<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      type="topic" style="question"
      id="keyboard-key-menu">

  <info>
    <link type="guide" xref="keyboard" group="a11y"/>
    <link type="seealso" xref="shell-keyboard-shortcuts"/>
    <link type="seealso" xref="a11y#mobility" group="keyboard"/>

    <revision pkgversion="3.7.91" version="0.2" date="2013-03-16" status="new"/>

    <credit type="author">
      <name>Juanjo Marin</name>
      <email>juanj.marin@juntadeandalucia.es</email>
    </credit>
    <credit type="editor">
      <name>Ekaterina Gerasimova</name>
      <email>kittykat3756@gmail.com</email>
    </credit>

    <desc>The <key>Menu</key> key launches a context menu with the keyboard
    rather than with a right-click.</desc>

    <license><p>Creative Commons Share Alike 3.0</p></license>
  </info>

  <title>What is the <key>Menu</key> key?</title>

  <p>The <key>Menu</key> key, also known as the <em>Application</em> key, is a
  key found on some Windows-oriented keyboards. This key is usually on the
  bottom-right of the keyboard, next to the <key>Ctrl</key> key, but it can be
  placed in a different location by keyboard manufacturers. Its is usually
  depicted as a cursor hovering above a menu:
  <media type="image" mime="image/svg" src="figures/keyboard-key-menu.svg">
  <key>Menu</key> key icon</media>.</p>

  <comment>
    <cite>Juanjo Marin</cite>
    <p>Clipart under public domain downloaded from
    http://www.clker.com/clipart-15445.html</p>
  </comment>

  <p>The primary function of this key is to launch a context menu with the
  keyboard rather than by clicking the right mouse button: this is useful if
  mouse or a similar device is not available, or when the right mouse button is
  not present.</p>

  <p>The <key>Menu</key> key is sometimes omitted in the interest of space,
  particularly on portable and laptop keyboards. In this case, some keyboards
  include a <key>Menu</key> function key that can be activated in combination
  with the Function (<key>Fn</key>) key.</p>

  <p>The <em>context menu</em> is a menu that pops up when you right-click. The
  menu that you see, if any, is dependent on the context and function of the
  area that you right-clicked. When you use the <key>Menu</key> key, the
  context menu is shown for the area of the screen that your cursor is over at
  the point when the key is pressed.</p>

</page>
