Context menus are small menus that appear when a user right-clicks on a computer screen or in an application. They change based on context and offer appropriate tools or options for the user’s current situation. The number of options is limited to 10 or fewer, and large menus with many options are usually avoided. Context menus should not have unique commands, and some users may prefer to use commands from the toolbar.
Context menus are small menus that appear on your computer screen, desktop, or in an application, usually in response to a user right-clicking an area. It’s called a context menu because the menu changes based on context, such as whether a folder is open or a word is highlighted in an application. Some programs offer large context menus, but this is usually avoided because large menus are tedious to use and make it difficult to find a function that serves the user’s current situation. Context menus sometimes offer extra sections but, generally, there is only one menu section.
A context menu is opened by user input, usually a right-click, but middle-clicks or holding down the mouse button are also common. These menus show tools or options that are appropriate for the user’s current situation. For example, if the user has an icon in a highlighted folder, there may be options to send the icon to the trash or create a duplicate of the icon. If a word in a word processing program is highlighted, there will usually be options to copy and paste the word.
The number of options contained in a context menu is typically limited to 10 or fewer commands related to the user’s current state. By having a smaller menu, it is easier for the user to browse the commands. It also makes it easier to see options, because the user doesn’t have to go through a much wider variety of options that might not be relevant at the time. Most menus also don’t include, or have only one or two, right menus, the menus that appear when the user highlights a section with a right arrow.
Other context menus are large and include almost every available option a program offers. These menus can also have several right-hand menus. This type of context menu is usually the same no matter the context, and displays a much wider variety of commands. This menu is useful if the user memorizes the menu and knows where each command is, but it can be awkward to use initially.
Context menus, by programming standards, should not have commands unique to the context menu. Some users don’t like to use context menus or may want to use commands from the toolbar. This also hides commands that a user may never find, making an application useless or less valuable.
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