Guide to Parallel Operating Systems with Windows 7 and Linux

Guide to Parallel Operating Systems with Windows 7 and Linux Chapter 3 Using the Graphical User Interface Objectives Use the Start menu and Applications menu Tailor the desktop Access data on your computer 2 1

Using the Start Menu in Windows 7 and Applications Menu in Fedora 13 Using the Windows 7 Start Menu and Taskbar Use Taskbar to: Access useful programs and documents Switch rapidly between open programs Start Menu views Default Start menu appears when you start Windows 7 for the first time Getting Started option displays list of useful links 3 Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Figure 3-1 Default Start menu Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 4 2

Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Customizing the Start Menu Start menu in Windows 7 has more customization Division of programs on the left of the Start menu: Pinned items list: appears above the separator line Most frequently used programs list: appears below separator line Right side of the Start menu: Reserved for important places on your computer Control Panel, Devices and Printers, Computer To modify the Start menu: Right-click the Start menu icon and click Properties 5 Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Figure 3-4 Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 6 3

Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Using the Taskbar Taskbar: narrow box across the bottom of the screen Functions: Start menu Open programs and windows Open your favorite programs System tray (notification area) Show Desktop button Auto-hiding the Taskbar Right-click blank spot on the taskbar, click Properties, then check the Auto-hide the taskbar 7 Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Moving and resizing the Taskbar To increase its size: position the mouse pointer over the taskbar s outer edge and drag the pointer To move the taskbar: click an empty area in it and drag it to the desired location Using Toolbars on the Taskbar: possible shortcuts Three or four programs that you use the most Documents you use each day Folders that you frequently access for files 8 4

Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Table 3-1 Toolbars you can add to the taskbar 9 Using the Start Menu and Applications Menu Grouping programs on the Taskbar Taskbar can become crowded with buttons Grouping feature helps you manage multiple open documents Task button behavior (options): Always combine, Hide labels Combine when the taskbar is full Never combine 10 5

Customizing Fedora 13 Panels Comparing the panel to the Windows 7 Taskbar: Similarities: Start menus, Internet icons, applications Difference: appearance of the program icons Applications menu: Provides access to applications on the system Places menu: Provides a list of locations that open in File Browser windows when selected System menu: Provides access to Preferences, Administration configuration applets, as well as access to System Monitor applet. Right side of panel includes: Date and time, and the name of current user 11 Figure 3-10 Fedora 13 desktop showing panels Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 12 6

Customizing Fedora 13 Panels Bottom desktop panel: Contains three items by default, but you can configure it as you wish Click the icon on the far left side of the panel to: Hide or show all windows on the desktop For each application running on the desktop: A button appears on the currently selected Workspace Trash: Drag and drop items you no longer need 13 Customizing Fedora 13 Panels Adding and removing panels Right-click existing panel and click New Panel Right-click existing panel and click Delete This Panel Customizing the panel Right-click empty area, use the submenu that appears Customizing menu items To customize a menu item, right-click it 14 7

Customizing Fedora 13 Panels Table 3-2 Menu item options 15 Customizing Fedora 13 Panels Adding to the panel Right-click the top panel, and then click Add to Panel To add an application, use: Custom Application Launcher or Application Launcher To add an applet: (see the next slide for definition) Locate the applet from the Add to Panel dialog box To add a panel drawer that contains launcher icons: Select the Drawer option in the Add to Panel dialog box To remove an item from a panel: Right-click it then click Remove from Panel 16 8

What is an Applet? An applet is a program designed to be executed from within another application. Unlike an application, applets cannot be executed directly from the operating system. With the growing popularity of OLE (object linking and embedding), applets are becoming more prevalent. A well-designed applet can be invoked from many different applications. Web browsers, which are often equipped with Java virtual machines, can interpret applets from Web servers. Because applets are small in files size, crossplatform compatible, and highly secure (can't be used to access users' hard drives), they are ideal for small Internet applications accessible from a browser. 17 An applet being a small computer program has limited features, requires limited memory resources, and is designed to be downloaded from the Internet to run on a webpage. An applet cannot read or write data on the user's machine, and is usually portable between operating systems It is often a Java application; an application program that uses the client's web browser to provide a user interface. Java applets can perform interactive animations, immediate calculations, or other simple tasks without having to send a user request back to the server. 18 9

