The Window Manager Mouse

Programmer's Reference Manuals

» Part 7 - The Desktop

» The Window Manager

» Technical Details

» The Mouse

Select and Adjust

The Select button should be used as the user’s primary method for ‘selecting’, choosing or dragging things.

The Adjust button should be used to perform variations on the function of the select button. It should not simply duplicate the action of the Select button.

Another common use of the mouse buttons is in conjunction with specific key-presses, such as the Shift or Alt keys. Although this may be useful in some instances, the user should not be expected to try every variation to use an application. The application-designer should try to minimize the intellectual and manual effort required by its user-interface.

Menu Button

A dedicated mouse-button is used for opening menus; it is often called the Menu button. For consistency all applications should use the Menu button for opening menus.

Double Clicks

The notification of double-clicks to an application is provided by a single event code, rather than by multiple event codes.