Like other modern operating systems, Windows XP uses the concept of a desktop. On the desktop, you can put files (programs and documents) and links to files or folders - shortcuts in Windows terminology. It also contains special system shortcuts: My Computer, Trash Can and others, depending on the desktop settings.
On the desktop, all objects are represented as icons of the "large icons" type, also called "tiles". When viewing folders in Windows, you can also choose a different view of objects: "icons", "list", "table" and "thumbnails". Types of folders with icons of one type or another are shown below in fig. 7.6, 7.8 and 7.10.
At the very bottom of the desktop is the Taskbar. It contains the famous Start button (on the left), as well as an indicator panel with a clock (on the right), often called the system tray - system tray, "tray". There may be a panel next to the Start button quick launch on which frequently used shortcuts are placed. The main part is occupied by the Active Taskbar, on which there are buttons symbolizing all running programs. So, in the figure above, two tasks are running. However, some programs (mostly system utilities) like to put their icons not on the taskbar, but in the tray.
A shortcut is a link to some object - a document file, a program, as well as a folder, disk or other device. By deleting or moving a label, you have no effect on the object it refers to. But changing the location of the file to which the shortcut refers also does not affect the link, which is why "lost", that is, not associated with any object, shortcuts can appear. To enable the user to distinguish a shortcut from the actual file it refers to, Windows marks shortcuts with an arrow icon.
When the user clicks on a shortcut, the object (folder, file, program) to which it refers is called. Although shortcuts can be found almost anywhere, they are usually placed on the desktop. In addition, the Start button menu is essentially a specially organized collection of shortcuts.
Since we are talking about shortcuts, we should consider the main, or system, shortcuts located on the desktop of almost any computer. The main one is My Computer - through it you can get to everything that is on your PC.
ATTENTION
Immediately after installation, only one shortcut is displayed on the Windows XP desktop - the Recycle Bin. To display other system shortcuts, including "My Computer", you should use the desktop settings - how to do this is described in the "Working with Windows" chapter.
When you click on the My Computer shortcut, a folder opens containing links to all the disks and drives available on the PC, as well as to system folder Control panel and folders with user documents (Fig. 7.6). Depending on what other equipment is connected to your PC, shortcuts for scanners and digital cameras may also be placed there. You cannot delete or add objects in this folder.
In addition, on the left there is a panel containing 3 groups of elements that dynamically change depending on which icon is currently selected. In the upper group - System tasks - items such as View system information, Add or Remove Programs and Change settings (in Russian - call the control panel) are displayed. Following them is the Other Places group, containing icons for going to the Network Places, My Documents, Shared Documents folders and, again, to the Control Panel (this time the same thing, but already "in profile"). Closing group - Detailed, displays information about the selected element. For example, for hard drive will display information about its full size, the amount of free space and the type of file system.
Rice. 7.6. The My Computer folder in Windows XP. View - "tile"
If you click on the My Computer icon right click mouse and select the Properties item in the drop-down menu, the System Properties window will open, with the help of which most of the settings for the PC hardware are carried out. The same window will also open if you click View System Information.
The special My Documents folder is designed for you to put work files into it from various programs (primarily from Word and Excel).
ATTENTION
In Windows XP, the "My Documents" system shortcut is context-sensitive, meaning it can refer to physically different document folders, depending on which user is in the this moment uses a computer. So if you suddenly saw someone else's documents instead of your own (or none at all), then check under what name you are logged in.
Briefcase is a device for synchronizing files between desktop computer and portable. The briefcase stores files and displays their status. This data helps keep files organized and prevents unwanted deletion or replacement. latest version intermediate file. If you do not have a portable PC (they are often called laptops - from notebook), then you will not need a Briefcase.
The Recycle Bin contains all the objects (shortcuts, programs, folders) that you delete. If you accidentally delete something you need, you can correct your oversight by climbing into the Trash and recovering the loss. To do this, right-click on the desired file and select Restore from the menu that appears. And so that the Basket does not swell and does not take up too much space, it is useful to clean it periodically, after which junk files will indeed be destroyed. To clean up, open the Recycle Bin and select the appropriate item from the File menu.
"Get started by pressing this button," Windows 95 happily announced at startup, pointing to the Start button. Indeed, with this button you can get to almost everything that is on your computer. When you click on the start button, the main menu opens windows menu(Fig. 7.7).
Rice. 7.7.
At the very top is a header containing an icon and username. Below it in the column on the left are icons for calling the most frequently used programs. Moreover, this list is divided into two components: on top it is customizable, i.e. you can put the links of the programs you need there - the web browser and the client are initially offered Email. At the bottom of it (under the line) is an automatically updated list of programs that you use most often. At the very bottom is the All Programs item, with which you can run any program installed on the system. To do this, you need to move the pointer to this line, after which a submenu with programs will fall out. To launch any program, just click on its name. The arrow to the right of the inscription means that this is not a program, but a folder containing programs (or other folders). If you move the pointer to such a line, another submenu will open.
The right column contains shortcuts such as My Documents, My Computer, Control Panel, Search, and others. So, in the Recent Documents menu, links to the latest open files. Any file from this list can be loaded into your program also with a single click of the mouse. The My Documents item opens a folder intended for storing various documents (files) of the user, and My Computer - a folder with links to disk drives and other "main places" on your computer.
The Control Panel item calls up the corresponding panel used for PC settings, and Printers and Faxes is used to quickly open the printer settings window, duplicating the icon of the same name in the control panel.
With Search you can find any file or folder on your PC. If there is a network, there will also be an item to search for computers in local network. In addition, there are links to search for information on the Internet and entries in the address book.
The Help and Support item calls up the Help and Support Center - the Windows help system. With help help system you can get quite detailed information on the operating system, learn how certain settings are made, install equipment, etc.
