• GNOME 2.14 Desktop Accessibility Guide

GNOME 2.14 Desktop Accessibility Guide

Preface

The GNOME 2.14.0 Desktop Accessibility Guide describes how to configure, customize, and use the accessibility features of the GNOME 2.14.0 Desktop.

1. Who Should Read This Guide

This guide is for users, system administrators, and anyone who is interested in how the GNOME 2.14 Desktop supports people with disabilities and addresses the requirements of Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act.

2. How This Guide Is Organized

This guide is structured in the following manner:

3. Related Documentation

The following manuals are related to this guide:

  • GNOME 2.14.0 Desktop System Administration Guide
  • GNOME 2.14.0 Desktop User Guide

1. Introduction to Accessibility

This chapter introduces you to accessibility in the GNOME Desktop.

1.1. Overview of Accessibility

All software products should incorporate accessibility features to enable people with disabilities to use the software easily and efficiently. Recent legislation such as Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act heightens awareness of the need to provide accessible software.

The GNOME Desktop is easy to use and incorporates many accessibility features. Every supported application and utility in the GNOME Desktop is designed with accessibility and usability in mind. Users with physical disabilities such as low vision or impaired motor skills can use all of the functionality of the GNOME Desktop thanks to the customization tools that are available. The customization tools enable you to customize the appearance and behavior of the desktop.

The ability to easily customize the GNOME Desktop contributes greatly to the accessibility of the desktop. This guide describes the various customization options that you can use to tailor the desktop to suit your particular needs.

2. Configuring the Mouse and Keyboard

This chapter describes how to configure the mouse and keyboard to make these devices accessible to more users.

2.1. Configuring the Mouse

Use the Mouse preference tool to configure the mouse to suit your needs. To open the Mouse preference tool, choose System ▸ Preferences ▸ Mouse. The Mouse Preferences dialog is displayed.

2.1.1. To Configure the Behavior of the Mouse

The following sections describe how to modify the behavior of the mouse to suit your needs.

2.1.1.1. To Configure the Mouse for Left-Handed Use

To configure the mouse for left-handed use, click on the Buttons tab in the Mouse Preferences dialog, then select the Left-handed mouse option. When you select this option, the system swaps the functions of the left mouse button and the right mouse button immediately.

2.1.1.2. To Configure the Double-Click Behavior

If you have difficulty double-clicking, you can increase the period of time that the system allows to elapse between the first click and the second click of a double-click. For example, if the double-click timeout setting is 0.4 seconds, you must perform the second click of a double-click within 0.4 seconds of the first click. If the second click occurs more than 0.4 seconds after the first click, the system interprets the two clicks as two single clicks.

To configure the double-click timeout setting, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Buttons tab in the Mouse Preferences dialog.
  2. Use the Timeout slider to specify the timeout in seconds that the system allows between the two clicks of a double-click. Moving the slider to the right will increase the timeout interval in 0.1 second intervals. In the same manner, moving the slider to the left will decrease the timeout in 0.1 second intervals.
  3. Double-click on the light bulb to the right of the slider to test the setting. If you perform the two clicks of the double-click within the timeout specified, the light bulb lights up fully to display a yellow glow around the bulb. If you do not double-click within the timeout specified, the light bulb does not light fully. You should increase the timeout setting and try again. When the light bulb lights, the timeout setting is suitable for your needs.
2.1.1.3. To Change the Size of the Mouse Pointer

To change the size of the mouse pointer that is displayed on the desktop, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Pointers tab in the Mouse Preferences dialog.
  2. This will display a list of pointer themes and sizes available.
  3. By default, GNOME does not include mouse pointer themes. Information about installing and using pointer themes can be found in the User Guide.

On some platforms you must log out and log in again for this setting to take effect.

