Glossary

button

A button-like image on the screen that you click on to indicate a choice. A button can have many shapes: square, round, or square with rounded corners.

click

To quickly press and release a mouse button. Generally used when the mouse pointer is positioned on a screen object like a button.

double-click

To quickly press and release a mouse button twice.

drag

To position the mouse pointer on an object, then press and hold down a mouse button, and then move the mouse. As you do so, an outline of the object will move accordingly on the screen. Release the mouse button to reposition the object.

icon

A small, graphical representation of an object, concept, or message.

menu

An on-screen list of available commands or choices.

mouse

An input device that, when moved on a flat surface, controls the movement of the mouse pointer or cursor on the screen.

mouse button

A switch on the mouse -- left, middle, or right. Pressing a mouse button usually initiates some action, which is determined by both the button pressed and the current screen location of the mouse pointer.

mouse pointer

A small shape on the screen that follows the movement of the mouse. On RCS, the mouse pointer may appear, for example, as an arrow, a cross, or an X, depending on its location on the workstation screen.

scroll bar

An area along one side of a window that enables you to control the vertical scrolling of text within the window.

select

To click or press the appropriate mouse button on a menu option, a button, or similar item within an application. To select text, press and hold the left mouse button, drag the cursor across the text, and release the mouse button.

text cursor

A rectangle, underscore, I-beam, or caret ( ^ ) that indicates where text entered from the keyboard will appear.

titlebar

An area along the top of a window that identifies it and provides a means for manipulating the window, such as moving it, resizing it, and so on.

window

A frame on the screen, used for viewing text, graphs, plots, or other applications.