Another menu item - Run is an analogue of the command line. By clicking on this item (or by pressing Win+R), you will open the Run Program window, where you can enter, for example, a command supported by Windows XP or the file name of the program to run.
At the very bottom there are two more items - Logout, which can be used if you want to give the computer to another person who has his own account on this PC, or if you just want to shut down everyone running programs. Finally, Shutdown allows you to turn off or restart your computer, or put it into standby mode.
To access disks and files, you can use My Computer, although for the same purposes it is more convenient to use Windows Explorer. In the main menu, it is hidden among the programs in the Standard submenu. Much faster to call Explorer by pressing Win + E.
At the top of Explorer, as is customary in Windows programs, there is a menu, then a toolbar, below it is an address bar that reflects your current location in the folder hierarchy. On the left is a list of computer devices - Folders, presented in the form of a hierarchical (tree) structure. The contents of the selected folder are displayed on the right. For example, in fig. 7.8 shows the contents of the root directory of drive D, presented in the form of a table. To change the view of a folder, use the View menu or the menu button of the same name on the toolbar (on the far right).
Rice. 7.8.
The structure of devices displayed as folders includes the drive, hard drives and CD drive, as well as the desktop and folders located on it, as well as the Control Panel, My Documents, Recycle Bin and others folders, depending on the computer configuration ( e.g. Network Neighborhood). In addition, ZIP archives supported by Windows XP also appear as folders.
Computer settings are carried out using the Control Panel (Fig. 7.9). With it, you can configure hardware, install and remove programs and components of Windows itself. The Control Panel can be accessed either from the Windows main menu by clicking the Start button and selecting Control Panel, or by first opening My Computer and then selecting the Control Panel shortcut.
Rice. 7.9.
The first time the control panel is displayed in a "simplified view" - with a relatively small number of icons referring to settings categories (see Figure 7.9). On the one hand, this gives the impression of ease of use, but on the other hand, it forces you to take an extra step in order to get to one or another setting. Also, if you have already worked with one of the previous versions Windows, then you will most likely be more accustomed to seeing the Control Panel in its classic form. To do this, just click on the corresponding signature on the left, as a result of which all settings will be available to you at once (Fig. 7.10).
Rice. 7.10. Control panel, classic look. Icons displayed as a list
We will learn more about all the settings available from the Control Panel in the following chapters.
Computer science
The discipline "Informatics" refers to the disciplines of the basic part of the mathematical and natural science cycle of the federal state educational standards of higher professional education (FSES HPE) for all areas of training. When studying informatics, an important role is given to mastering the professional skills of a personal computer user who owns basic information processing software.
This textbook is an integral part of the educational and methodological complex in the discipline "Informatics". In the manual, in accordance with the program of the discipline, the main functions and characteristics of operating systems (OS) are considered personal computers, operating Windows systems XP (hereinafter referred to as Windows OS); the basics of working with objects and controls; basic operations with files and folders in OS windows and using file managers.
The tutorial includes:
reference information with elements of theory on the topic under study;
· guidelines to perform laboratory work;
basic and additional technological methods necessary to perform laboratory work;
individual control tasks;
· test tasks to assess the mastering of the basic didactic units.
The study of this topic and the performance of laboratory work contributes to the formation of general cultural and professional competencies in students in accordance with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard of Higher Professional Education, necessary for solving educational and professional tasks in the conditions of informatization of modern society.
1 Operating systems of personal computers.
Basic concepts of operating systems
The purpose of studying the topic- study of the main functions and characteristics of the OS of personal computers.
Topic questions:
Basic concepts of operating systems.
· OS types for personal computers.
· Fundamentals of working with the operating system Windows XP.
After studying the topic, the student must:
know:
basic concepts, functions and classification of operating systems;
main types of OS for personal computers;
be able to:
· work with objects and controls of OS Windows;
· work with commands of the Main menu of OS Windows.
have skills:
· work with objects and controls of OS Windows;
work with different versions Windows OS.
When mastering the topic, you must:
study theoretical material;
pay attention to the basic concepts, functions and classification of the OS;
Consider the features of the OS, paying special attention to information about the Windows OS;
perform laboratory works to gain skills on the topic under study; to master the tools and techniques for working with objects and controls of the Windows operating system and the technology for working with folders and document files.
operating system(OS) - a set of software that provides control of computer hardware and application programs, as well as their interaction with each other and the user.
The OS is usually stored on disks. When you turn on the computer, it is read from disk memory and placed in RAM. This process is called loading operating system or booting up the computer.
An OS can be called a software tool for managing a computer. In the main OS functions includes:
Providing a dialogue with the user;
input/output management;
launching programs for execution;
planning and organization of the data processing process;
distribution of resources (RAM, processor, external devices) between running programs;
organization of storage and access to data on external storage devices;
transferring data between the internal devices of a computer or computers,
service functions.
OS is classified as:
· by the number of concurrent tasks on single-tasking And multitasking.
Single-tasking operating systems perform the function of providing the user with a virtual computer, providing him with a simple and convenient interface for interacting with the computer, and means for managing peripherals and files. Multitasking OS, in addition to the above functions, manage the sharing of shared resources such as processor, RAM, files, and external devices;
· by number of concurrent users on single player And multiplayer.
The main difference between a multi-user OS and a single-user OS is the availability of means to protect each user's information from unauthorized access by other users;
· on the features of resource management algorithms on local And network.
Local OS manage the resources of a single computer, and network OS participate in the management of network resources;
· according to the method of distribution of processor time between several processes running simultaneously in the system on the OS with non-preemptive multitasking And with preemptive multitasking.
