Glossary
Glossary
Active area:
The drawing area of the tablet where your Intuos4 tools are detected.
Application-specific settings:
Intuos4 tool and tablet settings that have been customized for individual applications. The Wacom Tablet control panel enables you to customize a tool to behave uniquely in different applications. Application-specific settings are in effect whenever you use the application.
Aspect:
The ratio between the vertical and horizontal dimension of the tablet or display.
Click force:
The amount of force you must apply to the pen tip for a click to occur.
Digital Ink:
A broad category that typically describes handwritten content which as been created using pen-based input on a computer. This handwritten content takes the form of sketches, ink mark-up, or handwriting. The handwriting can optionally be converted to typewritten text or simply left alone for use in its original format. Depending on your system and applications settings, the handwritten text you make with digital ink can be converted on-the-fly or at another time.
Display Toggle:
An Intuos4 feature that allows you to work with your tablet on all displays or on one display at a time. Available only on multiple monitor systems. See working with Display Toggle for more information.
Double-click assist:
A function of the Wacom Tablet control panel that makes it easier to double-click by setting the size of the double-click distance.
Double-click distance:
The maximum distance (in screen pixels) that the cursor can move between clicks and still be accepted as a double-click. Increasing the double-click distance makes double-clicking easier, but may cause a delay in brush strokes in some graphics applications.
Double-click speed:
The maximum time that can pass between clicks and still be accepted as a double-click.
Eraser-aware application:
A software application that has built-in support for the Intuos4 eraser. These applications take advantage of the eraser in different ways, depending on what makes sense for the application.
ExpressKeys:
The customizable control keys located on your professional pen tablet.
ExpressKeys Left:
A tablet ORIENTATION setting where the Touch Ring and ExpressKeys are oriented to the left of the tablet.
ExpressKeys Right:
A tablet ORIENTATION setting where the Touch Ring and ExpressKeys are oriented to the right of the tablet.
Fingerwheel:
The control wheel on the Intuos4 Mouse and optional Airbrush.
Journal:
A Microsoft Windows application that electronically simulates a physical journal pad, but with the advantages of digital note taking. For example, you can create quick sketches and jot handwritten notes that can be converted to text and sent on to colleagues for digital mark-up. Journal includes a variety of pen, marker, and highlighter tools, plus an eraser that is easily activated by the eraser of your Intuos4 pen. Additionally, your handwritten content is searchable within Journal.
Mapping:
The relationship between your Intuos4 tool position on the tablet and the cursor position on the monitor screen.
Modifier:
Modifier keys include SHIFT, ALT, and CTRL for Windows, or SHIFT, CONTROL, COMMAND, and OPTION for Macintosh. You can customize your Intuos4 tool to simulate a modifier key.
Mouse acceleration:
A setting that allows you to adjust the screen cursor acceleration when your Intuos4 tool is in MOUSE mode.
Mouse mode:
A method for positioning the screen cursor. When you place an Intuos4 tool on the tablet, you can move the screen cursor with a “pick up and slide” motion similar to using a traditional mouse. This is known as relative positioning, and is the default setting for the Intuos4 Mouse or Lens Cursor. See also pen mode.
Mouse speed:
A setting that allows you to adjust the speed at which your screen cursor moves when your Intuos4 tool is in MOUSE mode.
Nib: The replaceable pen tip.
Pen mode: A method of positioning the screen cursor. Wherever you place your Intuos4 tool on the tablet, the screen cursor will jump to the corresponding point on the screen. This is known as absolute positioning, and is the default setting for all Intuos4 pen tools. Also, PEN mode allows you to quickly position the screen cursor without having to first find it and then move it across the desktop. See also mouse mode.
Pixel:
The smallest unit of measure on your monitor screen.
Pressure sensitive:
A quality of the Intuos4 pen tip and eraser that senses the amount of pressure being applied. This is used to create natural-looking pen, brush, and eraser strokes in applications that are pressure sensitive.
Pressure-sensitive application:
Any application that supports pressure-sensitive input.
Proximity:
The height above the tablet’s active area where the Intuos4 tools are detected. See also pointing.
QuickPoint:
The QuickPoint options divide the tablet into two independent areas: a large area for drawing and a small area for quick navigation.
Radial Menu:
A hierarchical menu (in radial format). Each level of the menu consists of eight menu slices which may contain various features and options to choose from. You can customize the buttons of your Intuos4 tools or tablet to display this menu.
Screen cursor:
The pointer on the display screen. Screen cursors come in different shapes (such as an I-beam, arrow, or box), depending on which application you are running.
Tablet PC Input Panel (TIP):
The Microsoft Windows Vista Tablet PC Input Panel enables you to use your Intuos4 pen to create handwritten notes or work with an on-screen keyboard. The Input Panel dynamically converts your handwriting to text. Information you create can then be inserted into other documents, spreadsheets, or illustrations. See pen and digital ink capabilities in Windows Vista.
Tilt sensitive:
A quality of the Intuos4 pen tip and eraser that senses the amount of tilt between the tool and tablet. This is used to create natural-looking pen, brush, and eraser strokes in applications that are tilt-sensitive.
Tool ID:
A feature that makes each Intuos4 tool unique. If you are working with two identical pens, the tablet will recognize each one as a separate tool. This is particularly useful if you have customized each pen differently.
Touch Ring:
The customizable control ring located on your professional pen tablet.
USB (Universal Serial Bus):
A hardware interface standard for connecting computer peripheral devices. USB ports support hot-plugging, which allows you to connect or disconnect a USB device without turning off your computer.
Wintab:
An interface standard used by Windows applications for receiving tablet information. Intuos4 supports all Wintab-compatible applications under Windows.
Quick Links
- Wacom 2nd Generation Tip Sensor (PDF 1.6MB)
- Reasons to upgrades
- Intuos4 brochure (PDF 2.1MB)
- Intuos4 User's Manual (PDF 3.8MB)
- Intuos4 Artists
- Intuos4 Photo Gallery

