2.3.1 Push Buttons

Push buttons are used to select an action. They are shown as a name enclosed in angle brackets displayed at the bottom of dialog boxes. In Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, < OK > and <Cancel> are push buttons.

To choose a push button using the keyboard, do one of the following:

• Use the Tab key to move the cursor to the push button (this highlights the angle brackets of this push button in bold), and press Enter.

• Use the accelerator key of the push button. (For more information about accelerator keys, see Accelerator Keys.)

  

• Click with the mouse on the push button.

  

Each dialog box has one push button with highlighted (bold) angle brackets. This is the default push button. To choose the highlighted push button, press the Enter key from anywhere in the dialog box.

If the dialog also contains a list box, you can double-click on an item in the list box. This has the effect of performing the action of the default push button on this item. For example, if the dialog box contains a list of sessions and <Zoom> is the default push button, double-clicking on a session zooms on that session.

Push buttons that appear in the lower right-hand corner of a dialog box are used to end the dialog. These push buttons do not have an accelerator key shown, but you can select one or more of the following:

<OK>

Choosing the <OK> push button indicates that you have finished making any changes to the information in this dialog, and you want the program to accept the new information. The program checks the information you have entered. If any information is incorrect, a warning or error message is displayed. Otherwise, the dialog is ended.

<Cancel>

Choosing the <Cancel> push button abandons any changes you have made to the information in this dialog and ends the dialog. The Esc key can be used as an accelerator key for this push button.

<Done>

Choosing the <Done> push button ends dialogs on which there is no information to be entered. For example, this pushbutton would be used to end a dialog that displays a list of sessions and enables you to zoom in on a particular session.

2.3.2 Check Boxes

Check boxes are used to specify options that are either on or off (selected or not selected). They are shown as a pair of square brackets. When an X is displayed in the brackets, the item is selected. When the brackets are empty, the item is not selected.

In Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, Session enabled at initialization is a check box. The session is enabled at initialization if the check box contains an X, and is not enabled at initialization if the check box is empty. In Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, the check box is empty and so this means that the session is not enabled at initialization.

To choose a check box using the keyboard, do the following:

1. Press Tab to move the cursor to the check box.

2. Press Space or the cursor keys to select or deselect the box.

   The Space key toggles the box on or off (selected or not selected). The Left and Up cursor keys select the box. The Right and Down cursor keys deselect the box.

You can also use the accelerator key to move to a check box. This automatically toggles the state of the check box, so that it is selected if it was previously not selected, and not selected if it was previously selected. For more information, see Accelerator Keys.

You can also click with the mouse on a check box. This toggles the state of the check box, so that it is selected if it was previously not selected, and not selected if it was previously selected.

2.3.3 Radio Groups

Radio groups provide a set of two or more options, of which only one must be selected at any time. Each option is indicated by a radio button, which appears on the screen as a pair of parentheses.

Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, shows two radio groups: Local copy done to: and Model Type:.

A circle within the parentheses indicates that that radio button is selected. When you select any button, all other buttons within the group are automatically deselected.

In the Model Type: group in Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, the 2 (24x80) radio button is selected.

To choose a radio button from the keyboard, do the following:

1. Press Tab to move to the radio group.

2. Use the cursor keys to move to the button you want and select it. The Down or Right cursor keys move forwards within the group, and the Up or Left cursor keys move backwards.

After moving to the button you want with the cursor keys, press Space to select it. In the Motif interface, moving the cursor to a radio button does not automatically select it.

You can also click with the mouse on a radio button. This automatically selects that radio button and deselects all the other buttons in the group.

You can also use the accelerator key to move to a radio button. This automatically selects that radio button and deselects all the other buttons in the group. For more information, see Accelerator Keys.

2.3.4 Edit Boxes

Edit boxes appear as a pair of square brackets containing a dotted line on which you can type information. They often contain default information which you can either accept or type over.

When you type information into some edit boxes, the typing area may scroll so you can enter more characters. Only a limited number of characters is shown in the edit box at a given time; you can use the Left or Right cursor keys or the Home or End keys to position the cursor within the edit box. The program still uses the full string you type in.

In Typical Dialog Box from 3270 Emulation Program, Description is an edit box.

To add or change information in an edit box, do the following:

1. Press Tab or use the accelerator key to move to the edit box. (For more information, see Accelerator Keys.)

   Any existing information in the edit box is shown in reverse video.

2. Use the Left or Right cursor keys or the Home or End keys to position the cursor within the edit box, and edit the existing text (using Delete or Backspace, cursor keys, and character keys).

   Alternatively, if you start typing new text without first using the cursor keys, all the existing text disappears and is replaced by the new text you type in.

You can also cut and paste text in an edit box using the mouse in the normal way.

2.3.5 List Boxes

A list box contains a list of items, as shown in 3270 Emulation Program Showing a List Box.

3270 Emulation Program Showing a List Box

In general, you choose one item from the list to view or to specify further information about that particular item. For example, if you select SESS02 from the list box shown above and then use the <Zoom> push button, the next dialog enables you to specify details of how that particular 3270 session is used.

To choose an item from the list box, do the following:

1. Use the Tab key or the accelerator key shown in the list box title to move to the list box. (For more information, see Accelerator Keys.) One item in the list box (usually the first) is shown in reverse video, indicating that it is currently selected.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Use the Up and Down cursor keys to position the cursor on the item you want.

   • Press the key corresponding to the first character of the line that represents the item you want to select. If more than one item begins with this character, keep pressing the key until the cursor reaches the one you want. You can select an item from the list box by using the key corresponding to the first character of the item name even if the item is not currently visible in the list box.

     The first character need not be a standard alphanumeric character. For example, to select a particular session (where the session number is in the first column of the list box), press the numeric key corresponding to the session number.

     

   • Click with the mouse on the item you want. Double-clicking with the mouse on an item in the list box has the effect of performing the action of the default push button on this item. For example, if the dialog box contains a list of sessions and <Zoom> is the default push button, double-clicking on a session zooms on that session.

     

The elevator bar (shown on the right-hand edge of the list box) shows your current position in the list. This character is a marker that moves downwards to indicate your approximate position in the list as you scroll down the list box.

A list box may contain more items than the box can show at one time. To view items that are not currently shown, do one of the following:

• Use the Up or Down cursor keys to move the cursor past the top or bottom of the list box; the items in the box will scroll down or up.

• Use the Home or End keys to move the cursor to the first or last item in the list box.

• Use the PageUp or PageDown keys to move up or down through the list box items.

  

• Click with the mouse on the up or down arrow of the list box's elevator bar.