context-sensitive menu

operating system A menu which appears in response to a

user action (typically a mouse click) and whose contents are

determined by which application window was clicked or has

the input focus.

Most GUIs use a secondary mouse button (right or middle) to

call up a context-sensitive menu as the primary mouse button

is normally used to interact with objects which are already

visible.

The context-sensitive menu often contains functions that are

also available in a menu bar but the context-sensitive menu

provides quick access to a subset of functions that are

particularly relevant to the window area clicked on.

The RISC OS WIMP uses only context-sensitive menus (always

invoked using the middle mouse button). This saves screen

space and reduces mouse movement compared to a menu bar.

(1999-09-22)