Windows Explorer-Key Terms

AutoPlay

A Windows feature that lets you choose which program to use to start different kinds of media, such as music CDs, or CDs and DVDs containing photos; it displays when you plug in or insert media or storage devices

Enhanced ScreenTip

A ScreenTip that displays more descriptive text than normal

Insertion Point

A blinking vertical line that indicates where text or graphics will be inserted

Paste Options

A button that allows you to view and apply various formatting options for pasting your copied or cut text

Format Painter

A button used to copy the formatting of specific text or of a paragraph and then apply it in other locations in your document

Preview Pane Button

A button used to display the contents of most files without opening them in a program

Backstage View

A centralized space for tasks related to file management; that is why the tab is labeled File. File management tasks include, for example, opening, saving, printing, publishing, or sharing a file

File

A collection of information stored on a computer under a single name, for example, a Word document or a Powerpoint presentation

Contextual Tabs

Additional tabs that are added and displayed as you need them, as the Ribbon adapts to your work

PDF (Portable Document Format) File

An image of your file that preserves the look of your file, but that cannot be easily changed

KeyTip

An indication of a key that you can press to activate the command. For example, on the Insert tab, you can press F to activate the Clip Art task pane

Command

An instruction to a computer program that causes an action to be carried out

Portrait Orientation

An orientation in which the paper is taller than it is wide

Landscape Orientation

An orientation in which the paper is wider than it is tall

Location

Any disk drive, folder, or other place in which you can store files and folders

Pointer

Any symbol that displays on your screen in response to moving your mouse device

Groups

Sets of related commands for specific tasks

Library

A collection of items, such as files and folders, assembled from various locations; the locations might be on your computer, an external hard drive, removable media, or someone else's computer

Microsoft Office 2010

A computer software that includes programs, servers, and services for individuals, small organizations, and large enterprises

Folder

A container in which you store files

Microsoft Access

A database program, with which you can collect, track, and report data

Open Dialog Box

A dialog box from which you can navigate to and then open an existing file that was created in that same program

Options Dialog Box

A dialog box where you can select program settings and other options or preferences. For example, you can set preferences for viewing and editing files

Compressed File

A file that has been reduced in size, take up less storage space, and can be transferred to other computers faster than uncompressed files

Serif

A font design that includes small line extensions on the ends of the letters to guide the eye in reading from left to right

Paragraph Symbol

A formatting mark that displays each time you press Enter

Keyboard Shortcut

A key or combination of keys that performs a certain task that would otherwise require a mouse

Protected View

A new security feature in Office 2010 that protects your computer from malicious files by opening them in a restricted environment until you enable them

Navigation Pane

A pane used to: navigate to, open, and display favorites, libraries, folders, saved searches, and an expandable list of drives

Microsoft Powerpoint

A presentation program, with which you can communicate information with high-impact graphics and video

Read-Only

A property assigned to a file that prevents the file from being modified or deleted; it indicates that you cannot save any changes to the displayed document unless you first save it with a new file name

Footer

A reserved area for text or graphics that displays at the bottom of each page in a document

Header

A reserved area for text or graphics that displays at the top of each page in a document

Option Button

A round button that enables you to make one choice among two or more options

Font

A set of characters with the same design and shape

Application

A set of instructions used by a computer to perform a task, such as word processing or accounting

Program

A set of instructions used by a computer to perform a task, such as word processing or accounting, also refered to as an application

Ellipsis

A set of three dots, following a command, that indicates incompleteness, clicking the command will always display a dialog box

Dialog Box

A small window that contains options for completing a task

Microsoft Excel

A spreadsheet program, with which you can calculate and analyze numbers and create charts

Info Tab

A tab that displays information about the current file

Live Preview

A technology that shows the result of applying an editing or formatting change as you point to possible results - before you actually apply it

Office Clipboard

A temporary storage area that holds text or graphics that you select and then cut or copy

Search Box

A tool used to look for an item in the current folder or library by typing a word or phrase

Quick Access Toolbar

A toolbar containing commands that you use frequently. By default, only the commands Save, Undo, and Redo display, but you can add and delete commands to suit your needs

Sans Serif

A type of font design with no lines or extensions on the ends of characters

Print Preview

A view of a document as it will appear on the paper when you print it

Microsoft Word

A word processing program, with which you can create and share documents by using its writing tools

Gallery

An Office feature that displays a list of potential results

Microsoft Publisher

An Office program, with which you can create desktop publishing documents such as brochures

