Haramaya University Faculty of Business and Economics

CHAPTER – 6

WINDOWS AND PAINTBRUSH

INTRODUCTION
Operating System is a set of programs called the supervisor that manage the
basic operations of a computer. Without the operating system loaded into the computer,
all hardware and other software are useless.

When the computer is switched on the operating system is automatically loaded

into the main memory or RAM of the computer. This process of loading the operating
system into the RAM of the computer is called Booting the computer. Some examples of
commonly used operating systems are MS-WINDOWS, MS-DOS, UNIX, Linux, Novel
Netware, etc. Now let us briefly discuss about the important features available under the
Windows operating system.

6.1. WINDOWS
Microsoft Windows is an operating system, a special kind of program that
performs three major functions.
1. First of all, it controls the actual hardware of the computer (the display device,
the keyboard, the disk drives, the mouse, and so on).
2. Secondly, it enables other software programs such as word processing or
spreadsheet applications to run.
3. Finally, it determines how the user operates the computer and its program or
applications.

As an operating system, Windows and all other programs written to run under it
provide graphics (or pictures) called icons to carry out commands and run programs. For
this reason, Windows is referred to as Graphical User Interface or GUI. Devices like
Keyboard and Mouse are used to activate the icons. Microsoft Windows operating
system is available in different versions like

 Microsoft Windows 95
 Microsoft Windows 98
 Microsoft Windows NT
 Microsoft Windows 2000
 Microsoft Windows Xp

Starting up Computer with Windows

Windows Operating System is launched immediately when the computer is turned
on (by switching on the power supply of the CPU and monitor). Depending upon the
way the computer is set, the user name and the password has to be typed to log on. As
immediately the Windows is launched, the working environment, called the desktop gets
displayed on the screen.

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Windows Desktop
The on-screen work area on which several icons representing the Taskbar, Start
button, Recycle Bin and Mouse pointer appear.

Taskbar - the bar usually located at the bottom of the desktop, used for starting
programs, accessing various areas of Windows operating system and switching among
the programs.

Start button is the major component of the taskbar from which you can choose program
icons to launch applications, find files, enhanced help, logon/logoff, shutdown or restart.

Recycle Bin is a temporary storage area for files deleted from the hard disk.
The Recycle Bin provides a safety net while deleting files or folders. When any of
the file is deleted from the hard disk, Windows places it in the Recycle Bin and the
Recycle Bin icon changes from empty to full. Items deleted from a floppy disk or
network drive are permanently deleted and are not sent to the Recycle Bin. Items in the
Recycle Bin remain there until it is permanently deleted them from the computer
(Recycle Bin). These items still take up hard disk space and can be undeleted or restored
back to their original location. When it fills up, Windows automatically cleans out
enough space in the Recycle Bin to accommodate the most recently deleted files and
folders.

My Documents is a folder that provides you with a convenient place to store

documents, graphics, or other files you want to access quickly. When you save a file from
a program such as WordPad or Paint, the file is automatically saved in My Documents,
unless you choose a different folder. My Documents is your personal folder. It contains
two specialized personal folders, My Pictures and My Music.

My Computer shows the contents of the floppy disk, hard disk, CD-ROM drive, and
network drives. Through My Computer files and folders can be opened, control panel
can be accessed to modify the computer’s settings.

To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.

To see what's available on hard drive, under Hard Disk Drives, double click the drive you
want to see. -Or- To find a file or folder on a floppy disk, CD-ROM, or other media,
under Devices with Removable Storage, double-clicks the item you want to see.

Turn Off Computer

To turn off the computer, the first step is to shut down Windows. There is a
proper procedure to be followed to turn off the computer or it may cause serious problem
in the Windows operating system.
Click the Start Button and select the “Turn off Computer” option. The Turn off
process has to be confirmed when the computer displays the option again. Wait until the
computer power goes off and the monitor power light indication change to red.

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6.2. PAINTBRUSH
Paint is a drawing tool used to create simple or elaborate drawings and to make
basic edits to images. These drawings can be either black-and-white or color, and can be
saved as files. Drawings can be printed or used for desktop background or it can be
pasted into another document. Paint can also be used to view and edit scanned photos.
Paint contains Tool Box using which drawings can be created, and color box using which
appropriate colors can be applied to the drawings.

Steps to Start Paintbrush

Step 1: Click the start button.
Step 2: Select the item All Programs
Step 3: Select the item Accessories
Step 4: Click the item Paint.

To draw a straight line

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Line.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a line width.
Step 3: In the Drawing Canvas, Click the mouse and Drag the pointer to draw the line.

Notes
 You can draw a perfectly horizontal, vertical, or 45-degree diagonal line by
holding down SHIFT while dragging.
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used. To use the background
color, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.

To draw a freeform line

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Line.
Step 2: Drag the pointer to draw the line.

Note
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used. To use the background
color, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.

To draw a curved line

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Curve.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a line width.
Step 3: Draw a straight line in the Drawing Canvas by clicking and dragging the pointer.
Step 4: Click where you want one arc of the curve to be, and then drag the pointer to
adjust the curve. Repeat this step for a second arc. You can only create two curves
for each line.

Note
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used. To use the background
color, click and hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.

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To draw an ellipse or circle

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Ellipse.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
Step 3: In the Drawing Canvas Click the mouse and Drag the pointer to draw the ellipse
or circle.
Notes
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used to draw the line
surrounding the shape, and the background color is used to fill the shape. To use
the background color to draw the line surrounding the shape and the foreground
color to fill the shape, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.
 You can draw a circle by holding down SHIFT while you drag the pointer.
 The border width of the circle or ellipse is the same as the thickness selected for
the line tools. To change the border thickness, click the line or curve tool in the
toolbox, and then click the thickness you want in the box below the toolbox.

