1

USE GENERIC FUNCTIONS IN A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI)

ENVIRONMENT
US 258883
NQF LEVEL:
CREDITS: 4
NOTIONAL HOURS: 40

LEARNER GUIDE

Name

Contact Address

Telephone (H)

Telephone (W)

Facsimile

Cellular

NATIONAL COMPUTER COLLEGE – COPYRIGHT EXISTS 2015-2020 ©

TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE ............................................................................ 2
ICONS .............................................................................................................. 2
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW ............................................................................. 3
PURPOSE ....................................................................................................... 3
LEARNING ASSUMPTIONS ............................................................................ 3
HOW YOU WILL LEARN ................................................................................. 3
HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED .................................................................... 3
SECTION 1: USING THE DESKTOP OF A GUI-BASED OPERATING
SYSTEM .............................................................................................................. 4
1.1 OPERATING SYSTEMS ............................................................................ 5
1.2 MAIN COMPONENTS OF A WINDOWS DESKTOP ............................... 10
1.3 THE TERM ICON ..................................................................................... 17
1.4 REARRANGING DESKTOP ICONS ........................................................ 18
1.5 CREATING A DESKTOP SHORT CUT ................................................... 19
1.6 ELEMENTS ON THE START MENU ....................................................... 20
SECTION 2: FEATURES OF A GUI WINDOW ................................................. 24
2.1 TYPES OF WINDOWS ............................................................................ 25
2.2 USING THE START MENU ..................................................................... 27
2.3 PARTS OF A WINDOW ........................................................................... 30
2.4 MANIPULATING WINDOWS ................................................................... 31
2.5 THE IMPACT OF OPENING MORE THAN ONE WINDOW .................... 34
2.7 MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS..................................................................... 35
SECTION 3: USING A THE HELP FACILITY ................................................... 37
3.1 METHODS OF LAUCHING THE HELP FACILITY................................... 38
3.2 LAUNCHING THE HELP FACILITY ......................................................... 39
3.3 FINDING HELP USING SEARCH, INDEX AND CONTENT .................... 40
SECTION 4: POINTING DEVICE ...................................................................... 42
4.1 WAYS OF SELECTING OBJECTS .......................................................... 43
4.2 METHODS OF SELECTING GROUPS OF OBJECTS ............................ 45
4.3 CHANGING MOUSE SETTINGS ............................................................. 46
4.4 DRAG AND DROP ................................................................................... 47
SECTION 5: USING GENERIC PRINT OPTIONS ............................................ 48
5.1 PRINT PREVIEW ..................................................................................... 49
5.3 PRINTING PARTS OF A DOCUMENT .................................................... 53
5.5 SUBMITTING A PRINT JOP AND CHECKING PROGRESS .................. 54
5.6 MANIPULATING PRINT JOBS ................................................................ 55

1|Page
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

This workbook belongs to you. It is designed to serve as a guide for the duration of
your training programme and as a resource for after the time. It contains readings,
activities, and application aids that will assist you in developing the knowledge and
skills stipulated in the specific outcomes and assessment criteria. Follow along in
the guide as the facilitator takes you through the material, and feel free to make
notes and diagrams that will help you to clarify or retain information. Jot down
things that work well or ideas that come from the group. Also, note any points you
would like to explore further. Participate actively in the skill practice activities, as
they will give you an opportunity to gain insights from other people’s experiences
and to practice the skills. Do not forget to share your own experiences so that
others can learn from you too.

ICONS
For ease of reference, an icon will indicate different activities. The following icons
indicate different activities in the manual.

Outcomes Learning Activities

Take note
Assessment Criteria Note!

Stop and Think!

Course Material
Reflection

Notes (Blank) References

Definition Summaries

Example

2|Page
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

PURPOSE

This Unit Standard is intended for people who need to produce and edit documents
using a GUI-based word processor either as a user of computers or as basic knowledge
for a career in the ICT industry.

A person credited with this unit standard is capable of:

• Using the desktop of a Graphical User Interface (GUI)-based operating system.

• Using the features of a GUI Window.
• Using of the Help facility in a GUI environment.
• Using a pointing device in a GUI environment.
• Using generic print options in a GUI environment.

The performance of all elements is to a standard that allows for further learning in this
area.

LEARNING ASSUMPTIONS

The credit value of this unit standard is calculated assuming a person is competent in:

• Communication skills at least at General Education and Training (GET) level.

HOW YOU WILL LEARN

The programme methodology includes facilitator presentations, readings, individual

activities, group discussions, and skill application exercises.

HOW YOU WILL BE ASSESSED

This programme has been aligned to registered unit standards. You will be assessed
against the outcomes of the unit standards by completing a knowledge assignment that
covers the essential embedded knowledge stipulated in the unit standards, and by
doing a practical assessment to apply the learning to your work situation. When you
are assessed as competent against the unit standards, you will receive a certificate of
competence and be awarded 4 credits towards a National Qualification.