2.1.1.4. To Locate the Mouse Pointer

If you have difficulty locating the mouse pointer on the screen, you can enable an option to highlight the pointer when you press the Control key. To enable this option, click on the Pointers tab in the Mouse Preferences dialog, then select the Highlight the pointer when you press Ctrl option. When you press Control, the system displays an animation around the pointer to highlight the pointer.

On some platforms, you must log out and log in again before this setting takes effect.

2.1.1.5. To Configure the Speed and Sensitivity of the Mouse

To configure the speed and sensitivity of the mouse, perform the following steps:

  1. Click on the Motion tab in the Mouse Preferences dialog.

  2. Configure the following options:

    Acceleration

    Use the slider to specify the speed at which the mouse pointer moves around the screen when you move your mouse.

    If you select a low setting, the mouse pointer moves at a speed similar to the speed at which you are physically moving the mouse. This means that you need to physically move the mouse larger distances to cover the screen area. If you select a high setting, the mouse pointer moves at a faster speed than the speed at which you physically move the mouse. This means that you need to physically move the mouse small distances to cover the screen area.

    Sensitivity

    Use the slider to specify how responsive the mouse pointer is to movements of your mouse. Moving the slider to the right will increase the sensitivity and moving it to the left will decrease the sensitivity.

    Threshold

    Use the slider to specify the distance that you must move an item before the system interprets the move action as a drag-and-drop action.

2.1.2. To Configure the Cursor

The following section describes how to modify the display characteristics of the cursor.

2.1.2.1. To Stop the Cursor Blinking

To stop the cursor blinking in text boxes and fields, perform the following steps:

  1. Choose System ▸ Preferences ▸ Keyboard to start the Keyboard preference tool.
  2. In the Keyboard tabbed section, deselect the Cursor blinks in text boxes and fields option.

2.1.3. To Use the Keyboard to Emulate the Mouse

If you have difficulty using a mouse, you can use the keyboard to emulate the mouse functions. See Section 2.2.2 ― To Enable the Keyboard to Emulate the Mouse of this guide for more information.

2.2. Configuring the Keyboard

Use the Keyboard preference tool, to configure the keyboard accessibility options. To open the Keyboard preference tool, choose System ▸ Preferences ▸ Keyboard. Accessibility options can be enabled by selecting Accessibility. This will open a new dialog, Keyboard Accessibility Preferences, also known as AccessX.

Before you can use the Keyboard Accessibility preference tool on Solaris systems, you must follow the steps outlined in Section A.3 ― Enabling XKB on Solaris Systems of this guide.

The Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) dialog enables you to customize your keyboard in the following ways:

2.2.1. To Activate the Keyboard Accessibility Options

To activate the keyboard accessibility options, perform the following steps:

  1. Choose System ▸ Preferences ▸ Keyboard and select Accessibility

  2. Select the Enable keyboard accessibility features option.

  3. Click on the Basic tab.

  4. Select the Beep when features turned on or off from keyboard option to receive an audible notification each time a user enables or disables a keyboard accessibility option using the following keyboard shortcuts:

    • Press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds to enable or disable the slow keys feature.
    • Press Shift five times to enable or disable the sticky keys feature.

  5. To automatically disable the keyboard accessibility options if the options are not used for a specified number of seconds, select the Disable if unused for X seconds option. Use the slider to specify the number of seconds of keyboard idle time required before the system disables the keyboard accessibility options.

    This option is intended for computers that are shared by a number of different users, some of whom require the keyboard accessibility options.

  6. Changes made will be instantly applied.

2.2.2. To Enable the Keyboard to Emulate the Mouse

The mouse keys feature enables you to use the numeric keypad on the keyboard to emulate mouse actions. This feature benefits users who have difficulty using a mouse or other pointing device. To enable and configure the mouse keys feature, perform the following steps:

  1. In the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) dialog, select the Mouse Keys tab.

  2. Select the Enable Mouse Keys option.

  3. Configure the following options to determine the behavior of the mouse pointer when you control the pointer from the numeric keypad:

    Maximum pointer speed

    Use this spin box to specify the maximum speed, in pixels per second, at which the pointer moves around the screen.

