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This page is intended as a quick guide to the RISC OS GUI, listing some of the more obvious differences compared to the Windows and/or macOS GUIs.
RISC OS assigns names (Select, Adjust, Menu) to the mouse buttons.
Button | RISC OS | |
---|---|---|
Left | Choose item / Perform action | SELECT: Choose item / Perform action |
Right | Display context-sensitive menu | ADJUST : Alter selection / Perform alternative action (depending on application). Examples include:
|
Middle (Scroll wheel) | (Not used as a button) | MENU: Display context-sensitive menu |
Action | RISC OS | |
---|---|---|
Close window | Windows: "x" icon at top right. macOS: red dot at top left. |
"x" icon at top left. |
Maximise window | Windows: "square" icon at top right. macOS: green dot at top left. |
"Square" icon at top right. Note that the window may only expand to display all available content – it will not necessarily fill the screen. |
Minimise (Iconise) window | Windows: "-" icon at top right. macOS: yellow dot at top left. |
"-" icon at top right. By default, the window is iconised to the desktop background, not to the bottom of the screen. |
Bring window to front of stack | Click anywhere in the window. | Click on the title bar. Note that clicking elsewhere in the window does not work. |
Send window to back of stack | (n/a) | Click on the "stack of squares" icon at top left. |
Resize window | Drag any edge or corner of window. | Drag icon at bottom right of window. |
Reposition window without resizing | Drag window title. | Drag title bar of window. |
Reposition window without changing its position in the stack | (n/a) | ADJUST-drag title bar of window. |
Scroll window contents (method 1) | Drag scroll bar to scroll in the intended direction. | Either: SELECT-drag scroll bar to scroll in the intended direction, Or: ADJUST-Drag scroll bar to scroll both horizontally and vertically at the same time. |
Scroll window contents (method 2) | Click above/below a vertical scroll bar (or left/right of a horizontal scroll bar) to scroll one screenful in the intended direction. | Either: SELECT-click above/below a vertical scroll bar (or left/right of a horizontal scroll bar) to scroll one screenful in the intended direction, Or: ADJUST-click to scroll one screenful in the opposite direction. |
Many of these operations can be performed from the menus in the usual way.
Action | RISC OS | |
---|---|---|
Copy a file | Windows: Ctrl-drag the file to its destination. macOS: Option-drag the file to its destination. |
Drag the file to its destination. |
Move a file | Shift-drag the file to its destination. | Shift-drag the file to its destination. |
Select |
||
Windows: macOS: |
Or: ADJUST-drag a selection box over the additional files. |
|
Delete selected file(s) | Windows: Press “Delete” key. macOS: Press Command-Delete. |
Either: Press CTRL-K, Or: Click MENU and choose File > Delete or Selection > Delete as appropriate. |
Rename a file | Windows: Do a slow double-click (click, pause for 1 second, click again) then type the new filename. macOS: Press Return, then type the new filename. |
Alt-click on the filename, then alter the filename as desired. |
Open a file | Double-click on the file. | Either : Double-click on the file, |
Save a file | Use the application’s "Save" function to navigate to the desired place in the directory structure, then choose a file name and press Return. | Open a Filer window on the desired directory, then drag the file icon from the application’s Save as window to the Filer window. If you need to change the file name, do so before starting the drag. |
This is the RISC OS equivalent of the Windows taskbar or the macOS Dock. Like them it sits at the bottom of the screen, but behaves slightly differently:
For a more comprehensive list of RISC OS keyboard shortcuts, see Desktop interaction quick reference.
Other get-you-started guides include:
A step-by-step guide for the RISC OS beginner – Shows how to to open windows, start applications, and other simple tasks.
Desktop interaction quick reference – A list of keyboard shortcuts etc.
RISC OS Beginners FAQ