Copyright: Copyright (C) 1998 by Universe Communications, Inc.
Citation: Copyright (C) 1998 by Universe Communications, Inc.


Subscribing to Shared Directories
Subscribing to Sites

The usual way to subscribe to a site is to double-click on a masthead file, which has an extension of .fxm. You may find masthead files while browsing the Internet or someone may send you a masthead file as an attachment to an email message. If you find one on the Internet, you will usually only have to select it to download and execute it. If someone sends it as an attachment, simply save the file somewhere on your disk and double-click it.

Another way to subscribe to a site is to find a Fixlet site that lists a collection of subscriptions. A Fixlet message can activate a masthead automatically, so your subscription is only a click away.

In general, if you come across a file with a .fxm extension, follow these simple steps to activate the subscription:

1	Double-click on the desired .fxm file (or choose Subscribe from the Site menu and browse to the masthead file).

BigFix will display the masthead, which lists certain information about the Fixlet site.

2	Click the “Add Fixlet site Now” button.

An icon for the Fixlet site shows up in the Sitebar. You can treat this Fixlet site like any other Fixlet site, setting it to automatically gather on any schedule you wish.


Deleting (Unsubscribing from) a Fixlet Site

If a Fixlet site doesn’t provide what you want, you can delete or unsubscribe from it. To stop a subscription to a Fixlet site, follow these steps:

1	Select the Fixlet site to delete from the Sitebar.

2	Drag the chosen Fixlet site icon outside of the Sitebar.

3	When the cursor turns into an X, release the mouse button.

4	A dialog box will pop up to confirm that you want to delete the Fixlet site.

5	Click the Unschedule button.


Gathering Fixlet Messages

Fixlet site subscriptions have a schedule to guide their updates. The program automatically connects to the net for the latest Fixlet messages. However, you can manually force an update if you don’t want to wait for the scheduled one. To manually gather Fixlet messages from a Fixlet site, follow these steps:

1	Click on the Fixlet site you want to update from the Sitebar.

You can also select multiple Fixlet sites to update simultaneously. Press the control key while clicking to add another Fixlet site to the selection. Or click the All Fixlet sites button to select them all.

2	Click on the Gather button in the tool bar.

You will see a progress bar in the status line at the bottom of the screen. When the Fixlet site (or group of Fixlet sites) is downloaded, the progress bar disappears and any newly relevant Fixlet messages will be displayed.

Note: You may also use the gather command from the Fixlet site menu to gather from the currently selected Fixlet sites.


Scheduling

When you subscribe to a Fixlet site, it automatically comes with a schedule suggested by the publisher of the Fixlet site. However, you can change this schedule to better suit your personal needs. To change the scheduled gathering times for your Fixlet sites, follow these steps:

1	Select the Fixlet site to reschedule by right clicking on the Fixlet site icon. A pop-up menu appears.

2	Select Schedule from the pop-up. The schedule dialog box appears with the current settings.

3	Make any changes you want to the schedule.

These are your options:

•	Publisher Recommended. This is the default schedule, set by the publisher to reflect the actual Fixlet site activity. This is the most common setting.

•	Custom Schedule. If you check this box, you also need to select the desired period from the pull-down menu next to it. It allows periods from fifteen minutes to two months.

•	Gather Manually. Select this box if you want to take personal control over the gathering. The program will no longer gather from this Fixlet site on a scheduled basis, and will instead wait for user input.

•	Disable Gathering. Click in this check box to stop all contact with this Fixlet site, even if an attempt is made to manually gather it. This is how you can make the Fixlet site an archive.

4	Click OK.

You can click on other Fixlet sites (or multiple Fixlet sites) while this dialog box is open, so you can adjust all the schedules at one time.


Blocking Download Periods

You can restrict downloads to certain times. That way you can take advantage of better phone rates or traffic patterns. To block downloads, follow these steps:

1	From the File menu, select Preferences. A dialog box appears.

2	Click to put a check mark in the box labeled Limit Download Times.

3	In the two fields below, type the starting and ending times for restricted downloading.

4	Click OK.

Now, when a Fixlet site is ready to be synchronized, it will first check to make sure that communications are not blocked.


Stopping During a Download

You can terminate a connection, even in the middle of a download. This can be helpful if, for instance, it is taking too long for the download or you change your mind. To stop the connection, just:

•	Press the stop button.


Viewing Fixlet Messages

After you’ve subscribed to a few Fixlet sites, you should start to see relevant Fixlet messages being displayed. When a Fixlet message becomes relevant, it is shown in the Fixlet list. To view the body of the Fixlet message, just:

1	Click on the line corresponding to the Fixlet message you want to view.

The body of the Fixlet message will open in its own window.

2	Use the Font button in the toolbar to adjust the size of the text in the HTML display.

Fixlet messages are the basic atoms of the BigFix technology. They can become relevant when your computer configuration or your Fixlet site Profile triggers them. That means they can be anything from tech support to a stock market report.


Reading a Fixlet Header

Each Fixlet message has a header that summarizes the action and displays the actual relevance language that is evaluated by BigFix. To view this header, follow these steps:

1	Click on the View menu to display it.

2	From the menu, select Fixlet Header.

If you look at the View menu again, you should see a check mark next to the Fixlet Header item. From now on, when you open a new Fixlet message, you will see an extra area at the top of the Fixlet window. It will display the subject line and the relevance clause for that Fixlet message.

To turn off this display, repeat the two steps above to toggle the Fixlet Header off.


Navigating

To leaf through the relevant Fixlet windows, use the right arrow to go forward through the list and the left arrow to go back through the Fixlet messages you’ve already seen.

You may have visited a web site by clicking a link in a Fixlet message. If so, the arrows will also include these web pages in the list of windows that you can navigate.


Using Action Buttons

Once you’ve read a Fixlet message and agreed with its assessment, you will most likely want to act on it. A Fixlet message usually comes with some sort of written description of how to fix the problem, but some Fixlet messages also offer an automatic fix. To take advantage of these “Action Buttons,” follow these steps:

1	Select a Fixlet message with an Action Button. The Fixlet message opens up in its own window.

2	Scroll down through the Fixlet message until you see a link or a button that will automate the procedure.

3	Click on the link or button.

4	Follow the instructions for the Action Button.

There are many different kinds of Action Buttons, but all of them present you with a confirming dialog box. Here are some typical remedial actions that you can expect:

•	Downloading a file.

Here, you are prompted to click a link to get a file from an Internet Site. Usually, this is a driver or an updated version of a program. You will get a second chance to cancel the action from the download dialog box.

•	Finding a file.

Often, the problem results when a file on your computer has been inadvertently moved. BigFix has a utility that can help you locate the file and return it to where it belongs. It will display a dialog box that will describe the suspected file and prompt you to move or copy it.

•	Moving, renaming or copying files.

Sometimes a problem can be fixed by simply moving a file. To deal with this category of remedies, BigFix has a utility that can issue a basic set of Windows commands. A dialog box appears, describing the commands. After making sure they do what you expect, click on the OK button.

•	Resetting a registry entry.

If your registry gets corrupted, you can reinstate the parts you need. A dialog box will appear, describing the values it wants to restore, and ask for confirmation.


Finding and Sorting Fixlet Messages

By using the column headers of the Fixlet list, you can sort the Fixlet messages. This can help you to find specific Fixlet messages or a range of them. For instance, to find the Fixlet message that most recently became relevant, but hasn’t been read yet, follow these steps:

1	Click on the “Relevance Date” header.

Every time you click on the header, it changes the direction of the sort. Make sure the triangle is pointing down, for a descending sort. That way the most recent Fixlet message is sorted to the top.

