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CHAPTER 11

GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND THE OPERATING SYSTEM Poor human-comput r !nt r"ac ha# a$%a&# ' n a pro'$ m ar a !n u#!n( comput r#) Ho% * r (oo+ a u# r !nt r"ac !#, th r !# a$%a&# #om th!n( that !# %ant!n( accor+!n( to u# r# %ho u# !t an+ thu# a #cop "or !mpro* m nt) In th ar$! r +a&# %h n comput r# ma+ a ' (!nn!n(, th & % r not * r& po% r"u$) Th & % r a$#o !nt n+ + "or u# '& u# r# %ho % r comput r $!t rat #) Thu# on$& cr&pt!c comman+# % r pro*!+ + a# a u# r !nt r"ac to th op rat!n( #&#t m) Th pro'$ m %!th th # comman+# %a# that th u# r# ha+ to r m m' r th m an+ -no% .act$& %hat ach on #too+ "or) Th a+* nt o" p r#ona$ comput r# 'rou(ht a'out a n % para+!(m) Comput r u# r# % r no $on( r on$& comput r $!t rat # an+ #o u# r# no $on( r %ant + th cr&pt!c human-comput r !nt r"ac ) Th !nt r"ac ou(ht to ' com mor u# r-"r! n+$&) A# th #a&!n( (o # /A p!ctur !# %orth a thou#an+ %or+#0, cr&pt!c comman+# (a* %a& to (raph!ca$ r pr # ntat!on) Such an !nt r"ac !# ca$$ + a (raph!ca$ u# r !nt r"ac 1GUI2) For .amp$ , MS-3!n+o%# an+ 4-3!n+o%#) 11)1 3INDO3ING TECHNOLOGY Comput r# o" to+a& ar * r& po% r"u$) Th & can +o mor than on 5o' at a t!m ) 3!th an& %!n+o%# pro+uct, th #cr n can ' #p$!t !nto man& part!t!on# o" +!"" r nt #!6 #) Each o" th # part!t!on# !# ca$$ + a %!n+o%) H nc th nam %!n+o%!n( t chno$o(&) Each %!n+o% can run an app$!cat!on an+ !# !n+ p n+ nt o" oth r#) Charact r!#t!c# o" a %!n+o% ar t!t$ , 'or+ r#, %or- ar a# an+ comman+ ar a) U# r# runn!n( an app$!cat!on !n a %!n+o% can con"!(ur !t to ha* #p c!"!c # tt!n(#) 3!n+o%# can o* r$ap) Th %!n+o%!n( #o"t%ar r # r* # # parat ar a# !n m mor& "or +!"" r nt %!n+o%# an+ a$$o% . cut!on on th m a# !" ach % r . cut + on a # parat t rm!na$) 7ut #cr n +!#p$a& #ho%# a$$ %!n+o%# #!mu$tan ou#$&) A u# r can u# on$& on !nput + *!c at a t!m ) Th n %h r +o # th u# r !nput (o8 Or !n %h!ch %!n+o% %!$$ u# r !nt ract!on #ho% up8 Th