3|Page
SECTION 1: USING THE DESKTOP OF A
GUI-BASED OPERATING
SYSTEM

Specific Outcome
 On completion of this section you will be able to Use
the desktop of a GUI-based operating system.

Assessment Criteria
On completion of this section you will be able to:
 GUI-based operating systems are defined using
examples. (SO 1, AC 1)
 The main components are described to reflect what
is found on a typical desktop. (SO 1, AC 2)
 The term "ICON" is described and standard icons
identified on the GUI "desktop". (SO 1, AC 3)
 ICONS are rearranged on the "desktop" and
showing the different methods. (SO 1, AC 4)
 A desktop shortcut icon is created to facilitate easy
access to filed documents in folders. (SO 1, AC 5)
 The elements on the Start Menu are described in
terms of their purpose. (SO 1, AC 6)

4|Page
1.1 OPERATING SYSTEMS

Operating systems are computer programs. An operating system is the first piece of
software that the computer executes when you turn the machine on. The operating
system loads itself into memory and begins managing the resources available on the
computer. It then provides those resources to other applications that the user wants to
execute.

Typical services that an operating system provides include:

• A task scheduler - The task scheduler is able to allocate the execution of
the CPU to a number of different tasks. Some of those tasks are the different
applications that the user is running, and some of them are operating system
tasks. The task scheduler is the part of the operating system that lets you print a
document from your word processor in one window while you are downloading a
file in another window and recalculating a spreadsheet in a third window.
• A memory manager - The memory manager controls the system's RAM and
normally creates a larger virtual space using a file on the hard disk.
• A disk manager - The disk manager creates and maintains the directories and
files on the disk. When you request a file, the disk manager brings it in from the
disk.
• A network manager - The network manager controls all data moving between
the computer and the network.
• Other I/O services manager - The OS manages the keyboard, mouse, video
display, printers, etc.
• Security manager - The OS maintains the security of the information in the
computer's files and controls who can access the computer.

The three most common operating systems for personal computers are Microsoft
Windows, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux.

The Windows, OS X, and Linux logos

Modern operating systems use a Graphical User Interface, or GUI (pronounced
"gooey"). A GUI lets you use your mouse to click on icons, buttons, and menus, and
everything is clearly displayed on the screen using a combination of graphics and text.

5|Page
Each operating system's GUI has a different look and feel, so if you switch to a different
operating system it may seem unfamiliar at first. However, modern operating systems
are designed to be easy to use, and most of the basic principles are the same.

The Windows GUI

The OS X GUI
Before GUIs, computers had a command-line interface, which meant the user had to
type every single command to the computer, and the computer would only display text.

6|Page
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft created the Windows operating system in the mid-1980s. Over the years,
there have been many different versions of Windows, but the most recent ones
are Windows 8 (released in 2012), Windows 7 (2009), and Windows Vista (2007).
Windows comes preloaded on most new PCs, which helps to make it the most popular
operating system in the world.

If you're buying a new computer or upgrading to a newer version of Windows, you can
choose from several different editions of Windows, such as Home
Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. You may need to do some research to decide
which edition is right for you.

Linux
Linux (pronounce LINN-ux) is a family of open source operating systems, which means
that they can be modified and distributed by anyone around the world. This is very
different from proprietary software like Windows, which can only be modified by the
company that owns it (Microsoft). The advantages of Linux are that it is free, and there
are many different distributions (or versions) that you can choose from. Each
distribution has a different look and feel, and the most popular ones
include Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora.

7|Page
Linux is named after Linus Torvalds, who created the Linux kernel in 1991.
The kernel is the computer code that is the central part of an operating system.
According to StatCounter Global Stats, Linux users account for less than 1% of the
operating systems market as of January 2013. However, most servers run Linux
because it's relatively easy to customize.

8|Page
Apple Mac OS X
Mac OS is a line of operating systems created by Apple Inc. It comes preloaded on all
new Macintosh computers, or Macs. All of the recent versions are known as Mac OS
X (pronounced Mac O-S Ten), and their specific version names are Mountain
Lion (released in 2012), Lion (2011), and Snow Leopard (2009). Apple also offers a
version called Mac OS X Server, which is designed to be run on servers.

According to StatCounter Global Stats, Mac OS X users account for 7.5% of the
operating systems market as of January 2013 - much lower than the percentage of
Windows users (over 90%). One reason for this is that Apple computers tend to be
more expensive. However, many people prefer the look and feel of Mac OS X.

9|Page
1.2 MAIN COMPONENTS OF A WINDOWS DESKTOP

The main components of Windows when you start your computer are the Desktop, My
Computer, Recycle Bin, Start Button, Taskbar, and shortcuts to applications.

The Desktop is the very first screen you see after Windows starts. There you find the
folders: My

Documents, My Computer, the Recycle Bin and any Shortcuts for applications and files
that you have.

Taskbar

The Task bar is the row at the bottom of the Windows screen where all currently open
applications or files are listed.

10 | P a g e
The taskbar is used to select a file or application that is already opened or to put an
application in the foreground.

