Working with Dialog Boxes


A dialog box is a temporary window on a computer screen that communicates information, prompts for user input, or requests a response to a question before a program can continue. 


Dialog Box consists of following User Interface Controls:


1. Text Boxes – the small boxes in a dialog box in which user is able to enter text.


2. List Boxes – list boxes are comparatively larger boxes which contain list of various options. At a time, only few options are shown. Users can view all the options by using a vertical scroll bar or up and down arrow buttons.


3. Drop Down List Boxes – a drop-down list box hides its options until the user clicks on it, revealing a temporary list from which a single item is selected.


4. Option Button – an option button (also known as a radio button) is a graphical control element that allows a user to select only one option from a mutually exclusive set of choices. You can identify it as a small circle, which becomes filled with a dot when selected.


5. Check Box – check boxes are small square boxes, each containing an option. Users can select any option by just clicking in the box. A right (tick mark) sign will appear when we click a box.


Using Menus


Special Indicators in Windows:

Some special indicators in windows are as follows: -


1. Triangle – it indicates a sub-menu or additional options. When we see a triangle next to a menu item, it suggests that there are more options available. Clicking on the item with a triangle often open a dropdown menu.


2. Ellipses – it indicates that selecting the menu item will open a dialog or prompt for additional information. This is often used when a command requires a user input or when it leads to a separate window or dialog box.

For Eg.: Save As…, or Print…

 

3. Dot – it represents the currently selected or active option. In a list of options, the one with a dot next to it is the current selection. This is commonly used in settings or preference menus.


4. Key Combination – it shows a keyboard shortcut to access a command. Some menu items have key combinations associated with them, denoted by combinations like Ctrl+S for Save, or Ctrl+C for copy. These key combinations provide a quick way to execute commands using the keyboard.


5. Greyed Out Option – it indicates that the option is currently unavailable or not applicable.

For Eg.: Undo Option might be greyed out if there is no action to undo.


6. Scroll Bars – scroll bars allows scrolling through a long list of options. When a menu has more items that can fit on the screen, a scrollbar appears. You can use this to scroll up/down, and access additional menu items.


Navigating Windows


Using Windows Explorer:

Windows Explorer, now called File Explorer, is the file management application in Microsoft Windows that allows you to access, view, organize, and manage all the files and folders on your computer through a graphical interface. It was introduced in Windows 95 and is used to perform tasks such as copying, moving, deleting, and renaming files, as well as navigating your computer's file system. 

Its key components include: file and folder hierarchy, address bar, search bar, title bar, navigation pane, library pane, details pane.


Steps to open Windows Explorer –

  1. Right-click on the Start Menu.
  2. Click on “Open Windows Explorer/File Explorer”.

Shortcut key to open Windows File Explorer: Windows key + E.


Searching Files and Folders:

On the top-right corner of Windows Explorer, a search bar is there. We can search the files and folders by typing the name of the file in the search box. We can also apply filters to search our file.


Accessing a Drive:

Users can access any drive by simply clicking on it from the navigation pane. One can search a particular file in a drive by just typing its name in search box after clicking on drive.


Creating a Shortcut:

Steps for creating a shortcut are as follows: -


  1. Go to the file/folder for which you want to create a shortcut.
  2. Right-click on the file/folder.
  3. Hover over “Send to” option in the context menu and choose “Desktop (Create Shortcut)”.


Moving the Shortcut:

Steps for moving a shortcut are as follows: -


  1. Click the shortcut you want to move and drag it to the desired location.
  2. Another method is to, copy-paste it to move.