2	Click on the “Read” header.

Click on the header until the arrow is pointing up, for an ascending sort. This will display all the unread Fixlet messages first. If there is more than one Fixlet message that hasn’t been read yet, they will be sorted by the previous sort, in this case the Relevance Date field.


Finding a Lost or Renamed File

Occasionally a file accidentally gets moved or thrown in the trash or renamed. Most applications expect to find files in the correct place, and when they aren't the program may crash. To avoid this, Fixlet messages can be written to "nail-down" the location of essential files. Whenever a file is missing, the Fixlet message is triggered. Typically, this Fixlet message will include an action button that offers to retrieve the file.

BigFix has a utility that will search your hard drive for the missing file. Even if the name has changed, as long as the file isn't corrupted, this utility will find it. To recover the file, follow these steps:

1	Select the relevant "nail-down" Fixlet message from the Fixlet list.

2	Click on the button or hypertext link to find the corrupted file.

A dialog box is displayed containing the location and name of the recovered file.

3	Click on the Move button to put it back in place.

When you do this, BigFix will notice that the file is back in its proper spot. The Fixlet message, no longer relevant, disappears from the list.

How does this work? First, the application and all of its essential files are “nailed-down.” This means that all the pertinent data about these files are examined and the results are saved in a Fixlet file.

As long as everything stays in its proper place, the application will behave normally. But when a file is inadvertently renamed or dumped into the trash, the nail-down Fixlet message is activated and you’re notified of the problem.


Printing a Fixlet
Printing a Fixlet Message

You can print the text of a Fixlet message. This is handy if, for instance, the Fixlet message requires you to turn off your computer while you execute the instructions. To print a Fixlet message, follow these steps:

1	Click on the Fixlet message you want to print from the Fixlet List.

If the Fixlet message is already displayed in the top window, you may skip this step.

2	When the desired Fixlet window opens up, click on the printer icon on the toolbar.

The text of the Fixlet message will be sent to your printer.


Loading a Fixlet Pool

BigFix can be run in two modes: Single Pool (which is the default) and Multi-Pool. If you choose Multi-Pool mode, you can have more than one pool, or group, of Fixlet sites. This is useful to organize your sites into small, manageable groups. It can also help reduce the complexity of a multi-user setup -- each user can have his or her own named Fixlet pool.

To switch to Multi-Pool mode and load a pool, follow these steps:

1	From the File menu, select Preferences. A dialog box appears.

2	Click to place a check mark in the box marked “Multiple Fixlet Pools.”

If the box is already checked, skip the above step.

3	Click OK. The dialog box is dismissed.

4	From the File menu, select Open Fixlet Pool. A File browser window is displayed.

5	Navigate to the desired directory and select a Fixlet pool to load.

Note: New items are listed in the File menu when Multi-Pool mode is selected. These menu items are to create new pools, open existing pools or save the current pool.


Sending Mail to a Fixlet Site

You may want to correspond with the author of a Fixlet site. If you’ve had a problem with his or her Fixlet messages, or if you just want to thank them for outstanding service, you can send them email.

To reply by email to the author of a Fixlet site, follow these steps:

1	Select a Fixlet site from the Sitebar by clicking with the right mouse button. A pop-up menu will appear.

2	Select Reply To from the menu. Your default email program launches, and the appropriate fields are automatically filled in.

3	Enter a subject for your message.

4	Write your message in the text window.

5	Send the email.

6	Quit the email application.


Editing a Fixlet Site Profile

Fixlet authors use inspectors to examine your computer locally and determine the relevance of their Fixlet messages. But there are many things beyond the ability of your computer to determine on its own. Among these items are peripherals that connect over a “dumb wire” and provide no feedback -- like many printers, modems and monitors. For this equipment, there is no substitute for asking the user. To fill out or edit a Fixlet site Profile, follow these steps:

1	Make sure you are subscribed to a Fixlet site that has a Profile.

2	Right click on the desired Fixlet site in the Sitebar. A pop-up menu appears. If Edit Profile is grayed out, it means there is no profile for this Fixlet site.

3	Select Edit Profile from the menu. An HTML form will appear.

4	Fill in the fields of this HTML profile.

Usually, this will be questions about serial numbers or model names. Each Fixlet site will have its own collection of fields. Fixlet messages from that Fixlet site will query the field values, using the result to determine the relevance of each Fixlet message.

5	Click on the Enter button at the bottom of the profile.

That will put a copy of the information on your computer only. Unlike a traditional web form, this information never leaves your machine and is for local use by the BigFix application only.

Now, with the information contained in the profile, the Fixlet site can offer Fixlet messages that are relevant to your particular monitor or printer. Once the question is answered, other Fixlet sites can also take advantage of the information -- so you don’t have to enter the information more than once.


Deleting Fixlet Messages

Sometimes a Fixlet message has no way to determine that the problem it describes has been fixed. When this happens, the Fixlet message will continue to be displayed even though it may no longer be relevant. To delete this Fixlet message, follow these steps:

1	Select the Fixlet message to delete from the Fixlet list.

2	Drag the selection to the trashcan in the toolbar.

Note: When you synchronize with a Fixlet site, BigFix downloads all the Fixlet messages from the Fixlet site -- including any Fixlet messages you may have deleted. This means that you can never really delete a Fixlet message from your hard drive. However, the Fixlet message will stay tagged as deleted and won’t be displayed again unless you pull it out of the trash (see Undeleting Fixlet messages, below).


Undeleting Fixlet Messages

To undelete a Fixlet message, follow these steps:

1	Click on the trashcan icon on the toolbar. The trash dialog is displayed, containing a list of all the deleted Fixlet messages.

2	Select any Fixlet messages you want to pull out of the trash. Use the Ctrl and Shift keys while clicking to select multiple Fixlet messages at one time.

3	Press the button labeled “Restore Selected Fixlet messages.”

The Fixlet message(s) will disappear from the trash window and be inserted back into the Fixlet list.


Emptying the Trash

When an item is placed in the trash, it is no longer available for evaluation of relevance, but it is still possible to bring it back, as the previous section (Undeleting Fixlet messages) explains. Thus the trash is a holding area, and if you change your mind, you can pull Fixlet messages back out.

If you are sure you no longer need the Fixlet messages in the trash, you can empty the trash. When you do, it will be difficult to retrieve those Fixlet messages, so proceed with caution. To empty the trash, follow these steps:

1	Click on the Trash icon on the tool bar.

2	Click on the Empty Trash button.


Retrieving Fixlet Messages after Emptying the Trash

If you change your mind after emptying the trash, don't despair. You have another chance to retrieve Fixlet messages. To do so, you must unsubscribe from the affected Fixlet site and then re-subscribe. The BigFix application will load the Fixlet messages as if they were a brand-new site and all your Fixlet messages will be restored. Follow these steps to retrieve your Fixlet messages after you empty the trash:

1	Right click on the affected site on the Sitebar.

2	From the pop-up menu, select Unsubscribe

3	Click the Unsubscribe button on the confirmation dialog.

4	From the site menu, select subscribe.

5	From the Open dialog box , select the Masthead for the original Fixlet site.

6	Select the Add Site Now button.

The affected site is now restored, with all the trashed Fixlet messages available for evaluation again.


Viewing the Log file

As the program connects to the net to gather subscriptions, it keeps a log of each event to help you trouble-shoot subscription problems. To see the log file, follow these steps:

1	Right-click on the Fixlet site you want to investigate.

2	Select Log from the pop-up menu.

A dialog box appears, displaying the log of events that have occurred for this Fixlet site or group of Fixlet sites.


