A slider or track bar is a graphical control element with which a user may set a value by moving an indicator.[1] In some cases the user may also click on a point on the slider to change the setting. It is different from a scrollbar in that it is not continuous but used to adjust a value without changing the format of the display or the other information on the screen.
Its most popular use is for viewing and jumping to a playback position in media player software.[citation needed]
Sliders are also combined with progress bars in the playback of streaming media over a network connection (e.g., YouTube videos) in order to show the content buffering position versus the playback position.[citation needed] This is done by superimposing a colored shaded area (progress bar) on top of the slider, indicating whether the user can "jump" forward or not.
Sliders are a general-purpose user input mechanism enabling users to specify a single input value from a well-defined range. They are widely used in all graphical user-interface systems.... Sliders are easy to use, intuitive, and provide a sensitive mechanism for specifying values. Sliders have a threshold bar positioned within a scale that the user manipulates with a mouse to select a value. Graphical input tools with similar function include dials, bars, pointers, gauges, and potentiometers.