3

CONTROLING THE PROGRAMS

3.1 Selecting Menu Options
3.2 Selecting Non Menu Options
3.3 Entering Information
3.4 Messages
3.4.1 Message Box
3.4.2 Print Message Box
3.4.3 Display Box
3.4.4 Error Message Box
3.5 Question Box
This section states how to select menu options using the keyboard and mouse, which function keys are accepted and their meaning, how to enter information into an edit box and deal with messages that appear during operation.

3.1
Selecting Menu Options

All program actions are performed by selecting menu options, these are grouped into related areas. Each area can be seen on the horizontal menu bar. Sub menus break these areas down further. All of these are selected with a mouse click or by the highlighted letter.

3.2
Selecting Non Menu Options

Some function requests are displayed on the bottom line of the screen and can be accessed with the use of the function keys. All the function keys and their actions are listed here.

F1 Search the help file for information about the currently highlighted item.
F2 Save/set current information.
F4 Quits a menu, edit box, question box or moves to EXIT group.
F5 Switch to the next match, dual matches only.
F7 Prints the current screen.
F8 Prints the information in a display box.
Shift-F1 Selects match 1 when during dual or triple match use.
Shift-F2 Selects match 2 when during dual or triple match use.
Shift-F8 Ejects the current printable page from the printer.

3.3
Entering Information

Whenever results need to be entered, a request needs to be confirmed or details need to be changed an edit box will be presented to the operator.

An edit box contains one or more edit fields. Fields are arranged as rows and columns. An edit field can be as small as one character or many rows and columns. The default entry mode is insert, type-over mode can be selected by pressing the Insert key. All edit fields are limited to the width seen on the screen. Whenever an edit box appears the suggested, default or previously entered text is filled, it is left to the operator to choose what is then entered. Any text typed in shifts any existing text to the right until it drops off the end and is lost.

Enter or Tab Advances the cursor to the next edit field.
Left click Saves entered information when in the last or only edit fields.
Shift-Tab Moves the cursor back one field.
Backspace Deletes the character to the left of the cursor.
Delete Deletes the character the cursor is on.
Insert Switches between insert and type-over edit modes.
Left arrow Moves the cursor one character to the left.
Right arrow Moves the cursor one character to the right.
Up arrow Moves the cursor up one field.
Down Moves the cursor down one field.
Home Moves the cursor to the most left position in the current edit field.
End Moves the cursor to the end of the text in the current edit field.
Page up Moves the cursor to the top left most edit field.
Page down Moves the cursor to the bottom right most edit field.
F2 or Left click Saves or accepts the entered information.
F4 or Right click Ignores any changes made in the edit field(s), closes the edit box.
Shift-F5 Activates club names and abbreviation list only when editing Club Names.
All other keys are treated as operator entered text and displayed at the current cursor position. Numeric information can be entered from the numeric keypad if the Number Lock is on.

Different fields expect different types of information, eg. a time, distance or text. If the wrong type of information is entered, eg. a time instead of a distance or height, this will be detected and allow an option to correct the information.

3.4
Messages

The operator is informed about what is happening through the use of message boxes. There are four types of messages, Message, Print Message, Display box and Error Message.

3.4.1
Message Box

Message titled boxes inform the operator that something has happened. A Message box will be shown for about 7 seconds, it is then removed. Messages can be removed more quickly by pressing any key or single clicking on the mouse right button. Where the result of a request or function can be seen elsewhere no message will appear, ie. changing the time.

E.G. Confirmation of 100M A-string result entry.


+------ MESSAGE ------+
¦ 100M A result saved ¦
+---------------------+
Confirmation that the a Senior Mens match file has been saved.


+------------ MESSAGE ------------+
¦                                 ¦
¦ Meeting file SM120004.PF1 saved ¦
¦                                 ¦
+---------------------------------+

3.4.2
Print Message Box

Print messages appear when the operator requests something to be printed, the exception being print-screen. Print messages are cleared on completion of a printing request or after 7 second a Message box if the print request has failed. Priority is given to any printout and as a consequence all automatic operations are suspended for the duration of a print.