    Time to accelerate to maximum speed

    Use this spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds, before the pointer accelerates to the maximum pointer speed.

    Delay between keypress and pointer movement

    Use this spin box to specify the interval, in milliseconds, between a keypress and the time when the pointer starts to move.

When you enable mouse keys, the keys on the numeric keypad have the following functions:

Table 2-1 Numeric Keypad to Mouse Function Mapping
Numeric Keypad Keys Function
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 Move the mouse pointer around the screen
5 Mouse button click
0 Mouse button toggle
/ Primary mouse button
* Secondary mouse button
- Tertiary mouse button

The toggle mouse button key enable the currently selected mouse button until the Mouse button click key is pressed. This allows you to perform drag and drop operations.

The Mouse button click emulates the currently selected mouse button. Pressing /, * or - will change the behaviour of this. The currently selected mouse button can be seen in the Keyboard Accessibility Status panel application, discussed in Section 2.3 ― Using the Keyboard Accessibility Status Panel Application.

The Primary mouse button is the left mouse button for right handed people. The Secondary mouse button is the right mouse button and the Tertiary mouse button is the middle mouse button.

Some Solaris systems also use the function keys to emulate the mouse buttons. The common function key to mouse button mappings are described in the following table.

Table 2-2 Function Key to Mouse Function Mapping on Solaris Systems
Function Key Function
F2 Mouse button 1
F3 Mouse button 2
F4 Mouse button 3

2.2.3. To Enable the Slow Keys Feature

The slow keys feature enables you to customize how the keyboard handles user input in the following ways:

  • Specify the duration for which you must press-and-hold a key before the system accepts the keypress. This aspect of the feature benefits users who frequently press keys that they do not intend to press.
  • Enable audible indications of keyboard input and acceptance. This aspect of the feature benefits users who cannot see the result of a keypress.

To enable and configure the slow keys feature, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) dialog, select the Filters tab.

  2. Select the Enable Slow Keys option.

    To select or deselect the slow keys feature from the keyboard, press-and-hold Shift for eight seconds. This will present a dialog confirming that you with slow keys enabled. The Shift keyboard shortcut automatically selects all of the slow keys options. If you selected the Beep when features turned on or off from the keyboard option in the Basic tab, after four seconds the system beeps three times to indicate that the system is about to select or deselect the feature.

  3. Use the Only accept keys held for slider or spin box to specify the duration, in milliseconds, for which you must press-and-hold a key before the system accepts the keypress. Use the Type to test settings text box to test the slow keys setting and modify the setting as required.

  4. To enable audible indications of keyboard input and acceptance, select the following options:

    Beep when key is pressed

    Select this option to hear a beep when you press a key.

    Beep when key is accepted

    Select this option to hear a beep when the system accepts a keypress.

    Beep when key is rejected

    Select this option to hear a beep when the system rejects a keypress. The system rejects a keypress if you do not press-and-hold the key for the duration that is specified in the Only accept keys held for spin box.

2.2.4. To Enable the Bounce Keys Feature

The bounce keys feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore rapid, repeated keypresses of the same key. For example, users with impaired motor skills might press the same key several times when they intend to press the key once. This feature enables you to customize the keyboard to ignore repeated keypresses.

To enable and configure the bounce keys feature, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) dialog select the Filters tab.
  2. Select the Enable Bounce Keys option.
  3. Use the Ignore duplicate keypresses within slider or spin box to specify the duration in milliseconds (ms) after the first keypress for which the system ignores repeated keypresses of the same key. For example, if you select a duration of 500 ms, the system ignores all repeated keypresses of the same key that occur within 500 ms of the first keypress.
  4. Select the Beep if key is rejected option to hear an audible indication when the system ignores a key.

