Before describing Windows objects, it is imperative to master manipulations with the mouse. In general, all Windows operations are done using the left and right buttons.
Some mice have a third button, the latter is used by certain applications in a specific way, we will not talk about it here. For Macintosh computer users, the mouse has only one button. In this case, your contact will not be used to using the left button.
We are talking about right and left button here. Attention, for left-handers, the buttons are reversed.
Pointers.
Pointers (also known as cursors) indicate the current position on the screen. To manipulate an object, you must first move (by dragging the mouse) the pointer over this object then perform the necessary manipulation (following paragraphs). The action of moving the pointer over an object is called: Pointing
Pointers can take many forms. The main two indicate the state of the machine:
- Waiting for user action:
- The user must wait because the machine is processing (it is busy):
The other shapes depend on the object on which the pointer is positioned. These forms will be defined later in the document, here are some examples:
- Text selection:
- Vertical resizing:
- Horizontal resizing:
It is possible to customize them. There are others delivered with Windows and can be obtained on the market or for free with the CDs accompanying computer magazines.
The Click
When we speak of a simple click, this is a pressure on the left mouse button. This action is used to select an object. In general, this object changes its appearance to show that it is selected.
Right click
Right Click consists of clicking on an object with the right mouse button. This action generally gives access to a Contextual Menu concerning the object.
A Right Click on the desktop shortcut causes the display of the Contextual Menu concerning this Icon (only the menus concerning this object are displayed).
Double click
The Double Click consists of making two consecutive Clicks. The maximum delay between these two clicks is configurable. This action usually consists of running the application (Program) designated by the object on which you double-click.
It is possible to configure Windows so that:
- Pointer corresponds to Click
- Click corresponds to Double-click
Upon installation, Windows operates in standard mode.
Click and drag
Click and drag consists of pointing at an object, pressing your finger on the left button, leaving it pressed while moving the pointer (the object follows the pointer) to another location on the screen and finally releasing the left button (the moved object remains there). This action is used to move objects. Example: moving a file from the hard disk to a USB key.
It is the most difficult manipulation to acquire for beginners, even if it seems completely intuitive to the technician.
