User's Guide To Parent-Teacher Hotline
Overview
This chapter introduces you to the different controls for the Parent Teacher Hotline application window. These controls affect the operation of the application and the adding, editing and printing of information as well as the appearance of the window. You use these controls to tell the application 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 Parent Teacher Hotline 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:
Terms
We use the following terms in this chapter:
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Announcement |
This tree object's basic purpose is to play an announcement or other speech when the caller reaches the Announcement. The Announcement object appears as a small yellow rectangle with an "A" on it. |
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Button |
A Button is anything that appears raised in relation to the surface of the Application Window. Buttons are typically square or rectangular. You "press" a button when you click on it with the mouse. |
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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. You may access another application through the Parent Teacher Hotline system tree. |
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Copy |
To 'Copy' is to make a duplicate of something. Within the Parent Teacher Hotline 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. |
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Cut |
To 'Cut' is to remove something from an area of the screen. You 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. |
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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. |
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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. An item or text is highlighted when it appears as light colored text on a dark background. |
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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. This Tree Object is a permanent object in the tree. |
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Mailboxes |
Mailboxes are specialized tree objects that play a greeting and store voice messages. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Application Window |
The 'Application Window' is the area that a particular application appears in and controls. |
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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). A Prompt appears as a small green folder. |
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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. |
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Short-Cut Key |
A 'Short-Cut Key' is a single key or key combination that selects or performs an operation without using the mouse. |
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System Greeting |
This tree object appears in the tree in the upper left corner of the Work area (it's that small blue piece of paper 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. |
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System Tree |
'Tree' or 'System Tree', refers to the structure of your Parent Teacher Hotline application as it appears in the System Editor. As a tree has branches, so does the structure of your Parent Teacher Hotline application. |
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Teacher Mailbox |
This is a Mailbox in which the teacher can leave a greeting and receive messages. The greeting can include such things as homework assignments or dates of upcoming tests. The message storage function is like an answering machine. |
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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 four types of tree objects you can use to make your system: Prompts, Announcements, Mailboxes, and Control Points. You use these four objects to design your entire Parent Teacher Hotline system. |
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Work area |
This portion of the application window displays the existing tree structure for your Parent Teacher Hotline system. |
The Window controls in the Parent Teacher Hotline application are common to all Windows applications.
You use these controls to change the size and location of the application window. You may find a complete discussion of these controls in the Getting Comfortable With Windows Section of your CBSI Red Book. That section of the CBSI Red Book contains a lot of important information that you'll find invaluable when working with Windows. If you are not familiar with these terms or their usage, you may wish to do some reviewing before going on.
This section discusses the menu items in Parent Teacher Hotline, and the various ways they control your application. It may sound confusing now, but it isn't, really. Once you actually sit down to use your application, 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 Applications, the arrangement of and Menu Headings found on those Menu Bars differs from application to application. Figure 4 shows the Menu Bar for the Parent Teacher Hotline application:
Figure 4 - 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:
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You can activate Pull-down menus by holding down the a 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. |
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Clicking on a Menu Heading displays its pull-down menu. 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:
Figure 5 - The File Menu
Tree
This option allows you to view the system tree in the work area of the application window. While viewing the System tree, you may build, edit, or modify the tree.
This option allows you to print two different reports. One report is a copy of the current system tree. Another is printout of all detailed information on all tree objects.
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 Red Book 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 Parent Teacher Hotline 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
This menu provides you with options for modifing and manipulating your system tree. The options provided in the Edit menu are shown in Figure 6:
Figure 6 - The Edit Pull-Down Menu
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The "Paste Buffer" function in the application acts as a temporary storage area for text or speeches. This is where the computer stores all the text you "Cut" or "Copy" until you "Cut" or "Copy" something else. |
Undo This command allows you to reverse the last action you performed. This comes in handy if you accidentally cut, move, paste, or prune the wrong object or objects. The Undo function allows you to 'repent', or back up one step. Cut This command 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. |
Copy
This command'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.
Paste
This option takes something that you've cut or copied to the Paste Buffer and inserts it at your cursor's current position, if allowed.
Prune
This option allows you to delete the selected object or objects from the system tree.
Insert Menu
This menu allows you to insert any one of four tree objects into your system tree. The options provided in the Insert menu are shown in Figure 7:
Figure 7 - The Insert Pull-Down Menu
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.
Mailbox
This option allows you to place a Mailbox into the system tree. The system inserts the Mailbox off 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 two permanent tree objects, so that you may configure them. The options provided in the System menu are shown in Figure 8:
Figure 8 - The System menu
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 Parent Teacher Hotline application. These options allow you to manage all of the Advertisements in the application. The options provided by the Advertisements menu are shown in Figure 9:
Figure 9 - The Advertisements menu
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 options provided by the View menu are shown in Figure 10::
Figure 10 - The View menu
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 Parent Teacher Hotline Application. On-Line means that it's accessible from anywhere in the application, unless you're already inside Help itself. The Help feature is similar to this manual. You could call it a application-accessible User's Guide. The options provided by the Help menu are shown in Figure11:
Figure 11 - 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.
About
This option tells you about the application. In other words, it allows you to see the Credits of the application.
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 12 shows how they display on the screen:
Figure 12 - The Tree Object Tools
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.
Mailbox Tool (Mailbox) - This tool allows you to add a Mailbox 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 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 13.
Figure 13 - The Tool Button Ribbon
The Cut Button
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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
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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
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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
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This button allows you to delete the selected object or objects from the system tree. |
The Help Button
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This button activates the On-line Help function. |
The Full/Standard Expansion Button
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This button allows you to switch between the Full Expansion and the Standard Expansion tree viewing features. |
The Summary/Detail Button
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This button allows you to switch between the Summary Information and the Detailed Information tree viewing features. |
Parent Teacher Hotline 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.
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Arrows |
Movement - These arrow 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. |
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Home - End |
Home and End - The Home key moves you to the beginning of the tree, and the End key moves you to the end of the tree. |
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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. |
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Insert |
Insert Tree Object - This key allows you to insert a tree object at the current highlight bar position. |
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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. |
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Spacebar |
Shrink/Grow Tree - This key function allows you to shrink or grow 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 (grow), simply press the Spacebar again. |
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Enter |
Access Tree Object - This key allows you to access the configuration controls for the currently highlighted tree object. |
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 14 appears in the Status Line:
The Menu Bar contains seven options -- File, Edit, Insert, System, Advertisements, View and Help. When clicked, each option displays a pull-down menu which allows you to work with your application.