Tailoring the Desktop The desktop is like a physical desk: Stores your electronic work equipment Gives you easy access to current projects Desktop: Main screen in Windows 7 and Fedora 13 Allows you to put program icons on both screens 19 Aero Hardware Requirements Your computer's hardware and video card must meet hardware requirements to able to display Aero graphics. Check that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements for running Aero: 1-gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor 1 gigabyte (GB) of random access memory (RAM) 128-megabyte (MB) graphics card Aero also requires a DirectX 9 class graphics processor that supports a Windows Display Driver Model Driver, Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware, and 32 bits per pixel. For best results, you might also want to follow these graphics processor recommendations: 64 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution that is less than 1,310,720 pixels (for example, a 17 inch flat panel LCD monitor that has a 1280 1024 resolution) 128 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution from 1,310,720 to 2,304,000 pixels (for example, a 21.1 inch flat panel LCD monitor that has up to a 1600 1200 resolution) 256 MB of graphics memory to support a single monitor with a resolution greater than 2,304,000 pixels (for example, a 30 inch wide-screen flat panel LCD monitor that has up to a 2560 1600 resolution) 20 10

Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Jump list: Allows you to go directly to documents, pictures, songs, and Web sites used daily To open, right-click program icon on the Windows 7 taskbar Can also provide quick access to commands Jump Lists are lists of recently opened items, such as files, folders, or websites, organized by the program that you use to open them. You can use a Jump List to open items, and you can also pin favorites to a Jump List, so you can quickly get to the items that you use every day. 21 To view the Jump List for a program Click Start, point to a pinned program or to a recently used program near the top of the Start menu, and then point to or click the arrow next to the program. To open an item Click Start, point to a pinned program or to a recently used program near the top of the Start menu to open the program's Jump List, and then click the item. To pin an item to a Jump List Click Start, and then open the program's Jump List. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Pin to this list. To unpin an item Click Start, and then open the Jump List for the program. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Unpin from this list. 22 11

Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Snap: Resizes open windows Makes it easy to read, organize, and compare windows Snap is a quick (and fun) new way to resize open windows, simply by dragging them to the edges of your screen. 23 Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Peek lets you take a quick look at all the windows you have open without clicking away from the window you're currently working on. Just point to a program button on the taskbar and then point the mouse pointer to the row of thumbnails, previewing the contents of each open window. When you see the window you want, just click its thumbnail. 24 12

Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Shake lets you cut through a cluttered desktop and quickly focus on a single window You can use Shake to quickly minimize every open window except the one you're shaking. It's easy and fun to grab the title bar of a window with your fingertip, give it a quick shake, and watch everything else disappear to reveal your desktop. This feature can save you time if you want to focus on a single window without minimizing all of your other open windows one by one. You can then restore all of those windows by shaking the open window again. 25 Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Flip 3D displays open windows in a stack To switch windows using Flip 3D 1.Press Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab. 2.Press Tab to move through the windows. (You can also press Right Arrow or Down Arrow to move forward one window, or press Left Arrow or Up Arrow to move backward one window.) 3.Click a window in the stack to display that window, or click outside the stack to close Flip 3D without switching windows. You can also rotate the wheel on your mouse to quickly move through the open windows. 26 13

Using the New Windows 7 Desktop Features Jump, Shake, Peek, and Flip 3D: Included in the Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions of Windows 7 27 Tailoring the Windows 7 Desktop Increasing the size of Windows text fonts Consider changing fonts if screen text not readable Click: Start Control Panel Appearance and Personalization link, Make text and other items larger or smaller Desired size To change font size, log off and log on again 28 14

Tailoring the Windows 7 Desktop Choosing the appearance of desktop icons Options available to keep desktop neat Icon size: Large, Medium, or Small Visibility: hide icons during presentations Align to grid: all icons jump to the invisible grid Consolidate: sort and group icons to the invisible grid Sort: sort by criteria such as name and date 29 Figure 3-12 Appearance tab of Display Properties dialog box Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 30 15

Tailoring the Windows 7 Desktop Changing screen resolution To change amount of information on the screen: Change the screen resolution To view more information: Increase the screen resolution 31 Tailoring the Fedora 13 Desktop To customize a Fedora 13 panel: Right-click an empty area in the panel, and then use the submenu that appears Desktop launchers: Application Application in Terminal Location To create a Folders and Documents entry: Right-click the desktop and select from the resulting desktop context menu 32 16

Tailoring the Fedora 13 Desktop Setting appearance preferences Appearance Preferences dialog box: Contains options for customizing desktop s display theme, background, and fonts To change the desktop background: Right-click the desktop Click Change Desktop Background 33 34 17