Viewing the Statistics

To see the statistics, follow these steps:

1	Right-click on the Fixlet site you want to investigate.

2	Select Statistics from the pop-up menu.

A dialog box appears, displaying statistics about the currently selected Fixlet site or Fixlet sites. The values are listed as raw numbers and as a percentage of the total. The statistics track the following variables:

•	Fixlet sites

•	Fixlet messages

•	Milliseconds to Computer

•	Kilobytes of Storage

•	Successful Fixlets


Viewing the Fixlet History

To see the history, follow these steps:

1	Right-click on the Fixlet site you want to investigate.

2	Select History from the pop-up menu.

A dialog box appears, displaying a list of all the Fixlets that have ever been relevant to you from this Fixlet Site.  You can sort the list by the following fields:

•	Subject

•	Relevant

•	Relevance Date

You may also respond to specific Fixlets from the History list.


Protecting a Fixlet site
Protecting a Fixlet Site from Unsubscribing

You can make sure that a given Fixlet site will be permanent. That means that no one can accidentally unsubscribe from the site. To protect a Fixlet site, follow these steps:

1	Right click on the desired Fixlet site from the site icon bar.

2	Select Schedule from the pop-up menu.

3	Check the box labeled Don't Allow Unsubscribing.


Customizing the Interface

BigFix has a flexible interface that you can customize to better suit your personal taste. The tool bars and other interface elements that can be changed have a “gripper” at the top or left end (see figure). To move an interface element, follow these steps:

1	Click on the gripper section of the window or toolbar you want to move.

2	Drag the mouse around the screen.

As you drag an interface element, you will notice that a box outline of its window is dragged around with the mouse. If the box is near an edge of the main screen, it will change shape and orientation to indicate where it will appear when you release the mouse.

3	Place the element where you want it.

You can “dock” the box to any edge of the main screen or you can drag it out of the window altogether.

4	Release the mouse.

If you drag the box away from an edge, it won’t dock to the main window but will instead become a stand-alone window.

Note: As mentioned, you can drag an interface element out into its own window. When you do, it acts like any other window: you can grab it by the title bar and drag it around. If you want to dock it back up to the main window, simply drag it by the title bar back to where you want it and release the mouse. If you click on the close button in the title bar, the window will disappear. To bring it back, select the appropriate option from the View menu.


Background Mode

To set BigFix for background operation, simply:

1	Click on the File Menu

2	Select Exit to Tray.

The program will close its windows, and place an icon in the tray (on the taskbar). It will now operate in the background at a low priority, so as not to interfere with the active application.

The taskbar, which also includes the Start button, is usually at the bottom of your desktop screen. If you let the mouse linger over the tray icons, a text box will appear to describe each one. Like BigFix, these programs are all working in the background.

Note: If you don't see Exit to Tray in the File menu, you must go to the Preferences dialog under the File menu and set the program to Tray Mode.


Active Mode

Although it usually operates in the background, BigFix can be brought forward any time you wish. To bring it to the foreground, just:

•	Double-click the BigFix icon on the Taskbar.

The program will open on your desktop.


Arranging Fixlet Sites on the Fixlet Sitebar

You can change the order of the Fixlet sites on the Fixlet sitebar to place the most-used Fixlet sites in a convenient position. To re-arrange the icons in the Fixlet sitebar, follow these steps:

1	Select the icon that you want to move.

2	Drag it over to where you want it to appear. When the cursor is properly positioned, a dark line will show up where the site icon will be inserted.

3	Release the mouse button when the dark line is where you want the icon to be placed.

The Fixlet site icon will be moved to the new position.


Definitions


BigFix

The program that evaluates relevant fixlet messages and displays the results. It also refers to the network set up around fixlet providers.


directory

A FixSite with Directory assistance for other FixSites. It can be reached at http://www.BigFix.com/directory.


download

Receive data from the Internet. When you download a file, you are copying a file, usually from the hard disk of an Internet-connected computer called a server.


file directory

A folder or directory in a file system. This can be a directory on your hard drive or a shared directory on a network.


Fixlet header

Every Fixlet has a header that specifies certain information, including the organization, a fixlet expression, a subject line, date, etc. This header is in standard MIME format.


Fixlet message

An Internet message with a relevance clause that allows it to be targeted to just the users and computer systems that need it. Fixlet messages are most often about computer hardware and software, but can include almost any subject matter.


Fixlet list

A window in the user BigFix interface that contains a list of the currently relevant fixlets for the selected group of FixSites.


Fixlet pool

A specially-named group of FixSites. You can create and save fixlet pools to help you organize your subscriptions.

To use fixlet pools, select Preferences from the File menu and check the box labeled Multiple Fixlet Pools. This mode adds several commands to the File menu to help you manage your fixlet pools.


Fixlet site

An Internet site set up to offer fixlets on a subscription basis. The site consists of a set of files on a server with a URL address.


gather

To download fixlets from a FixSite. See synchronize.


HTML

HyperText Markup Language. The language that underlies web pages.


Internet

The loosely-defined set of computers around the world that are connected to one another. Spelled with a capital "I" it stands for the worldwide net. With a lowercase "i" it stands for local networks, such as a corporate net.


privacy

The concept of keeping personal information local to your computer only. With perfect privacy, nothing leaves the computer without your permission.


registry

A set of hundreds of variables that describe most of the essentials of your computer system. These variables contain information about your modem, printer, applications and more.


relevant

A fixlet that is applicable to your or your particular computer system is called relevant. Relevance is determined by examining your computer system or individual fixlet site profiles.


security

The concept of keeping unwanted programs off of your computer. BigFix offers security by limiting its Relevance Language to inspection only.

For action buttons, the BigFix application always shows you a step-by-step listing of the impending action. You must give permission before the execution of these commands can take place.


sitebar

A group of icons, one per FixSite, placed in a bar for fast access.


synchronize

To gather fixlets from a FixSite; to make a mirror image of a FixSite on your local computer.

Usually, you will use the fixlet publisher's recommended schedule to synchronize, but you can set up a custom schedule if you desire.


taskbar

Usually located at the bottom of your desktop screen, the taskbar contains the Start button and the tray.


toolbar

A group of commonly used commands brought out into a set of buttons on the application screen.


tray

A part of the taskbar where icons are placed to indicate programs that are working in the background.


upload

Send data over a network or the Internet. When you upload a file, you are sending it to another computer.


File menu commands
File menu

The File menu offers the following commands in multi-pool mode:

New Fixlet Pool	Creates a new Fixlet Pool.
Open Fixlet Pool	Opens an existing Fixlet Pool.
Save Fixlet Pool	Saves an opened Fixlet Pool with the current name.
Save As	Saves an opened Fixlet Pool with a different name.
Close	Closes an opened Fixlet Pool.
Recent	A list of most recently used files.
The following menu commands are always available from the file menu:

Print	Prints the active window.
Preferences.	Sets user preferences for the program.
Exit	Exits BigFix.


New Fixlet Pool
New Fixlet Pool (File Menu)

Lets you start a new Fixlet pool that you can populate with subscriptions. You can create pools for different interests or for different users to simplify your site management.

If you haven't saved the current pool, you'll be prompted to do so.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+N


Open Fixlet Pool...
Open Fixlet Pool... (File Menu)

Use this command to open an existing Fixlet pool.  You will be presented with an Open dialog box . Select the Fixlet pool (.fxg) of your choice. Each pool is a collection of subscriptions that appear in the sitebar.

You can create new Fixlet pools with the New command.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+O


Save Fixlet pool
Save Fixlet Pool (File Menu)

Use this command to save the open Fixlet pool to its current name and directory.  When you save a pool for the first time, BigFix displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your document.  If you want to change the name and directory of an existing document before you save it, choose the Save As command.