With non-preemptive multitasking, the scheduling mechanism is distributed between the system and application programs, while with preemptive multitasking, the task scheduling mechanism is entirely concentrated in the OS. In non-preemptive multitasking, the active process runs until it, on its own initiative, yields control to the operating system to select another ready-to-run process from the queue. In preemptive multitasking, the decision to switch the processor from one process to another is made by the operating system, not by the active process itself;
· by hardware orientation on operating systems of personal computers, servers, mainframes, clusters;
· depending on hardware platforms on dependent And mobile.
In mobile operating systems, hardware-dependent places are localized so that when the system is transferred to a new platform, only they are overwritten. A tool that makes it easier to port the OS to another type of computer is to write it in a machine-independent language, for example, in C [C];
· according to the specifics of the areas of use on OS batch processing , time sharing, real time.
Batch processing systems are designed to solve computational problems that do not require fast results. The main goal and criterion for the effectiveness of batch processing systems is the maximum throughput, that is, the solution of the maximum number of tasks per unit of time. In time-sharing systems, each user is provided with a terminal from which he can communicate with his program. Each task is allocated a certain quantum of processor time, so that no task takes the processor for a long time. If the time quantum is chosen to be small, then all users working simultaneously on the same computer have the impression that each of them is using the machine alone. Real-time systems are used to control various technical objects and technological processes, when there is a maximum allowable time during which one or another object control program must be executed. Failure to complete the program on time can lead to an emergency. Thus, the criterion for the effectiveness of real-time systems is their ability to withstand predetermined time intervals between the launch of the program and the receipt of the result - the control action.
Each operating system has its own command language, which allows the user to perform certain actions. Analysis and execution of user commands, including loading programs into RAM and their execution is carried out by the OS command processor.
OS interfaces. According to the implementation of the user interface, there are non-graphic And graphic OS. There are the following types of user interfaces:
· command line interface(implement non-graphical operating systems) - the main control device is the keyboard.
Control commands are entered into the command line field, where they can be edited. Command execution begins after its approval, for example, by pressing the ENTER key. For computers on the IBM PC platform, the command line interface is provided by a family of operating systems collectively known as MS-DOS (versions from MS-DOS 1.0 to MS-DOS 6.2);
· GUI(implement graphic operating systems) - a type of interface in which, in addition to the keyboard, a mouse or an adequate positioning device can be used as a control.
GUI- a system of windows, dialog panels and controls that provide an interactive dialogue between the user and the operating system, programs and applications.
Working with the graphic OS is based on the interaction of active and passive on-screen controls. The active control is the mouse pointer, a graphical object whose movement on the screen is synchronized with the movement of the mouse. The passive controls are graphical application controls (elements of dialog panels - buttons, switches, checkboxes, drop-down lists, etc.; menu bars and many others). The nature of the interaction between active and passive controls is chosen by the user.
In the sector software and OS, the leading position is occupied by IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Apple, etc.
OS types for personal computers. The most common types of operating systems for personal computers (PCs):
· OS MS DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System - MicroSoft's disk operating system) is the most common operating system for 16-bit personal computers, created in 1981 by order of IBM for the IBM PC.
Main characteristics of the first versions of MS DOS: work on the PC only one user and one program; work only with floppy disks, keyboard and monitor (then support for new devices appeared using drivers); support for a hierarchical file structure; the presence of service programs - utilities, etc.
Advantages of MS DOS: compact; modest PC requirements; performing the minimum necessary functions. Disadvantages of MS DOS: single-tasking (although there are software, allowing you to run multiple DOS programs and switch between them); poor means of protection against unauthorized access and collective work with data; lack of a standard interface.
The impossibility of making fundamental improvements to MS DOS led to the creation of new operating systems.
· Unix OS. UNIX- a group of portable, multi-tasking and multi-user operating systems. The first UNIX system was developed in 1969. Currently, UNIX is used mainly on servers, as well as embedded systems for various equipment. In the OS market for workstations and home use, UNIX gave way to other operating systems, primarily Microsoft Windows, although the existing software solutions for Unix systems make it possible to implement full-fledged workstations for both office and home use.
The main factors that ensure the popularity of Unix: compatibility with other platforms, openness of the system; multitasking; support for international standards; simple user interface; single hierarchical file system; a large number of applications.
· Linux OS . Start creating Linux systems was founded in 1991 by Finnish student Linus Torvalds, who distributed the first prototype of his operating system over the Internet (with an open source code) and urged everyone who likes it or not to respond to his work. From that moment on, many programmers began to support Linux by adding device drivers, developing various applications, etc. The atmosphere of enthusiastic work on a useful project, as well as free distribution and use of source code, became the basis of the Linux phenomenon. Currently, Linux is a very powerful server stable system, and at the same time free.
Linux kernel supports multitasking, virtual memory, dynamic libraries, lazy loading, a powerful memory management system, and many network protocols.
· Windows OS. Microsoft Windows OS (windows from English - windows) is a family of operating systems from Microsoft. Chronology of releases of major versions of Windows OS:
Windows NT 3.1 (1993);
Windows 2000 - Windows NT 5.0 (2000);
Windows XP - Windows NT 5.1 (2001);
Windows Vista- Windows NT 6.0 (2006);
Windows 7 - Windows NT 6.1 (2009);
Windows 8 - Windows NT 6.2 (2012);
Windows 10 (2014).
The main strategic goal of creating Windows 9x families was to transfer users to new 32-bit programs while maintaining the continuity of programs written for MS-DOS. Windows 9x - OS with a graphical interface and advanced networking capabilities, used for both desktop and laptop computers.
Windows NT (NT - from New Technology) is a 32-bit operating system with built-in network support and advanced multi-user tools. The Windows NT family is a preemptive multitasking operating system. This operating system is very convenient for users working within the local network, for collective users, especially for groups working on large projects and exchanging data.
The Windows 2000 family is an operating system for business use on a wide variety of computers, from laptops to servers. This OS is one of the best for doing business online.
