| CIRCA Micro Services This handout can be found online at: http://www.circa.ufl.edu/handouts/windows/windows/windows.html |
Using Microsoft Windowsin the CIRCA labsFebruary 14, 1997 |
This handout reviews the terminology and mouse techniques used with Microsoft Windows 3.1, a graphical environment for running programs.
Start from the DOS prompt,
C:\USER>
If you are in the Public Menu, press the Esc key until you see the DOS
prompt. Start Windows by typing
win
and pressing the Enter key.
Whenever you start Windows, Program Manager starts. You use Program
Manager to organize your programs into groups. The screen will look something
like this:
Since Windows is a graphical environment, you need to use the mouse. This list shows the different mouse techniques.
|
term |
meaning |
|
Point |
To move the mouse until the mouse pointer on the screen points to an item. |
|
Click |
To quickly press and release the mouse button. |
|
Double-click |
To click the mouse button twice in rapid succession. |
|
Drag |
To press and hold down the mouse button while you move the mouse. |
A mouse will usually have two or more buttons. In Windows, only use the left button.
Here is a sample window and a description of its parts.
|
item |
meaning |
|
control-menu box |
double-click on this box to close the window |
|
title bar |
a description of the window's contents |
|
minimize button |
click this box to reduce the window to an icon |
|
maximize button |
click this button to increase the size of the window to use all of the screen |
|
scroll box |
drag these boxes up, down, left, or right to move to a spot in the window. |
|
scroll arrow |
click these buttons to move left, right, up, or down through the window. |
|
program icon |
a program icon represents a program such as WordPerfect or Excel. |
Open a program window
Double-click on a program icon to open the program window. The icon
is replaced with a window and you can see the program icons inside the
window.
Close a window
Double-click on the close box.
Move a window
Click and hold the window's title bar. Now drag the window to another
part of the screen.
Start a program
Double-click the program icon to start or run the program that the icon
represents.
If you want to run a DOS program or a Windows program that doesn't have
an icon, choose Run from the File menu. Then type the full
DOS path and command. For example, if you wanted to run a program named
test.exe
on a disk in drive A, type a:\test.
Select menu options
The Program manager has the words File, Options, Window,
and Help at the top of the window. Other windows may have other
menu options. Click one of the words to see the options for that menu.
Then click one of the options.
When you are finished using Windows, click the File menu option
in the Program Manager window. Now click the Exit option. When you
see the dialog box
click the word OK.
You are returned to the DOS prompt.
Windows comes with an on-line tutorial that teaches how to use the mouse and how to use Windows. To start the tutorial, begin Windows, click the Help menu option in the Program Manager window, and select the Windows Tutorial command.