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Diffstat (limited to 'gnome2-user-guide/C/gosoverview.xml')
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diff --git a/gnome2-user-guide/C/gosoverview.xml b/gnome2-user-guide/C/gosoverview.xml index 32b510f..7995084 100644 --- a/gnome2-user-guide/C/gosoverview.xml +++ b/gnome2-user-guide/C/gosoverview.xml @@ -17,11 +17,13 @@ <highlights> - <para>This chapter introduces you to the features and main components of the - desktop. You should read this chapter to familiarize yourself with the various - features, and how the main components work. This chapter describes the default - configuration. Your vendor or system administrator may have configured your + <para>This chapter introduces you to some of the very basic components of the desktop. These components include <glossterm>Windows</glossterm>, <glossterm>Workspaces</glossterm>, and <glossterm>Applications</glossterm>. Almost all the work (or play) that you do in GNOME will involve these very basic components.</para> + + <note> + <para>This chapter describes the default configuration of GNOME. + Your vendor or system administrator may have configured your desktop to look different than what is described here.</para> + </note> </highlights> <section id="overview-intro"> @@ -37,17 +39,15 @@ <para>When you start a desktop session for the first time, you should see a default startup screen, with panels, windows, and various icons.</para> - + <para>The major components of the desktop are as follows:</para> <variablelist> <varlistentry> <term>Panels</term> - <listitem><para>Panels are usually located along the edges of the screen, - although they can be configured to float on the desktop. Panels can - contain menus, launchers, and various other tools. Panels can also - contain small utility applications, called - <firstterm>panel applets</firstterm>. For example, you can configure + <listitem><para>The <firstterm>panels</firstterm> are the two bars that run along the top and bottom of the screen. By default, the top panel shows you the GNOME main menu bar, the date and time, and the launcher for the GNOME help system, and the bottom panel shows you the list of open windows and the workspace switcher.</para> + <para>Panels can be customized to contain a variety of tools, such as other menus and launchers, and small utility applications, called + <firstterm>panel applets</firstterm>. For example, you can configure your panel to display the current weather for your location. For more information on panels, see <xref linkend="panels"/>.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> @@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ </varlistentry> <varlistentry> + <term>Desktop</term> + <listitem><para>The desktop is behind all of the other components on the + desktop. You can place objects on the desktop to access your files and + directories quickly, or to start applications that you use often. See + <xref linkend="nautilus-desktop"/> for more information.</para></listitem> + </varlistentry> + + <varlistentry> <term>Workspaces</term> <listitem><para>You can subdivide your desktop into separate <firstterm>workspaces</firstterm>. Each workspace can contain @@ -82,14 +90,6 @@ </varlistentry> <varlistentry> - <term>Desktop</term> - <listitem><para>The desktop is behind all of the other components on the - desktop. You can place objects on the desktop to access your files and - directories quickly, or to start applications that you use often. See - <xref linkend="nautilus-desktop"/> for more information.</para></listitem> - </varlistentry> - - <varlistentry> <term>Preferences</term> <listitem><para>You can customize your desktop using the desktop <firstterm>preference tools</firstterm>. Each tool controls @@ -118,11 +118,13 @@ <secondary>overview</secondary> </indexterm> - <para>Each application can run inside of one or more windows. You can - display multiple windows at the same time on your desktop. Each window - has a frame and titlebar which allow you to control the window.</para> + <para>A <firstterm>window</firstterm> is a rectangular area of the screen, usually with a border all around and a title bar at the top. You can think of a window as a screen within the screen. Each window displays an application, allowing you to to have more than one application visible, and work on more than one task at a time. You can also think of windows as pieces of paper on your desktop: they can overlap, or be side by side, for example.</para> + + <para>You can control a window's position of the screen, as well as its size. You can control which windows overlap other windows, so the one you want to work with is completely visible. For more about moving and resizing windows, see <xref linkend="windows-manipulating"/>.</para> + + <para>Each window is not necessarily a different application. An application usually has one main window, and may open additional windows at the request of the user.</para> - <para>The following sections describe the types of windows and how you + <para>The rest of this section describe the different types of windows and how you can interact with them.</para> <section id="windows-types"> @@ -131,33 +133,28 @@ <!-- Maintained for 2.8 compatibility --> <anchor id="gosoverview-16"/> - <remark>This section needs work.