Microsoft InfoPath

An Office program, with which you can create forms and gather data

Microsoft Outlook

An Office program, with which you can manage e-mail and organizational activities

Microsoft OneNote

An Office program, with which you can manage notes that you make at meetings or in classes and to share notes with others on the web

Microsoft SharePoint Workspace

An Office program, with which you can share information with others in a team environment

All Programs

An area of the start menu that displays all the available programs on your computer system

Program-Level Control Buttons

Buttons used to minimize, restore, or close the program window

Deselect

Canceling the selection, for example, clicking anywhere outside of the bordered picture that you previously left clicked and selected

Double-Click

Clicking the left mouse button two times in rapid succession

Context Sensitive Command

Commands and options, within a shortcut menu, relevant only to the selected text or object that you right-clicked

Metadata

Details about a file that describe or identify it, such as the title, author name, subject, and key words that identify the documents topic or contents

Common Dialog Boxes

Dialog boxes, that display in all of the Office programs in the same manner. Thus the Open, Save, and Save As dialog boxes will all look the same and perform the same in each Office program

Shortcut Menu

Displays commands and options relative to the selected text or object

Mini Toolbar

Displays commands that are commonly used with the selected object

File List

Displays the contents of the current folder or library. In Computer, the file list displays the disk drives

Folder Window

Displays the contents of the current folder, library, or device, and contains helpful parts so that you can navigate within Windows

Details Pane

Displays the most common file properties - information about a file, such as the author, the date you last changed the file, and any descriptive tags

ScreenTip

Displays useful information about mouse actions, such as pointing to screen elements or dragging

Scroll Bar

Displays when a window, or a pane within a window, has information thats is not in view, used to scroll up, down, left, or right

Ribbon Tabs

General tabs that display the names of the task-oriented tabs relevant to the open program

Select

Highlighting, by dragging with your mouse, areas of text or data or graphics so that the selection can be edited, formatted, copied, or moved

Drag

Holding down the left mouse button while moving your mouse

Dialog Box Launcher

In any Ribbon group, displays either a dialog box or a task pane related to the group or commands

Font Styles

Include bold, italic, and underline, emphasize text and are a visual cue to draw the reader's eye to important text

Backstage Tabs

Info, Recent, New, Print, Save & Send, and Help - display along the left side of the Backstage View. The tabs group file-related tasks together

Paste

Inserting a text or graphic that you have previously cut or copied - in a new location in the current document, or into another Office file

Address Bar

Navigate to a different folder or library, or go back to a previous one

Back and Forward Buttons

Navigate to other folders or libraries you have already opened without closing the current window. These buttons work in conjunction with the address bar; that is, after you use the address bar to change folders, you can use the BACK button to return to the previous folder

Formatting Marks

Nonprinting characters that display when you press Enter, Spacebar, or Tab, to represent these keystrokes

Icons

Pictures that represent a program, a file, a folder, or some other object

Click

Pressing the left button on your mouse pointing device one time

Center Alignment

Refers to text that is centered horizontally between the left and right margins

Default

Refers to the current selection or setting that is automatically used by a program unless you specify otherwise

Quick Commands

The Save, Save As, Open, and Close commands located above the Backstage tabs

Pt

The abbreviation of Point

Scroll Box

The box within the scroll bar, used to drag and move along the scroll bar

Ribbon

The display across the top of the program window, groups commands and features in a manner that you would most logically use them

Fill

The inside color of an object

Desktop

The opening screen in Windows that simulates your work area

Alignment

The placement of a paragraph text relative to the left and right margins

Formatting

The process of establishing the overall appearance of text, graphics, and pages in an Office file - for example, in a Word document

Points

The value of measurment for fonts, with one point equal to 1/72 of an inch

Right-Click

To click you right mouse button one time

Extract

To decompress, or pull out, files from a compressed form

Navigate

To explore within the organizing structure of Windows

Edit

To make changes to

Point

To move your mouse cursor over an object

Copy

When you Copy text or graphics, a copy is placed on the Office Clipboard and the original text or graphic remains in place

Cut

When you Cut text or graphics,a copy is placed on the Office Clipboard, and the original text or graphic is removed - cut - from the document

Nonprinting Characters

characters that display when you press Enter, Spacebar, or Tab, to represent these keystrokes but due not show up when a document is printed

Document Properties

details about a file that describe or identify it, such as the title, author name, subject, and keywords that identify the documents topic or contents