Windows XP is a continuation of the development of Windows 2000. This OS is mainly focused on client PCs.
Windows Vista ("vista" - "new opportunities", "opening prospects" - network operating system. This version provides increased security and reliability of data, compatibility with most modern means of communication, simplified installation of the OS on multiple computers.
Windows 7 is a version of the operating system that focuses on speed, application and device compatibility, reliability, security, and battery life for laptops.
Windows Mobile– A new generation OS designed for use in mobile computing devices and having a number of improved features.
Windows 8 is an operating system belonging to the Microsoft Windows OS family that uses new interface entitled Metro, uses tricks Windows work 7.
Windows 10 is an operating system belonging to the Windows OS family; single OS for different devices: computer, smartphone, tablet or any other gadget. The OS has a single development platform and a single application store.
Fundamentals of working with the Windows XP operating system. The basics of working with the Windows XP operating system are reduced to the study of objects and controls desktop And Taskbars.
Desktop OS Windows. After turning on the computer and starting Windows, you can see on the screen Desktop– Windows OS system object (Figure 1.1), graphic environment, which displays objects(in the form of graphic icons) and controls (Task bar is the horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen).
Windows OS objects. All objects in Windows OS are presented in the form graphic icons(pictogram). The objects are system folders, document folders(files), separate documentation(files), web pages, applications or programs and etc.
TO system folders include My Computer, Network Places, Recycle Bin. My computer is a special folder that provides access to the main elements of the PC, allows you to view the contents of disks and perform various operations with files and folders (launching programs, copying, moving, deleting files, creating folders, etc.). Recycle Bin - a special folder used for temporary storage of names remote objects from which they can be restored). Network Neighborhood is a special folder that is used to view the contents of disks of computers connected to a local network and perform various operations on them.
Folder(directory) - a named place on a disk where file names, information about the size of files, and when they were created are stored. Folders are used to organize programs and documents on a disk and can contain both files and other folders. All folders in Windows are marked with a folder icon. File– a sequence of bytes that has a name and is stored in long-term (external) memory. A file is the basic unit of storage that allows a computer to distinguish one set of data from another. Files of the same type are identified by the same icons. Document - a file that is created and processed by an application in Windows OS (for example, a text document created in office application word). Application- This application program , which is designed specifically for Windows and has a single user interface with the OS (for example, Word applications, Excel, etc. included in the MS Office package). Program- this is an ordered sequence of commands that a computer performs in the process of processing data (distinguish between basic, system, utility and application programs).
Figure 1.1 - Desktop OS WINDOWS
For quick access to objects frequently used in work, it is advisable to use on desktop labels for these objects. Label(graphic icon with a small slanted arrow) - a link to an object located elsewhere. From a Windows point of view label is a special file that stores data about the parameters and position of the object on the disk. When referring to label the system, using the information about the location of the object stored in it, finds and launches (calls to the screen) the object.
Icons and labels of objects have labels - inscriptions that are located under them. Object icons and shortcuts allow you to manage these objects. The techniques for working with icons and labels are the same, but the consequences of these actions may differ. For example, deleting (or moving) an icon results in deleting (or moving) an object, copying an icon results in copying an object; deleting (or moving) the label leads to deleting (or moving) the pointer, but not the object; copying the label leads to copying the pointer, but not the object. You can open (launch) an object by double-clicking on the icon or shortcut of this object.
The use of shortcuts when working with objects provides significant convenience for the user:
time is saved due to quick access to the object associated with the shortcut;
· saves space on the hard drive, because. there is no need to copy the file to other folders, which would lead to a significant consumption of working space on the hard disk (and you can create an unlimited number of shortcuts for one object);
· there is no problem with data synchronization, because running the file from different folders through the labels placed in them, only one object associated with the labels is always edited, which is especially important when sharing data.
Windows controls. Task bar - one of the main controls of Windows OS. In the left corner Taskbars there is a start button that opens Main menu Windows OS, with the help of which the user gets access to all programs installed under the OS, to files (documents), to system resources, to all means of its configuration, to the PC shutdown mode. To the right of the start button is Quick launch bar, in which the user places icons of programs with which he works most often. Next are active application buttons and open folders and files that appear in Taskbars immediately after launching the corresponding application or opening a folder or file. The button always contains the name of the opened object. Clicking the button in Taskbars causes the object window to be brought to the foreground. In the right corner Taskbars located Display panel(notification area), where current time indicators, Ru(En) keyboard layouts and others are placed. Other icons temporarily appear in the notification area to show the status of ongoing operations (for example, after sending a document to print, the printer icon appears in the notification area while the document is being printed). Task bar- customizable panel. You can resize it, move it, apply auto-hide, change its appearance, etc. Commands for changing settings can be called from the context menu Taskbars or the Start button (Properties→Taskbar→Taskbar Design).
Working with the mouse. After Windows boots up, a graphical object called the mouse cursor appears on the screen. "Mouse" is a manipulator-type control device for working with a graphical interface. Moving the "mouse" on the table causes the cursor to move on the screen, which makes it possible to position it on object icons or on application controls.
Structurally, a standard "mouse" consists of 2 keys and a scroll wheel (or 3 keys). One of the "mouse" keys is the main one (usually the left one); it is used to perform actions with objects (for example, selecting and moving objects around the screen, etc.). The second key (usually the right key) is called the secondary or context menu key. Control techniques using the "mouse" - clicks (click) and movement (drag).