If you want to enable the bounce keys feature, ensure that the Enable Slow Keys option is deselected. The slow keys feature requires you to press a key for a specified duration before the system accepts the keypress as a valid keypress. If you cannot press the key for the duration that is specified by the slow keys setting, deselect the Enable Slow Keys option to enable the system to accept your input.

2.2.5. To Enable the Sticky Keys Feature

The sticky keys feature enables you to press the keys in a key combination in sequence rather than simultaneously. This feature is designed for users who are unable to press two or more keys simultaneously.

To enable and configure the sticky keys feature, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) select the Basic tab.

  2. Select the Enable Sticky Keys option.

    To enable the sticky keys feature from the keyboard, press Shift five times. This will present a dialog confirming that you with to enable sticky keys. The Shift keyboard shortcut automatically selects all of the sticky keys options. If you selected the Beep when features turned on or off from the keyboard option, the system beeps to indicate that the system is about to select or deselect the feature. When active, pressing shift five times in a row will present a dialog asking if you want to disable sticky keys.

  3. Select the Beep when modifier is pressed option to receive an audible indication each time you press a modifier key such as Ctrl, Alt, or Shift. This option is useful to remind you whether a modifier key is active or inactive.

  4. Selecting the Disable if two keys pressed together option will present a dialog with the option to disable sticky keys if two keys are pressed at the same time.

You can use the sticky keys feature in latch or lock mode. The following table describes how to choose a mode and the difference between the two modes.

Table 2-3 Sticky Keys Latch or Lock Mode
To use the sticky keys feature in... Press the modifier key... The modifier key remains active until...
Latch mode Once. You press a non-modifier key.
Lock mode Twice in quick succession. You press the modifier key again.

Example 1: If you want to press Alt+F1, do the following:

  1. Press Alt to latch the modifier key. The Alt key remains active.
  2. Press F1. The key combination is now complete. After you press F1, the Alt modifier key is no longer active.

Example 2: If you want to press Ctrl+Alt+Tab, do the following:

  1. Press Ctrl twice to lock the modifier key. The Ctrl key remains active.
  2. Press Alt.
  3. Press Tab. The key combination is now complete.
  4. To unlock the modifier key, press Ctrl again.

2.2.6. To Enable Audible Notifications for Toggle Keys

A toggle key is any key on the keyboard that can switch between two states. The Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock keys are toggle keys. Most toggle keys have an associated light emitting diode (LED) on the keyboard that lights when the toggle key is active. To assist users with visual impairments, you can customize the keyboard to emit an audible notification when a user presses a toggle key. For example, when you press Num Lock, you can determine whether the key is toggled or not toggled by the sound that the keyboard emits.

To enable accessible toggle keys, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccesX) select the Filters tab.
  2. Select the Enable Toggle Keys option.

When you activate the Num Lock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock keys, the system beeps once. When you deactivate a toggle key, the system beeps twice.

2.2.7. To Enable the Repeat Keys Feature

The repeat keys feature enables you to repeat a keystroke multiple times without pressing the key more than once. This feature is designed for users who cannot release keys quickly, for example users who operate a mouth stick. When you enable repeat keys, you can specify the duration for which you must press a key before the key starts to repeat.

To enable and configure the repeat keys feature, perform the following steps:

  1. From the Keyboard Accessibility Preferences (AccessX) select the Basic tab.
  2. Select the Enable Repeat Keys option.
  3. Use the Delay slider or spin box to specify the duration for which you must press a key before the keyboard interprets the action as a repeat key. If you have difficulty releasing keys, select a long time delay.
  4. Use the Speed slider or spin box to specify the speed at which the keyboard repeats the keypress as input.

2.3. Using the Keyboard Accessibility Status Panel Application

The Keyboard Accessibility Status panel application shows you the status of the keyboard accessibility features. This panel application displays icons to indicate which keyboard accessibility features are enabled in the Keyboard Accessibility preference tool.

To add the Keyboard Accessibility Status panel application to a panel, right-click on the panel, then choose Add to Panel and select the Keyboard Accessibility Status.

