Frame Area

The frame area contains a number of other windows, such as the system menu, title bar and menu bar, which allow the user to perform window manipulation functions. These control windows partly conform to the definitions laid down in the IBM Systems Application Architecture CUA Advanced Guide to User Interface Design. They are illustrated in Figure "Presentation Manager Window" and explained below:

Sizing Border

A standard window has a sizing border, which allows the window to be sized (that is, made smaller or larger) using the mouse or a function-key sequence. When the mouse pointer is moved over the sizing border, the pointer changes from the standard (arrow) pointer to a special sizing pointer. The user clicks and holds one of the mouse button while moving the mouse, and the window is sized accordingly.

A standard window has a title bar, which performs two functions. Firstly, it identifies an application or window to the user. Secondly, it acts as a "handle" whereby the window may be repositioned on the screen. The user moves the mouse pointer over the title bar, clicks and holds mouse button 2 while moving the mouse, and the window moves accordingly.

The 1991 SAA CUA guidelines stipulate that the title bar for a window should contain both the system menu icon and a title bar icon for that window.

The main window of an application also has a menu bar, which acts as a primary menu for the application. Entries in the menu bar are selected by pointing with the mouse pointer and clicking a mouse button. Each menu bar entry is associated with a pull-down menu; (a list of actions associated with the entry), which appears when the bar entry is selected. The pull-down menu provides submenus for the menu bar. Multiple levels of pull-down menus may be used in an application, although the number of levels is normally minimized for the sake of simplicity.

In the top-right corner of a standard window, two icons are displayed; the left one is the minimize icon. When it is selected, the window itself is reduced to an icon. The icon may be generated by the application controlling the window, or may be a default icon supplied by the Presentation Manager.

The maximize icon is displayed in the top-right corner of a standard window along with the minimize icon. When selected, the maximize icon causes the window to be resized to the maximum defined by the program. Other windows on the screen may be made invisible (although they are still present, logically "behind" the maximized window). If a maximized window is explicitly resized using the sizing border, other windows may become visible again. A maximized window may be restored to its former size and position on the screen by using the restore icon (see below).

In a maximized window only, the restore icon replaces the maximize icon. When selected, this icon causes the window to return to the size and position it occupied before it was maximized.

In the top-left corner of a standard window, a small icon is displayed. This is a minimized version of the object icon. When selected using the mouse pointer, it displays a system menu with move, size, minimize, maximize and restore options. This menu provides an alternative to the use of the frame area border, title bar and icons for these operations.

If the information in the client area is too big to fit into the size of the window on the screen, scroll bars should be created to allow the user to scroll through the information. A scroll bar can be either vertical or horizontal. It consists of a slider with arrow icons at each end of the bar. Clicking the mouse on an arrow scrolls one line in the indicated direction, while clicking on the bar between the arrow and the slider scrolls one page in the indicated direction. Clicking and holding down MB1 while dragging the slider up or down the scroll bar results in continuous scrolling.

Note that these facilities are common to most, if not all Presentation Manager applications, and their processing is handled by Presentation Manager rather than by the application. Thus the user is provided with a consistent interface for interacting with and manipulating windowed applications on the screen, which mostly conforms to the guidelines laid down in the IBM Systems Application Architecture CUA Advanced Guide to User Interface Design.