Synonyms: Application window

See also: Title bar , status bar , modal dialog

A window contains all the currently visible elements of the application (see DIN EN ISO 9241-161: 8.51). A window can contain the following elements:

  • Title
  • Working area (with menu if necessary),
  • Status bar.

Note: All the requirements concerning the window refer to desktop applications only. For Web applications, the browser is the window. The Web application itself does not contain any windows.

Examples:

Figure 17: Window with title bar, working area and status bar

Presentation

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Only those requirements that are directly related to the window are described below. Requirements of elements within the window are described at the respective element.

No.PropertyDescriptionClassificationReference
323ResizingAll elements of the window must be perceptible and operable with a font size adjustment of up to 400% (and a resulting display width of 320 px),
  • in the sense that they wrap (i.e. they are shown in several successive rows), or
  • in the sense that the elements that cannot be displayed in a row can be called up using a menu button, or
  • in the sense that they can be scrolled.
MustEN 301 549: 9.1.4.10, 11.1.4.10

Operation

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No.PropertyDescriptionClassificationReference
324Use of the keyboardIt must be possible to access, operate and exit the window with the keyboard (see Use of the keyboard table, below).

Note: This applies to both the control elements in the window and to the window itself (e.g. scaling and moving the window).

MustEN 301 549: 9.2.1.1, 11.2.1.1, 9.2.1.2, 11.2.1.2

Use of the keyboard: window

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ActionKeyClassification
Focusing of the window (first or last focused element)ALT+TABRequired
Exiting the windowALT+TABRequired
Navigating within the windowTABRequired
Opening the system menu (with the window close, move, and scale functions)ALT+SPACERequired
Closing the application windowALT+F4Required
Resizing of the window (Minimized → Normal size → Full screen (if available))WIN+UP ARROWRequired
Minimizing the window (Full screen (if available) → Normal size → Minimized)WIN+DOWN ARROWRequired
Quick navigation between the page areasF6Recommended

Use of the pointing device: window

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ActionKeyClassification
Focusing of the windowClicking in the windowRequired
Exiting the windowClick outside the windowRequired
Scaling of the window (if possible)Drag and drop on window borderRequired
Enabling the buttons in the titleLeft clickRequired
Moving the application windowDrag and drop on the title bar Note: If the application is in full screen mode, it automatically switches to normal sizeRequired
Switching between normal size and full screen (if available)Double click on the title barRequired

Programming/interfaces

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No.PropertyDescriptionClassificationReference
325The window must have a concise and expressive Accessible Name.MustMustEN 301 549:
9.2.4.6, 11.2.4.6, 9.4.1.2, 11.4.1.2, 11.5.2.5

Information about this article

Date:
15.01.2024
License:
CC-BY-SA 4.0
Version:
1.0

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