The following table describes the icons that the panel application displays and the status that each icon represents.

Table 2-4 Keyboard Accessibility Status Icons
Icon Keyboard Accessibility Status
Keyboard accessibility in general is available but none of the individual key features are enabled.
The bounce keys feature is enabled.
The mouse keys feature is enabled. The dot in the mouse button shows which button is currently associated with the Mouse button click key.
The slow keys feature is enabled.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Alt key is latched.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Alt key is locked.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Ctrl key is latched.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Ctrl key is locked.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Shift key is latched.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Shift key is locked.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Super/Windows key is latched.
The sticky keys feature is enabled and the Super/Windows key is locked.

3. Using the Keyboard to Navigate the Desktop

This chapter describes how to navigate the GNOME Desktop from the keyboard only. Users who have difficulty using a mouse or other pointing device can navigate and use the desktop from the keyboard.

3.1. Introduction to Keyboard Navigation

This section describes the essential keyboard shortcuts to enable you to navigate the desktop from the keyboard.

You can customize some of the keyboard shortcuts that are described in this chapter. The text indicates the shortcuts that you can customize. See Section 3.10 ― Customizing Your Keyboard Shortcuts for information about how to customize keyboard shortcuts.

3.1.1. Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

The following table lists the essential keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate the desktop. The keyboard shortcuts that you use to navigate specific elements and controls are described in the appropriate sections of this chapter.

Keys Function
Tab Give focus to the next element or control.
Shift+Tab Reverse the navigation direction and give focus to the previous element or control. In general, the Shift key reverses the navigation direction.
Ctrl+Tab

Give focus to the next element or control, if the Tab key has a specific purpose in a control. For example, if you press Tab in a text box, the system inserts a tab space.

To give focus to the previous element or control, press Shift+Ctrl+Tab.

arrow keys Navigate within an element or control.
spacebar Activate the element or control that has focus. For example, if the current control is a button, this action is the equivalent of clicking on the button with a mouse.
Esc Close a window, menu, or drawer.
F7 Switch to caret navigation mode. Caret navigation mode enables you to use the keyboard to select text. For more information about caret navigation mode, see Section 3.8 ― Navigating Help Content in Caret Navigation Mode.

3.1.2. Global Keyboard Shortcuts

The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use from any part of the GNOME Desktop.

Keys Function
Alt+F1

Open the Main Applications Menu.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Alt+F2

Open the Run Application dialog.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Print Screen

Start the screenshot application and take a screenshot of the entire screen.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Alt+Print Screen

Start the screenshot application and take a screenshot of the window that currently has focus.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

F1 If the focused element is an application window or dialog, this keyboard shortcut opens the Help for the application.
Ctrl+F1 If the focused element is a panel or application window, this keyboard shortcut switches the display of tooltips for the window or panel objects on and off.
Shift+F10 Open a popup menu for the element that has focus, if a popup menu exists.

3.2. Navigating the Desktop Background

The desktop background is the part of the GNOME Desktop where there are no interface items or applications, such as panels and windows. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate the desktop background and the desktop background objects. A desktop background object is an icon on the desktop background that you can use to open files, folders, or applications.

Keys Function
Ctrl+Alt+D

Temporarily hide all windows and give focus to the desktop background.

To restore the windows, press Ctrl+Alt+D again.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Ctrl+Alt+Tab

Display a popup window with icons that represent the desktop background and the panels. Press-and-hold Ctrl+Alt and continue to press Tab to switch the focus between the desktop background and the panels.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

arrow keys When the desktop background or a desktop background object has focus, give focus to a neighboring desktop background object.
A sequence of characters that matches the first n characters of a desktop background object name. When the desktop background has focus, give focus to the desktop background object whose name starts with the specified sequence of characters.
F2 Rename the desktop background object that has focus.
Shift+F10 Open the popup menu for the desktop background object that has focus.
Ctrl+F10 Open the Desktop Background menu.

