Copyright: ©VEGA Group plc 1999
Citation: ©VEGA Group plc 1999


General Overview

1.	Structure of Tommy Walsh’s DIY Guide

2.	Toolbar

3.	Task Selection Level

4.	Instruction Level

5.	Glossary

On entry to the program, you find yourself in the task selection level. Here you can see the toolbar, the task selection window and the visualiser.

This is your starting point. Within this level you can look at the different tasks available by room. You can flick through images of the completed tasks in the visualiser and read information on task features, tips and safety in the toolbar. You can also access the illustrated glossary and other controls on the toolbar.


Structure of Tommy Walsh’s DIY Guide

The program has two levels of information as shown below:

Navigation from the task selection level to the instruction level is achieved by double clicking on the icons within the task selection window. This will take you to the first step of the selected task.  You can return to the task selection level at any time by clicking the select task button on the toolbar or accessing select task from the navigate menu on the menu bar.


Toolbar

The toolbar consists of drop down menus and buttons. Most drop down menu options are available as buttons for easy access. The toolbar is active throughout the application and will automatically enable available functionality.

Menu Bar

The menu bar contains the drop down menus File, Navigation, Options and Help.

File Menu

Within this menu are the commands Print and Exit.

The print command is only active when you are within the instruction level. You can print out the text for the task steps including the tools and materials required using this function.

The exit command will close the application.

The following control keys can be used to operate available functionality:

File	Alt+F

Print	Ctrl+P

Exit	Alt-F4

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Navigation Menu

Within this menu are the commands Select Task, Last Task, Home Task, World Wide Web, Interior Designer and Garden Designer.

The select task command is only active when you are within the instruction level. This will return you to the task selection level.

The last task command is only active when you are within the instruction level and have jumped from a main task to a sub-task via a step icon. For example jumping to laying bricks from step seven of building a barbecue. Clicking last task will return you to the previous task at the step at which you departed. If you have subsequently entered another sub-task it will jump back one task at a time.

The home task command is only active when you are within the instruction level  and have jumped from a main task to more than one subsequent sub-task via step icons. For example jumping from step seven of building a barbecue to laying bricks and then lay concrete. Clicking home task will return you to the main task at the step at which you departed. For example step seven of building a barbecue. It will skip all intermediate sub-tasks.

The world wide web button is only active if you have a web browser installed.  If installed it will activate your default browser and connect to Europress’ web site.

The interior designer button is only active if you have Europress’ Interior Designer software installed. If installed it will run the application allowing you to access the power of realistic real time design through to practical and professional project implementation.

The garden designer button is only active if you have Europress’ Garden Designer software installed. If installed it will run the application allowing you to access the power of realistic real time design through to practical and professional project implementation.

The following control keys can be used to operate available functionality:

Navigate 	Alt+N

Select Task	Ctrl+E

Last Task	Ctrl+L

Home Task	Ctrl+O

WWW Links	Ctrl+W

Interior Designer	Ctrl+R

Garden Designer	Ctrl+N

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Options Menu

Within this menu are the commands Arrange, Imperial, Metric, Safety, Tips and Features.

The arrange command is only active when you are within the task selection level. If you have resized or relocated the visualiser or the task selection window, clicking the arrange button will return both windows to the default size and location within the application.

The imperial and metric commands are active at all times, except within electrical tasks which will only display in metric.  This enables you to set the application to your chosen unit of measurement and will automatically update the instruction level text for each task.

The safety, tips and features commands are active at all times. You may toggle between them by using the drop down menu or toolbar tabs.  Within the task selection level you must click to select a task icon before operating the desired safety, tip or feature commands.  The text will automatically update within the instruction level.

The safety command displays important context sensitive safety information. At the task selection level it displays home improvement safety rules of thumb appropriate to each task. At the instruction level it displays important safety information specific to the current step. You should read this information in conjunction with task safety steps, where available, before proceeding.

The tips command displays a home improvement tip appropriate to each task at the task selection level.  At the instruction level it displays practical information specific to performing the current step.

The features command displays a home improvement or product feature appropriate to each task at the task selection level.  At the instruction level it displays helpful information specific to the current step.