To put an application in the foreground, just click on the icon of the application in the
taskbar. Another way to put an application in the foreground when more than one is in
use is to hold the ALT button and then click TAB on your keyboard to see all the open
applications; you will need to hold the ALT button.

Start Menu

By clicking the Start button, in the very bottom‐ left corner of the screen, a vertical
window will come up with the Start Menu. The list of submenus in the pop‐up window let
you navigate and select the application you want to run.

11 | P a g e
Minimize/Maximize/Close Buttons
In the top‐right corner of your document are the Minimize/Maximize/Close buttons.

The first one when clicked minimize your screen, sending it to the taskbar. The second
one will maximize your screen, filling all desktop with the document you are working
with. The last button is used to close your document. Click restore down to return a
maximized window to a smaller sized window. A non‐maximized window can be resized
by dragging a border or corner of the window.

Window that has been restored down (desktop can be seen in background)

12 | P a g e
My computer
When you click My Computer on the Start Button, it will open a window similar to the
one shown below. From here you can navigate between the computer's drives, folders
and documents.

Think of a computer drive as a large cabinet where you can store many folders. Each
folder in turn is able to hold many documents. Don’t get confused by the terms: you
might hear “the hard drive” or maybe the “C drive”.

That’s the “large cabinet”. A typical folder on the “C drive” is named “My Documents”.
This folder may contain other folders as well as documents. Your job is to manage the
folders and documents so that you can easily find a particular document when you need
it.

13 | P a g e
14 | P a g e
15 | P a g e
The way the drives, folders and/or documents are shown in the “My Computer” window
is dependent on the View setting. The figures above show 3 different layout views:
Details, List and Icons. You change the view by selecting the desired option in the View
menu. Note on the left the View menu is set to show Details.

16 | P a g e
1.3 THE TERM ICON

Icons are pictures that when selected (or clicked on) will do something. This “do
something” is called executing. Selecting an Icon by clicking on it tells the computer you
want to use that program. My Computer, My Network Places, My Documents, and
Recycle Bin are standard Icons commonly seen on a computer. A desktop icon allows
the user easy access to the program. The desktop icon is usually used instead of the
typical alphanumeric of the computer

Below is an example of a Desktop.

17 | P a g e
Shortcut Icons
If we look closely at the previously displayed Desktop, there is one
picture that has a little black arrow in it. The little black arrow informs
you that it is a Shortcut Icon. A Shortcut Icon will open a program
that someone has added to the Desktop. The Shortcut Icon on our
example Desktop will open the program called Microsoft Office
Word, a program for word processing (typing a letter for example).

1.4 REARRANGING DESKTOP ICONS

How to Arrange or Move Icons

To arrange icons by name, type, date, or size, right-click a blank area on the desktop,
and then click Arrange Icons. Click the command that indicates how you want to
arrange the icons (by Name, by Type, and so on). If you want the icons to be
automatically arranged, click Auto Arrange. If you want to arrange the icons on your
own, click Auto Arrange to remove the check mark.

How to Remove Icons

Some icons are shortcuts to programs on your computer. Shortcut icons usually have
an arrow in the bottom-left corner. If you do not want a shortcut on your desktop, click
the icon, and then drag it to the Recycle Bin. This action only removes the shortcut, not
the program that it is pointing to. You can also right-click the icon, and then
click Delete to remove a shortcut from your desktop.

18 | P a g e
1.5 CREATING A DESKTOP SHORT CUT

To create a shortcut to a programme, and display the shortcut on the Desktop, do the
following:

• Click the Start button on your desktop

• From the Start menu, locate the "All Programmes" item
• Move your mouse to the programme you want to create a shortcut to. In the
image below, we've gone for the Home and Learn Web Editor

• Right click on the menu item to see a new menu appear:

• On this menu, locate the "Send to" item

• On the Send to item, Left click on "Desktop (create shortcut)":

19 | P a g e
 • When you left click Desktop (create shortcut), a new shortcut appears on your
main screen - the Desktop.
• Double click your new shortcut to test it out. You should see a new window
opening, and the programme will start

1.6 ELEMENTS ON THE START MENU

The image below is what you would see if you put your mouse pointer over
the Start button and gently click one time with the left mouse button. This image is
clickable. Put the tip of your mouse pointer on an item and gently click one time with the
left mouse button. Caution: Not all of the items in the window are clickable.

20 | P a g e
Programs - The common way to get to any program or application stored on your
computer is to slide your mouse pointer up to the programs menu, then select an
application which you want to work in. This is also where you will go to get to the built-in
items that you learned about earlier. You are not required to click on this area of the
menu, but you may. Whether you click or not, move your mouse pointer quickly to the
right into the list of applications. In the window above you have a clue that there will be
more choices displayed when your mouse pointer moves to that area. See it? The
triangle pointing to the right indicates that more selections can be found in Programs,
Favorites, Documents, Settings, and Find.