</remark> - - <para>The GNOME Desktop features the following types of window:</para> + <para>There are two main types of window:</para> <variablelist> <varlistentry> <term>Application windows</term> <listitem> - <para>When you run an application, a frame usually borders the - window. The top edge of the application window contains a titlebar. - The titlebar contains buttons that you can use to work with the - window. The buttons in an application window frame enable you to - perform actions such as open the <guimenu>Window Menu</guimenu>, - or close the window. The <guimenu>Window Menu</guimenu> provides - commands that you can perform on the window.</para> + <para>Application windows allow all the minimize, + maximize and close operations through the buttons on the titlebar. + When opening an application you will usually see a + window of this type appear.</para> </listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry> <term>Dialog windows</term> <listitem> - <para>Dialog windows are associated with interactive processes. - A dialog window consists of the window frame, and a single - interactive pane that provides information and controls for the - user. This manual refers to the interactive part of a dialog - window as a dialog. The frame of a dialog window contains buttons - that enable you to open the <guimenu>Window Menu</guimenu>, or to - close the dialog window.</para> + <para>Dialog windows appear at the request of an application window. A dialog window may alert you to a problem, ask for confirmation of an action, or request input from you.</para> + + <para>For example, if you tell an application to save a document, a dialog box will ask you where you want to save the new file. If you tell an application to quit while it is still busy, it may ask you to confirm that you want it to abandon work in progress.</para> + + <para>Some dialogs do not allow you to interact with the main application window until you have closed them: these are called <firstterm>modal</firstterm> dialogs. Others can be left open while you work with the main application window: these are called <firstterm>transient</firstterm> dialogs.</para> + + <tip><para>You can select the text in a dialog with the mouse. This allows you to copy it to the clipboard (CTRL-C to copy), and paste it into another application. You may wish to quote the text you see in a dialog box when requesting support on the internet.</para></tip> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> @@ -170,13 +167,12 @@ <!-- Maintained for 2.8 compatibility --> <anchor id="gosoverview-32"/> - <remark>This section needs work.</remark> - - <para>You use the frame of an application window or dialog window to perform - various actions with the window. Most of the control elements are located on - the top edge of the window frame. <xref linkend="fig-titlebar-anno-window"/> - shows the top edge of a frame for a typical application window.</para> - + <para>You can change the size and position of windows on the screen. This allows you to see more than one application and do diferent tasks at the same time. For example, you might want to read text on a web page and write with a word procesor; or simple change to another application to do a diferent task or see the progress.</para> + + <para>You can <firstterm>minimize</firstterm> a window if you are not currently interested in seeing it. This hides it from view. You can <firstterm>maximise</firstterm> a window to fill the whole screen so you can give it your full attention.</para> + + <para>Most of these actions are carried out by using the mouse on different parts of the the window's frame (see <xref linkend="mouse-actions"/> for a recap of using the mouse). The top edge of the window frame, called the <firstterm>titlebar</firstterm> because it also displays the title of the window, contains several buttons that change the way the window is displayed. <xref linkend="fig-titlebar-anno-window"/> shows the titlebar for a typical application window.</para> + <figure id="fig-titlebar-anno-window"> <title>Titlebar for a Typical Application Window</title> <!-- Maintained for 2.8 compatibility --> @@ -194,86 +190,75 @@ </screenshot> </figure> - <para>The active control elements of the window frame are as follows: </para> - - <informaltable frame="topbot"> - <tgroup cols="2" colsep="0" rowsep="0"> - <colspec colname="colspec0" colwidth="41.65*"/> - <colspec colname="colspec1" colwidth="58.35*"/> - <thead> - <row rowsep="1"> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>Control Element</para> - </entry> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>Description </para> - </entry> - </row> - </thead> - <tbody> - <row> - <entry colname="colspec0" valign="top"> - <para><guibutton>Window Menu</guibutton> button</para> - </entry> - <entry colname="colspec1" valign="top"> - <para>Click on the <guibutton>Window Menu</guibutton> button to - open the <guimenu>Window Menu</guimenu>.</para> - </entry> - </row> - <row> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>Titlebar</para> - </entry> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>You can use the titlebar to move and roll up the window.</para> - </entry> - </row> - <row> - <entry valign="top"> - <para><guibutton>Minimize</guibutton> button</para> - </entry> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>Click on the <guibutton>Minimize</guibutton> button to - minimize the window.