Shortcuts

Keys:	CTRL+S


Save Fixlet pool as
Save As... (File Menu)

Use this command to save and name the current Fixlet pool.  BigFix displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your document.

To save a document with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.


Close Fixlet pool
Close  (File Menu)

Use this command to close the currently open Fixlet pool. Before closing an untitled document, BigFix displays the Save As dialog box and suggests that you name and save the document.

Shortcut

Keys:	CTRL+W


Import Fixlet File... (File Menu)

This command brings up an Open dialog box . Select the desired .fxf file from the list.

If someone sends you a Fixlet file through email, this is how you would view it. This is not the same as subscribing to a Fixlet site, which has regularly scheduled updates.


Print active window
Print (File Menu)

Opens up the Print dialog and prepares to print the currently active window in the BigFix application.

Use this command to print the currently active window. This command presents a Print dialog box, where you may specify the range of pages to be printed, the number of copies, the destination printer, and other printer options. Click on the Properties button to adjust the Print Setup.

Shortcuts

Toolbar:

Keys:	CTRL+P


Print Setup (File Menu)

Use this command to select a printer and a printer connection.  This command presents a Print Setup dialog box, where you specify the printer and its connection.


Program Preferences
Preferences (File Menu)

The selection opens the Preferences dialog box where certain global properties of the program can be set.


Most Recently Used Files (File Menu)

This is variable sized list of the files most recently used by BigFix. These can include Mastheads as well as Fixlet pools.


Exit command
Exit (File Menu)

Use this command to end your BigFix session.  You can also use the Close command in the upper right corner of the BigFix application window. If you have any unsaved Fixlet pools, BigFix prompts you to save them.

To exit to the tray, make sure the Tray box is checked in the Preferences dialog (File Menu).

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click the application's Close button.


Exit to Tray
Exit to Tray (File Menu)

This command minimizes the program and places an icon in the System Tray (located on the taskbar). You can start the program again by double clicking on the tray icon.

To exit normally without going to the tray, make sure the Tray box is unchecked in the Preferences dialog (File Menu).

You can also use the Close command in the upper right corner of the BigFix application window to exit to the tray.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Click the application's Close button.


View menu commands
 View menu

The View menu offers the following commands:

Toolbar	Shows or hides the toolbar.
Sitebar	Shows or hides the sitebar window.
Text Labels	Shows or hides labels on the toolbar and sitebar
Fixlet List	Shows or hides the list of relevant Fixlet messages
Sort Fixlet List by >	Displays a pull right menu that lets you select sort fields
Fixlet Header	Shows or hides the Fixlet header when opening a Fixlet message.
Font Size	Cycles through fonts of different sizes.


View Toolbar
View Toolbar (View Menu)

This menu command is a toggle. Each time you select it, you change the state from selected (with a checkmark) to deselected (no checkmark).

Use this command to display and hide the Toolbar, which includes buttons for some of the most common commands in BigFix, such as the navigation arrows, gather and print.

Turning off the toolbar is provided as an option to give you the more screen space for Fixlet messages. However, you pay a price: you need to go to the menus to select these common commands, instead of simply clicking a button.


View Sitebar
View Sitebar (View Menu)

This menu command is a toggle. Each time you select it, you change the state from selected (with a checkmark) to deselected (no checkmark).

This command lets you view all of the Fixlet sites you're currently subscribed to. Each Fixlet site is represented by an icon in the Sitebar.


View Text Labels
View Text Labels (View Menu)

This menu command is a toggle. Each time you select it, you change the state from selected (with a checkmark) to deselected (no checkmark).

Select this option to see a text description underneath each toolbar button and each sitebar icon. This is the default value. Once you've become familiar with the toolbar and the sitebar icons, you can turn the text descriptions off and save space on the screen.


View Fixlet List
Fixlet List (View Menu)

This menu command is a toggle. Each time you select it, you change the state from selected (with a checkmark) to deselected (no checkmark).

Select this option to toggle the list of Fixlet messages on and off. The default is to show the Fixlet list. The list is helpful, since it gives you an over-all picture of relevant Fixlet messages. However, you can navigate through the list with just the Back and Next arrow keys, so the list is not completely essential. If you want more space to view the Fixlet body, try operating without the list.


Sort Fixlet List by >
Sort Fixlet List by > (View Menu)

This menu selection is hierarchical and contains a list of fields to sort by:

Date of Relevance

Fixlet site

Read Status

Subject

Resolution Date

Size of Fixlet Message

Relevance

In addition to these fields, you have two options for sorting:

Ascending

Descending


Sort by Date of Relevance
Sort by Date of Relevance (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the date that this Fixlet message last became relevant.


Sort by FixSite
Sort by Fixlet Site (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the name of the Fixlet site.


Sort by Read Status
Sort by Read Status  (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the status of the read flag.


Sort by Subject
Sort by Subject (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the subject line.


Sort by Resolution Date
Sort by Resolution Date (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the date of the last resolution.


Sort by Size of Fixlet
Sort by Size of Fixlet Message (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the size (in bytes) of the Fixlet message.


Sort by Relevance
Sort by Relevance  (View Menu)

This command sorts the Fixlet messages by the value of the relevance expression, which can be either true or false. Since the program defaults to showing only relevant expressions, this sort key usually has no effect.


Sort Ascending
Sort Ascending (View Menu)

This command works in concert with the other sort selections in this menu to sort the Fixlet messages in ascending order.


Sort Descending
Sort Descending (View Menu)

This command works in concert with the other sort selections in this menu to sort the Fixlet messages in descending order.


View Fixlet Header
View Fixlet Header (View Menu)

This menu command is a toggle. Each time you select it, you change the state from selected (with a checkmark) to deselected (no checkmark).

Select this option to toggle the display of the Fixlet header. The default is to not show it, but the header contains information (such as the relevance expression) that can be useful.


Change Font Size
Font Size (View Menu)

This selection clicks through five states, from small fonts to big fonts. After the largest font is selected, clicking font a sixth time starts over again with the smallest font.

Shortcut

Toolbar:


Site menu commands
Site menu

The Site menu offers the following commands:

Subscribe	Subscribe to a Fixlet site.
Gather	Download the Fixlet files from the given Fixlet site
Reply to...	Send an email to a site administrator.
Unsubscribe	Unsubscribe from a site.
Properties >	View the properties of this Fixlet site


Subscribe to a Fixlet site
Subscribe (Site Menu)

This command lets you subscribe to a Fixlet site. It brings up a Open dialog box  and filters the directories for Masthead (.fxm) files. Click on the desired Masthead to subscribe to that site.


Gather
Gather (Site Menu)

This command causes the program to synchronize with the selected Fixlet site(s). Although the Fixlet sites are designed to automatically update themselves on a regular schedule this command can be handy if you think some new Fixlet messages have shown up at the Fixlet site(s) in question.

This command is available from the Site Menu, by right-clicking on the desired Fixlet site Icon and in the schedule property page.

Shortcut

Toolbar:


Reply to Fixlet site
Reply to (Site Menu)

This menu item brings up your current email program with the Fixlet author’s email address filled in. Once there, just fill in the body of the letter and press the send button.

This command is available from the Site Menu and by right-clicking on the desired Fixlet site Icon.


Unsubscribe from Fixlet site
Unsubscribe (Site Menu)

This command terminates your subscription to a Fixlet site. If a Fixlet site isn’t giving you what you need, you can simply quit it and recover the space it was using.

This command is available from the Site Menu and by right-clicking on the desired Fixlet site Icon.