Tailoring the Fedora 13 Desktop Changing display settings Display Settings window contains options for customizing your display Example: screen resolution, color depth, and monitor type To open the Display Settings window: Click System Point to Administration Click Display 35 Tailoring the Fedora 13 Desktop Figure 3-15 Display Settings window Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 36 18

Accessing Data on Your Computer Using Windows Explorer Enables you to locate and open files and folders Breadcrumbs: navigation aids used in an address bar to keep track of your locations Five controls in Windows Explorer: Organize: consolidates many of the menu commands System properties: provides basic information Open Control Panel: adjusts computer settings Change view: allows you to switch the view Share with: supports sharing a folder with other users 37 Figure 3-16 Windows Explorer Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 38 19

Accessing Data on Your Computer Figure 3-17 Contents list to Pictures folder Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 39 Accessing Data on Your Computer Using Windows Explorer Organize menu: Allows you to hide or show additional information Information that appears in the details pane: Music file: lists album, recording format, artist, etc. Disk icon: lists statistics about total size, free space, and formatting option WordPad document: lists date created, date modified, file type, and size 40 20

Accessing Data on Your Computer Using Windows Explorer Preview pane: Shown on the right side of the Explorer window Navigation pane: Appears on the left side of the Explorer window 41 Accessing Data on Your Computer Figure 3-18 Layout menu Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 42 21

Accessing Data on Your Computer Using the libraries Windows 7 introduces concept of libraries Libraries: display contents of folders Default libraries: Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos To use libraries: click the name in the navigation pane To add a new library: right-click Libraries in the navigation pane, point to New, then click Library To name the library: right-click New Library, click Rename, then type the library name 43 Figure 3-20 Pictures library Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 44 22

Accessing Data on Your Computer Using the Recycle Bin You can retrieve deleted files or folders To access: click it s icon on the desktop Emptying the Recycle Bin permanently deletes files Some files may be too large to delete By default: Recycle Bin can only hold 10 percent of the hard drive s capacity 45 Accessing Data on Your Computer Searching from the Start Menu Use it when: You are looking for common file types You remember all or part of a filename You know when you last changed a file You know a word or phrase in the file Type search information in the Search programs and files text box Result is limited to 15 entries (click on see more results to get complete list) Results menu lists every file, folder, program, picture, movie, music file, and Web bookmark 46 23

Figure 3-23 Sample search results (see more results) Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 47 Accessing Data on Your Computer Searching from the Explorer Window Search box: located at right of address bar Search is limited to displayed Explorer window Difference between Explorer and the Start menu Search is not limited to 15 entries Search Builder: used to filter search results Search filters: depend on the folder contents or library being viewed Results are displayed very quickly 48 24

Using the Fedora 13 File Browser File Browser: Locates and opens files and folders To open: click Applications, System Tools, and File Browser Window includes: Basic menus Toolbars Navigation pane Tabbed preview pane 49 Figure 3-24 File Browser in Fedora 13 Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 50 25

Figure 3-25 Location bar and side pane options in File Browser Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 51 Using the Fedora 13 File Browser File Browser Menu bar: includes File, Edit, View, and Tabs menu Browse button: Browse local and remote disks and folders Location bar: equals address bar in Windows 7 Location bar: Contains options that let you change the view size Left side of the File Browser window: Contains a side pane Shows information about the current file or folder 52 26

Using the Fedora 13 File Browser Options in the side pane: Places: displays places of particular interest Information: displays information about current folder Tree: Displays a hierarchical representation of your file system History: Contains list of recently visited files and folders Notes: add notes to your files and folders Emblems: contains emblems (icons) that you can add to a file or folder 53 Using the Fedora 13 File Browser Using the Trash Trash gives you a second chance to retrieve deleted files or folders To access, click the Trash icon As the Trash fills with deleted material: Older items are removed automatically Empty trash: If running low on hard drive space 54 27

Using the Fedora 13 File Browser Figure 3-26 Trash in Fedora 13 Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning 55 Using the Fedora 13 File Browser Searching from the File Browser Use search feature to search by file and folder names and their contents To begin search: click Search button on main toolbar Search bar replaces location bar Search results appear in view pane 56 28

Summary Graphical user interface (GUI): Has many menus that you use to work with applications Use the Start menu to: Begin applications in the Windows GUI environment GUI desktop : Can be tailored in Windows 7 and Fedora Core 13 You have many options for: Accessing locally stored data in Windows 7 and Fedora Core 13 57 29