows Tutorial Tip: Double-clicking with the mouse on the Control Menu have the same effect as clicking on a windows close button. So if the mouse pointer is in the vicinity of the Control Menu rather double-click on the Control Menu to close the window than moving all the way to the close button of the window. 

Title Bar

Lets take a closer look at the window Title Bar. First of all in most programs the name of currently open or active file is indicated in the Title Bar. The Title Bar is also used to drag windows around on the desktop. To accomplish this move the mouse pointer anywhere over the Title Bar and click and hold down the mouse button while dragging the window to its new position. When in the desired position release the left mouse button. Note: To be able to drag a window it should NOT be in its maximized state.

Windows Tutorial Tip: As mentioned previously you can maximize or restore a window by double-clicking on the Title Bar. By right-clicking on it the Control Menu will be displayed

Minimize, Maximize and Close Buttons

There is not much to be said about these as they just do what they are intended to do, so use these buttons to minimize, maximize and close a window. 

Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is situated just below the Title Bar and contains the program's menu system.

Toolbars

Toolbars is normally situated just beneath a program's Menu Bar. Mostly commands that are regularly used will be provided for in toolbars. As these commands should be available in the menu, toolbars just provide for a much faster way to execute the command. Toolbars can normally be removed or added to an application and in most cases the program developer will make this functionality available under the View menu. Lots of applications also allow the toolbars to be customized by right-clicking on the toolbar and add or remove buttons. Note that toolbars is normally grouped according functionality, for instance in Word you get Standard, Formatting and Drawing toolbars just to name a few. 

Window Border

The window border area can be used to size windows when they are NOT in a maximized state. To accomplish this move the mouse pointer over the window border until it forms a double-sided arrow. Then click with the left mouse button and drag the window to its new size.  When the mouse hovers over any of the four corners of the window the double-sided arrow will form at an angle. This means that the Window can be sized horizontally or vertically. 

Status Bar

The Status Bar is situated right at the bottom of the window. It indicates useful information about what is going on in the application depending on the current task performed. Below is some information that might be indicated in an application's status bar. Some applications might even allow you to customize what is displayed in the status bar. 

Windows Tutorial Tip: Microsoft® Excel allows you to use Sum, Average, etc of the selected cells to be displayed on the status bar. (Right-click on the Excel status bar to adjust this)

• Word count of document
• Current page number
• Co-ordinates of the mouse pointer
• Progress indicators (Saving a file for instance)
• Help messages

Horizontal Scrollbar and Vertical Scrollbar

The horizontal and vertical scrollbars is used to scroll documents that cannot fit horizontally or vertically in the application's window area. Click on the scrollbar's arrows to scroll small steps at a time. When vertically scrolling by using these scrollbar arrows, the document will be scrolled one line at a time.  By clicking below or above a scrollbar's slider, the document will be scrolled one page width or height at a time. The document can also be scrolled by dragging the slider until the desired position in the document is reached.

That's it for this windows tutorial and the basics about a window's layout and how to best make use of the provided functionality. More basic information will be provided in the Windows Tutorial (Basics - Part 2) that will be the follow up to this windows tutorial. To be notified when a new Windows Tutorial or other software tutorial is released, be sure to sign up for the New Tutorial Notification Special Offer.

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