Documents - The Find menu of most applications will display the most recent
documents saved while working in that application. This menu choice displays the last
fifteen documents that were saved in any application on your computer. This is a quick
and easy way to get back to a document to continue work. Caution: This only works if
the document has not been moved to a new location. If the document was saved to a
floppy disk, and that floppy is no longer in the computer, then the document will not be
found.

Find - "I saved it! I know I did!" I know you have either said that, or heard someone else
say that. Whenever you save a document, the Save window indicates the location that
the document was saved to. New computer users don't always notice where their
masterpiece was saved. That is what this menu choice is for. Think about that for a
minute. Yes, that's right! Everyone has trouble, at one time or another, remembering
exactly where a document was saved.

Steps for using the Find menu choice:

1. Using the left mouse button, gently click one time on Start
2. Slide your mouse pointer up to Find and gently click one time
3. Slide your mouse pointer to the right so that it points to Files or
Folders and gently click one time
4. Remember some part of the file name and type that in the Named: box
5. Check the Look in: box and make sure you are searching the entire
computer, not just a directory or disk.

21 | P a g e
Help - No, you are not the only one that needs Help from time to time. The people that
wrote Windows knew that and have provided a very large index of topics. The first few
times you use Windows Help you will probably want to use the Contents tab as you
see in the window below. If you have an idea as to what you are looking for, use the
Index tab

Shut Down - If your computer is not frozen you should shut your computer down using
the Shut Down menu. Do not automatically press the Enter key when you see
the Shut Down Windows dialog box pop-up.

22 | P a g e
Windows remembers the last thing that you did with this dialog box. If the last thing you
did was Restart and you press the Enter key you will Restart not Shut down. Develop
a habit of carefully reading the dialog boxes that pop up.

23 | P a g e
SECTION 2: FEATURES OF A GUI WINDOW

Specific Outcome
 On completion of this section you will be able to Use
of the features of a GUI Window

Assessment Criteria
On completion of this section you will be able to:
 Different types of windows are described and an
example given for each. (SO 2, AC 1)
 An application is started from the Start Menu. (SO
2, AC 2)
 The parts of a window are described in terms of their
features and use. (SO 2, AC 3)
 GUI application windows are manipulated on a
desktop. (SO 2, AC 4)
 The impact of having more than one window open at
the same is described in terms of their implications.
(SO 2, AC 5)
 Multiple applications are started in accordance with
the requirements of the circumstances. (SO 2, AC
6)
 The "active" window is changed between
applications using keyboard and mouse. (SO 2, AC
7)

24 | P a g e
2.1 TYPES OF WINDOWS

Modal windows

A modal dialog box is displayed by a function when the function needs additional data
from a user to continue. Because the function depends on the modal dialog box to
gather data, the modal dialog box also prevents a user from activating other windows in
the application while it remains open. In most cases, a modal dialog box allows a user
to signal when they have finished with the modal dialog box by pressing either
an OK or Cancel button. Pressing the OK button indicates that a user has entered data
and wants the function to continue processing with that data. Pressing
the Cancel button indicates that a user wants to stop the function from executing
altogether. The most common examples of modal dialog boxes are shown to open,
save, and print data.

Non modal windows

A modeless dialog box, on the other hand, does not prevent a user from activating other
windows while it is open. For example, if a user wants to find occurrences of a particular
word in a document, a main window will often open a dialog box to ask a user what
word they are looking for. Since finding a word doesn't prevent a user from editing the
document, however, the dialog box doesn't need to be modal. A modeless dialog box at
least provides a Close button to close the dialog box, and may provide additional
buttons to execute specific functions, such as a Find Next button to find the next word
that matches the find criteria of a word search.

25 | P a g e
Pop up window

This type of window has the same basic characteristics of the Plain dialog box (2) type
windows and features the following advanced specifics:

• The window is automatically closed and the "cancel" event is passed to the
window when:
o a click occurs outside the window;
o the background window or the MDI (Multiple Document Interface)
window is moved;
o the user clicks the Esc key.
• This window is displayed in front of its "parent" window (it must not be used as
the main window of the process). The background window is not disabled.
However, it no longer receives events.
• You cannot resize or move the window using the mouse; however, when
performing these actions programmatically, the redraw of background items is
optimized.
• Usage: This type of window is primarily used to handle pop-up menus related to
3D “bevel” or “toolbar” type buttons

26 | P a g e
2.2 USING THE START MENU
To open the Start menu, click the Start button in the lower-left corner of your screen.
Or, press the Windows logo key on your keyboard. The Start menu appears.

Start button and Start menu

The Start menu is divided into three basic parts:

• The large left pane shows a short list of programs on your computer. Your
computer manufacturer can customize this list, so its exact appearance will
vary. Clicking All Programs displays a complete list of programs (more on this
later).

• In the lower left corner is the search box, which allows you to look for programs
and files on your computer by typing in search terms.

• The right pane provides access to commonly used folders, files, settings, and
features. It's also where you go to log off from Windows or turn off your
computer.
27 | P a g e
Opening programs from the Start menu
One of the most common uses of the Start menu is opening programs installed on your
computer. To open a program shown in the left pane of the Start menu, click it. The
program opens and the Start menu closes.

