User's Guide to Community Bulletin Board

Chapter 3: The Program Window

• Introduction
  • Overview
  • Terms
• Window Controls in Community Bulletin Board
• Menus In Community Bulletin Board
  • The Menu Bar
  • Pull-Down Menus
  • File Menu
  • Edit Menu
  • Insert Menu
  • System Menu
  • Advertisements Menu
  • View Menu
  • Help Menu
• Tree Object Tools
• The Tool Button Ribbon
  • The Cut Button
  • The Copy Button
  • The Paste Button
  • The Prune Button
  • The Grow Tree Button
  • The Help Button
  • The Full/Standard Expansion Button
  • The Summary/Detail Button
• Special Key Functions
• The Status Line

Chapter 3: The Program Window

Introduction

Overview

This chapter introduces you to the different controls for the Community Bulletin Board program window. These controls affect the operation of the program and the adding, editing and printing of information as well as the appearance of the window. You use these controls to tell the program what you want to do. The application then responds with an appropriate action. This chapter explains the purpose of each control and then tells you how to use each one.

As you use the Community Bulletin Board application, using of these controls becomes second nature to you. You can then concentrate on working with the system structure. This chapter explains the following:

• Window Controls

• Menu Controls

• The Tree Object Tools

• The Tool Button Ribbon

• The Special Key Functions

• The Status Line

Terms

We use the following terms in this chapter:

Advertising Group	This is a group of Advertisements in the system. The Advertisements within a group play in rotation, so that each Ad in the group gets equal airing time. Ad groups may contain as few as one Advertisement, or as many as you wish.
Announcement	This tree object’s basic purpose is to play an announcement or other speech when the caller reaches the Announcement. You may also configure the Announcement to play the time, temperature, a series of numbers (such as lottery numbers), or Advertisements. The Announcement object appears as a small yellow rectangle with an "A" on it.
Button	A Button is anything that appears raised in relation to the surface of the Program Window. Buttons are typically square or rectangular. You "press" a button when you click on it with the mouse.
Control Point	A Control Point appears as a small pink rectangle with a "C" on it. Control Points allow you to perform special functions. Its primary function is to ‘chain’ to another CBSI Phone application. This means that you may access part of another application through the Community Bulletin Board system tree.
Copy	To ‘Copy’ is to make a duplicate of something. Within the Community Bulletin Board application, you would first select an object (or objects) to copy and then select the "Copy" option from a menu or with a Short Cut Key. The copied item then transfers to the Paste Buffer.
Cut	To ‘Cut’ is to remove something from an area of the screen. Within the Community Bulletin Board application, you would first select an object (or objects) to cut and then select the "Cut" option from a menu or with a Short Cut Key. The item disappears from its previous location, then transfers to the Paste Buffer.
Delete	To ‘Delete’ is to remove something and then discard it. Unlike the ‘Cut’ function, a copy is not placed on the Paste Buffer. Generally, a Delete is permanent.
Highlight	To ‘Highlight’ is to show that you intend to perform an operation on an item, perhaps a Cut or Copy. Highlighting is also called ‘selecting’ when you choose an item in a menu or an object in the tree. Within Windows, an item or text is highlighted when it appears as light colored text on a dark background.
Initial Prompt	This tree object appears as a small red folder, located directly under the System Greeting. Normally, you record instructions for callers using the system, onto this object, as well as a menu of options. You may also configure the Initial Prompt to play Advertisements. This Tree Object is a permanent object in the tree.
Paste	To ‘Paste’ is to move something from the Paste Buffer to the screen. Typically, you paste the item at the current cursor position or currently selected object.
Paste Buffer	The ‘Paste Buffer’ is a temporary storage area in your application. When you ‘Cut’, ‘Copy’ or ‘Paste’ something, the object or objects are stored in this area.
Program Window	The ‘Program Window’ is the area that a particular program appears in and controls.
Prompt	This tree object allows you to do a number of things, but its basic purpose is to prompt the caller for a response. A Prompt commonly acts as a menu for the object options under it (i.e. branches coming from this Prompt branch). You may also configure a Prompt to play Advertisements. A Prompt appears as a small green folder.
Prune	To ‘Prune’ is to delete or remove an item or section from the system tree. Unlike the ‘Cut’ function, a copy is not placed in the Paste Buffer. Generally, Pruning is permanent.
Short-Cut Key	A ‘Short-Cut Key’ is a single key or key combination that selects or performs an operation without using the mouse.
System Greeting	This tree object appears in the tree in the upper left corner of the Work area (it’s that small blue rectangle with an "S" on it). This is the first object in the tree that callers reach when they call into the system. The System Greeting usually contains a speech that welcomes the caller to the system. This is a permanent object in the tree.
System Tree	When we say ‘Tree’ or ‘System Tree’, we’re referring to the structure of your Community Bulletin Board application as it appears in the System Editor. As a tree has branches, so does the structure of your Community Bulletin Board application.
Tree Objects	These are the basic units that make up the structure of the system tree. They contain commands and speeches, and also controls that you use to control the workings of the tree. There are three types of tree objects you may use to make your system: Prompts, Announcements, and Control Points. You use these three objects to design your entire Community Bulletin Board system.
Work area	This portion of the application window displays the existing tree structure for your Community Bulletin Board system.

