Editing Toolbar

{{Short description|Element of computer graphical interfaces}}
[[File:Application toolbar.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Toolbar from the text editor [[gedit]]. From left to right, the icons are for creating a new file; opening an existing file; saving a file (a [[Floppy_disk#Legacy|floppy disk icon]]); printing the current file; [[undo|undoing and redoing]] edits (grayed out since no edits have been made); [[cut, copy, and paste]]; search; search and replace.]]
[[File:Barre d'outils flottante.PNG|thumb|[[OpenOffice.org]] allows its toolbars to be detached and moved between windows and other toolbars.]]
The '''toolbar''', also called a '''bar''' or '''standard toolbar''' (originally known as '''ribbon'''),<ref>The 1996 Oxford Dictionary of Computing describes the term "ribbon" in user interface design as "...a horizontal row of control icons that can often be redefined to suit the user's requirements."- what is currently more commonly referred to as "toolbar". {{cite book |title=Oxford Dictionary of Computing |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1996 |isbn=978-0192800466 |editor=Illingworth |editor-first=Valerie |edition=4th |language=en |lccn=98114667 |oclc=44963186}}</ref><ref name="Innovation1988">{{cite book|title=ESPRIT '88: putting the technology to use : proceedings of the 5th Annual ESPRIT Conference, Brussels, November 14-17, 1988, Part 2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-AAgAQAAIAAJ|access-date=28 May 2013|year=1988|publisher=North-Holland|isbn=978-0-444-87145-9|quote=[...] a ribbon that contains labeled icons (64×64 bit maps) representing tasks and tools that has been instantiated by the user. Each tasktool is represented by a different icon.}}</ref> is a graphical control element on which on-screen icons can be used. A toolbar often allows for quick access to functions that are commonly used in the program. Some examples of functions a toolbar might have are open file, save, and change font. Toolbars are usually distinguished from [[Palette window|palettes]] by their integration into the edges of the screen or of other windows. This can result in wasted space if multiple underpopulated bars are stacked atop each other or interface inefficiency if overloaded bars are placed on small windows.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is a Toolbar?|url=https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/t/toolbar.htm|access-date=2021-09-21|website=Computer Hope |language=en}}</ref>

== Variants ==
There are several user interface elements derived from toolbars:
* '''An [[address bar]]''', '''location bar''' or '''URL bar''' is a toolbar that mainly consists of a text box. It typically accepts [[URL]]s or file system addresses. They are found in web browsers and [[file manager]]s.
* '''A [[Breadcrumb (navigation)|breadcrumb]]''' or '''breadcrumb trail''' allows users to keep track of their locations within a program or a file system. They are toolbars whose contents dynamically change to indicate the navigation path.
* A [[Ribbon (computing)|'''ribbon''']] was originally used to refer to a toolbar, but it now means a complex user interface which consists of multiple toolbars chosen between through [[Tab (GUI)|tabs]].
* '''A [[taskbar]]''' is a toolbar provided by an operating system to launch, monitor and manipulate software. [[Taskbar#Desktop toolbars|A taskbar may hold other sub-toolbars]].
A [[search box]] is not in itself a toolbar but one may appear within a toolbar, as is the case with the address bar.

Toolbars may appear in various software. Some [[web browsers]] allow the user to customize its toolbars' contents or location. [[Plug-in (computing)|Plug-ins]] can be used to add new toolbars to some programs.

Sometimes [[Trojan horse (computing)|trojan horse viruses]] will take the form of a toolbar.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Toolbars|url=https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threats/toolbars/|access-date=2021-09-22|website=Malwarebytes Labs|language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Browser toolbar]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Toolbars}}

{{Graphical control elements}}

[[Category:Graphical control elements]]
[[Category:Graphical user interface elements]]


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