Mouse actions:
· hovering(pointing to an object) – hovering the “mouse” pointer over an object icon or control element (in this case, a tooltip appears on the screen that briefly characterizes the properties of the object);
· click(simple click) - pressing and releasing the left mouse button (for example, to select an object or menu item);
· double click– two quick left-clicks of the “mouse” at the same point on the screen (in this case, for example, selects an object and launches it, or opens a menu item);
· right click– pressing and releasing the right mouse button, while calling the context menu containing commands that are valid when working with the selected object, and depends on the current state (context) of the object;
· drag and drop(drag-and-drop - drag and drop) - pressing and holding the left button of the "mouse" along with its movement (in this case, objects move around the screen, which ends when the button is released);
· stretching"mouse" (click-and-drag - click and drag) - performed like dragging, but this does not move the object, but changes its shape (for example, resizing the window);
· special drag and drop– is performed like drag and drop, but with the right mouse button pressed, a special drag and drop menu appears with a set of possible commands (it is convenient to use, for example, when copying or moving folders, selected paragraphs of text, table cells, etc.).
Windows OS windows. The term "windows" in translation from English means "windows". Working in Windows is reduced to working with windows. According to the presence of homogeneous controls and design, several types of windows are distinguished: folder windows, dialog boxes(dialog panels), help windows, application windows, document windows. Window- This is a rectangular area of \u200b\u200bthe screen limited by frames, inside which various Windows programs are executed. Each program has its own window, and all windows have the same structure and set of controls. Having mastered the basic actions with windows, the user acquires the necessary skills to work with any Windows OS program.
The Windows folder window contains the following mandatory elements (Figure 1.2):
· header line(1) - in the left corner contains system icon, the appearance of which depends on the category of the object, clicking on this icon opens service menu, whose commands allow you to control the size and position of the window on desktop, when the context menu is opened system menu;Near system icon indicated open folder name(or applications); right in title bar there are three window control buttons( – Minimize, which temporarily minimizes the window as a button in Task bar, or – replaceable buttons Maximize or Minimize to window, which “expand” the window to full screen or switch the view mode from full screen to normal, windowed mode, – Close, which removes the window from the screen and stops working with the object);
· window menu bar(2) - has a standard view for Windows OS windows, contains a list of commands, thematically grouped into paragraphs; when clicking on each of the items, a “drop-down” menu opens containing a specific group of commands, while if an ellipsis is shown, a dialog box opens with additional information, if an arrow is shown (black triangle or double arrows), then nested pop-up menu items are opened; V window menu bar the items File, Edit, View, Favorites, Service, Help, others are required possible options depend on the category of the object;
· toolbar(3) – customizable panel (ViewÞToolbar), contains command buttons (icons) that provide quick access to the most frequently used commands from window menu;
· address bar(4) - allows you to quickly jump to other sections of the file structure (for example, to a folder on another drive);
· Workspace(5) – the inner part of the window, contains nested folders or document windows; there is a list of tasks next to it, you can select a file or folder, and then select a task that allows you to rename, copy, move or delete this file or folder, you can also send the file by e-mail or publish it on the Internet; in addition to the main tasks for files and folders, there are several folders with links to specialized tasks;
· scroll bars - horizontal and vertical (6) – appear if the dimensions working area windows are not sufficient to view the entire contents of the object; scrollbars have a slider and two end buttons; scrolling is performed by clicking on one of the end buttons, dragging the slider, or clicking on the scrollbar above or below the slider;
· status bar(7) – contains current information about the object;
· window border(8) – a frame bounding the window on four sides; The window can be resized by executing dragging through left mouse button for the frame or for " ear» (lower right frame element).
Figure 1.2 - My Computer folder window
Windows dialog boxes. In addition to object windows, when working with Windows, you often have to deal with dialog panels(interactive panels with various controls), which serve to organize a dialogue between the PC and the user, in particular: to inform the user of any information (Figure 1.3); to receive a response to any request (Figure 1.4); to select an object or set its parameters (Figure 1.5).
In the first case, the user must take into account the information provided and press the OK button (Figure 1.3), in the second case, press the appropriate button to answer the request (Figure 1.4).
In the third case dialog panel may contain the controls needed to select the desired commands. In appearance, such panels can be single-page and multi-page (Figure 1.5).
To the main controls dialog panels relate:
· tabs– “pages” of the dialog panel, selection tabs
· buttons– pressing the button performs an action (a function nested in the button), the inscription on the button explains its purpose;
· input fields(text fields) - edit fields, to enter text information, left-click the "mouse" in entry field and enter the desired text from the keyboard;
· lists– a set of proposed values; drop-down list- a text field equipped with a button with an arrow pointing down, the list is opened by left-clicking the "mouse";
· switches(white circle) - to select one of the mutually exclusive options, the choice is made by clicking the left mouse button, the selected option is indicated by a circle with a dot inside;
· flags(square with a "tick") - assigned to the parameter certain values(checkboxes can be placed either in groups or individually), setting flags by clicking the left mouse button;
· counters- a pair of arrows that allow you to change discretely (step by step) the value in the associated field by clicking the left mouse button on the arrow;
· sliders– engines for smooth change of parameters;
· demo window(or line Sample) - shows the result of the settings made.
Figure 1.5 - Multi-page dialog panel: setting object parameters
You can use the Tab key to navigate from one group of dialog box items to another, and you can use the cursor keys to navigate between items within a group. Many dialog panels are multi-page. Figure 6 shows a multi-page dialog panel. The OS will make the changes specified in the dialog box only if the OK (or Apply) key is pressed, selecting the Cancel key will save the previous settings and close dialog panel.
The structure and purpose of the Main menu of OS Windows. Main menu- one of the main system controls of Windows OS. It is opened by clicking on the Start button in Taskbars. Appearance main menu can be changed. Commands for changing settings can be called from the context menu of the Start button (PropertiesÞStart menuÞCustomize...). classic look main menu and the look adopted in Windows XP, have only external differences. In terms of structure, Main menu contains two sections - mandatory, generated by the OS, and arbitrary, generated by the user.
