MIcrosoft Word 2004 for Mac OSX. Visual QuickStart Guide

Microsoft Word is a full-featured word processing application that you can use to create all kinds of text-based documentsletters, reports, form letters, mailing labels, envelopes, flyers, and even Web pages.

Word's interface combines common Mac OS screen elements with buttons, commands, and controls that are specific to Word. To use Word effectively, you must have at least a basic understanding of these elements.

This chapter introduces the Word workplace by illustrating and describing the following elements:

• The Word screen, including window elements.

• Menus, shortcut keys, toolbars, palettes, and dialogs.

• Views and document navigation techniques.

• Word's onscreen Help feature.

Tip

• If you've used previous versions of Word, browse through this chapter to learn about some of the interface elements that are new to this version of Word.

Key to the Word screen

1 Menu bar

The menu bar appears at the top of the screen and offers access to Word's commands.

2 Standard toolbar

The Standard toolbar offers buttons for basic Word commands. This toolbar is very similar in other Microsoft Office applications.

3 Title bar

The title bar displays the document's title. You can drag the title bar to move the window.

4 Formatting Palette

The Formatting Palette offers buttons and other controls for applying formatting to document contents.

5 Close button

The close button offers one way to close the window.

6 Minimize button

The minimize button enables you to collapse the window into the Dock. To display the window again, click its icon in the Dock.

7 Zoom button

The zoom button enables you to toggle the window's size from full size to a custom size that you create with the resize control.

8 Ruler

Word's ruler enables you to set paragraph formatting options such as tabs and indents.

9 Insertion point

The blinking insertion point indicates where text will appear when typed or inserted with the Paste command.

10 End-of-document marker

The end-of-document marker indicates the end of the document. It only appears in Normal and Outline views.

11 I-beam pointer

The I-beam pointer enables you to position the insertion point or select text. This pointer, which is controlled by the mouse, turns into various other pointers depending on its position and the Word view.

12 Document window

The document window is where you create, edit, and view Word documents.

13 View buttons

View buttons enable you to switch between various Word views.

14 Status bar

The status bar displays information about the document, such as the current page number and section and insertion point location.

15 Scroll bars

Scroll bars enable you to shift the window's contents to view different parts of the document.

16 Browse Object controls

These buttons enable you to navigate among various document elements.

17 Dock

The Dock, which is part of the Mac OS X interface, offers quick access to commonly used programs and minimized windows.

18 Resize control

The resize control enables you to resize the window to a custom size.

19 Finder Desktop

The Finder Desktop appears in the background as you work with Word. Clicking the Desktop switches you to the Finder.

Tips

• Figure 1 shows the Word screen in Normal view. Other elements that appear in other views are discussed later in this chapter and throughout this book. Word's views are covered later in this chapter.

  Figure 1. The Word screen displaying a document in Normal view.

• Standard Mac OS window elements are not discussed in detail in this book. For more information about how to use the close button, minimize button, zoom button, resize control, and scroll bars, consult the documentation that came with your computer or Mac OS help.