Press and drag -- moving stuff around

Computer Basics
for WIT 2001
The Main Page for Comp Basics

 

Press and drag -- moving stuff around

Now that you know how to click, the next step is to move around the icons you've learned to select. We call this tactic a "press-and-drag".

Activity 1-The press & drag

  1. On the desktop, the move the mouse so that the pointer is within the picture part of the Trash or Recycle Bin icon
  2. Press and continue to hold the mouse button
  3. While continuing to hold down the mouse button down, roll the mouse. The selected icon will move along with the pointer in outline or as a shaded icon.


  1. Roll the mouse so the pointer goes where you want the icon to go. Release the mouse button. The selected icon will move to where you released the mouse button


You can use this tactic to rearrange the icons on your desktop. You can arrange folders and files within hard drives, floppy disks, etc.

NOTE: There are a few instances where, if you drag an icon on the desktop, that icon won't stay where you leave it. It may seem to "jump" back to where it was or jump to a point near (but not exactly where) you drop it. Both Macintosh and Windows systems allow you to "lock" icons on the desktop into place or make them "jump" to an invisible grid. Your computer may have been set up this way without your knowing or you may have set this in place without realizing.

Activity 2-Examples of Press and Drag

Clicking on the below links generate a new browser window and take that window to some activities you can try that will allow you to try out your new Mouse skills.

To get back here, just close that new window. (If you're not familiar with closing a window, click on this link if you use a Macintosh and click on this link if you use a Windows PC to learn about manipulating windows and then come Back here.)

JigZone: Online Jigsaw Puzzles
http://www.jigzone.com/ms/z.php?p=jz/aw/Budgerigar&z=6_piece_classic&q=it
Drag pieces of a puzzle around to make the picture!

Mouse Practice
http://www.lawrencegoetz.com/programs/mousepractice/
NOTE: The exercise boxes didn't work in Communicator v4.73 for Mac but it worked in Internet Explorer v5.n for Mac....!

QuickTime VR of Red Square, Moscow, Russia (Requires your computer have
QuickTime)
http://www.netgate.co.uk/moscvr2.htm
(With this one, once the image loads, put the pointer inside the picture and press the mouse button and drag around the picture!)
 

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