The Workplace Shell constitutes the interface with which users interact with the operating system. It represents items that users most frequently manipulate as familiar objects on a Desktop. As a user interface, the Workplace Shell conforms to many of the guidelines described by the Common User Access* (CUA*).

In addition to being an interface through which a user can organize and work with the operating system, the Workplace Shell provides its programming interface to you. This means that applications can blend into the operating system's user interaction model, allowing users to work with new applications in the same manner as the operating system itself.

By exploiting the Workplace Shell's application programming interface, you can also reuse and build on much of the functionality already implemented by the Workplace Shell. By using the Workplace Shell methods, an application can implement its interface so that it includes familiar Workplace Shell user interaction tools such as:

• Objects presented to the user on the Desktop

• Common mouse/keyboard interaction techniques

• Settings notebook to manipulate attributes of the application

• Dynamic context menus to present operational choices to user

• Object mobility via Drag and Drop operation

• Application view management with the OS/2 Window list.

In addition to the portion of the functions devoted to managing the presentation of the application's user interface, the Workplace Shell also provides functions (methods) to help coordinate the implementation of the application.