If you don't see the program you want to open, click All Programs at the bottom of the
left pane. Instantly, the left pane displays a long list of programs in alphabetical order,
followed by a list of folders:

The Start menu after clicking All Programs

Clicking one of the program icons launches the program, and the Start menu closes. So
what's inside the folders? More programs. Click Accessories, for example, and a list of
programs that are stored in that folder appears. Click any program to open it. To get
back to the programs you saw when you first opened the Start menu, click Back near
the bottom of the menu.

28 | P a g e
Clicking the Accessories folder shows the programs it contains.

If you're ever unsure what a program does, move the pointer over its icon or name. A
box appears that often contains a description of the program. For example, pointing to
Calculator displays this message: "Performs basic arithmetic tasks with an on-screen
calculator." This trick works for items in the right pane of the Start menu, too.

Pointing to an item displays information about it

You might notice that over time, the lists of programs in your Start menu change. This
happens for two reasons. First, when you install new programs, they get added to the
All Programs list. Second, the Start menu detects which programs you use the most
and it places them in the left pane for quick access.

29 | P a g e
2.3 PARTS OF A WINDOW
Although the contents of every window are different, all windows share some things in
common. For one thing, windows always appear on the desktop—the main work area of
your screen. In addition, most windows have the same basic parts:

Parts of a typical window

• Title bar. Displays the name of the document and program (or the folder name if
you're working in a folder).
• Minimize, Maximize, and Close buttons. These buttons hide the window, enlarge
it to fill the whole screen, and close it, respectively (more details on these
shortly).
• Menu bar. Contains items that you can click to make choices in a program.
• Scroll bar. Lets you scroll the contents of the window to see information that is
currently out of view.
• Borders and corners. You can drag these with your mouse pointer to change the
size of the window.
Other windows might have additional buttons, boxes, or bars. But they'll usually have
the basic parts, too.

30 | P a g e
Closing a window
Closing a window removes it from the desktop and taskbar. If you're done with a
program or document and don't need to return to it right away, close it.

To close a window, click its Close button .

2.4 MANIPULATING WINDOWS

Moving a window
To move a window, point to its title bar with the mouse pointer . Then drag the
window to the location that you want. (Dragging means pointing to an item, holding
down the mouse button, moving the item with the pointer, and then releasing the mouse
button.)
Changing the size of a window
• To make a window fill the entire screen, click its Maximize button or double-
click the window's title bar.
• To return a maximized window to its former size, click its Restore button
(this appears in place of the Maximize button). Or, double-click the window's
title bar.
• To resize a window (make it smaller or bigger), point to any of the window's
borders or corners. When the mouse pointer changes to a two-headed arrow
(see picture below), drag the border or corner to shrink or enlarge the window.

Drag a window's border or corner to resize it

A window that is maximized cannot be resized. You must restore it to its previous
size first.
Note
Although most windows can be maximized and resized, there are some windows that
are fixed in size, such as dialog boxes.

31 | P a g e
Hiding a window
Hiding a window is called minimizing it. If you want to get a window out of the way
temporarily without closing it, minimize it.

To minimize a window, click its Minimize button . The window disappears from the
desktop and is visible only as a button on the taskbar, the long horizontal bar at the
bottom of your screen.

Taskbar button
To make a minimized window appear again on the desktop, click its taskbar button. The
window appears exactly as it did before you minimized it.

Closing a window
Closing a window removes it from the desktop and taskbar. If you're done with a
program or document and don't need to return to it right away, close it.

To close a window, click its Close button .

Note
If you close a document without saving any changes you made, a message appears
that gives you the option to save your changes.

Switching between windows

If you open more than one program or document, your desktop can quickly become
cluttered with windows. Keeping track of which windows you have open isn't always
easy, because some windows might partially or completely cover others.

Using the taskbar. The taskbar provides a way to organize all of your windows. Each
window has a corresponding button on the taskbar. To switch to another window, just
click its taskbar button. The window appears in front of all other windows, becoming
the active window—the one you're currently working in.

32 | P a g e
Minimising a window

You can also minimize a window by clicking the Minimize button, in the upper-right
corner of the window:

Minimize button (left)

To restore a minimized window (make it show up again on the desktop), click its
taskbar button.

33 | P a g e
2.5 THE IMPACT OF OPENING MORE THAN ONE WINDOW

The following are the effects of opening more than one window;

Performance
Performance degradation occurs when there are more windows open in your PC can
handle. If you have 4GB of memory are higher, it is unlikely you'll encounter
performance issues. However, you might see slowdowns if you keep more than one
memory-intensive application running, like PC games or 3-D editing software. Every
window you open uses memory and low memory equals slow response times. In
addition, when all the memory is in use, your system uses the hard drive as virtual
memory, which is considerably slower than the real thing.

Crashing
The worst part about using multiple windows is instability. Not only is your computer
more likely to crash, but if it does, you might lose what you were working on at the time.