Main sections main menu Windows XP (Figure 1.6): 1 - current user name (formed when creating account user); 2 - Internet programs for browsing web pages and e-mail (the choice of the type of programs is set by the user during configuration); 3 - a list of recently used programs (the number of items is determined by the user during configuration); 4 - main system folders (the display is set by the user during configuration); 5 - tuning tools; 6 - help, support, search; 7 - programs; 8 - logout and turn off the PC. Main menu– multi-level: when you hover the mouse pointer over an item, a system of nested menu items opens.
The system folders My Documents, My Pictures and My Music are used to store text documents, pictures (photos and other graphic files) and sound files respectively. The Recent Documents item provides access to shortcuts to the last fifteen documents that the user has worked with. The My Computer item opens a special system folder that provides access to the file structure.
Basic settings tools - points main menu Control Panel (allows you to customize the view and functionality PC, install and remove programs, configure network connections etc.) and Printers and Faxes (displays installed devices and allows you to add new ones).
Item Help and Support main menu(Figure 1.7) provides access to the help system of Windows OS (the same can be done from the menu bar of any folder window: Help→Help and Support Center). There are three main ways to use the Windows OS help system (regardless of the OS version): searching for information in a hierarchical tree of topics, in an alphabetical index, and in the content of articles. Thus, in the Windows XP help system, the selection of the desired topical topic can be done on the Help Topic panel, where the contents of the selected topic are presented in the form hierarchical structure data, the content of the selected article is displayed in the right pane. When searching for an exact title or term, you can use the Index button (which selects a term from an alphabetical list in the left pane and displays the content of the article that uses the term in the right pane). To search by keyword Use the Find field and the Start Search button. Use the Back and Forward toolbar buttons to navigate the help panels, and use the Home button to return to the home page. The Favorites button allows you to save help pages for quick view further. The Log button displays a list of all pages visited in the current session in the help window. The Support button allows you to contact another user or the Microsoft Support Center for assistance. The Options button allows you to select options for customizing the Help and Support Center.
In addition, Windows XP provides several levels of access to the help system in dialog boxes:
· through a special button? (Help), after clicking on which the mouse pointer takes the form of a question mark, if you hover it over the control and click the left button, a tooltip appears);
· through the context help (after right-clicking on the control, the context help button What is this? appears, when left-clicking, a tooltip opens).
Windows uses tooltips to provide instant information about an object or control when you hover over it. The windows of programs and applications provide access to their help system.
Item Search main menu opens access to the Search Results dialog box, designed to organize the search for objects and any information on local computer, on a network server, or on the Internet. Search results are displayed in a special window that looks like a folder window and can be used to launch the found program, folder or document.
The search for files and folders is carried out according to several basic criteria: by name and address. If the exact name of the file is not known, only a part of it can be specified in the Part of file name or entire file name field. When specifying a name, you can use wildcard characters: * and ?. Symbol? replaces any single character. For example, under template 199 ? matches all objects whose names include any year since 199 0 by 199 9 . The * character means any character or set of characters. For example, pattern search 1 * 4 can give the following results: 14, 1 23g 4, 199 4, 1program 4 etc. The * symbol is often used to list all files with the same extension. For example, the *.doc template will allow you to find all files with the doc extension, i.e. all files created in text editor MS word. The file location is selected from the drop-down list (the Browse button is used to limit the search scope to one folder).
When searching, you can use additional criteria: the date of the last change (item When were the last changes?), file size (What is the file size?), file type (Advanced options). The search bar has additional hidden controls for this, which are displayed by clicking on the drop-down arrow. When searching text document You can search by its content (enter a key phrase in the Word or phrase in file field).
Item Run main menu is used to launch Windows and DOS programs, open folders and documents. In the Open field of the dialog box Run the program, you must enter the command, the full name of the folder of the document or Internet resource to open them. The Browse button is used to select a program or document.
To run programs from main menu Use All Programs. Along with the names of applications, the All programs item can contain folders for individual groups or categories of programs (for example, the Standard folder contains programs included in the OS distribution that allow the user to perform some tasks of OS maintenance and work with a PC). Each of these folders opens an additional submenu. By moving through the submenu tree, you can get to the name of the desired program.
Items main menu Logout and Shutdown allow you to gracefully shut down Windows to prevent damage to your PC and loss of data. If you want to terminate the session and allow another user to work with the PC, you must do the following: close the windows of all active applications and folders; click the Logout button, in the Logout Windows dialog box that appears, click the Change user button (after that, another user can log into the OS). When you finish working with your PC, you must do the following: close the windows of all active applications and folders; select the Shutdown item; in the Turn off computer dialog box that appears, select Shut down; click the OK button; turn off the power of the PC.
Attention! In case of an emergency shutdown (or when programs “freeze”), you must use the simultaneous pressing of the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys. In the Manager dialog box Windows tasks select the Applications tab and the End task command. Pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys again will reboot the PC, and all unsaved data will be lost!
basis user interface Windows OS is desktop concept. Operating systems that apply this concept are called object-oriented. Each type of object in such systems is assigned its own icon and some set of properties that determine how the object is used.
Starting windows screen is a system object called the desktop. Desktop is a graphical environment that displays Windows objects and controls. Everything that we deal with when working with a computer in this system can be attributed either to objects, or to controls. In the initial state, the Desktop contains several on-screen icons and the Taskbar (Fig. 2.2). Badges is a graphical representation of Windows objects, and Task bar is one of the main controls.
On Windows, most commands can be performed using the mouse associated with the active control − mouse pointer. When you move the mouse over a flat surface, the pointer moves across the desktop and can be position on object icons, or on passive application controls.
Rice. 2.2. Worker Windows table
Icon is a graphical representation of the object. Removing an icon removes the object; copying an icon results in copying the object, and so on. Icons are divided into folders, files (documents), and shortcuts.