Properties
Properties (Site Menu)

This menu command brings up a pull-right menu containing the various property sheets for the currently selected Fixlet sites. These property sheets include:

Masthead

License

Log

Schedule

Statistics

Profile

History


Go menu commands
Go menu

The Go menu offers the following commands:

Back	Go to the previous Fixlet message.
Next	Go to the next Fixlet message.
Refresh	Refreshes the HTML screen
Stop	Stops gathering sites
BigFix Web site	Takes you to the BigFix Web Site
Fixlet Site Directory	Takes you to the BigFix directory of Fixlet Sites


Back to previous window
Back (Go Menu)

The back command takes you to the previously viewed window, whether it’s a web page or a Fixlet body. If you have stacked up several web page windows, it will take you back through each one until it hits the Fixlet window that started the stack. Then it will take you through the previous stack, if there is one.

Shortcut

Toolbar:

Keys:	SHIFT+CTRL+B


Next window
Next (Go Menu)

The next command takes you to the next window. It is the counterpart to the back arrow, and it will go forward through the Fixlet windows and web pages that you've already stacked up. When you reach the last page in the last stack, it will start going through the rest of the unread Fixlet messages.

Shortcut

Toolbar:

Keys:	SHIFT+CTRL+N


Refresh the window
Refresh (Go Menu)

This command forces a new request for a given web page. Use this command if there is something wrong with how the web page downloaded, or if the page is designed to be updated frequently.


Stop downloading
Stop (Go Menu)

This command will stop an Internet connection. This can be handy if you change your mind, or the download is taking too long.

Shortcut

Toolbar:


BigFix Web Site
BigFix Web Site (Go Menu)

Click here to visit the BigFix Web Site.

Shortcut

Toolbar:


Fixlet Site Directory
Fixlet Site Directory (Go Menu)

Click here to visit the BigFix Web Site.


Window menu commands
Window menu

The Window menu offers the following commands, which enable you to arrange multiple views of multiple documents in the application window:

Cascade	Arranges windows in an overlapped fashion.
Tile	Arranges windows in non-overlapped tiles.
Arrange Icons	Arranges icons of closed windows.
Close All	Closes all open windows
Show Trash	Shows the contents of the Trash


Cascading windows
Cascade (Window Menu)

Use this command to overlap multiple opened windows. All the currently active windows will be opened sequentially, starting at the upper left and "cascading" down to the lower right.


Tiling windows
Tile  (Window Menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in a non-overlapped fashion.


Arranging windows
Window Arrange Icons Command (Window Menu)

Use this command to arrange the icons for the minimized windows at the bottom of the main window.  If there is an open document window at the bottom of the main window, then some or all of the icons may be obscured.


Closing all windows
Close all (Window Menu)

Close all of the currently opened windows.


Help menu commands
Help menu

The Help menu offers the following commands, which provide assistance with the BigFix application:

Help Topics	Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help.
Tutorial	Displays the tutorial.
About BigFix	Displays the version number of this application.


HelpTopics
HelpTopics (Help Menu)

Brings up the Help dialog box, which contains a table of contents, an index and a find command.


Context Sensitive Help

When you select context sensitive help, the cursor changes to include a question mark. Move the cursor to the item that interests you and click to find out more.


End User License Agreement
End User License Agreement  (EULA)

This is the full text of the license agreement that you make with BigFix, Inc. when you receive the BigFix software. It specifies all your rights and limitations.


Tutorial
Tutorial (Help Menu)

Displays the tutorial, which contains a brief overview of the operation of the BigFix program.


About BigFix
About BigFix (Help Menu)

Displays the About Box, which contains the copyright notice and version number of the program.


Preferences Dialog


The Preferences Dialog

This dialog is used to set certain preferences in the BigFix application. Changes you make here will persist even after you quit the program.

From this dialog you can change the way the program looks, whether you want to maintain multiple sets (called pools) of Fixlet sites, and other scheduling options.


Multiple Fixlet Pools

Check this box to create multiple collections (or pools) of Fixlet site subscriptions. When this box is checked, an extra set of commands is added under the File Menu. These commands let you create, open, save and close Fixlet pools.


Tray Mode

Check this box to run the program in tray mode, which allows the program to operate in the background. In tray mode, when you exit the program, it will minimize to an icon in the System Tray.


Show Action Confirmation

Check this box to display a confirmation dialog before running Fixlet Actions.


Bitmap Background

Check this box to select a custom image as the background texture. This is the texture that is behind the toolbars and the frame of the application windows.


Select Bitmap

Click this button to bring up an Open Dialog. Browse through your folders to find an appropriate bitmapped image file (.bmp) to serve as a background image.


Default Bitmap

Click this button to return to the default bitmap for the BigFix application.


Block Automatic Gathering

Check this box to disable the automatic gathering of your Fixlet site subscriptions. No gathering will be done until this box is unchecked or unless you manually gather from the Fixlet site.


Limit Download Times

Check this box to limit the hours for gathering from a Fixlet site subscription. When this box is checked, the BigFix application will only gather during the indicated period. You can use this to limit gathering to nighttime or only during work hours, for instance.


If the Limit Download Times box is checked, this represents the earliest time that gathering will occur. Before this time, gathering from a Fixlet site is blocked.


If the Limit Download Times box is checked, this represents the latest time that gathering will occur. After this time, gathering from a Fixlet site is blocked.


When Schedule Directs

If you would like to control how BigFix connects to the Internet for automatic gathering, use this menu selection. The three choices are: Postpone until connected, Ask to connect and Connect automatically.


Site Details

Site details of your fixlet site including certificates, web address, email address, organization, etc...


Site Details

Site details of your fixlet site including certificates, web address, email address, organization, etc...


Change Report

Changes to your site properties that will be applied if you press the ‘Update Site Now’ button.


Use AOL Connection

This preference is only available when America Online is installed. Check this box to use AOL when BigFix connects to the internet.


Apply the changes you've made to the BigFix Preferences before closing this dialog.


 Site Properties


Masthead


Go to Masthead

This command takes you to the Masthead property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose Masthead from the menu.


Masthead properties page
Masthead

This dialog contains the Masthead for the currently selected Fixlet site. The Masthead is a separate file (with extension .fxm) that points to the URL of the actual Fixlet site. It contains information about the organization as well as the publisher of the site.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Click this button to send an email message to the author of this Fixlet site. This command will bring up your email program (if it is properly registered) with a blank body ready for you to fill in. The to: line will have the address of the person listed to the right of this button.


The name of the organization that is providing the Fixlet messages from this Fixlet site.


This is the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) for the selected Fixlet site.


The email address of the author of this Fixlet site. When you click the Reply to button to the left of this field, this address is placed on the to: line of the email.


A description of the Fixlet site.


View a detailed description of the properties of this site.


License


Go to License

This command takes you to the License property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose License from the menu.


License properties page
License

This is the license properties page for the selected Fixlet site. This property displays the license statement for the currently selected Fixlet site(s).

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Fixlet Site Warranty

This is a warranty by the publishers of this site. This statement outlines a policy that all licensed Fixlet sites must follow to protect your privacy and security.


Warning!

This warning has been presented because the BigFix program can't validate the license number contained in the masthead for this Fixlet site. As a consequence, you have no assurance that this site will follow the guidelines created by BigFix, Inc. to protect your security and privacy.


BigFix Licensing

This statement says that BigFix, Inc. licenses Fixlet sites. As a part of the license, the Fixlet publisher agrees to a code of ethics that is designed to protect your security and privacy.


Log


Go To Log

This command takes you to the Log property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose Log from the menu.


