Basic Front Panel Skills

This section covers basic skills for using Front Panel controls and subpanels.

To Activate a Front Panel Control

Click or double-click the control.

Some controls do not have a click action--for example, the Clock control and the busy light.

To Open a Subpanel

Controls that have subpanels have an arrow button on top of the control.

Click the arrow button above the control.

To Close a Subpanel

The subpanel closes automatically when you choose a control unless you have moved the subpanel from its original location.

• Click the arrow control for the subpanel.

• Or, double-click the window button in the upper left corner of the subpanel

  

Front Panel Pop-Up Menus

Each control in the Front Panel has a pop-up menu. The menu is different for each control.

To Display a Front Panel Pop-Up Menu

1. Point to the control.

2. Press and hold down mouse button 3.

Contents of the Pop-Up Menus

The contents of the pop-up menu depend on the behavior of the control and its location.

Main Panel Controls

If the control starts an application, the first entry in the menu is a command that starts the application. Choosing the menu item has the same effect as clicking the control.

In addition, the pop-up menu may contain these items:

Add Subpanel--adds a subpanel to the control

Delete Subpanel--removes the subpanel and its contents

Help--displays On Item help for the control

Switch Area

The switch area is the portion of the workspace switch not occupied by other controls or workspace buttons.

The switch area pop-up menu contains these items:

Add Workspace--adds a workspace and creates a workspace button in the workspace switch

Help--displays help for the workspace switch

Workspace Buttons

Use the workspace buttons to change workspaces. Each button has its own menu.

The workspace button pop-up menu includes these items:

Add Workspace--adds a workspace to your list of workspaces

Delete--deletes the workspace

Rename--changes the button into a text field for editing the name

Help--displays help for the workspace switch

Subpanel Controls

The pop-up menus for subpanels include a command for making the control the current Main Panel control.

The pop-up menu for subpanel controls includes these items:

Copy to Main Panel--duplicates the control in the Main Panel, replacing the current Main Panel control

Delete--deletes the control from the subpanel

Help--displays On Item help for the control

Front Panel Help

You can get help on:

• Individual controls

• Using and configuring the Front Panel

To Get On Item Help on a Front Panel Control

Choose Help from the control's pop-up menu.

Or:

1. Display the Help subpanel.

2. Click the On Item Help control.

   The pointer changes shape.

3. Click the control on which you want help.

To Get Help on Using and Configuring the Front Panel

1. Display the Help subpanel.

2. Click the Front Panel Help control.

   This displays the Help Viewer and Front Panel help volume.

To Move the Front Panel or a Subpanel

Subpanels are moved like other windows--by dragging the title bar.

The Main Panel is moved using its move handles.

To Minimize the Front Panel

Minimizing the Front Panel turns it into an icon.

Click the Front Panel's minimize button.

The Front Panel window icon is labeled with the workspace name.