Window System Basics
Like most computers nowadays, the ISS workstation provides a graphical window interface. In this case the particular window interface is based on the X Window System. Besides allowing graphical programs to run directly on the local machine, the X Window System also allows a program to run on a remote machine while displaying its windows on the local machine via a network. It is a very flexible foundation for window interfaces, so even though many systems use it they may all appear very different and the interaction may work very differently across them. This section only describes the window setup on the ISS workstation.
 | The rest of this section is taken almost verbatim from the ISS Technical Guide. Credit and thanks to Charlie Martin and Anne-Leslie Barrett. |
The ISS currently utilizes the "OpenLook Window Manager", which controls the decorations surrounding an X window and the behavior of activities such as iconifying, moving and resizing. Windows may be in one of two states: full size or iconified. A full size window may be iconified by clicking on the small inverted triangle found in the left side of the upper window border. The upper window border is called the title bar, since it also contains the title of the window. When a window is iconified, the window disappears and a small icon will appear in the upper left region of the screen, bearing the name of the iconified window name. To deiconify a window, simply double click on its corresponding icon; this will restore the window to the original size.
The OpenLook Window Manager also utilizes a few keyboard keys for convenience in opening, closing, and exposing windows. On the far left of the keyboard are two columns of function keys. The key labeled "Open" can be used to toggle the state of a window or icon. This key will open the window represented by the icon currently under the pointer. Similarly, this key will cause the window under the cursor to be iconified. The key labelled "Front" will cause the window (or icon) under the cursor to be brought to the front of the screen. If that window is already at the front of a stack of windows, it will cause the window to be sent to the back. This provides a very simple way to cycle through a stack of overlapping windows: repeatedly press the "Front" key until the desired window is fully exposed.
When a window is full size, it may be moved or resized with the mouse. To move a window, position the mouse cursor over the window titlebar and press the left mouse button. This will select the window and allow you to move it around the screen while the mouse button is held down. Icons can be moved in the same way. To resize a window, grab one of the four corners of the window border while pressing the left mouse button, and drag the window out (or in) to the desired size.
The window manager controls most of the windows on the screen, allowing the user to adjust their position and state. Other windows are not meant to be manipulated like normal windows. Sometimes these windows can be identified by the lack of a title bar at the top of window or even by the lack of any decoration at all, perhaps having only a border. For example, the Zebra display manager automatically places the plotting windows and its Iconbar depending upon the current display configuration chosen by the user. The Iconbar and Zebra graphics windows are described later.
Interaction with the various windows can be accomplished by typing commands from the keyboard or by selecting options from the windows' popup menus. To direct typing from the keyboard to a specific window, the mouse cursor must be positioned within that window. The window with the current focus receives the input from the keyboard, and the ISS window manager is setup to give the focus to the window under the mouse pointer.
To bring up popup menus associated with a window, press (and hold) the mouse over a button-sensitive area. Pressing different mouse buttons in the same area may bring up separate popup menus. (The Caps Lock must be OFF for the mouse button/popup menu mechanism to work correctly). Highlight the desired menu entry and release the mouse button to make a selection. Release the mouse button outside of the menu to cancel the menu without making a selection.
Many windows that popup in this way (LastData and DataInventory for example) have a titlebar, and thus may be iconified. They may also have a button somewhere in the window named Exit, Dismiss, or Zap. When you are done with these popup windows, it is suggested that you press the Exit or Zap button to get rid of the window, rather that iconify the window. If you need to see that window again, you then just again select the menu entry which starts.
Many windows that have text in them also have a scrollbar. By clicking and dragging the left mouse button on the scrollbar, it is possible to scroll back and forth to sections of text that have scrolled off the top or bottom of the text window. Horzontal scrollbars scroll left and right, while vertical scrollbars scroll up and down.