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Microsoft Windows is designed so that you can use
a mouse in conjunction with the keyboard to operate the PC. This document
describes how to hold and use a mouse and how to (if necessary) change some of
the mouse settings to suit your preferences. The information in this document
applies to all supported versions of Windows; where there are differences
between versions this is noted in the text.
You can use the keyboard instead of a mouse for
all actions in Windows. Consult the Windows manual or the on-line help for
further information about using the keyboard.
Using a mouse
Moving the mouse on a flat surface controls the
position of the mouse pointer on the screen. The mouse pointer can take
many shapes, the most common being an arrow ( ).
The shape of the pointer is an indication of the type of operation that can be carried out at that time.
Some systems, especially laptop computers, have a
trackball fitted instead of a mouse. These operate in the same way except that
the mouse pointer is moved by rolling the ball with your thumb or the palm of
your hand instead of moving over a flat surface. Another type of mouse, known
as a pen mouse, is used like an ordinary pen.
Holding the mouse
Cup the mouse comfortably in your right hand so
that your index finger rests on the left mouse button. In Windows 95, 98,
NT/2000 the right mouse button is also useful and serves a special purpose.
If you want to use the mouse with your left hand,
you can swap the use of the mouse buttons so that the index finger of your left
hand is used with the right mouse button. However, this may cause confusion and
you are recommended to try to use the mouse with your right hand even if you
are left-handed. Only if you find this very difficult should you resort to
swapping the buttons.
Mouse operations
Windows uses icons (small pictures) on the
screen to represent computing objects that can be used or manipulated, menus
(from which options can be selected that carry out particular tasks) and dialog
boxes (that request further information from you). The mouse is used to
select and manipulate objects, choose options from menus and respond to dialog
boxes.
The different mouse operations are:
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Point
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Move the mouse so that the mouse pointer rests on the required object (for
example, an icon, name of a menu, button in a dialog box, character in a
document, shape in a picture). If the pointer is an arrow, the tip of the
arrowhead must be on the object.
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Click
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Press and release a mouse button. If the button is not specified, use the
left button. Clicking selects an object. If you select a command, and there
are no other options available, the command is run.
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Double-click
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Click a mouse button twice in quick succession. Do not move the mouse
between clicks. Double-clicking usually selects an object and completes an
operation. For example, double-clicking on an application icon runs the
application.
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Drag
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Point at an object, press a mouse button, hold it down, move the mouse to
a new position, then release the mouse button. Dragging is used to select a
section of text or other objects and to move objects to a new position (if
used to move an object this is sometimes referred to as drag-and-drop).
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Scrolling with the spacebar
Instead of using your mouse to drag your way down a web page, try tapping your
keyboard's spacebar. This enables you to jump down a page one 'screen' at a
time.
COPY AND PASTE
To copy information into another
document
- In the document that contains the information you want to copy,
drag the pointer over the information you want to select.
- On the Edit menu, click Copy.
- In the document where you want the information to appear, click
the place where you want to put the information.
- On the Edit menu, click Paste.
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