Window Controls in Community Bulletin Board

The Window controls in the Community Bulletin Board application are common to all Windows programs. They include the:

• Control Bar

• Title Bar

• Sizing Borders

• Minimize Button

• Maximize Button

Menus In Community Bulletin Board

This section discusses the menu items in Community Bulletin Board, and the various ways they control your program. It may sound confusing now, but it isn’t, really. Once you actually sit down to use your program, you’ll see that this section lays the groundwork for many of the operations you perform later.

The Menu Bar

Even though Menu Bars are common to all Windows Programs, the arrangement of and Menu Headings found on those Menu Bars differs from program to program. Figure 13 shows the menu bar for the Community Bulletin Board application:

Figure 13—The Menu Bar

A Menu Heading is the word in the Menu Bar that refers to the type of menu that displays when selected. The Menu Bar contains seven main Menu Headings:

You can activate Pull-down menus by holding down the Alt key and the key corresponding to the underlined letter (In this case: F , E, I, S, A, V, H) You can activate Items in the menus by pressing the key corresponding to the underlined letter of the word within the menu.

The "File" menu allows you to view or print the system tree, as well as exit. The "Edit" menu allows you to modify objects in the system tree. The "Insert" menu allows you to add tree objects to the system tree. The "System" menu allows you to modify the System Greeting and the Initial Prompt. The "Advertisements" menu allows you to modify or view Advertisements or Advertising Groups. The "View" menu allows you to choose how the system tree appears in the work area. The "Help" displays the Help Control Options. Clicking on a Menu Heading displays its pull-down menu.

Pull-Down Menus

Pull-Down menus are lists of options that appear when you click on one of the Menu Headings. These Pull-Down menus contain options that let you manipulate the application.

File Menu

This menu provides you with options that allow you to view or print the tree. From this menu, you can also commit changes to the system tree, or exit the System Editor. Options provided in the "File" menu are:

• "Tree"—This option allows you to view the system tree in the work area of the program window. While viewing the System tree, you may build, edit, or modify the tree.

• "Print"—This option allows you to print three different reports. One report is a copy of the current system tree. Another is printout of all detailed information on all tree objects. The last report is a complete log of all calls into the system.

• "Print Setup"—This option allows you to select the type of printer you wish to use when you print. This option allows you to use a printer other than your default printer. The default printer is either the one you selected during Windows Installation or the one we sent you with your computer (if you purchased your computer from us).

