Dell Latitude 5420 Rugged Service Manual

Pen Usage

Your computer uses several input devices. The standard external USB keyboard and mouse are present, plus you can opt for the electrostatic pen/stylus or use your finger as an input device.

Using the Pen as a 'Mouse'

You can use the pen the same way you use a mouse or touch pad with a laptop computer. Holding the pen near the display makes a small cursor appear. Moving the pen moves the cursor. The following table describes how to use the pen.

Table 1. Pen functions Pen functions
Action	Function
Gently tap the pen tip on the screen	Same as a single-click on a mouse.
Gently tap the pen tip twice in quick succession on the screen.	Same as a double-click on a mouse.
Touch the pen on the screen and hold it in place momentarily until Windows draws a complete circle around the cursor.	Same as a right-click on a mouse.

Using the Pen as a Pen

The handwriting recognition software makes it easy to enter text into your applications with the pen. Some applications, such as Windows Journal, allow you to write with the pen directly into the application window.

Tablet PC Input Panel

When an application does not directly support pen input, you can use the Tablet PC Input Panel to enter text into your application. If you tap in an editable area, the Tablet PC Input Panel icon appears. Tapping the icon makes the Input Panel slide out from the edge of the display.

Picture displaying the pen tip of the PC input panel.

You can move the Input Panel tab by dragging it up or down along the edge of the screen. Then, when you tap it, the Input Panel opens at the same horizontal location on the screen that the tab appears. Picture displaying the Input Panel.