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This is a context-sensitive Help file that is called from an application.


Ability Launcher

Start the Launcher. If Launcher is already open, switch to it.

Launcher allows you to open any Ability file and start, or switch to, any other Ability application.


Ability Write

Start the Write application. If Write is already open, switch to it.


Ability Spreadsheet

Start the Spreadsheet application. If Spreadsheet is already open, switch to it.


Ability Database

Start the Database application. If Database is already open, switch to it.


Application background

This has no functionality whatsoever. If you want to create a new drawing, select the New button [image].


Draw Window

This is where you add shapes, images and text to create a drawing. Use the Tools Bar to add these elements:


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Align Left button

Aligns the left edges of all selected objects to the left edge of the left-most selected object.


Align Right button

Aligns the right edges of all selected objects to the right edge of the right-most selected object.


Align Top button

Aligns the top edges of all selected objects to the top edge of the top-most selected object.


Align Bottom button

Aligns the bottom edges of all selected objects to the bottom edge of the bottom-most selected object.


Center Horiozontal button

Aligns horizontally the center points of all selected objects with the center point between outer edges of the left-most selected object and the right-most selected object.


Center Vertical button

Aligns vertically the center points of all selected objects around the center point between the outer edges of the highest selected object and the lowest selected object.


Same Width button

All the selected objects are adjusted to have the same width.


Same Height button

All the selected objects are adjusted to have the same height.


Same Height and Width button

All the selected objects are adjusted to have the same height and width.


Space Across button

Adjust the space between all the selected objects to be the same horizontally.


Space Down button

Adjust the space between all the selected objects to be the same vertically.


Zoom In button

Step up the magnification of the document.


Select button

Turns the mouse pointer back into the normal, select mode.


Rectangle button

Draws a rectangle.


Rounded Rectangle button

Draws a rectangle with rounded corners.


Ellipse button

Draws an ellipse.


Line button

Draws a single, straight line.


Polyline button

Draws two or more connected lines.


Polygon button

Draws a many sided shape.


Text Box button

Draws a text box - allows entry of one or more lines of static text.


Arc button

Draws an arc, that is a segment of a circle.


View Grid button

Turns the display of grid points on and off.

If there are too many points to display reasonably on screen at the current magnification, only every other grid point will be displayed.


Zoom Out button

Step down the magnification of the document.


Color Palette

Set the background color (the color of the shape fill) by clicking on a color button.

Set the foreground color (the color of text and lines) by right-clicking on a color button.


Custom Color button

Mix a color to your own specification.


Status Bar

Displays current mouse position in the drawing.


Toolbar Background

Use the Customize command from the Tools menu to add new buttons to the toolbar.

You can reposition collections of buttons (toolbars) using drag-and-drop.


Mail Merge button

Toggles mail merge mode on and off.

When set to on (depressed), print will step through every record in the attached table. The browse buttons will also be available to view the data.

When set to off (button is up), print will print only the current record. You can still browse the data but you'll need to select a field first (that is, double-click on it).


Confirm button [image] or Enter key

Save the current edit so that the result displays in the field.


Cancel button [image] or Esc key

Cancels the current edit and returns field contents back to previous state.


Add Record button

Add a record. This button is only active in the Database application.


Delete Record button

Delete the current record. This button is only active in the Database application.


First Record button

Display the first record in the data.

This button is only available if mail merge is turned on (use the Mail Merge button [image]) or a field is selected (double-click on it).


Next Record button

Display the next record.

This button is only available if mail merge is turned on (use the Mail Merge button [image]) or a field is selected (double-click on it).


Last Record button

Display the last record in the data.

This button is only available if mail merge is turned on (use the Mail Merge button [image]) or a field is selected (double-click on it).


Previous Record button

Display the previous record.

This button is only available if mail merge is turned on (use the Mail Merge button [image]) or a field is selected (double-click on it).


Insert Function button

Insert a function into the formula. There are over 200 built-in functions - use the help button in the function dialog box to get  information on each function.


Insert Field

Insert the current field into the document.


Sort Order button

Define a new sort order for the records.


Filter button

Define a new filter for the current record source.

A filter allows you to view only specified records, for example, all red wines from a general list of wines.


Insert Field

Inserts the current field into the document.


Filter List

Select a filter from the named filters list. Select Filter - None to clear a filter.

Use the Filters button [image] to define a new filter.


Sort Order List

Select a sort order from the named sort orders list. Select Sort Order - None to clear any sort order.

Use the Sort button [image] to define a new sort order.


Field List

Use the Field List drop-down to select a field and then use the Insert Field button [image] to insert it into the document.


Current Record Number

Display the current record number. You can type in a number to go to that record directly.

This control is only available if mail merge is turned on (use the Mail Merge button [image]) or a field is selected (double-click on it).


Formula Entry Bar

Type the text, number or formula you want for the current cell and press Enter.


File New button [image] or Ctrl-N

Open a new, blank document.


File Open button [image] or Ctrl-O

Open an existing document.

The Open dialog can also be used for finding, copying, moving and deleting files.


File Save button [image] or Ctrl-S

Save the current document to disk.


File Print button [image] or Ctrl-P

Prints the current document.

Using the print button will print directly. If you need to specify printing options (which pages to print), select Print from the File menu or Ctrl-P instead.


Print button [image] or Ctrl-P

Prints the current document.

Using the print button will print directly. If you need to specify printing options (which pages to print), select Print from the File menu or Ctrl-P instead.


File Print button [image] or Ctrl-P

Prints the current document.

Using the print button will print directly. If you need to specify printing options (which pages to print), select Print from the File menu or Ctrl-P instead.


Print Preview button [image] or Alt-F7

Previews the current document.


Cut button [image] or Ctrl-X

Cuts the current selection to the clipboard ready for pasting (using Ctrl-V ) in another location.


Copy button [image] or Ctrl-C

Copies the current selection to the clipboard.

You can subsequently paste it using Ctrl-V any number of times, in the current document, or in a document in another application.


Cut button [image] or Ctrl-X

Cuts the current selection to the clipboard ready for pasting (using Ctrl-V ) in another location.


Find button [image] or Ctrl-F

Search the current document.

Depending on the context, Find can be used to locate text in a document, numbers or formula in a spreadsheet or records in a database.


Paste button [image] or Ctrl-V

Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the current document.


Repeat Format button [image] or F4

Applies the last formatting action to the current selection.


Replace button [image] or Ctrl-R

Search for, and replace, within the current document. Use this to replace some or all occurrences of the supplied text.


Undo button [image] or Ctrl-Z

Reverses the last edit.


Redo button [image] or F4

Reverses the last Undo.


First Record button

Display the first record in the data.


Last Record button

Display the last record in the data


Next Record button

Display the next record.


Previous Record button

Display the previous record.