  You must make sure that you have the proper Printer Driver (a translator between your computer and your printer) installed. If you do not have the proper Driver (translator) installed, please refer to your "CBSI Redbook" to see what you have to do to install a new Printer Driver.

• "Commit Changes"—This option allows you to save any changes you’ve made to the system tree (in the current session). This means that the next time you enter the System Editor, you’ll see the tree you made in this session. If you do not commit the changes, no changes are made to the system tree.

• "Exit" This option closes the Community Bulletin Board application window. If you’ve made any changes to the system tree, an advisory message appears. This message asks you if you wish to commit any changes you made to the system tree.

Edit Menu

.	Using this menu, you can modify and manipulate the system tree.

Insert Menu

This menu allows you to insert a tree object into the tree. Selecting this Menu Heading displays a menu with these options:

• "Announcement"—This option allows you to place an Announcement into the system tree. The system inserts the Announcement off of the selected (highlighted) parent Prompt.

• "Prompt"—This option allows you to place a Prompt into the system tree. The system inserts the Prompt off of the selected (highlighted) parent Prompt.

• "Control Point"—This option allows you to place a Control Point into the system tree. The system inserts the Control Point off of the selected (highlighted) parent Prompt.

System Menu

This menu allows you to access the details of the two permanent tree objects, so that you may configure them. The options on this menu are:

• "Greeting"—This option allows you to access the System Greeting tree object. You may configure the System Greeting using the controls on the System Greeting box.

• "Initial Prompt"—This option allows you to access the Initial Prompt tree object. You may configure the Initial Prompt using the controls on the Initial Prompt box.

Advertisements Menu

This menu contains options pertaining to advertising in your Community Bulletin Board application. These options allow you to manage all of the Advertisements in the program.

• "Advertisements"—This option allows you to access the Advertisement List. This list allows you to add, modify, and delete Advertisements in your system.

• "Advertising Groups"—This option allows you to access the Advertising Group List. This list allows you to add, modify, and delete Advertisements from Advertising Groups in your system. This option also allows you to add, modify, and delete the Advertising Groups themselves.

View Menu

This menu allows you to choose how your system tree displays in the work area. The viewing options on this menu are:

• "Summary Information"—This option allows you to view the system tree, along with the summary information for each tree object. This information appears to the right of the objects. This is the default (normal) setting for viewing a system tree.

• "Detailed Information"—This option allows you to view the system tree, along with the detailed information for each tree object. This information appears to the right of the objects.

• "Standard Expansion"—This allows you to view the tree with the normal expansion. This is the default (normal) setting for viewing a system tree.

• "Full Expansion"—This allows you to view all of the objects in the system tree, including ‘Place Holders’. We’ll talk more about Place Holders in the section entitled "Advanced Functions and Features".

• "Grow Tree"—This option allows you to expand all parts of the tree that you’ve used the "Shrink Tree" feature on. For more on the "Shrink Tree" feature, see the section in this chapter entitled "Special Key Functions".

Help Menu

This menu provides access to the "On-Line Help" feature. The Help feature provides answers to questions that you might have about your Community Bulletin Board Application. "On-Line" means that it’s accessible from anywhere in the program, unless you’re already inside Help itself. The "Help" feature is similar to this manual. You could call it a program-accessible User’s Guide.

There are three different control options provided by the Help Pull-Down menu:

• "Contents" This option displays the Help chapter headings inside the Help window when selected. The Help window is the window in which the On-Line Help appears.

• "Search for Help on…" Selecting this option from the "Help" menu lets you look through the Help index (it’s like an index in a book) to find the topic you want Help with. You can enter a ‘Key Word’ (name of topic) into the dialog box or select an option from the option box. Once you make a selection or entry, the "Show Topics" button lights up. ‘Pressing’ (clicking on) the "Show Topics" button retrieves and displays a more specific list of topics. You can view a topic by ‘selecting’ it with your mouse (clicking on the topic) then ‘pressing’ the "Go To" button.