3.3. Navigating Panels

A panel is an area from which you can run special programs, applications, and panel applications. The most common panel is the panel that stretches the full width of the bottom edge of the desktop. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate panels and panel objects.

Keys Function
Ctrl+Alt+Tab

Give focus to a panel. This keyboard shortcut displays a popup window with icons that represent the desktop background, panels, and drawers. Press-and-hold Ctrl+Alt and continue to press Tab to switch the focus between the desktop background, panels, and drawers.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Tab Give focus to the next object on the panel.
F10 Open the Applications menu when the Menu Panel has focus. Continue to press F10 to switch focus between the Applications menu and the window list.
spacebar Activate a panel object, for example, open a menu or start a launcher.
Shift+F10 Open the panel object popup menu.
Ctrl+F10 Open the panel popup menu.

3.3.1. To Move a Panel Object

You can move a focused panel object to a different location on a panel or drawer, or you can move the object to the next panel. To move a panel object, perform the following steps:

  1. Press Tab to give focus to the object.

  2. Press Shift+F10 to open the panel object popup menu.

  3. Use the arrow keys to select the Move menu item.

  4. Use the keyboard shortcuts that are listed in the following table to perform the move operation.

    Keys Function
    arrow keys Move the object left and right on a horizontal panel or up and down on a vertical panel.
    Shift + arrow keys Move the object and push any objects that you encounter in front of the object.
    Ctrl + arrow keys Move the object and swap position with any objects that you encounter in the move.
    Tab Move the object to the next panel.
    spacebar Complete the move operation.

The following examples demonstrate the effect of different move operations on the objects in a panel.

Illustration Description
Shows a panel with three panel objects before a move operation takes place.
Shows the effect of using the arrow keys to move the Geyes panel application on the panel. You can use the arrow keys to move the panel application left or right until you meet the next panel object.
Shows the effect of using using Shift + arrow keys to move the Geyes panel application on the panel. You can use the Shift + arrow keys to push the Volume Control and Help panel objects ahead of the object that you are moving.
Shows the effect of using Ctrl + arrow keys to move the Geyes panel application on the panel. You can use the Ctrl + arrow keys to swap position with the Volume Control and Help panel objects as you meet the objects.

Panel applications that are Locked cannot be moved. To unlock a panel application, use the panel object menu and unselect Lock to Panel.

3.3.2. To Navigate Drawers

A drawer is a collapsible extension of a panel. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate into and out of drawers. When you open a drawer, you can navigate the contents of the drawer in the same way as you navigate a panel. See Section 3.3 ― Navigating Panels for information about how to navigate a panel.

Keys Function
spacebar Open or close the drawer that has focus.
arrow keys Navigate into the drawer that has focus.
Esc Close the drawer and give focus to the drawer object on the panel.

3.3.3. To Navigate Menus on Panels

The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate menus on panels.

Keys Function
spacebar Open the menu that has focus.
arrow keys Navigate the menu.
spacebar Select a menu item.
Shift+F10 Open the popup menu associated with a menu item, if one exists.
Esc Close a menu.

3.3.4. To Navigate Panel Applications

A panel application is a small application that resides on a panel. You can navigate to all panel applications and open the panel application popup menu from the keyboard. However, if the panel application does not contain controls that you can give focus to, you cannot navigate the controls in the panel application. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate panel applications.

Keys Function
spacebar Activate the panel application control that has focus, if applicable. Not all panel applications contain controls that you can activate. If the panel application does not contain a control that you can activate, the spacebar does nothing.
arrow keys Navigate the controls on the panel application.
Shift+F10 Open the panel application popup menu. To navigate the menu, use the standard keyboard shortcuts for navigating menus. See Section 3.9.1 ― To Navigate Menus for information about how to navigate menus.

3.4. Navigating Your Workspaces

A workspace is a discrete area in which you can work. You can have many workspaces on your desktop and you can switch from one workspace to another. Each workspace can contain different windows and processes. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate workspaces.

