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Window Menu


Description

The window Menu, sometimes called the system Menu, is used to display the list of window actions. All actions possible for a window should be displayed in the window Menu, since keyboard-only users interact with the window manager through this Menu.

The window Menu button must be located in the upper-left corner of the window. Double-clicking the window Menu button must close the window. Pressing or must activate the window Menu button for the window with the focus. The illustration on this reference page shows a posted window Menu.

A primary window Menu must have the following selections in the order listed:

Restore Alt+F5
Restores a minimized or maximized window to the previous size and location of the window. This selection must be deemphasized (grayed out) when the window is in its normal state. This action must have the mnemonic R. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Move Alt+F7
Moves a window around the workspace. This action must have the mnemonic M. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Size Alt+F8
Changes the height and width of the window in the direction indicated by the pointer. This action must have the mnemonic S. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Minimize Alt+F9
Changes a window into an icon. This action must have the mnemonic N. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Maximize Alt+F10
Enlarges a window to its maximum size. This action must have the mnemonic X. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Lower Alt+F3
Moves a window to the bottom of the window hierarchy. This action can be omitted. This action must have the mnemonic L. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.
Close Alt+F4
Closes a window and removes it from the workspace. This action must have the mnemonic C. If this action has an accelerator, it must be if is available.

A secondary window Menu must have the following selections in the order listed: Move, Size, and Close. A secondary window Menu can include Restore above Move, Maximize below Size, and Lower above Close, but the lower option on a secondary window lowers all the windows secondary to that window's primary window. A secondary window Menu should not include Restore if it does not include Maximize. A secondary window must not include an entry for Minimize.

A secondary window resulting from a Menu being torn off must have the following entries in the order listed: Move, Lower, and Close. It must not include entries for Restore, Size, Minimize, or Maximize.

Illustration

Related Information

See Window Manager Design Principles for more information on the window Menu and the window manager in general. See Application Design Principles for information about Menu design.