Log properties page
Log

The log properties page keeps a running tab on the subscription and gathering activities of the BigFix program. The log includes the date for each activity over a user-defined period of days. The activities logged include gathering, deleting and the use of action buttons.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Select a period of time for logging events. If you want to be able to examine the log for the last month, you should set the number of days to 31. The default value is five days.


Use this control to increase the number of days in the log (up arrow) or decrease the number of days (down arrow).


Click this button to show the log for the day previous to the currently displayed day.


Click this button to show the log for the day after the currently displayed day.


This is the log for the given day of the selected Fixlet site(s). If more than one site is selected, the logs for each site are merged into one, sorted by the time of each event.


Schedule


Go To Schedule

This command takes you to the Schedule property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose Schedule from the popup menu.


Schedule properties page
Schedule

This property page contains information about the schedule of the selected Fixlet site(s). It lets you customize the schedule to suit your needs. For further control over the schedule, look at the limit options in the Preferences Dialog.

If more than one site is selected, the check boxes take on an extra meaning. A black check or a clear check means all the selected sites share the same gathering option. A gray check mark means that for the current collection, some Fixlet sites don't share the option. If you set or clear a check box while a collection of sites is selected, the program will apply the option to each Fixlet site in the collection.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Check this box to use the subscription schedule recommended by the publisher of the Fixlet site. This is the default for a new subscription.


This is the subscription schedule recommended by the publisher of this Fixlet site.


Check this box to specify a schedule different from the one designated by the author of the Fixlet site. Use the pull-down menu to the right to set the desired schedule.


This pop-up menu lets you select a custom schedule for gathering from the selected Fixlet site(s).


This check box essentially disables automatic gathering on the selected Fixlet site(s). As long as this box is checked, you will have to manually click on the gather button to the left (or the Site menu or from right-clicking on the Sitebar) in order to gather the latest information from the site(s).


This check box disables gathering on the selected Fixlet site(s). You will no longer be able to synchronize to these sites, turning them into an "archive" of the subscription. To gather from this site, you must clear this check box.


Check this box to permanently subscribe to the selected Fixlet site(s). If this box is checked, you won't be able to unsubscribe from this site through the program menus. This feature can be used to protect a subscription from accidental deletion. To unsubscribe from a protected Fixlet site, you must first clear this checkbox.


Statistics


Go to Statistics

This command takes you to the Statistics property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose Statistics from the menu.


Statistics property page
Statistics

This is the Statistics property page. It lists certain important statistics about the selected Fixlet site. If more than one Fixlet site is selected, this dialog lists the combined stats for the entire collection.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


This is the date that your subscription started with the selected Fixlet site(s).


Multiple Fixlet sites have been selected so there is a range of starting dates for the collection. This field, along with the field above, defines the range of starting dates for the collection.


This is the date of the last successful gathering of the selected Fixlet site(s).


Multiple Fixlet sites have been selected so there is a range of gathering dates for the collection. This field, along with the field above, defines the range of gathering dates for the collection.


This is the number of Fixlet sites currently selected in the Sitebar. You can select more or fewer sites at any time while this dialog is displayed.


This number represents the total number of sites that you are currently subscribed to.


This is the percentage of Fixlet sites -- out of your total subscriptions -- that are currently selected from the Sitebar for statistical analysis.


This is the number of Fixlet messages selected for statistical analysis. It is the sum of the Fixlet messages in all the Fixlet sites selected from the Sitebar.


This is the total number of Fixlet messages from all of your subscriptions.


This is the percentage of Fixlet messages -- out of the total number of Fixlet messages -- that are currently selected.


This is the total accumulated time (in milliseconds) that it takes to evaluate the selected set of Fixlet messages.


This is the total time (in milliseconds) that it takes to evaluate every Fixlet message from every Fixlet site.


This is the percentage of time -- out of the total time -- that it takes to evaluate the currently selected Fixlet messages.


This is the size (in kilobytes) of the currently selected Fixlet site(s).


This is the total size (in kilobytes) of all your current Fixlet site subscriptions.


This is the percentage of the storage -- out of the total storage space -- taken up by the currently selected Fixlet site(s).


This is the number of successfully resolved Fixlets in the currently selected Fixlet site(s).


This is the number of successfully resolved Fixlets in all your current Fixlet site subscriptions.


This is the percentage of successfully resolved Fixlets from the currently selected Fixlet site(s).


This button refreshes the evaluation of all the Fixlet messages, providing a new set of numbers for the Milliseconds field, above. Due to caching and other vagaries of Fixlet message evaluation, this time may fluctuate slightly.


 Profile


Go to FixSite profile property page
Go to Fixlet Site Profile Property Page

This command takes you to the Profile property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose Profile from the menu.


FixSite profile property page
Fixlet Site Profile Property Page

This dialog contains information about the Fixlet site profile attached to this site. The profile extends the items that can be checked by the Relevance Language. The profile variables stay on your computer and are never sent out without your express permission.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Edit FixSite Profile Variables
Edit Fixlet Site Profile Variables

This command brings up the Fixlet site profile form for you to edit. This command is available from the profile property page (Site Menu) and by right-clicking on the desired site in the Sitebar.


FixSite Profile Variable List
Fixlet Site Profile Variable List

This is a list of the current variables and their values for this Fixlet site. The column headers for the variables include:

Name: the name of the variable.

Value: a string or a number value for the variable.

Site: the Fixlet site that this variable belongs to.


 History


Go to FixSite history property page
Go to Fixlet Site History Property Page

This command takes you to the History property page. Right-click on a Fixlet site and choose History from the menu.


FixSite history property page
Fixlet Site History Property Page

This dialog contains information about the Fixlet site history. The history provides access to a list of all the Fixlet messages that have ever been relevant to you. There are three buttons that may let you connect to a Fixlet author. Each site provides different levels of support, which may include:

 A link to a web site where you can view FAQ's or search for additional information.

 An email address for you to send comments and questions regarding Fixlet messages.

 A bulletin board for users to comment on their Fixlet messages.

Shortcuts

Mouse:	Right-click on the Fixlet site icon


Review Fixlet Site History
View Web Site for this Fixlet site

This button takes you to the home page for the selected Fixlet site.  The button is disabled (grayed out) if the Fixlet site does not have an associated web site.


View Web Site for this Fixlet site

This button takes you to the home page for the selected Fixlet site.  The button is disabled (grayed out) if the Fixlet site does not have an associated web site.


Reply to a Fixlet site
Reply to this Fixlet Site about this Fixlet

This button launches your email program so that you can send a message about the selected Fixlet message. The button is disabled (grayed out) if the Fixlet site does not have an associated email address.


View or make a comment
View or Make a Comment about a Fixlet

This button takes you to a bulletin board for the selected Fixlet message. The button is disabled (grayed out) if the Fixlet site does not have an associated bulletin board.


Fixlet History List
Fixlet Message History List

This is a list of all the Fixlet messages that have ever been relevant to you for the selected Fixlet sites. The column headers for the variables include:

Subject: a short description of the Fixlet message.

Relevant: a 'Yes' in this column means that the Fixlet message is currently relevant.

Relevance Date: the date when the Fixlet last became relevant.


Use the scrollbar to move through the Fixlet messages in the history list.


Trash Dialog


Open Trash

Displays the trash can which contains a listing of the Fixlet messages you have placed there. You may want to put a Fixlet message in the trash if it doesn't automatically disappear, or if you decide it isn't relevant.

You can empty the trash, however you won't be able to easily retrieve those Fixlet messages.

Shortcut

Toolbar:


Trash List

This is a listing of the Fixlet messages in the trash. You can empty the trash or retrieve Fixlet messages from the trash. If you empty the trash, you won't be able to easily retrieve these Fixlet messages.

