Using the Computer and Managing Files: Chap1-Less3

INTRODUCING THE COMPONENTS OF GUI

GUI = Graphical User Interface
All applications have a user interface that functions as a link between the computer and the user.
The GUI interface is also referred to as the GUI environment.
The GUI environment uses illustrations rather than text so that the user can interact with an application easily.
You can use the mouse to work with different applications in the GUI environment.
Microsoft has developed various operating systems in a GUI environment, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, etc.

   Basic Elements of a GUI

A GUI interface consists of certain basic elements. These elements can be categorized as the following:
 Icons
 Window
 Menu
 Dialog box
 Property Sheet


Icons
Icons are pictorial representation of an object on the screen, which initiates a specific action when clicked.
There are basically many different icons displayed on your desktop. These icons enable navigation to various locations, such as disk drives, files, and folders.
Following figure displays a sample icon:

Computer icon

Window
A window serves as a viewing area for various applications or programs.

A window 

Menu
Menu contains a list of commands, which a user can select in a currently active window.
For example, clicking the Edit menu in any application displays a list of commands,
such as Undo, Cut, Copy, and Paste. The following figure shows the Edit menu:

Menu box Window 2000

There are different types of menu:Drop-down menu, Pop-up menu.

 1. Dialog Box
A dialog box is a type of window that prompts for additional information from the user about a
task that needs to be completed. The following figure displays a Print dialog box, in which
the user needs to specify details for the printing job to be performed.

Print Dialogue Box

 2. Property Sheet
A property sheet contains tabs. When you select a tab, the corresponding tabbed page is displayed.
A tabbed page displays information corresponding to the object, such as the Recycle Bin.
In addition, a property sheet enables you to configure the settings for the corresponding object.
A sample property sheet is displayed here:

Recycle Bin Property Sheet

Now that we understand the basic elements of a GUI and most importantly what is a GUI, we can move forward to further learning.
Keep it up!