E.G. Cleared at the end of a print. 

+---- PRINT MESSAGE ---+
¦                      ¦
¦ Printing in progress ¦
¦                      ¦
+----- Please wait ----+
Cleared after 7 seconds.


+--- PRINT MESSAGE ---+
¦                     ¦
¦ Printer not on-line ¦
¦                     ¦
+---------------------+
Where printing of individual pages or all pages of final results is requested the option to print a specific number of copies is available. This box contains the current count of the number of copies and is cleared when the last print completes. The option to abandon the print using the Quit key will end the print request at the end of the current copy being sent to the printer.

E.G. Typical display of a copy count. 

+---- PRINT MESSAGE -----+
¦                        ¦
¦ Printing copy 11 of 16 ¦
¦                        ¦
+- Please wait F4-Quit --+

3.4.3
Display Box

Display boxes appear when the operator wants to display a particular piece of information on screen. All the information will be displayed on screen if possible. If there is too much information to fit on screen then the display box will allow the operator to scroll up and down the box using the indicated keys.

E.G. Small display for the remaining events.


+-- REMAINING EVENTS --+
¦                      ¦
¦ Remaining Events: 3  ¦
¦ 4.20  Shot Putt      ¦
¦ 4.45  4x100M         ¦
¦ 5.00  4x400M         ¦
¦                      ¦
¦ In progress: 1       ¦
¦ Javelin Throw (4.00) ¦
¦                      ¦
+ F8-Print Box F4-Quit +
Large display when there is insufficient screen space. 

+------------ REMAINING EVENTS -------------+
¦                                           ¦
¦ Remaining Events:5                        ¦
¦ 3.20  100M                                ¦
¦ 3.45  800M                                ¦
¦ 4.20  Shot Putt                           ¦
¦ 4.45  4x100M                              ¦
¦ 5.00  4x400M                              ¦
¦                                           ¦
¦ In progress: 14                           ¦
¦ Javelin Throw (4.00)                      ¦
¦ 200M          (4.05)                      ¦
¦ Discus Throw  (2.20)                      ¦
¦ 1500M         (3.20)                      ¦
¦                                           ¦
+/pgdn-Down /pgup-Up F8-Print box F4-Quit +
Display boxes allow the operator to print the information using the F8 key. All display boxes can be cleared by the operator by pressing the F4 key or by single clicking on the mouse right button. Alternatively, display box is automatically cleared after about 2 minutes.

3.4.4
Error Message Box

Error messages should not normally occur and will only be displayed if a disk file error has been detected. This message can indicate a critical point in match operation if the current match file(s) has been corrupted.

Action external to the program, in Windows/DOS, will probably be required. The operator may be advised of about how to continue. Error Messages can be printed if desired and must be cleared by the operator pressing the F4 key or single right clicking.

Should any other type of error occur which prevents the program operation, a note should be made of any resulting message and appropriate documentation consulted.

E.G. SM has detected a disk file error.


+-------------- ERROR MESSAGE --------------+
¦                                           ¦
¦ File error 101, C:\MEET\1996\SM120004.PF1 ¦
¦                                           ¦
+---------- F8-Print Box F4-Quit -----------+
See: Appendix D3, D4

3.5
Question Box

A Question box will appear at certain points during normal operation to allow for entry of a track wind readings or when certain entered information is not correct. The suggested answer is displayed, if no answer appears the operator must make the decision.

In all cases the box should be answered with "Y" or "y" for YES, any other is taken as a NO. A non-yes answer will not update/save information or perform the function which the question relates to.

E.G. The wrong type of information has been entered, a question is asked.


+--------------- QUESTION ---------------+
¦                                        ¦
¦ Do you want to correct this problem? Y ¦
¦                                        ¦
+-------------- Y-Yes N-No --------------+