[Contents]
[Index]
Glossary
- accelerator
- A key or sequence of keys (typically a modifier
key and some other key) that provides a shortcut,
immediately accessing a program function.
- active window
- The window that is currently selected to receive
the input focus. Only one window can be active at
a time. See also focus.
- cascading Menu
- A submenu that provides selections that amplify
the parent selection on a Pulldown or Popup Menu.
- CheckButton
- A component used to select settings that are not
mutually exclusive. The visual cue to the
selection is frequently that the button is filled
in or checked.
- click
- To press and release a mouse button. The term
comes from the fact that pressing and releasing
most mouse buttons makes a clicking sound.
- client
- A program written specifically for use with the X
Window System. Clients create their own windows
and know how to resize themselves.
- CommandDialog
- A DialogBox used for entering commands.
- DialogBox
- A secondary window that provides you with
information or asks you to enter information.
- double-click
- To press and release a mouse button twice in rapid
succession.
- drag
- To press and hold down a mouse button while moving
the mouse on the desktop and thus the pointer on
the screen. Dragging is typically used when
selecting menus, moving and resizing windows, and
transferring data.
- drag and drop
- A transfer mechanism where data is dragged from a
source to a drop site using mouse motion.
- drag icon
- A graphic that is generated using pixmaps and is
moved during a drag operation. The drag icon is
composed of a source pixmap, a state cursor, and
an operation cursor.
- drag source
- The object whose graphical representation is being
dragged and whose data the user wishes to
transfer.
- drop site
- An area of the screen on which the user can drop a
drag icon.
- ErrorDialog
- A DialogBox that presents an error message.
- explicit focus
- A keyboard focus model that sends keyboard events
to the window or component that was specified
explicitly with a mouse button press or a keyboard
event.
- FileSelectionDialog
- A DialogBox used for entering the name of a file
for processing.
- focus
- A state of the system that indicates which
component receives keyboard events. A component
is said to have the focus if keyboard events are
sent to that component.
- focus policy
- The model by which keyboard focus is moved among
components. See also explicit focus,
implicit focus.
- font list
- A list of fonts used as a resource specification
for fontList resources.
- font set
- A group of fonts often representing the fonts
needed to display text in the encoding of a
particular locale.
- home directory
- The directory in which you are placed after you
log in. Your home directory is where you keep all
of your files. Enter
cd to change to your home
directory. Enter echo $HOME to view the path and
name of your home directory.
- I18N
- See internationalization.
- icon
- A small graphical image used to represent a
window. Windows can be turned into icons or
minimized to save room or unclutter the workspace.
- icon box
- A window for organizing icons.
- implicit focus
- A keyboard focus model that sends keyboard events
to the window or component that the mouse pointer
is over. See also pointer focus.
- InformationDialog
- A DialogBox that is used to display an
informational message.
- input method
- A layer of mapping between the keyboard keys (or
combination of keys) that the user types and the
text data that is passed to the application.
- insertion cursor
- The graphical symbol that provides the visual cue
to the location of the insertion point in a Text
component.
- internationalization (I18N)
- The process of generalizing programs or systems so
that they can handle a variety of languages,
character sets, and national customs.
- keyboard focus
- Indicates the window or component within a window
that receives keyboard input. It is sometimes
called the input focus.
- List
- A component that presents a list of items for
selection.
- locale
- The international environment of an application
program that defines the language-dependent
behavior of the program at run time. An
application derives the locale based on internal
procedures and a set of implementation-defined
values.
- location cursor
- A graphical symbol that marks the current location
of the keyboard input focus for selection.
Typically, this symbol is a box that surrounds the
current object.
- lower
- To move a window to the bottom of the window stack
on the workspace.
- MainWindow
- The component that organizes the contents of an
application.
- maximize
- To enlarge a window to its maximum size.
- maximize button
- The button on the mwm title bar that is used to
initiate the maximize function. The button
contains a large square graphic.
- Menu
- A list of available selections from which a user
chooses.
- MenuBar
- A rectangular area at the top of the client area
of a window that contains the titles of the
standard Pulldown Menus for that application.
- MessageDialog
- A DialogBox that presents a message to the user.
- minimize (iconify)
- To turn a window into an icon.