The following control keys can be used to operate available functionality:

Options 	Alt+O

Arrange	Ctrl+A

Metric	Ctrl+M

Imperial	Ctrl+I

Safety	Ctrl+S

Tips	Ctrl+T

Features	Ctrl+F

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Help Menu

Within this menu are the commands Help and Glossary

The help command is available at all times and may be accessed from the Help drop down menu. It contains information on the Structure of Tommy Walsh’s DIY Guide, operating the menu and toolbar functionality, the task selection level, the instructional level and the glossary of terms.

The glossary is active at all times.  In addition to the Help drop down menu and glossary toolbar button it may be accessed directly from context sensitive hypertext links within the instruction level text, all hypertext links are coloured green for easy identification. The glossary contains an explanation of terms, tools and materials used within the application and will display either text or a diagram and text.

The following control keys can be used to operate available functionality:

Help 	Alt+H

Help Topics	Ctrl+H

Glossary	Ctrl+G

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Task Selection Level

Within the task selection level are the: 	Task selection window

Visualiser

Toolbar

Task Selection Window

The task selection window consists of room buttons and task icons. The window can be resized as desired. To return the window to the default size and location within the application, use the arrange button on the toolbar.

There are four room buttons Garden, Bathroom, Kitchen and Lounge.

The garden button will populate the task selection window with task icons suitable for the garden. It will also populate the visualiser with pictures of gardens.

he bathroom button will populate the task selection window with task icons suitable for the bathroom. It will also populate the visualiser with pictures of bathrooms.

The kitchen button will populate the task selection window with task icons suitable for the kitchen. It will also populate the visualiser with pictures of kitchens.

The lounge button will populate the task selection window with task icons suitable for the lounge. It will also populate the visualiser with pictures of kitchens.

The task icons in the task selection window will automatically update when a room is selected.  The task selection window will continue to display the task icons associated with that room until a new one is selected.

The “Earth Bonding” task icon

Single clicking on a task icon will automatically update the display in the visualiser and within the safety, features and tips instruction text box. The display will show visualiser images and instructional information relevant to the selected task icon.

Visualiser

The visualiser window will show images of the default room on entry to the application, it will automatically update to display images for rooms you may subsequently select.  If you selected a task icon the visualiser will automatically update to show images specific to that task icon.

You can use the visualiser next and last buttons when available to access further images related to the selected room or task.


Instruction Level

Within the instruction level are the: 	Instruction window

Toolbar

The instruction level provides full details of the task you have selected. On entry to the instruction level you will be presented with a summary screen detailing the task you have chosen, the steps involved and a full list of the tools and materials required. Where necessary this will be followed by a safety screen detailing any task specific precautions you should take. You will then work through step by step instructions for the selected task.

The summary, safety and instruction screen texts, including tools and materials can be printed using the print button.

The pencil and the tape measure provide simple navigation within the instruction level.  They also indicate how many steps the task contains and how many you have completed. You may drag the pencil to move between steps incrementally or to jump forwards and backwards between steps. You can also manipulate the pencil using the arrow keys or jump directly to a step by using the number keys.

The pencil marks that appear on the wood to the right of the tape measure indicate that all videos and animations have finished. If no mark appears after a step has been visited then there is more to see.

The animation replay button on the tape measure will highlight once all the videos and animations have finished. You can click this to see everything again.  Where there are no videos or animations available the replay will not become active.

The task icons that appear within the instruction level allow direct access to other related tasks. You can return from these by using the last task and home task buttons on the toolbar.

The hypertext links within the instruction level text are coloured green for easy identification. These operate as standard hypertext links by single mouse click and will open the glossary at the specified term, tool or material.


Glossary

The glossary is active at all times. It may be accessed through the Help drop down menu, glossary toolbar button and directly from context sensitive hypertext links within the instruction level text. The links are coloured green for easy identification and operate as standard hypertext links by single mouse click.

The drop down menu and glossary button will open the glossary at the first term of the index. The hypertext will open the glossary at the specified term, tool or material’s description. The index is in alphabetical order.

The glossary contains an explanation of terms, tools and materials used within the application and will display either a text description or a diagram and text description. Browsing of the glossary is possible through the index.