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2.2
Becoming
Familiar with the Common Desktop Environment




2.2.3
Managing
windows




Most PC users are accustomed to working
in a graphical environment with windows. The UNIX Common Desktop
Environment (CDE) is very similar in its operation. The following are
common tasks that are normally performed in a windowed environment.

Tip: Use the Front key to bring
a window currently behind another window to the front. Use the Open
key to open a minimized program residing on the desktop as an icon or
to reduce an open window to an icon. Use the Copy and Paste keys to
paste long path names from one Terminal window to another.

Overlapping Windows 
When an icon is selected from the front
panel, a window opens on the workspace screen. Windows on the
workspace overlap each other, with the most recently opened window
overlapping previously opened windows. See Figure
. 
Lowering a Window 
To choose the window menu, position the
mouse pointer on the window title area and press the right mouse
button. One option in the resulting menu is to lower the window. This
option forces the window to the back of the overlapping windows on the
screen display. See Figure . 
The alternative keyboard action is to
hold down the Alt key and press function key 3 (Alt+F3).

Note: There is no alternative to
moving a window to the front of a set of overlapping windows. When
selected, a window automatically comes to the front of any overlapping
windows in a CDE display. On a Sun workstation keyboard, the Front key
brings a window to the front of the display. See Figure
. 

Moving a Window 
A window can be moved in two ways. One
way is to choose the Move option from the window menu. The mouse
pointer changes from an arrow pointer to a small cross pointer. Drag
the cross pointer to move the window. As the cross moves, an outline
of the window is displayed on the screen. When the outline is in the
desired position, click once with the left mouse button and the window
will move there. See Figure . 
The other method is easier and uses the
drag and drop technique. Place the mouse pointer over the window's
title area, hold down the left mouse button and drag the window to its
new screen location. When the window is being moved, a pair of numbers
is displayed on the screen. These are the x axis and y axis values.
These numbers show the new position of the window on the workspace
display. The number on the left represents the horizontal (X)
position. The number on the right represents the vertical (Y)
position. These numbers are useful to developers and programmers who
want to have a window appear in the same position every time an
application is invoked. See Figure
. 
Minimizing and Restoring a
Window 
At the top right side of the window is
a Minimize button. Clicking this button converts the window into an
icon. See Figure . By default, the icon of a minimized window
is placed at the left edge of the workspace display. However, the icon
can be moved to any desktop location by dragging it to the desired
position. Only one click of the left button is required to change a
window to an icon. To change the icon back into a window, double-click
the icon with the left button. Click once on an icon invokes the
window menu. Select Restore to change the icon back into a window. See Figure
. 

Note: When a window occupies all
of the workspace display, no other windows can be seen, because they
are covered up. To switch to another window, either lower the full
display window or reduce it to its previous size. Use the F9 and F10
function keys with the Alt key as keyboard alternatives to using the
mouse.

Maximizing a Window 
To make a window fill the entire
workspace display, left click the box button at the top right side of
the window. See Figure . To
reduce the full display window to its previous window size, select the
box button again. When the window is reduced to its previous size, it
is placed in its previous display position on the workspace.
The Minimize and Maximize buttons are
shown in Figure , along with
the window menu equivalents.
Closing a Window 
To close a window, double click on the
dash in the upper left corner of the window with the left mouse
button. See Figure .
Windows can also be closed with a single click of the left mouse
button. In the upper left corner, select the Close option from the
menu that is displayed. UNIX will prompt the user to save information if closing the
window may cause unsaved data to be lost. See Figure
.
The keyboard alternative to close a window is Alt+F4. Most
applications will prompt a confirmation for closure of a window that
contains unsaved data.