- minimize button
- The button on the mwm title bar that is used to
initiate the minimize function. The button
contains a small square graphic.
- mnemonic
- A single character (frequently the initial
character) of a Menu selection. When the Menu is
displayed and the user presses the key that
corresponds to that character, the Menu selection
is chosen.
- modal
- A DialogBox that requires a response before you
can interact with other components in an
application.
- modeless
- A DialogBox that does not limit your interaction
with the rest of an application.
- Option Menu
- A Menu that is associated with an OptionButton.
It presents a list of choices within a relatively
small space.
- PanedWindow
- A component that allows you to adjust the relative
size of its components.
- pointer
- The graphical image that appears on the workspace
and represents the current location of a mouse or
other pointing device.
- pointer focus
- A keyboard focus model that sends keyboard events
to the window or component that the mouse pointer
is over. See also implicit focus.
- Popup Menu
- A Menu that provides no visual cue to its
presence, but simply pops up when a user performs
a particular action. Popup Menus are associated
with a particular area of the workspace, such as
the client area of an application, and a user must
memorize where these areas are.
- posted
- A state of a Menu where it remains in a visible
state even though a mouse button is not being held
down. See also spring-loaded.
- press
- To hold down a mouse button or a key.
- primary window
- A top-level window of an application. Primary
windows can be minimized.
- PromptDialog
- A DialogBox that prompts the user for some input.
- Pulldown Menu
- A Menu that is pulled down from a client
application's title bar.
- PushButton
- A graphic component that simulates a real-life
PushButton. You use the mouse to push the button
and start an action.
- QuestionDialog
- A DialogBox that asks the user to answer a
question.
- RadioButton
- A graphic component that simulates the buttons on
a real-life car radio. Each button represents a
mutually exclusive selection. RadioButtons are
typically used for setting states or modes.
- resource
- A variable that controls a single aspect of the
appearance or behavior of an application or
component.
- restore
- To return an icon or maximized window to its
normal size.
- root menu
- The Menu associated with the root window.
- root window
- The window that covers the entire screen. The
root window is the backdrop of your X environment.
All windows and graphic objects appear stacked on
the root window.
- Sash
- The component of a PanedWindow that allows you to
adjust the relative size of adjacent panes.
- Scale
- A component that allows you to select a value from
a continuous range of values.
- ScrollBar
- A graphical device used to change a user's view of
the contents of a window. A ScrollBar consists of
a slider, a trough, and scroll arrows. A user
changes the view by sliding the slider up or down
in the scroll area or by pressing one of the
scroll arrows. These actions cause the view to
scroll up or down in the window adjacent to the
ScrollBar.
- ScrolledWindow
- A component that frames other components and
provides ScrollBars as necessary to view the
contents of the window.
- secondary window
- A child window of a primary window.
- SelectionDialog
- A DialogBox that allows you to make a selection
from a list of choices.
- server
- The component of the X Window System that manages
input and the visual display.
- spring-loaded
- A state of a Menu where it remains only as long as
a mouse button is being held down. See also
posted.
- TearOff Menu
- A Menu that remains posted until you cancel it.
- Text
- A component for entering and editing text.
- ToggleButton
- A button that has two states.
- transient window
- A window of short duration such as a DialogBox.
The window is displayed for only a short time,
usually just long enough to convey some
information or get some operational directions.
- WarningDialog
- A DialogBox that presents a warning to the user.
- widget
- The technical term for user-interface components.
- window
- A division of a screen in which one of several
programs being executing concurrently can display
information.
- window decorations
- The frame and window-control buttons that surround
windows managed by the Motif Window Manager.
- window geometry
- The position and size of a window.
- window manager
- A program that controls the size, placement, and
operation of windows on the workspace. The window
manager includes the functional window frames that
surround each window object and may include a
separate Menu for the workspace.
- Window Menu
- The Menu that appears when the Window Menu button
is pressed. The Window Menu typically contains
selections for restoring, moving, sizing,
minimizing, maximizing, and closing the window.
- Window Menu button
- The graphical control button that appears at the
left side of the title bar in the window frame.
The button posts the Window Menu.
- WorkingDialog
- A DialogBox that informs the user that the
application is busy performing a task.
- X Window System
- A network-based graphics windowing system.