Navigating
Having a number of windows open can make it difficult to navigate between different
windows opened. Time is spend locating the open windows.

LEARNING ACTIVITY

Explain the effects of opening more than one window at the same time.

34 | P a g e
2.7 MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

There are a number of ways to open a Word file. Use Open from the File menu, tab or

Office button, click the Open icon, or even double-click an item in Windows Explorer to

launch Word and the file. Then, there are the not-so-intuitive methods such as using the

Most Recently Used list or opening a file from the Start menu.

Using Open, you can open several documents with one effort. First, open the Open

dialog box by choosing Open from the File menu or tab (2010) or by clicking the Office

button (in 2007). Once this dialog box is open, there are two ways to specify multiple

files:

• Adjacent files: To select contiguous files, click a file, hold down the [Shift] key,

and then click a second file. Word will select both of the clicked files and all the

files in-between.

• Nonadjacent files: To select non-contiguous files, hold down [Ctrl] while

clicking each file you want to open.

You can even use a combination of the two selection methods to specify both

contiguous and non-contiguous blocks of files at the same time. For instance, to create

the selection block shown below, you'd do the following:

1. Click the file named 501.

2. Hold down [Shift] and click 615.

3. Release [Shift] and press [Ctrl].

4. Click files 616 and 715.

5. Click file 726.

6. Press [Shift], but don't release [Ctrl]--hold them both down.

7. Click file 790.

35 | P a g e
Sometimes it's easier to select all the files by selecting [Ctrl]+A and then remove just

one or a few files from the group by holding down [Ctrl] and clicking the files you don't

want to open. In addition, you can use this multiple file selection technique to open

multiple files from Windows Explorer.

36 | P a g e
SECTION 3: USING THE HELP FACILITY

Specific Outcome
 On completion of this section you will be able to Use
the Help facility in a GUI environment.

Assessment Criteria
On completion of this section you will be able to:
 Different methods to launch the Help facility are
explained to reflect what sources of assistance are
available. (SO 3, AC 1)
 Help facility is launched to source required
assistance. (SO 3, AC 2)
 Different methods are explained and applied to show
how to find information within the help facility. (SO
3, AC 3)

37 | P a g e
3.1 METHODS OF LAUCHING THE HELP FACILITY

In common with the Microsoft Office applications, Windows itself has a large amount of
built-in help available. There are two different methods to launch the help facility. These
are;
• Menu option and
• Key

KEYBOARD OPTION

Windows logo key +F1 Display Windows Help and Support

Menu option
This involves the following method;
1. Click on the [Start] button on the Taskbar and select Help and Support

NB: The Help and Support Centre window which appears is modelled on a web
browser. You have a [Home] button, which always takes you back to this starting
window, and [Back] and [Forward] buttons to retrace your steps through the system.
You can even add particularly useful help pages to your Favourites. Useful links to
various help topics are provided on the main part of the screen.

38 | P a g e
3.2 LAUNCHING THE HELP FACILITY

To access the Help and Support Centre:

1. Click Start Help and Support.
2. The Help and Support Center window opens.
3. The home section is displayed.

When you first on the Help and Support Center, you arrive in the home section. Here,
you can pick a help topic, pick a task, search, and ask for outside assistance. Notice
that the Home section looks and acts much like a web page. As you use Help, notice
that some Help files are stored on your computer, whereas others are stored on the
Internet.

39 | P a g e
3.3 FINDING HELP USING SEARCH, INDEX AND CONTENT

To use search:
1. Open the Help and Support Centre.
2. In the Search box, type in a keyword that pertains to the topic you're interested in and
click the green arrow key.

3. Your search results are listed in the left pane.

4. Click to choose a result that best answers your concerns.

5. The explanation will display in the right pane.

The Index
Notice the buttons across the top of the home section. The Index option works like any
other index, providing you with a fast and easy way to locate topics and resources.

To use the Index:

1. Open the Help and Support Center.
2. Click the Index button.
3. The Index opens. The entire index is displayed in alphabetical order in
the left pane.
4. Type in a keyword that pertains to the topic you're interested in.
5. Double-click a topic you want to explore in the left pane. Information
about the topic displays in the right pane or a Topics Found dialog box
appears.
6. If a Topics Found dialog box appears, click Display or Cancel
40 | P a g e
 7. If you click Display, information about the topic displays in the right pane.
8. Click Cancel to close the dialog box and begin a new search.

41 | P a g e
SECTION 4: POINTING DEVICE

Specific Outcome
 On completion of this section you will be able to Use
a pointing device in a GUI environment.