While clicking on the mouse, you can

•	Hold down the shift key to select everything between the cursor and the last selected Fixlet message.

•	Hold down the control key to add the current Fixlet message to the selection.


Use the scrollbar to move through the list of Fixlet messages in the trash.


Restore Fixlet Messages from the trash

This command will take the selected Fixlet messages out of the trash. They will be returned to the Fixlet site they came from for continuing relevance evaluation.


Empty the Trash

This command will empty these Fixlet messages from the trash. Use this command with caution -- it is difficult to retrieve a Fixlet message when it has been emptied from the trash.


Mainframe


HIDR_MAINFRAME_MULTI_POOL

203	// main menu multi pool / non tray mode


HIDR_MAINFRAME

128	// the menus (single pool/not in tray)


Add Site Dialog


FixSite Masthead

This dialog displays information about the Fixlet site to which you are subscribing.  It tells you the name that will be given to the site along with the organization that created the site.  You can also see a description of the kinds of fixlets you should expect from the site, the email address of the Fixlet site administrator, and the icon that will represent the site on the sitebar.  Click 'Add Site Now…' to begin gathering fixlets from the site or 'Cancel' if you do not want to subscribe at this time.


Update Masthead


FixSite Masthead Update

When you try to open a fixlet site definition that shares the same location as a site that is already in your sitebar, you will see this dialog.  From here you can review any differences between the existing and new site definition file.  If you want the site to take on the new values, click the 'Update Site Now' button.  Your only other alternative is to cancel the update.


Unsubscribe


This is the name of site you are removing.


Fixlet List


Fixlet List

This is a list of the currently relevant Fixlet messages for the selected Fixlet site(s). Click on an item in the list to display the Fixlet body. You can sort this list by clicking on the column headers. The headers include:

Subject	A short description of the Fixlet message.

Read	A flag to indicate whether or not you have already read (opened) the Fixlet message.

Site	The name of the Fixlet site that created this Fixlet message.

Relevance	The date that the Fixlet message became relevant.

Note: If you can't see the Fixlet list, go to the View menu and make sure that Fixlet List is checked.


 This is the Fixlet list. Click on a Fixlet message to display its contents.


The Fixlet list. This window contains a list of all the currently-relevant Fixlet messages. Click on any line to open the Fixlet message up in the main window.


Scroll through the list of Fixlet messages with this scroll-bar.


 #Choose this menu item to change the status of the selected Fixlet message(s) to the read state. This happens automatically when you click on the Fixlet line.


Choose this menu item to change the status of the selected Fixlet message(s)back to the unread state. This can be a useful way to keep urgent or unfinished items at the top of your list.


Choose this menu item to delete the selected Fixlet message(s). The deleted message(s) will be placed in the trash can.


This is the name of the site as defined by the site author.


Fixlet Header
 #Fixlet Header

This window contains information from the Fixlet header, such as the subject line, the relevance expression and keywords.


Unsubscribe dialog

This dialog box is to confirm that you want to unsubscribe from the listed site. Click the Unsubscribe button to terminate the subscription and remove the Fixlet messages from this site.


Unsubscribe confirmation

Click here to unsubscribe from the given Fixlet site.  Note that all the Fixlet messages from this site will be removed from your disk.


 Findfile dialog


Find File

You have misplaced a file.  The list contains files that MAY be the lost file.  They are ranked by their resemblance to the lost file.   You may choose any of the files in the list as a replacement for the missing file.  Choose Copy if want both files to exist.


BigFix Confirm

A file has been misplaced.  BigFix will search for the misplaced file on the desktop, in the recycle-bin, in the folder that originally contained the file, its descendant folders and its the parent folder.  As it scans these folders it looks for files whose length matches that of the original file.  For each file whose length matches, BigFix calculates a checksum and compares this to the original checksum which has been captured in the fixlet.  If it finds a file with matching length and checksum in any of these folders, it displays this confirmation box.  Click 'Copy' to have BigFix copy the file to its original location.  Click 'Move' or 'Rename' to have the file moved back into place.


Action Button


Shell Command dialog box

This dialog presents a preview of the action button shell commands. Read this carefully and make sure you understand what's about to happen before you click on the OK button.


This is a preview of the shell commands that will be executed when you click on the OK button.


Registry Command dialog box

This dialog presents a preview of the action button registry commands. Read this carefully and make sure you understand what's about to happen before you click on the OK button.


This is a preview of the registry commands that will be executed when you click on the OK button.


Script Command dialog box

This dialog presents a preview of the action button visual basic program or java script. Read this carefully and make sure you understand what's about to happen before you click on the OK button.


This is a preview of the visual basic program or java script that will be executed when you click on the OK button.


Site Bar


FixSite Sitebar
Sitebar

This is a strip of icons that represent the Fixlet sites you've subscribed to. Click on the globe to select all the Fixlet sites. Click on individual Fixlet sites to see Fixlet messages from one site at a time, or use the Ctrl and Shift keys while clicking to select a range of sites.


HIDB_BITMAP_ALLSITES

200	// the all sites bitmap


HIDB_DEFAULT_SITE_BITMAP_MEDIUM

203	// site bitmap if none provided or imported file


HIDD_SITE_LIST_DIALOG_BAR

1541	// the site list docking dialog bar control


HIDR_MENU_SITEBAR_POPUP

192	// the popup you see when right click on site


Status Bar


Status Bar

This status bar is a general information display. It provides two different kinds of information:

1.	As the  cursor moves across the program window, a brief explanation of each interface element is displayed.

2.	If you are connected to the Internet, the status bar will reflect the URL that is currently being accessed.


Gathering


Gather Fixlet Messages

This command causes the currently selected Fixlet site(s) to be downloaded, or synchronized.


This is the name of a Fixlet site.


Permission To Connect

Depending upon your Connection Preference BigFix may ask for permission to connect to Fixlet sites for the purpose of gathering the latest information.  You are shown the name of the site that is ready to gather.  Click Connect to allow BigFix to proceed with gathering.  Click Try later to have BigFix postpone all gathering operations for one hour.  Click Skip this gathering if you want BigFix to delay gathering until the next scheduled time to gather.  You may also change your Connection Preference in this dialog.  The Connection Preference can also be adjusted in the Preferences dialog available from the File menu.


BigFix Unable To Gather

When BigFix gathers Fixlets from sites, it may fail to contact the site for a number of reasons. At this time you are shown the name of the site that is having the problem along with a short description of the failure.  Click Try again to have BigFix repeat the operation. Click Cancel to have BigFix stop gathering.  Click Skip This Site if you are gathering from several sites and you wish to skip this one and continue gathering from the remaining sites.


Tutorial Dialog


This is the Tutorial dialog box. It displays a tutorial for you to get an overview of how BigFix operates.


This window contains the tutorial.


This button takes you to the previous page of the tutorial.


This button takes you to the next page of the tutorial.


Progress Bar


This is the Progress dialog box. It displays the current state of the site gathering or download progress. Depending on the speed of your modem, this may be a fast or lengthy process. This dialog helps you to monitor the progress and to terminate it, if so desired.


Click this button to stop downloading. This can be useful if you have a slow connection, or you just want to defer the gathering until later.


Once a download is completed, this button is available for you to open the download.  If what you downloaded is a program, this button will begin execution of it.


This is the name of the site currently being synchronized or gathered.


