Double-click

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A double-click is the act of pressing a computer mouse button twice quickly without moving the mouse. Double-clicking allows two different actions to be associated with the same mouse button. Often, single-clicking selects (or highlights) an object, while a double-click executes that object, but this is not universal.

[edit] On icons

By default on most computer systems, for a person to execute a certain software function, he or she will have to click on the left button in quick succession. An example of this can be a person clicking on an icon.

[edit] On text

In many text processing programs, such as web browsers or word processors, double-clicking on text selects an entire word. (In Unix operating systems, it will also copy that piece of text into a clipboard, as with all selected text. A person can retrieve the information from the clipboard later by pressing the middle mouse button.)

[edit] Difficulties

New mouse users often have difficulty with double-clicking due to a need for specific fine motor skills. They may have trouble clicking fast enough or keeping the mouse still while double-clicking.

Solutions to this may include:

Additionally, applications and operating systems will often not require the mouse to be completely still. Instead, they allow for a small amount of movement between the two clicks.

Another complication lies in the fact that some systems associate one action with a single click, another with a double click, and yet another with a two consecutive single clicks. Even advanced users sometimes fail to differentiate between these properly. An example is the most common way of renaming a file in Microsoft Windows. A single click highlights the file's icon and another single click (on the filename, not the icon) makes the name of the file editable. A user who tries to execute this action may inadvertently open the file (a double-click) by clicking too quickly, while a user who tries to open the file may find it being renamed by clicking too slowly. This may be avoided by Windows' users by using the menu (or F2/Enter) to initiate renaming and opening rather than multiple clicks. In GNOME, this problem is avoided entirely by simply not allowing file renaming by this method.

[edit] Speed and timing

The maximum delay required for two consecutive clicks to be interpreted as a double-click is not standardized. According to Microsoft's MSDN website, the default timing in Windows is 500ms (one half second). The double-click time is also used as a basis for other timed actions.

The double-click timing delay can usually be configured by the user. For example, adjusting double-click settings can be done by: