Even if you are very familiar with mouse devices, you should still familiarize yourself with the button conventions and action terminology used in this manual. This section also describes the mouse pointers.
Mouse Button Conventions
All the instructions in this manual are for the following types of mouse devices:
-
Devices that are configured for right-hand users.
-
Three button devices. If you have a two-button mouse device, then you press the two buttons simultaneously to simulate the effect of a middle mouse button.
The mouse button conventions used in this manual are as follows:
Mouse Button
Definition
Left mouse button
The button on the left side of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use.
Middle mouse button
The middle button of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use.
Right mouse button
The button on the right side of a mouse device configured for normal right-hand use.
To reverse the handedness of your mouse device, choose Applications -> Desktop Preferences -> Mouse, then select the options that you require. If you do reverse the handedness of your mouse device, then you must reverse the mouse button conventions used in this manual.
Mouse Actions
The following table describes the actions that you can perform with the mouse:
Mouse Button
Usage
Left mouse button
Use to perform the following actions:
-
Select text.
-
Choose items.
-
Drag items.
Middle mouse button
Use to perform the following actions:
-
Paste text.
-
Move items.
Right mouse button
Opens a menu for the selected object, if a menu applies.
For example, if you want to copy text then perform the following steps:
-
Select the text with the left mouse button.
-
Move the mouse pointer to the location where you want to copy the text.
-
Click on the middle mouse button.
You can also right-click on the desktop to open the Desktop menu.
Mouse Action Terminology
The conventions used in this manual to describe actions that you take with the mouse are as follows:
Action
Definition
Click
Press and release the left mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Click-and-hold
Press and do not release the left mouse button.
Left-click
Same as click. Left-click clarifies the action when there might be confusion with right-click.
Middle-click
Press and release the middle mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Right-click
Press and release the right mouse button, without moving the mouse.
Double-click
Press and release the left mouse button twice in rapid succession without moving the mouse.
Drag
Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. For example, you can drag a window or an icon. The left and middle mouse buttons can perform drag actions.
Drag-and-drop
Click-and-hold a mouse button, then move an object. For example, you can drag-and-drop a window or an icon. Release the mouse button to place the object in a new location.
Grab
Point to an item that you can move, and click-and-hold on the mouse button. For example, you can grab the titlebar of a window, then drag the window to a new location.
Mouse Pointers
As you use the mouse, the appearance of the mouse pointer can change. The appearance of the pointer can provide feedback about a particular operation, location, or state. The following table lists and describes some of the mouse pointers.
Pointer
Associated Action
Description
Point to an item, choose a menu item
Normal pointer. The pointer that appears during normal use of the mouse.
Drag-and-drop
Move pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, the object is moved from the old location to the new location.
Drag-and-drop
Copy pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a copy of the object is created where you drop the object.
Drag-and-drop
Symbolic link pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a symbolic link to the object is created where you drop the object. A symbolic link is a special type of file that points to another file or folder.
Drag-and-drop
Ask pointer. Indicates that when you drop the object, a menu opens. You can choose to move or copy the object, or to create a symbolic link to the object.
Drag-and-drop
Not available pointer. Indicates that you cannot drop the object at the current location.
Move panel object
Move panel object pointer. Indicates that you have selected a panel object to move.
Resize window horizontally
Horizontal resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a vertical window border to resize the window horizontally.
Resize window vertically
Vertical resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a horizontal window border to resize the window vertically.
Resize window horizontally and vertically
Corner resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a corner of a window border to resize the window horizontally and vertically.
Resize window pane or resize table column
Window pane or table column resize pointer. Indicates that you have selected a column in a table to resize.