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u# r ha# a cho!c o" # $ ct!n( a %!n+o% an+ 'r!n(!n( !t on th top o" th #cr n) Th %!n+o% on top !# #a!+ to ' !n-"ocu# an+ h nc %!$$ r c !* u# r !nt ract!on) 11)9 GUI Graph!ca$ u# r !nt r"ac cam !nto .!#t nc a# a #u'#t!tut to th $ ## u# r-"r! n+$& cr&pt!c comman+#) A$#o cr&pt!c comman+# % r +!""!cu$t to r m m' r #p c!a$$& %h n comman+# ha+ # * ra$ opt!on#) In a GUI, comman+# ar (roup + !nto *ar!ou# $ * $# o" h! rarch& an+ %h n th u# r # $ ct# a (roup comman+# ' $on(!n( to that (roup ar +!#p$a& +) Th!# ma- # a GUI u# r"r! n+$& an+ th u# r run# an app$!cat!on %!thout ha*!n( to -no% a'out th comput r an+ !t# %or-!n() An !mportant " atur #upport + '& a$$ GUI-'a# + app$!cat!on# !# th /HELP0) HELP a##!#t# th u# r !n ( tt!n( to -no% * r&th!n( a'out th app$!cat!on) A "un+am nta$ conc pt o" %!n+o%!n( n*!ronm nt !# %hat !# ca$$ + / * nt +r!* n pro(ramm!n(0) An app$!cat!on runn!n( !n a %!n+o%# n*!ronm nt r #pon+# to ach comman+ "rom th u# r# an+ %a!t# "or th n .t) E* nt# cou$+ ' a mou# c$!c-, mou# mo* m nt, - &'oar+ !nput an+ #o on) Th mou# !# a * r& han+& !nput + *!c u# + !n a %!n+o%!n( n*!ronm nt #!nc !t (!* # th u# r a# !n na*!(at!on) 11): COMPONENTS OF A GUI Som common compon nt# o" a GUI n*!ronm nt ar ; M nu 'ar# %!th pu$$ +o%n m nu# Scro$$ 'ar# Contro$# D!a$o(u 'o. # F +'ac- po!nt r# Icon#

M nu 'ar# app ar at th top o" a %!n+o% 5u#t un+ r th t!t$ 'ar) Common m nu 'ar opt!on# ar F!$ , E+!t, <! % an+ H $p) 3h n th u# r c$!c-# on an& on o" th opt!on# on th m nu

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'ar, a pu$$ +o%n m nu app ar#) Th!# !# a 'o. %h r #p c!"!c act!on# ar $!#t +) It $!#t# th act!on# an+ a##oc!at + com'!nat!on - &# that %!$$ p r"orm th #am act!on "rom th - &'oar+) An& on act!on can ' # $ ct + "rom th!# m nu) Each opt!on on th m nu 'ar +!#p$a&# on$& (roup + act!on# p rta!n!n( to th # $ ct + m nu) Scro$$ 'ar# h $p $oo- at !n"ormat!on not curr nt$& *!#!'$ !n th %!n+o%) Th r ar hor!6onta$ an+ * rt!ca$ #cro$$ 'ar#) Th #cro$$ 'ar ha# #cro$$ ar a %!th a #$!+ r 'o. an+ arro%# at ach n+) Th #$!+ r 'o. (!* # !n"ormat!on a'out th po#!t!on o" th *!#!'$ part o" th o'5 ct !n a %!n+o% !n r $at!on to th nt!r o'5 ct) Man& +!"" r nt contro$# ar u# + !n a GUI that na'$ u# r# to # $ ct pr # nt + !n"ormat!on !n a %!n+o%) Contro$# ma& ' !n th "orm o" 'utton# 1pu#h 'utton#, ra+!o 'utton#, opt!on 'utton#2 or 'o. # 1$!#t 'o. #, com'o 'o. #, ntr& 'o. #2) A +!a$o(u 'o. !# a %!n+o% "or app$!cat!on-u# r !nt ract!on) It can a$#o ' u# + on$& to put out a m ##a( "or th u# r) D!a$o(u 'o. # u#ua$$& com'!n #om contro$# to !nt ract %!th a u# r) F +'ac- "or an act!on p r"orm + !# pro*!+ + !n t%o %a&#; Hour($a## po!nt r Pro(r ## !n+!cator

Th # ar *!#!'$ %h n u# r r =u #t !# not !mm +!at $& comp$ t + 'ut ta- # a "!n!t amount o" t!m that !# not!c a'$ '& th u# r) Th hour($a## po!nt r #ho%# up %h n th #&#t m !# p r"orm!n( #!mp$ op rat!on#) A pro(r ## !n+!cator !# *!#!'$ %h n th r =u #t !# .p ct + to tamuch $on( r t!m an+ !n+!cat # th p rc nta( o" pro(r ## ma+ $!- "or .amp$ +o%n$oa+!n( a "!$ ) A * r& !mportant GUI o'5 ct !# an !con) It !# a (raph!ca$ r pr # ntat!on o" an app$!cat!on or a ut!$!t&) A (oo+ !con #hou$+ ' a'$ to h $p !+ nt!"& an app$!cat!on) For .amp$ , ma!$'o., ca$cu$ator, MS-3or+, tc) 11)> RE?UIREMENTS OF A 3INDO3S-7ASED GUI Som 'a#!c r =u!r m nt# o" a %!n+o%#-'a# + GUI ar a# "o$$o%#; Con#!#t nc& D!r ct man!pu$at!on F$ .!'!$!t&