  The Key Word Search is a highly useful function if you know (or have a good idea of) what you’re looking for.

• "About" This option tells you about the program. In other words, it allows you to see the "Credits" of the program.

Tree Object Tools

The Tree Object Tools are those tools that allow you to add objects to the tree. To use these, you simply drag the desired object to the place in the tree where you want to add it.

The tree object tools appear just above the Tool Button Ribbon, and Figure 21 shows how they display on the screen:

Prompt Tool (Prompt)—This tool allows you to add a Prompt to the system tree in the work area.

Announcement Tool (Announ)—This tool allows you to add an Announcement to the system tree in the work area.

Control Point Tool (Ctrl Pt)—This tool allows you to add a Control Point to the system tree in the work area.

The Tool Button Ribbon

The Tool Button Ribbon contains buttons for some commonly used commands. Clicking any one of these buttons activates the associated command. Using these buttons saves you from having to activate the pull-down menus whenever you want to do certain things. The Tool Button Ribbon appears as shown in Figure 22:

The Cut Button

The Cut button allows you to remove an object or objects from the tree and place it (them) into the Paste Buffer. This makes it possible for you to "paste" (insert) the object or objects someplace else. You’ll find this useful if you decide to move a section of the tree to another location.

The Copy Button

The Copy button’s purpose in life is to place a duplicate of the selected object or objects in the Paste Buffer. This makes it possible for you to "paste" (insert) the object or objects someplace else in the tree.

The Paste Button

The Paste button takes something that you’ve cut or copied to the Paste Buffer and inserts it at your cursor’s current position.

The Prune Button

This button allows you to delete the selected object or objects from the system tree.

The Grow Tree Button

This button allows you to expand all parts of the tree that you’ve used the "Shrink Tree" feature on. For more on the "Shrink Tree" feature, see the section in this chapter entitled "Special Key Functions".

The Help Button

This button activates the On-line Help function.

The Full/Standard Expansion Button

This button allows you to switch between the "Full Expansion" and the "Standard Expansion" tree viewing features.

The Summary/Detail Button

This button allows you to switch between the "Summary Information" and the "Detailed Information" tree viewing features.

Special Key Functions

Community Bulletin Board allows you to perform certain functions and operations with the keyboard. These functions are called ‘special key functions’. These functions allow you to view, edit, and move around the system tree. The special key appears to the left, and a description of the function appears to the right.

Arrows	Movement—These keys allow you to move up and down the system tree one object at a time. The w key moves the highlight bar up, and the y key moves it down.
Home/End	Home and End—The g key moves you to the beginning of the tree, and the d key moves you to the end of the tree.
PgUp/PgDn	Move a Page at a Time—These keys allow you to move up or down through the system tree a screen at a time. This is especially useful when you are working with a large system tree.
Insert	Insert Tree Object—This key allows you to insert a tree object at the current highlight bar position.
Delete	Remove Tree Object—This key allows you to remove the currently highlighted tree object from the system tree. If this object has any children, they would also be deleted.
Spacebar	Shrink Tree—This key function allows you to shrink the size of your system tree for viewing purposes. Simply move the highlight bar to a Prompt. When you press the spacebar, the branches from that Prompt disappear. Keep in mind that they’re still there, you just don’t see them. This allows you to view more of the overall tree structure at once. To see the sections you collapsed, simply press Spacebar again.
Enter	Access Tree Object—This key allows you to access the configuration controls for the currently highlighted tree object.

The Status Line

The Status Line is a long, rectangular box that appears at the bottom of the application window. The Status Line displays a brief description of, or the type of information required by some items on the screen when the mouse pointer is over them. The information in the status line may also indicate what you need to do to complete a field or procedure, or what you need to do to select the option that the mouse pointer is over.

For example, when your mouse pointer is in the work area, the message displayed in Figure 23 appears in the Status Line:

Figure 23—The Status Line

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