Assessment Criteria
On completion of this section you will be able to:
 Different methods to select objects by using the
device are demonstrated. (SO 4, AC 1)
 Different methods to select groups of objects by
using the device are demonstrated. (SO 4, AC 2)
 A method of changing device setting is
demonstrated, but changing the settings to allow
alternate hand settings. (SO 4, AC 3)
 Different methods to use the "drag-and-drop"
concept are demonstrated in a GUI environment,
allowing graphical objects to be moved around on in
a GUI environment. (SO 4, AC 4)

42 | P a g e
4.1 WAYS OF SELECTING OBJECTS

The mouse gives you control over your computer. With the mouse in your hand you
cause the onscreen arrow to move around your computer display. It is based on the
“point and click” philosophy. You move your mouse to a point where you want
something to happen, then you click to make that event take place. Sometimes you
click once. Sometimes you click twice. And sometimes you hold down the mouse while
your event is happening.

Most mouse devices give you two opportunities for clicking. There are both right and left
areas to depress. The left area is generally used for issuing commands to your
computer. To access special menus (known as context sensitive menus) use the right
portion of your mouse.

RIGHT AND LEFT CLICKING

Most computer mouse have at least two mouse buttons. When you press the left one, it
is called a left click. When you press the one on the right, it is called a right click. By
default, the left button is the main mouse button, and is used for common tasks such as
selecting objects and double-clicking.

The right mouse button is often used to open contextual menus, which are pop-up
menus that change depending where you click. For example, if you right click on the
desktop, you may see a menu pop up that includes "Change View Options".

43 | P a g e
DOUBLE CLICKING

Pressing down on the left-mouse twice in

rapid succession produces a double-click.

Generally you double-click to open an

onscreen object. In this illustration the "My

Computer" object to the right is dimmed,

indicating a single click has activated it. If you

click on the dimmed object, your action will

open the file represented by that object.

SINGLE CLICKING

You can also sometimes click and hold down the left mouse. This would be the case
when you want to highlight a section of text by moving the mouse over it, or when you
want to move an onscreen object using your mouse. In the example to the right you
would left-click, then hold down the mouse while you drag across the area you wish to
highlight.

44 | P a g e
4.2 METHODS OF SELECTING GROUPS OF OBJECTS

There is how you do it to select just certain files.

1. First, go into ‘detail’ view by right-clicking anywhere in your folder, and then going to
view > details (it’s the easiest way to view all your files if you have a lot)

2. Hold down the CONTROL key on your keyboard, and select the first file. Then while
still holding down that button, select the second, third, etc. file. You have more than one
selected.

3. Now you can right-click again, and cut or copy the files to move/copy them to your
desired destination.
Now here is how you select a range of files:

1. Assuming you’re still in detail view, hold down the SHIFT button, and then click the
first file.

2. Then scroll down to the last file you want to select with the SHIFT button still down.
Now you’ve selected everything in between as well. Simple. Again, you can cut/copy to
wherever you want.

45 | P a g e
4.3 CHANGING MOUSE SETTINGS

Swapping left and right click

1. Open Mouse by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel,

clicking Hardware, and then clicking Mouse.

2. Click the Buttons tab, and then do any of the following:

• To swap the functions of the right and left mouse buttons, select
the Switch primary and secondary buttons check box.
• To change how quickly you must click the buttons to perform a double-
click, move the Double-click speed slider towards Slow or Fast.
• To turn on Clicklock, which enables you to highlight or drag without
holding down the mouse button, select the Turn on Clicklock check box.

To change the click speed, and whether for right or left-handed use:
1. Select the Buttons tab

2. Select right- or left-handed

3. Select single or double click for opening items

4. Move the slider along to choose the speed for double-clicking

5. Select Apply to save your changes

To change the visibility and size of the mouse ‘pointers’:

1. Select the Pointers tab

2. Choose the scheme of pointers from the drop-down menu (previewed in the box
to the right)

3. Select Apply to save your changes

To change the motion of the mouse:

1. Select the Motion tab

2. Move the slider along to choose the speed you want for the mouse

3. Select the acceleration that you prefer

4. Select Apply to save your changes.

46 | P a g e
4.4 DRAG AND DROP

Drag-and-drop refers to manipulating objects on a computer by using the mouse. Drag-

and-drop objects by following these steps:

1. Move the mouse pointer until it is directly over the object you want to
manipulate.
2. Hold down the left mouse button.
3. With the left mouse button held down, move the mouse to where you want to
drop the object. Notice how the object moves with your mouse pointer.
4. Drop the object by letting up on the left mouse button.

47 | P a g e
SECTION 5: USING GENERIC PRINT
OPTIONS

Specific Outcome
 On completion of this section you will be able to Use
generic print options in a GUI environment. .

Assessment Criteria
On completion of this section you will be able to:
 A document is previewed in print format to check
conformance to requirements. (SO 5, AC 1)
 Various print options are selected before printing an
object. (SO 5, AC 2)
 A whole document or a selected part is printed to the
selected printer. (SO 5, AC 3)
 The printer properties are altered, either from within
Print Options or "Page setup". (SO 5, AC 4)
 Print job is submitted and job progress is viewed
using print queue managing software. (SO 5, AC 5)
 Print jobs are manipulated in the print queue. (SO 5,
AC 6)

48 | P a g e
5.1 PRINT PREVIEW

Almost all applications have a Print Preview feature. This feature allows you to see
exactly how your pages will look when they are printed. You can save paper right up
until the final print by using this function. Print Preview is easy to use—and in most
applications—you can print directly from the Print Preview page by clicking on the print

button or printer icon .

