Some Clicking tips

Some Clicking tips
Mac Tip#43/20-Feb-2002

Under any version of the Mac OS there are certain ways of using the computer which are really fundamental, but which some people have trouble with. Clicking is an activity long-time users take for granted but some newer users don’t entirely understand.

When you click the mouse you press the button down and without delaying release it again. This action lets the computer know what object to act on.

It pays to watch what happens when you click. Suppose you point to a menu, such as the File menu. If you’re using any Mac Operating System then you press the mouse button down and keep holding it. When you do this the menu items appear in a list. You can then move the mouse down to highlight the item you want (such as Open) and then it’s only when you let go of the mouse button that the command takes effect.

This means that if you realise you’ve pointed to the wrong item you can simply slide away to neutral territory before you let the mouse button up again.

If you click on a folder or file then it will be highlighted, to show that it’s selected. To unselect it just click somewhere else.

With newer Operating Systems you can still use this point, press and hold method, but you can also just point to a menu item and click (press and release). Under newer versions of the OS the menu list will appear but you can take your hand away from the mouse while you decide what you’re doing. Don’t take too long though, as after a few seconds the menu will disappear again.

To choose a menu item you must move the mouse down over it and then actually click (press and release).