Windows are the central elements of graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Applications with a GUI are usually started inside one ore more windows. Inside the window(s) you can access the functions of the application.

Windows can be enabled (active) or disabled (inactive). Usually it’s necessary to enable a window before you can do anything with it (for example change the size or input text). You can enable a window by clicking into it. The enabled window comes to the foreground and the titlebar gets another color.

Title Bar

The titlebar shows informations about the content of a window and contains some buttons to control the window:

 close the window (→ content forgotten)
 hide=minimize the Window → the Window can be opened again with the same content (restored) by clicking on the symbol in the panel/taskbar
 maximize the window → the window fills the display and the button changes to . Clicking the symbol  resizes the window to the previous size.
 reduces the window to the titlebar and the button changes to . Clicking the symbol  shows the whole window again.

Try the effects of the symbols in the title bar

 

Moving and resizing windows

Maximized windows can’t be resized – press  first! The button will change to .

 

Exercises:

Open two windows, resize and place them on the screen beneath each other filling the whole screen:

window     window    

Place three windows according to the the draft:

window 1     window 2    
window 3 (enabled)    

Open three windos and place them according to the following drawing (the last row symbolizes the panel):

window 1 (enabled)    
window 2     window 3    
window 1 window 2 window 3

There are many different ways to do it. Example: You can place the windows before resizing them or resize them before placing. There is no right or wrong way – whilst practicing you will learn the best and fastest way for you.