</para> - </entry> - </row> - <row> - <entry valign="top"> - <para><guibutton>Maximize</guibutton> button</para> - </entry> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>You can use the <guibutton>Maximize</guibutton> - button to maximize and restore the window.</para> - <para>To maximize a window click on the - <guibutton>Maximize</guibutton> button. To restore the window - click on the <guibutton>Maximize</guibutton> button again.</para> - </entry> - </row> - <row> - <entry valign="top"> - <para><guibutton>Close Window</guibutton> button</para> - </entry> - <entry valign="top"> - <para>Click on the <guibutton>Close Window</guibutton> button to - close the window. </para> - </entry> - </row> - <row> - <entry colname="colspec0"> - <para>Border</para> - </entry> - <entry colname="colspec1"> - <para>Right-click on the border to open the <guimenu>Window - Menu</guimenu>.</para> - </entry> - </row> - </tbody> - </tgroup> - </informaltable> - - <para>To change the size of windows grab the border of the window, - but not the titlebar. Drag the border until the window is the size - that you require.</para> + <para>All actions can also be carried out from the Window Menu. To open this, click on the Window Menu Button at the left-hand edge of the titlebar. Common actions can also be carried out with keyboard shortcuts: see <xref linkend="shortcuts-window"/> for a simple list of these. The following lists all the actions you can carry out on a window, with the mouse or the keyboard:</para> + + <variablelist> + <varlistentry> + <term>Move the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>Drag the titlebar to move the window. You can click on any part of the titlebar except the buttons at either end to begin the drag action. The window will move on the screen as you drag the mouse. On less powerful systems, the movement of the window may be represented by moving an outline of its frame.</para> + + <para>You can also choose Move from the Window Menu, or press <keycombo> + <keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>F7</keycap> + </keycombo>.</para> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + <varlistentry> + <term>Resize the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>Drag one of the borders to expand or contract the window on that side. Drag a corner to change two sides at once. The <link linkend="mouse-pointers">resize pointer</link> appears when your mouse is in the correct position to begin the drag action.</para> + + <para>You can also choose Resize from the Window Menu, or press <keycombo> + <keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>F8</keycap> + </keycombo>.</para> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + <varlistentry> + <term>Minimize the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>Click on the Minimize button in the titlebar, the leftmost of the group of three on the right. This removes the window from view. The window can be restored to its previous position and size on the screen from the <firstterm>Window List</firstterm> on the <link linkend="gospanel-3">bottom edge panel</link>.</para> + + <para>You can also choose Minimize from the Window Menu, or press <keycombo> + <keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>F9</keycap> + </keycombo>.</para> + + <tip> + <para>A minimized window is shown in the window list + with [ ] around its title.</para> + </tip> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + <varlistentry> + <term>Maximize the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>Click on the Maximize button in the titlebar, the middle of the group of three on the right. This expands the window so it fills the screen (the panels remain visible).</para> + <para>You can also choose Maximize from the Window Menu, or press <keycombo> + <keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>F10</keycap></keycombo>, or double-click any part of the titlebar except the buttons at either end.</para> + + <tip> + <para>If you prefer, you can assign the double-click action to <firstterm>roll up</firstterm> the window: see <xref linkend="goscustdesk-58"/><!-- evil xref id -->.</para> + </tip> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + <varlistentry> + <term>Unmaximize the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>When a window is maximized, click again on the Maximize button to restore it to its previous position and size on the screen.</para> + + <para>You can also choose Unmaximize from the Window Menu, press <keycombo> + <keycap>Alt</keycap><keycap>F5</keycap></keycombo>, or double-click any part of the titlebar except the buttons at either end.</para> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + <varlistentry> + <term>Close the window</term> + <listitem> + <para>Click the Close button, the rightmost of the group of three on the right. This could close the application too. The application will ask you to confirm closing a window that contains unsaved work.</para> + </listitem> + </varlistentry> + </variablelist> + + <remark>This is as far as I've got taking material from the wiki. Workspaces commands still to go in this section, perhaps</remark> + </section> <section id="gosoverview-20"> |