Folders– repositories that contain shortcuts, files, other folders and icons various devices(disks, printers, network computers). They are ordinary(created by users) and special(created by the operating system, e.g. My computer, Recycle bin, My documents).
Label is only pointer to the object. Deleting a shortcut deletes the pointer, but not the object; copying the shortcut results in copying the pointer, but not the object. Shortcuts allow you to speed up the launch of programs, documents, or access to other Windows tools. The label icon in the lower left corner contains an arrow (Fig. 2.2).
Task bar provides the user with convenient tools for work and can be located on any edge of the desktop (usually at its bottom). There is a button on the taskbar Start, quick launch buttons, currently active application buttons, language indicator, icons
programs launched at OS boot (resident programs), and date, time
(Fig. 2.3). Start button calls Main menu, with which you can launch all programs installed under the operating system or registered in it, open the latest documents that you have worked with, access all the operating system configuration tools, as well as access to the Windows search and help systems.
Rice. 2.3. Task bar
Window is one of the most important Windows objects. Absolutely all operations performed by the user occur either on the desktop or in any window. Windows are rectangles displayed on the screen in which folders are opened, applications are activated, or Windows messages are displayed. The window has the following elements (Fig. 2.4).
Rice. 2.4. C:\Windows Folder Window Items
Title bar- it contains the name of the object.
Control menu button. It is located in the upper left corner of any window. Clicking this icon opens a menu called manager. Teams featured in this menu, allow you to control the size and position of the window on the desktop.
Size control buttons. These buttons duplicate the main commands of the control menu. In the Windows operating system, most operations can be performed in various ways. There are three size control buttons: [Minimize], [Maximize] ([Minimize to Window]), and [Close].
Clicking the [Close] button closes the window completely (and terminates the process). Clicking the [Minimize] button causes the window to be minimized to the size of the button on the Taskbar (without terminating the process associated with the window). The window can be restored at any time by clicking the button on the Taskbar.
Clicking the [Maximize] button expands the window to full screen. At the same time, it is convenient to work with it, but access to other windows is difficult. In a maximized window, the maximize button changes to the [Minimize to Window] button, which can be used to restore the original size of the window.
Menu bar(line menu). For folder windows, the menu bar has a standard appearance. When you click on each of the items in this menu, a "drop-down" menu opens, the items of which allow you to perform operations with the contents of the window or with the window as a whole. The row menu provides access to all commands that can be executed in this window.
Toolbar contains command buttons for performing the most common operations, it is more convenient to use than the line menu, but it is limited in the number of commands. In modern applications, this panel is customizable. The user can place on it those command buttons that he uses most often. Each window can have several toolbars, and they are displayed in the window at the user's request. One of the more interesting toolbars is Address bar . It contains the path to the current folder, which is convenient for orientation in the file structure. It allows you to quickly jump to other sections of the file structure by selecting from the list at the right edge of the line.
Workspace. It displays the icons of the items stored in the folder, and the display method can be controlled. Application windows in the work area contain document windows and work panels.
Scroll bars. If the number of objects is too large (or the window size is too small), scroll bars may appear at the right and bottom edges of the work area, with which you can "scroll" the contents of the folder in the work area. The scrollbar has a slider and two end buttons. Scrolling is done in three ways:
By clicking on one of the end buttons;
Dragging the engine;
By clicking on the scrollbar above or below the slider.
Status bar. Additional, often important information is displayed here. So, for example, if there are hidden or system objects among the objects presented in the window, they may not be displayed when viewed, but there is a special entry in the status bar about their presence.
Windows uses several types of windows (Fig. 2.5–2.7).
Fig 2.5. Application window Microsoft Excel with the window of the generated document Book1
Rice. 2.6. Date and Time Dialog Box Rice. 2.7. System message window
Application windows– associated with specific applications (Fig. 2.5), within them there may be separate document windows, generated by applications (if the application allows you to work with several documents at the same time).
Dialog boxes - provide organization of user interaction with the OS application (Fig. 2.6), they can only be closed and moved (for example, setting the date, time, keyboard properties, screen, etc.).
System message windows- to display a variety of messages and warnings generated by the OS or applications (Figure 2.7).
Size most windows are resized by dragging their borders; moving window– by dragging the window by its title bar. Switching from one window to another is carried out using the Taskbar (by clicking on the button of the desired window) or by clicking on the desired window (if it is displayed on the screen).
The menu is one of the main elements GUI and is a list of commands (usually grouped thematically) from which you need to make a choice (by placing the mouse pointer on the menu item and clicking). Selecting a menu item results in the execution of a specific command. If a menu command is followed by an ellipsis, selecting it will result in a dialog box that allows the user to get or enter additional information.
As mentioned earlier, operations on Windows objects will be performed using commands organized in menu. Any menu contains a list of different commands.
Commands currently available for execution are displayed black color, and unavailable for execution - gray .
Commands with a mark or checkmark ü to the left of their names work like switches: if the checkmark is displayed in the menu, then the mode is on.
Commands ending in a black triangle bring up another menu.
There are the following menu types:
main menu;
system menu;
program window menu (horizontal menu);
submenu (submenu, dropdown menu);
context menu;
icon menu (toolbar).
On Windows, the same operation can be performed in several ways. Each user empirically selects the most convenient methods of work for himself.
Main menu Programs is a desktop control that provides quick access to programs, documents, settings and search tools, favorite folders, and objects. Shutting down Windows is only done using the main menu.