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E.p$!c!t + #truct!on

A$$ app$!cat!on# %!th!n a %!n+o%!n( n*!ronm nt mu#t ' con#!#t nt) Th!# !mp$! # that #!m!$ar contro$# %or- #!m!$ar$& an+ ar u# + #!m!$ar$&) P$ac m nt o" contro$ 'utton# an+ 'o. # #hou$+ ' con#!#t nt acro## a$$ app$!cat!on#) An act!on n +# o'5 ct# to act on) So # $ ct!on o" act!on an+ o'5 ct# ar n c ##ar&) For .amp$ , + $ t act!on n +# an o'5 ct #a& a "!$ ) Th # =u nc o" act!on an+ # $ ct!on mu#t ' con#!#t nt) That !#, !n on app$!cat!on # $ ct!on o" o'5 ct# to ' +on ' "or act!on an+ !n anoth r act!on to ' # $ ct + ' "or o'5 ct# #hou$+ not happ n) M nu# ha* to ' pr # nt + !n an or+ r$& mann r) Act!on# an+ o'5 ct# that cannot ' # $ ct + #hou$+ not ' pr # nt + or #hou$+ ' + - mpha#!6 +) D!r ct man!pu$at!on a$$o%# u# r to contro$ act!on#) U# r a$#o ( t# a " +'ac- on act!on# p r"orm +) Th !nt r"ac #hou$+ ' "$ .!'$ !n man& %a&#) U# r #p c!"! + # tt!n(# ar ' tt r) Th & #hou$+ ' a'$ to chan( con"!(urat!on# $at r) A * r& (oo+ .amp$ "or th!# cou$+ ' mou# con"!(urat!on '& a $ "t-han+ + or a r!(ht-han+ + u# r) A$#o ach u# r ha# h!# @ h r o%n $!-!n( "or co$or# an+ 'or+ r# an+ a chan( to #u!t u# r r =u!r m nt ncoura( # th m to %or- an+ $ arn mor ) Anoth r $ * $ o" "$ .!'!$!t& %ou$+ ' to a$$o% mu$t!p$ %a&# o" p r"orm!n( th #am "unct!on) For .amp$ , an .p r! nc + u# r ma& %ant to u# "unct!on - &# an+ - &'oar+ - &# rath r than (o throu(h a GUI # $ ct, #om ma& pr " r to nt r "!$ nam # rath r hunt "or th m an+ #o on) An act!on that !# !rr * r#!'$ an+ ha# n (at!* con# =u nc # #uch a# "!$ + $ t!on ha# to pro*!+ "or .p$!c!t con"!rmat!on) Th!# %ou$+ m!n!m!6 u# r appr h n#!on an+ (!* h!m con"!+ nc to u# th app$!cat!on "or h!# %or-) 11)A SUMMARY On o" th pr!mar& (oa$# o" an op rat!n( #&#t m !# to pro*!+ a (oo+ u# r !nt r"ac ) Th!# chapt r ha# #tr ## + th n + "or a (oo+ u# r-"r! n+$& (raph!ca$ !nt r"ac ) 3 ha* a$#o +!#cu## + th *ar!ou# compon nt# that ma- a (oo+ GUI an+ !t# r $ *anc !n app$!cat!on#) 11)B E4ERCISE 1) 3hat !# th n + "or a (oo+ u# r-"r! n+$& GUI8

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9) :) >) 11)C

E.p$a!n !n 'r! " th %!n+o%!n( t chno$o(&) L!#t an+ .p$a!n th +!"" r nt compon nt# o" a GUI) 3hat ar th r =u!r m nt# "or a (oo+ %!n+o%#-'a# + GUI8

ACTI<ITY Stu+& th GUI# a*a!$a'$ on th op rat!n( #&#t m# not +)