How to understand uses of the Menu Bar, Tool Bar, Keystrokes and Right-clicking

The TITLE BAR is the blue bar at the top of the screen. It shows the name of the program in which you are working and the name of the document (or file) which is currently in use. At the far right end of the menu bar, you will find buttons to minimize, restore or close a document.

The MENU BAR is the bar below the title bar. It has words. Clicking on the words on the menu bar reveals drop down menus with other options, or functions, which you may need to use as you create your document. In Office 2000, the drop down menus first appear with only the most commonly used functions. Pausing a second or clicking on the double down arrow at the bottom of the menu will reveal the full list of options in a menu's list.

The TOOLBARS are the bars that appear below the menu bar. Usually, as you are working on a document in Word, you will have the standard toolbar and the formatting toolbar showing. The buttons on the toolbars are simply quick and easy ways to access the same functions that are available in the Menu bar. If you are not sure what a button represents, simple rest your mouse arrow on the button, and a label of that button's function will appear.

The difference between the Menu bar and the Toolbars is largely a matter of convenience and choices. The toolbars are faster to access, but they offer only the simplest choice in a particular function. Using the menu bar to access a function gives you more finite choices. It really does not matter which one you use for the most common functions.

In addition to the Menu bar and Toolbars, you may learn to use KEYSTROKES to perform some functions. To learn the keystroke for a function, locate the function on the menu bar; the keystroke will be listed on the drop down menu. Most keystrokes require you to hit the Control button (lower left corner of the keyboard) and a character key simultaneously. If you find that you get the letter (rather than the desired function) in your document, you are not hitting both keys at the same time. If this causes you a problem, simply hold down the control key first, then hit the character key. You will get used to the double stroke with practice. If you make a mistake, use the UNDO button on the toolbar to correct it.

Left-click vs. Right Click

When you select a function, you do so by clicking the left mouse button on either a button or a function word in a menu. However, in Windows-based programs, you can also use the right mouse button. The right mouse button simply shows you a menu of functions you can perform at the location or context where you are in your document. These are the same menus that appear in the menu bar and include the functions available through both the menu bar and the toolbars. Moving around slightly in a document may cause different menus to appear with the right click.

While right-clicking may seem confusing to the novice, it will become a time-saver as you become accustomed to using the program.

Remember: right click to access a menu of functions, and left-click to select a function.