Splitter bars are used to split a window into several
window panes, each with its own content.
Using the mouse on the splitter bar, you can manipulate the size and location
of these window panes or you can close an adjacent window pane
completely.
To achive these operations, the splitter bar has serveral different regions:
There are two end regions that look like this ,
containing each a move button () and a close button ().
Between the two end regions is the main region of the the splitter bar
and in the center
of the main region is the turn button ()
Draging a splitter bar
This is the simplest and most common operation. You
can drag a horizontal splitter bar up or down and
a vertical splitter bar right or left.
To do so:
Move the mouse to the main region (including the turn button) of the
splitter bar.
Observe how the cursor will change to a left/right (or up/down) arrow.
Press the left mouse button,
drag the splitter bar to its new position, and
release the mouse button.
Turning the splitter bar
You can turn the splitter bar counter clock wise by 90 degree.
Doing this four times will bring the splitter bar back to its initial
position.
To do so:
Move the mouse to the turn button in the center of the main region.
Observe how the cursor will change to a left/right (or up/down) arrow.
Double click the left mouse button.
Moving a window pane
You can move a window pane to any position inside the window
using one of the move buttons in the end regions. The move button
is a small triangle pointing to one of the adjacent window panes;
using the move button will change the position of the
the window pane it points to.
To do so:
Move the mouse to the correct move button.
Observe how the cursor will change to a left/right/up/down arrow.
Press the left mouse button.
The adjacent window pane will disapear, and
instead a grey rectangle will be displayed.
Drag the rectangle to the desired position.
Note how the rectangle is always part of a window pane
or a group of window panes.
Drag the grey rectangle to the upper border of the
enclosing window pane to relocate the window in the top
part of the enclosing window pane.
Drag the grey rectangle to the lower border of the
enclosing window pane to relocate the window in the bottom
part of the enclosing window pane.
Drag the grey rectangle to the right border of the
enclosing window pane to relocate the window in the right
part of the enclosing window pane.
Drag the grey rectangle to the left border of the
enclosing window pane to relocate the window in the left
part of the enclosing window pane.
Two window panes or groups of window panes separated
by a splitter bar form a group of window panes. Grouping
window panes organizes the window panes as a binary tree.
If you drag the rectangle closer to the border,
the grey rectangle moves towards the root of this binary tree.
That is, the window pane will be relocated to the top, bottom,
left, or right of the entire window group. (This sounds complicated
but is quite intuitive to use. Just try it!)
Release the mouse button.
Closing one of the adjacent window panes
You can close either of the adjacent window panes by using
one of the close buttons. The move button next to the close button
points to the affected window pane.
To close an adjacent window pane:
Move the mouse to one of the close button in the end region.
Observe that the move button next to it points to an adjacent window pane.
Double click the left mouse button to close this adjacent window pane.
,
containing each a move button (
) and a close button (
).
Between the two end regions is the main region of the the splitter bar
and in the center
of the main region is the turn button (
)