Main menu called on the screen by clicking on the button Start, located on the left edge of the taskbar, and contains the following items:
Programs- an item that opens access to all programs installed on the computer;
Favorites– an item for quick access to the user's individual folders, in which he can store selected documents and objects (intended for convenience);
Documentation- an item that opens a list of the last 15 documents with which work was done on the computer;
Setting- the main means of access to the main settings of the operating system, hardware and basic Windows objects;
Find- an item that provides access to automatic means of data retrieval;
Help & Support– calling the Windows help system;
Run – additional remedy program launcher, which imitates the command line interface adopted in MS DOS (allows you to run programs by specifying launch parameters in command line);
Ending a session– this item is present if during the installation of the operating system it was registered in the name of a specific user or several users are registered in the system. Selecting this item allows you to end work on the computer of one user and give the opportunity to work to another;
Shutdown– an item that should be used to shut down the operating system before turning off the computer.
System menu Windows is used to control the size, shape of the window and to close it. call button system menu located on the left side of the title bar of each window.
Horizontal menu usually located below the window's title bar. It is also called the main window menu.
Drop down menu. When choosing an item horizontal menu a drop-down menu is displayed on the screen. Drop-down menu items are commonly referred to as commands.
Context menus appear on the screen after right-clicking on an object. Context menus have other names: object menu, dynamic menu, pop-up menu. IN context menu reflects the operations that can be performed with this object in the current situation.
Pictographic menus(toolbars) consist of buttons (icons) and are used to quickly call commands by clicking on the corresponding button with the mouse. Toolbars are usually located below the window's horizontal menu bar. They can be displayed or removed from the screen at the request of the user. A list of all toolbars available in the window can be displayed using the menu command View - Toolbars.
Modern computers cannot be imagined without the presence of an operating system in them - a means of interaction between the user and the computer (programs and hardware components). Today there are dozens of them. Consider the question of what are the main objects of the operating system on the example of Windows OS.
On present stage In the development of the computer industry, most OS developers use object-oriented programming methods and graphical interfaces to simplify the user's work as much as possible or provide quick access to the necessary information or settings.
If earlier OS with batch data input was used, when it was necessary to set the system to execute a certain command by manually entering it, today, thanks to the presence of a graphical interface, this task has been greatly simplified. The user does not enter commands, but presses buttons to organize an event, activate a process, confirm the execution of programs, change settings, etc. But what operating system objects exist, what role do they play, what are their properties, what actions to take with them can be produced? Consider the basic concepts.
At one time, Microsoft Corporation, when developing the first Windows versions refused to use the organization of work used in DOS systems. The very name of the Windows operating system indicated that it consisted of windows in a graphical representation, which allowed the use of the so-called multitasking mode with quick switching between programs, options and settings. However, even the essence is not in the windows.
Today you can find many various classifications, however, in the broadest sense, operating system objects can be represented as the following list:
One of the main places is given to the interface. The first thing the user sees after starting the OS is the “Desktop” and “Taskbar”, which contain buttons, shortcuts and other auxiliary elements. The properties of objects of this type are such that with their help you can access almost all the functions and capabilities of the OS.
Particular attention in this regard is given to the "Start" button and the menu of the same name that is called when you click on it. Most of the links to programs and basic settings are located here. Please note that the applications are physically located in a different place, and the menu contains only shortcuts, presented in the form of application names or settings with icons.
Pictograms or icons as objects of the operating system are small graphic images. The difference between shortcuts and icons is that, in addition to the program name or file name, shortcuts also describe some properties of applications, settings or documents, and also indicate the location of the file itself to be opened. To describe the files, there is also an indication of the program with which it can be opened.
Menus are means of selecting user actions. Conventionally, they can be divided into main and contextual (those that are called by the right click). However, the organization of the main menus is part of the objects called windows. And the menu can also be attributed to the controls, since it is in them that the user is prompted to select a specific action.
Windows are basic objects (Windows or any other computer OS). They have the main space where information is displayed, or, as it is also called, the work area. There are also special panels with main menus containing sets of commands or actions, shortcut buttons for certain functions, scroll bars, etc.
Actions with operating system objects of this type consist in the fact that their sizes can be reduced or increased, minimized and expanded, to quickly switch between programs, change the scaling of the workspace, etc. In addition, the windows themselves are basic and dialog, which provides closer interaction between the program and the user.
And here it is worth dwelling separately on the controls. The main element, apart from tablet PCs or smartphones, as well as touch screens, is the cursor, with which you can move around the entire interface, call some actions, resize, etc.
The cursor is "attached" to the mouse in stationary PCs or to the touchpad in laptops. In general terms, a cursor is not just a pointing element. For example, when stretching windows, it changes its icon. Thus, even by changing the state of the cursor, you can always determine what kind of action is being performed or is supposed to be performed at the moment. Again, if an hourglass appears on the screen or a rotating one indicates that some process is currently being executed and there will be no access to it until it is completed.
Another control element - screen keyboard, which has received the main distribution on tablets and smartphones, when the connection of the "iron" keyboard is not provided.
Finally, the largest class are directories (directories, folders) and files, which together form a single structure called the file system.
Files and folders in terms of computer system do not differ from each other, since even directories themselves are files without an extension and also occupy a certain disk space (and for an empty folder, a zero size can be specified in file manager, But actually it is not). Just for the convenience of grouping files that are similar in some way, the method of combining them into one directory is used.
In physical terms, despite the fact that some files seem to be present in some directory, they can be located in completely different places on the hard drive. The properties of operating system objects of this type are determined primarily by size (occupied space on the hard disk), location in the file structure, type, etc.
And for sure everyone knows exactly what actions can be performed with both types. Working with objects presented in the form individual files or entire directories, is reduced to more than simple operations like copying, deleting, renaming, or moving. For files, for example, viewing, editing, opening in a specific program (often with the ability to choose the application yourself) and many other actions are provided.
But in general it is only short review the main objects of any OS. Note that here we did not consider the organization of the same system registry only for the simple reason that today you can also find OSes in which it is absent as such (Linux), and the key structure is very similar to the organization of files and folders. Actually, the keys themselves are files. By the way, applications and programs are also files or a collection of files to be executed by means of the operating system.