Here are some examples for common software applications:

• In Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet Explorer or Netscape

Navigator, from the File menu, select Print Preview.

• In Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint click the icon. You can now
view one page or multiple pages at a time to see how your document will look
when printed.
• In Microsoft Excel, you can now look at one or multiple pages to see how your
document will lay out on the page. Additionally, from the File Print menu, you
can select Preview to make sure the layout is the way you expect it to be. This
step is important because Excel will print all cells with anything in them by
default, and it will often print the last column or two on separate pages.

49 | P a g e
 • In Microsoft PowerPoint, a similar screen is available:

5.2 SELECTING PRINT OPTIONS

Select the basic settings for the document or photo you want to print.

1. Open a photo or document for printing.

2. Select the print command in your application.

Note: You may need to select a print icon on your screen, the Print option in
the File menu, or another command. See your application's help utility for
details.

3. If necessary, select your product name as the printer you want to use.

Note: You may also need to select Properties or Preferences to view your print
settings.

You see the Main tab of your printer settings window:

50 | P a g e
 4. Select the size of the paper you loaded as the Document Size setting.

Note: You can also select the User Defined setting to create a custom paper
size.

5. Select a border option:

o If you are printing a borderless photo, select the Borderless checkbox,

then click the Settings button to select borderless printing options.

Note: You must select a compatible borderless paper type and size to
print borderlessly. Check the borderless paper compatibility list for
details.

o If you are printing a document or a photo with borders, leave

the Borderless checkbox deselected.

6. Select the orientation of your document or photo.

Note: If you are printing an envelope, select Landscape.

7. Select the type of paper you loaded as the Paper Type setting.

Note: Check the paper type settings list for details.

8. Select the Quality setting that matches the print quality you want to use.

51 | P a g e
 9. Select a Color option:

o To print a color document or photo, select the Color setting.

o To print text and graphics in black or shades of gray, select

the Black/Grayscale setting.

10. To print on both sides of the paper, select the 2-Sided Printing checkbox and
select the options you want.

11. To print on one side of the paper and eject the printout facedown (WorkForce
645 Series only), select the 1-Sided Face Down checkbox and select the
options you want.

12. To print multiple pages on one sheet of paper, or print one image on multiple
sheets of paper, select one of the settings in the Multi-Page menu and select
the printing options you want.

13. To print multiple copies and arrange their print order, select the Copies options.

14. To preview your job before printing, select Print Preview.

15. To save your print job as a project that can be modified and combined with
other print jobs, select Job Arranger Lite.

16. To reduce noise during printing when you select Plain Paper/Bright White
Paper, select Quiet Mode.

52 | P a g e
5.3 PRINTING PARTS OF A DOCUMENT

You can print all or part of your document. Options for choosing what part of a
document is printed can be found on the Print tab in the Microsoft Office Backstage
view. Under Settings click Print All Pages to view these options.

Choosing Print All Pages will print the entire document.

Choosing Print Selection will only print the selected content.
Choosing Print Current Page will only print the current page.
Choose Print Custom Range to print a range of pages. Your cursor will move
automatically to the Pages box. Enter the page numbers and/or page ranges separated
by commas counting from the start of the document or the section. For example, type 1,
3, 5-12. To specify a range of pages within a section, type p page numbers section
number. For example, p1s2, p1s3-p8s3. To print an entire section, type s section
number. For example, type s3.
Choose Only Print Odd Pages to print odd pages in the document.
Choose Only Print Even Pages to print all even pages in the document.

53 | P a g e
To print part of a document, do the following.

1. Click the File tab, and then click Print.

TIP To go back to your document and make changes before you print it, click
the File tab.

2. Under Settings, click the Print All Pages button and choose the part of the
document to be printed.
3. The properties for your default printer automatically appear in the first section.
When the properties for your printer and document appear the way that you
want them to, click the large Print button to print the document.

5.5 SUBMITTING A PRINT JOP AND CHECKING PROGRESS

Within the application you are attempting to print from, choose File and Print.
Choose the desired Eagle Bucks printer from the selection of available printers on your
computer. Then, click the OK (or Print) button.

Check the progress of your print job

Double-click the Printer icon in the status area of the taskbar.

When a file is printed, the icon disappears.

54 | P a g e
NOTE If you're printing a short document the printer icon may not appear on the
status bar long enough for you to click it to check printing progress.

5.6 MANIPULATING PRINT JOBS

Double-click the Printer icon in the status area of the taskbar.

When a file is printed, the icon disappears.

Deleting
• Select the item that you intend to delete.
• Right click
• Click cancel
Pause
• Select the item that you intend to delete.
• Right click
• Click pause
Re-start
• Select the item that you intend to delete.
• Right click
• Click restart

55 | P a g e