Keys Function
Ctrl+Alt + arrow keys

Give focus to the next or previous workspace. This keyboard shortcut displays a popup window with icons that represent the workspaces. Press and hold Ctrl+Alt and continue to press the arrow keys to switch the focus between the workspaces.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

Ctrl+Shift+Alt + arrow keys

Move the window that has focus to the next or previous workspace.

You can customize this keyboard shortcut.

3.5. Navigating Windows

The following sections describe the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate windows. A window is a rectangular frame on your screen that displays an application.

You can customize all of the keyboard shortcuts that are associated with navigating windows. See Section 3.4 ― Navigating Your Workspaces for more information.

3.5.1. To Give Focus to a Window

Before you can use or modify a window, you must give focus to the window. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to give focus to a window.

Keys Function
Alt+Tab Display a popup window with icons that represent each window. Press-and-hold Alt and continue to press Tab to move through the windows until you reach the window to which you want to give focus.
Alt+Esc Raise each window in turn until you reach the window to which you want to give focus.

3.5.2. To Control a Window

When a window has focus, you can perform various actions on the window. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to control the window that has focus.

Keys Function
Alt+spacebar Open the Window Menu.
Alt+F4 Close the window.

Solaris: Open

Linux:Alt+F9

 Minimize the window.
Alt+F10 Maximize the window.
Alt+F5 Restore a maximized window to the original size of the window.

3.5.3. To Move a Window

When a window has focus, you can move the window around the screen. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to move a window.

Keys Function
Alt+F7 Start the move operation. The mouse pointer changes to a cross.
arrow keys Move the window 10 pixels at a time in the direction of the arrow key.
Ctrl + arrow keys Move the window one pixel at a time in the direction of the arrow key.
Shift + arrow keys Move the window in the direction of the arrow key to align it with the edge of the nearest window, panel, or screen edge.
spacebar Complete the move operation and leave the window in the current position.
Esc Cancel the move operation and restore the window to the original position.

3.5.4. To Resize a Window

When a window has focus, you can increase or decrease the size of the window. The following table lists the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to resize the window that has focus.

Keys Function
Alt+F8 Start the resize operation.
arrow keys Resize the window in the direction of the arrow keys.
spacebar Complete the resize operation and leave the window at the current size.
Esc Cancel the resize operation and restore the window to the original size.

3.5.5. To Navigate Paned Windows

A paned window is a window that is split into two or more panes. The Help browser is an example of an application that uses paned windows.

The following table describes the keyboard shortcuts that you can use to navigate windows with panes.

Keys Function
F6 Give focus to the next pane. The system gives focus to the control that last had focus in the pane.
F8 Give focus to the first resize handle in the window. The resize handle is displayed between the panes and enables you to resize the panes. Press F8 again to give focus to the next resize handle.

When the resize handle has focus, you can use the keyboard shortcuts that are listed in the following table to modify the paned window.

Keys Function
arrow keys Move the resize handle by a small amount.
Ctrl + arrow keys Move the resize handle by a large amount.
Home Reduce the size of the pane to the left of the resize handle for vertical panes, or above the resize handle for horizontal panes, to the minimum size allowed.
End Increase the size of the pane to the left of the resize handle for vertical panes, or above the resize handle for horizontal panes, to the maximum size allowed.
spacebar Set the position of the resize handle and return the focus to the last control that had focus.
Esc Reset the position of the resize handle to the original position and return the focus to the last control that had focus.

3.6. Navigating Applications

An application is any program, utility, or other software package that you run on your desktop. Applications comprise the following standard user interface components:

Windows

A window is a rectangular frame on your screen that displays an application. See Section 3.5 ― Navigating Windows for information about how to navigate windows.

Dialogs

A dialog is a popup window in which you enter information or commands. See Section 3.6.2 ― Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigating Dialogs for information about how to navigate dialogs.

Controls