Gestures

Introduction to gestures for the Tablet PC.

Although keyboard shortcuts are suitable for users with keyboards, they are awkward to use on Tablet PC when a keyboard is not attached. Ensure that users can tap a menu command or toolbar button instead of a keyboard shortcut. Every function in an application should be available on the menu bar because this is good design for Microsoft® Windows®-based programs in general.

Make it easy for users to customize their toolbars and other on-screen regions. Tablet PCs are more personal than average personal computers. Allowing users one-tap access to the features that they use the most enables them to benefit the most from your application.

Meanwhile, advanced users want the control that keyboard shortcuts give them. The analogous action on a Tablet PC is a gesture. A gesture is a movement of the pen that is intended to command or control the computer. The most basic gesture is a simple tap. More advanced gestures allow for editing text, implementing menu commands, and gaining access to hardware features. For more information on gestures, see Gestures.