Windows Basics:
What you will learn

What the desktop is and the important elements of the desktop

How to open a program or window

The parts of a window

How to move a window

How to switch between multiple windows

How to use menus and toolbars

What a file is, how to save a file

How to use the recycle bin

What alert boxes and dialog boxes are
In accordance with the provisions of the ADA, this document may be requested in an alternate format.
PPLD / BR 1
What the Desktop Is
Desktop is the term used to describe the main screen where icons, folders, and documents appear.
Icons are graphical symbols that represent programs, documents, or parts of the computer, such as a
hard drive or floppy drive. The task bar, at the bottom of the screen, keeps track of all the windows
that are open, displaying a button for every open window. The task bar also contains the Start button.
Icons
Task Bar
Start Button
How to Open a Program
Programs can be opened either by using the Start menu on the Task bar, or by using icons that
represent the programs.
To open a program from the Start menu:
 Click the Start button on the Task bar to open the Start Menu.
 Move the mouse cursor to the Programs line.
 Move the mouse cursor into the programs sub-menu, and click on the name of the program you
wish to start.
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To open a program or document using its icon:
 Double-click the icon representing the program or document you wish to open.
or
 Click the icon once and then press the Enter key on the keyboard.
sample icons
The Parts of a Window
A window is an enclosed rectangular area on the screen which displays graphical information. Every
window has common physical parts:
 The title bar shows the name of the document and/or program being displayed, and has the
minimize, maximize/restore, and close buttons in the upper right corner.
 The minimize button shrinks the window so that it exists as only a button on the task bar.
 The maximize button expands the window to fill the desktop. When a window is maximized,
this button becomes the restore button, which returns the window to its original size.
 The close button closes the window and/or whatever program is being displayed in the window.
 The menu bar is located just below the title bar. It has drop-down menus and submenus that
give you access to all the commands in a program.
 Toolbars provide buttons that give you quick access to the most frequently used commands
available in the menus. They are usually located just beneath the menu bar.
 Scroll bars allow you to move the content of a window up and down, or left and right.
Maximize
Minimize
Title Bar
Close
Menu Bar
Toolbar
Scroll
Bars
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How to Move a Window
A window can be moved around on the desktop by clicking and dragging the title bar at the top of the
window. To drag the title bar, place the tip of your mouse cursor anywhere in the blue title bar, hold
down the left mouse button, and move the mouse. Either the whole window, or a gray outline of the
window, will be dragged with your cursor. Let go of the mouse button when you reach the spot where
you want the window to be located. (Note: windows cannot be moved while they are maximized.)
How to Switch Between Multiple Windows

Every window that is open on the
desktop will be represented by an
individual button on the taskbar.
These windows will usually overlap
or will be stacked one on top of
another, like a stack of papers on a
desk. To bring a particular window
to the top of the stack so that you can
see the window and interact with it,
you simply click the button on the
taskbar that represents that particular
window.


Three
windows
open on
a desktop
How to Use Menus and Toolbars
The menu bar is located at the top of a window just below the Title Bar. It has drop-down menus and
submenus that give you access to all the commands in a program. Toolbars, usually located just
beneath the menu bar, provide buttons that give you quick access to the most frequently-used
commands available in the menus.
Menu Bar
Toolbars



To use a menu, click on the name of the menu, and when the drop-down menu opens, click on
the command you want to use.
To use a toolbar button, simply click on the button representing the command you want to use.
Hold the mouse cursor over a button without clicking to see which command the button
represents.
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What a File Is, How to Save a File
A file is a collection of data that is stored as a unit with a specific name. You can think of it as a
document. It contains specific information, and is stored in a specific location. Files are often
organized and stored inside of folders, much like documents in a filing cabinet.
In programs which allow you to
save your work, you can access
the Save command in the File
menu on the menu bar. If the
document has been saved before,
the old version will be replaced
by the new version. If it has not
been saved before, you will
prompted by a dialog box to
provide a file name and choose a
location to save the document.
Make sure you look at the dialog
box and pay attention to where
the document is going to be
saved (the ‘Save in:’ box at the
top) and what name it will have
(the ‘File name:’ box at the
bottom). You can also access
this dialog box by choosing the
‘Save As…’ command from the
file menu.
After you have given the
document a name and noted
where it will be saved, click the
Save button
A new icon will be added to whatever folder or location you specified as the place to save the
document. That icon will have the name you supplied for the file. You will use that icon when you
want to access the file in the future.
How to Use the Recycle Bin
The recycle bin is represented by an icon that sits on your desktop. The recycle bin is used
to store files you wish to delete from your computer. The files remain on your hard drive
until you empty the bin, and until then you can retrieve the files.
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To put a file in the recycle bin:
 drag the icon representing the file to be deleted to the recycle bin and drop it into the bin
To empty the recycle bin:
 double-click the recycle bin icon to open the recycle bin
 click the ‘Empty Recycle Bin’ button on the left of the recycle bin window
or
 click ‘File’ on the menu bar and click the ‘Empty Recycle Bin’ command
To retrieve a file from the recycle bin:
 open the recycle bin (double-click its icon) and drag the icon representing the file you want to
keep onto the desktop or into whatever folder you want to store it in
What Alert Boxes and Dialog Boxes Are
An alert box is a box that pops up on your screen when the computer needs to alert you to important
information or to confirm some information. When an alert box appears, you must read the message
and respond by clicking a button on the box. When an alert box is on the screen, the computer will not
let you do anything else until you respond to the alert box.
Some alert boxes offer
multiple buttons when there
are multiple ways to respond.
Some alert boxes offer only a
single button when there is
just one way to respond.
A dialog box is used by the
computer to get specific
information from you before
it carries out a command.
For example, when you save
a document, you can tell the
computer where to save the
document and what name to
give it. Or when you print a
document, you might
specify how many copies
you want.
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Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. This was created by Palm Beach
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