To draw a rectangle or square

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Rectangle to create a square-cornered shape, or click
Rounded Rectangle to create a round-cornered shape.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
Step 3: To draw a rectangle, drag the pointer diagonally in the direction you want.
Step 4: To draw a square, hold down SHIFT while dragging the pointer.
Notes
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used to draw the line
surrounding the shape, and the background color is used to fill the shape. To use
the background color to draw the line surrounding the shape and the foreground
color to fill the shape, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.
 The border width of the box is the same as the thickness selected for the line
tools. To change the border thickness, click the line or curve tool in the toolbox,
and then click the thickness you want in the box below the toolbox.
 To create a colored fill, click a fill style below the toolbox.

To draw a polygon
Step 1: In the toolbox, click Polygon.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a fill style.
Step 3: Drag the pointer to draw a straight line.
Step 4: Click once at each position where you want a new line segment to appear.
Step 5: Double-click when done.
Notes
 To use only 45-degree and 90-degree angles, hold down the SHIFT key while
dragging the pointer.
 When you drag the pointer, the foreground color is used. To use the background
color, hold down the right mouse button and drag the pointer.
 The border width of the polygon is the same as the thickness selected for the line
tools. To change the border thickness, click the line or curve tool in the toolbox,
and then click the thickness you want in the box below the toolbox.

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To type and format text

Text can be entered into an image only in Normal view. To display the normal view, on
the View menu, point to Zoom, and then click Normal size.
Step 1: In the toolbox, click Text.
Step 2: To create a text frame, drag the pointer diagonally to the size you want.
Step 3: On the text toolbar, click the font, size, and style you want for the text. If the text
toolbar is not displayed, on the View menu, click Text Toolbar. You can drag the
toolbar to any location in the window.
Step 4: Type your text. You can also paste text into a text box, but not graphics.

Notes
 You can enter text in a text box only once. When you click outside the box, the
text is converted to a graphic image and you cannot make it active again.
 To change the color of the text, click a color in the color box.
 To undo up to three changes, on the Edit menu, click Undo for each change.

To erase a small area

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Eraser.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click an eraser size.
Step 3: Right-click a color in the color box if the color you want to erase with is different
from the current background color.
Step 4: Drag the pointer over the area you want to erase.

Note
 The current background color is the eraser color. You can change the background
color by right-clicking another color in the color box.

To erase a large area

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Select Free-Form to select a freeform area.
Step 2: Select the area you want to erase.
Step 3: The eraser color is the same as the background color shown in the color box
below the toolbar. Right-click a color in the color box to change the background
color.
Step 4: On the Edit menu, click Clear Selection.

To erase an entire image

Step 1: If any part of the image is selected, click outside of the selected area.
Step 2: On the Image menu, click Clear Image.

Notes
 The current background color will be used to fill the cleared area.
 Choose a different background color by right-clicking a color in the color box.
The background color is used to fill the inside of enclosed shapes and the
background of text frames. It also appears when you use the eraser.

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To fill an area or object with color

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Fill With Color.
Step 2: Click or right-click a color in the color box if the color you want is different from
either the current foreground color or background color.
Step 3: Click or right-click the area or object you want to fill.

Notes
 If the shape you want to fill has any breaks in its border, the fill color spreads to
the rest of the drawing area. To find and close any openings, click the View menu,
pointing to Zoom, and then click Large Size or Custom.
 To fill with the foreground color, click the area; to fill with the background color,
right-click the area.

To paint with a brush

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Brush.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a brush shape.
Step 3: To paint, drag the pointer over the image.

Notes
 When you drag the pointer, the brush uses the foreground color. To use the
background color, click and hold down the right mouse button when you drag the
pointer.
 To undo up to three changes, on the Edit menu, click Undo for each change.

To create an airbrush effect

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Airbrush.
Step 2: Below the toolbox, click a spray size.
Step 3: To spray, drag the mouse pointer over the image.

Notes
 When you drag the pointer, the airbrush sprays with the foreground color. To use
the background color, click and hold down the right mouse button and drag the
pointer.
 To undo up to three changes, on the Edit menu, click Undo for each change.

To copy color from one area or object to another

Step 1: In the toolbox, click Pick Color.
Step 2: Click the area containing the color you want to copy.
Step 3: In the toolbox, click Fill With Color.
Step 4: Click the object or area where you want the new color.

Notes
 Copying a color using the eyedropper tool will change your foreground color.

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 If you copy a color with the eyedropper tool by right-clicking, you will change
your background color.

To use black and white instead of color

Step 1: On the Image menu, click Attributes.
Step 2: Under Colors, click Black and white.

Note
 If you change back to color, only new work will be in color.

Steps to Save a File

Step 1: In the main menu click the File option.
Step 2: In the File menu Select the Save option.
Step 3: In the save window enter the file name.
Step 4: Click the Save Button in the save window to save the file in My Pictures folder.

Steps to Exit Paintbrush

Step 1: In the main menu click the File option.
Step 2: Click Exit in the File menu.

Exercises:
1. Using MS-Paint draw the flag of Ethiopia applying suitable colors.
2. Using MS-Paint draw a house of your imagination with a garden in front of the
house, surrounded by a fence.
3. Using MS-Paint draw the map of Africa.
4. Using MS-Paint draw the picture of a Car.

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