Tray


HIDR_MAINFRAME_MULTI_POOL_TRAY

204	// main menu multi pool / tray mode


HIDR_MAINFRAME_SINGLE_POOL_TRAY

205	// main menu single pool / tray mode


HIDR_MENU_TASKBAR_POPUP

202	// show window/exit pop up menu from tray


HIDR_TRAY_NORMAL_ICON

197	// normal tray icon


HIDR_TRAY_BLINKON_ICON

198	// blink 1 tray icon


HIDR_TRAY_BLINKOFF_ICON

199	// blink 2 tray icon


Show Window from Tray

Use this command to bring the BigFix application up and to the front.


Exit from Tray

This command causes the BigFix application to terminate and leave the tray.


Toolbar


HIDD_TOOL_DIALOG_BAR

1542	// the docking toolbar control


HIDC_TOOL_LIST

1095	// control holds all tools in toolbar control


 #HIDB_TOOL_BACK_OFF

214	// off versions of above


HIDB_TECH_SUPPORT_ICON

223	// the bigfix tech support site bar icon


 #HIDB_TOOL_HOME_OFF

225	// off of above


toolbar overview
Toolbar

The toolbar is a strip of icons that provides quick mouse access to some popular commands used in BigFix. The  toolbar can be moved by dragging its gripper (the edge with the diagonal lines). You can move the toolbar to another spot in the program window, or you can pull it out of the interface altogether and "float" it around the desktop.

To hide or display the Toolbar, choose Toolbar from the View menu.

Click	To

Go to the previous Fixlet message or Web Page.

Go to the next Fixlet message or Web Page.

Stop downloads and Fixlet site gathering.

Contact the BigFix Web Site.

Print the active window.

Cycle through five font sizes for easier reading.

View the contents of the trash can.

Gather the latest information from a Fixlet site.

Provide context help for the user interface..


Bit Maps


HIDR_ADVICETYPE

129	// a bitmap that says ASI ???


HIDB_DEFAULT_SITE_BITMAP

187	// site bitmap if none provided or imported file


HIDB_BITMAP_ARCHER

188	// our backdrop


Stuff


Site Profile

This is extra information requested by the selected Fixlet site. Fill in these fields and press the Save button at the bottom. This information is stored locally. BigFix never sends this information over the net, so feel free to be thorough.


HIDC_CHECK_SHOW_FAILURES

1133	// in the check dialog, check box to show or hide ‘failures’


HIDB_SPLASH

226	// our splash screen bitmap


HIDD_MSGBO_xDIALOG

196	// dialog for all OK, OKCancel, YesNoCancel boxes


HIDC_CURSOR_BARSIZE

162	// adjust size of windows cursor


HIDR_KNOWLEDGEBASETYPE

130	// 'kno' icon ???


HID_ADVICE_SHOW_ALL_TOGGLE

32910	// shift control t


HIDD_DOCK_FORM

101	// our form view document


Authoring


HIDC_EVALUATION_THRESHHOLD

1121	// author mode, control holds number of milliseconds of relevance execution to flag as error


HIDM_AUTHOR_SHOW_CHECK_DIALOG

107	// bring up the syntax check window


HID_ADVICE_SHOW_ALL

108	// the Author/Show all menu entry


HID_ADVICE_RELEVANT

109	// the Author/Relevant Only Menu entry


HIDC_FIND_TEXT

1082	// in author find text dialog, control holds editable text to search for


HIDC_CHECK_FROM_TOP

1084	// in author find text dialog, check box to start searching from top


HIDC_EDIT_ERROR_LOG

1085	// in author mode, list of errors at bottom which can be clicked on


HIDC_EDIT_ADVICE

1086	// rich edit control holds digest being edited in authoring mode


HIDC_CHECK

1081	// 'check selected sites' button in author/syntax check... dialog


HIDD_EDIT_FIND_DIALOG

194	// in author mode, allows finding strings in digest


HIDD_ADVICE_EDIT_DIALOG

195	// in author mode, the Syntax check... dialog


Miscellaneous


Click the OK button to accept the settings in this dialog box. This will also close the dialog box.


Click the Cancel button to close this dialog box without changing any of the settings.


Click the Yes button if you are ready to proceed with the indicated operation.


Click the No button if you don't wish to proceed with the indicated operation.


This is a message dialog box. Click on one of the buttons to proceed.


This is the icon for the selected Fixlet site. The icon changes to a globe when more than one site is selected.


This is the title bar for the currently active window. It has a caption to identify its contents.


This is a horizontal scrollbar. Click on the arrow buttons or grab the gray box and slide it left and right in order to horizontally scroll the contents of the associated window.


This is a vertical scrollbar. Click on the arrow buttons or grab the gray box and slide it up and down in order to vertically scroll the contents of the associated window.


Minimize

Click this button to minimize the window. This causes the window to reduce itself to a button. Click on this button to reopen the window.


Maximize

Click this button to expand the window to its maximum frame size. The button is a toggle -- click it again to return to the multi-window mode.


Restore

Click this button to restore a maximized window to a multiple window view. This button toggles back to the maximized view.


Close

Click this button to close the current window.


Minimize the Program

Click this button to minimize the window. This will cause the program to shut down its open windows and reduce itself to a button on the task bar. Click on this taskbar button to reopen the program windows.


Maximize the Program

Click this button to maximize the window. This will cause the program to enlarge its main window to fill the entire screen. This is the single-window mode. The button is a toggle -- click it again to return to the multi-window mode.


Minimize the Window

Click this button to minimize the window. This will cause the window to reduce itself to a button at the bottom of the application window. Click on the multi-window button to reopen the program windows.

The multi-window button:


Maximize the Window

Click this button to maximize the window. This will cause the window to fill the application frame. This is the single-window mode. The button is a toggle -- click it again to return to the multi-window mode.

The multi-window button:


Close the Window


Canned Dialog boxes


File Open dialog box

The following options allow you to specify which file to open:

Look in:

Select the folder for the file you want to open.

File name:

Type or select the filename you want to open.

Files of type:

Select the type of file you want to open. Depending on what command invoked this dialog box, the file types include:

*.fxf 	Fixlet File

*.fxm	Fixlet Masthead

*.fxg	Fixlet Pool


File Save As dialog box

The following options allow you to specify the name and location of the file you're about to save:

Save in:

Select the folder where you want to store the file.

File name:

Type a new filename to save a document with a different name. BigFix adds the extension you specify in the Save as type box.

Save as type:

Select the type of file you want to save. Depending on what command invoked this dialog box, the file types include:

*.fxf 	Fixlet File

*.fxm	Fixlet Masthead

*.fxg	Fixlet Pool


Print dialog box

The following options allow you to specify how the document should be printed:

Printer

This is the active printer and printer connection.  Choose the Setup option to change the printer and printer connection.

Setup

Displays a Print Setup dialog box, so  you can select a printer and printer connection.

Print Range

Specify the pages you want to print:

All	Prints the entire document.
Selection	Prints the currently selected text.
Pages	Prints the range of pages you specify in the From and To boxes.
Copies

Specify the number of copies you want to print for the above page range.

Collate Copies

Prints copies in page number order, instead of separated multiple copies of each page.

Print Quality

Select the quality of the printing.  Generally, lower quality printing takes less time to produce.


Print Setup dialog box

The following options allow you to select the destination printer and its connection.

Printer

Select the printer you want to use.  Choose the Default Printer; or choose the Specific Printer option and select one of the current installed printers shown in the box.  You install printers and configure ports using the Windows Control Panel.

Orientation

Choose Portrait or Landscape.

Paper Size

Select the size of paper that the document is to be printed on.

Paper Source

Some printers offer multiple trays for different paper sources.  Specify the tray here.

Options

Displays a dialog box where you can make additional choices about printing, specific to the type of printer you have selected.


No Help Available

No help is available for this area of the window.


No Help Available

No help is available for this message box.