Softdisk G-S was designed with strict attention to Apple's human interface guidelines to make its operation as friendly and recognizable as possible. If you know how to use programs in the desktop environment, you know how to use Softdisk G-S. If not, read on and we will shed some light on the subject. If some of the terms send you for a loop, not to worry, at the end of this article is a list of IIGS terms and definitions. If you are new to the IIGS please have a peek at the glossary of terms, you may find it useful.
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VIEWING TEXT
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As you read this, you have no choice but to notice that the text is in a bordered area separate from everything else, this area is called the Document Window. On the right edge of the window are an Up and Down arrow separated by a Gray Area that has a box in it. That box is called the Thumb and tells you the position of the document in the window. For Example, if the Thumb were at the extreme top, next to the Up Arrow, you would be viewing the top of the article. To page the text up or down simply move your Mouse Pointer (that floating arrow) into the Gray Area above or below the Thumb and click the Mouse Button. To move the text up or down by the line, move the Mouse Pointer into either the Up or the Down Arrow on the right edge of the text window and click the Mouse Button. The only other attribute of this window that needs an explanation is the Close Box in the upper left corner. Clicking the mouse button while the pointer is this area will close the text window and return you to Home Page.
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HOME PAGE
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The Home Page is where most of the contents of Softdisk G-S can be selected. Simply move the Mouse Pointer to the picture that represents the item of your choice and click the Mouse Button. If it is an article or feature, Softdisk will switch graphics mode to 640 (technical mumbo-jumbo) and display the article. If it is a program, clip art or a font a Dialog Box will appear asking if you want to read the documentation, run the program, view the clip art or font, or cancel this operation, click the Mouse Button in the area corresponding to your choice.
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THE MENUS
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The one thing about all IIGS desktop programs that is most recognizable is the menu system. Every well thought out program on the IIGS uses this type of menu structure (except for some arcade games where the whole screen is used), giving the user a knowledge of how to use a program without ever having seen it! For our purposes the menus are laid out as such:
Apple File Edit Softdisk Features
There are certain standards in motion when these menus appear, for example opening the Apple menu (moving the Mouse Pointer to the Apple, pressing and holding the Mouse Button down) will reveal About, and a list of active New Desk Accessories (NDA). If the programs has any help associated with it, it is usually found below the About entry and above the NDA list.
The File Menu is where you will usually find New, Open, Close, Save, Save As, Choose Printer, Page Setup, Print, and Quit. For Softdisk G-S you will find Dupe Files, the printer selections and Quit. Opening the Edit menu will reveal Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Clear, and Show Clipboard. This menu is provided in case a NDA supports the option of moving information into the clipboard for pasting into a document from another application. Since Softdisk doesn't support all these items they are Grayed Out, or unselectable because they have no use at this time. In addition the Softdisk and Features menus are available that will take you directly to any section of Softdisk G-S.
Next to most of the menu items you may have noticed an Apple symbol followed by a character, this is called the keyboard shortcut. There are many standard shortcuts, OA-C should always be Copy, OA-X should be Cut, OA-V should be Paste, OA-? help, and OA-Q quit to name a few. We say "should be" because the programmer has control over these and may change them to anything at all, no matter how wrong it is. It's best to scan the menus to be sure the standards have been followed, just in case. These shortcuts are provided as a quicker alternative to the menus and as time goes on you will find yourself using them more and more. Trust us, you will!
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COPYING FILES
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Selecting the File Copier function will launch Apple's Installer program with all the items available to be duped in the left-most box. To dupe a file, or set of files select the destination disk in the right-most box and click the INSTALL button. The only special requirements the Installer has is that the Softdisk G-S volume (disk) name be the same as it was when you first got it. If you copied Softdisk G-S onto your hard drive or changed the disk name Installer will no longer work.
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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
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Button: A selectible area on the screen used to pass information back to the computer.
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If a button has a boldly outlined frames it is the
default choice and "RETURN" can be used to select it.
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CDA: Classic Desk Accessory. Desk Accessories that are available at any time. A CDA list is available by pressing CONTROL-OA-ESC at the same time.
Close Box: Small box in the upper left-hand corner of a document window. Clicking the mouse button while the mouse pointer is in this box will close the window.
Desktop: In terms of your IIGS the desktop is a metaphor for the screen. That is to say the screen is like your desktop: the open document windows are like sheets of paper, the items in the menus are the actions you may take, and so on. In terms of software, when a program uses a menu bar, document windows, dialog boxes, etc. it is said to be a desktop application.
Dialog Box: The computer's way of requesting information or issuing a warning about a potentially dangerous situation.
Keyboard Shortcuts: Any character used with the OA key to speed the process of menu selections. The actual shortcut keys are listed next to their corresponding choices in the menus.
Menu Bar: The list of menu titles at the top of a desktop style application.
Mouse Button: The button on the mouse.
Mouse Pointer: The floating cursor (usually an arrow) used to point at items.
NDA: New Desk Accessory. Desk Accessories available only when is a 16 bit desktop application. A NDA list is available under the Apple Menu.
Thumb: The box in between the Up and Down Arrows on the right edge of a document window that denotes the position of the document in the window.
Up and Down Arrow Boxes: Found on the right edge of a document window and are used to move up or down by the line.
This is only a small subset of the terms used with your IIGS. For more information please consult your Owners, or System Software Manual.
