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Operating Controls and Menus - keys abbreviations

The Context keys are the keys most frequently used to operate controls and menus as explained below.

The Primary Context keys are:

'Up' [up arrow] (8)

'Down' [down arrow] (2)

'Left' [left arrow] (4)

'Right' [right arrow] (6)

'Select' [Enter] (5)

There are additional Context keys which are used to perform less frequent operations as will be explained when relevant in other parts of this tutorial.

As the Context keys will be used frequently, you will find it useful to memorize the actual physical keys used on the standard keyboard (enclosed in square brackets '[ ]'), as in many cases in this manual these keys will be mentioned by their names only. For example, "Use the 'Up' key" and not "Use the 'Up' [up arrow] (8) key".

Keys use with controls

Controls are elements to perform a specific operation . With controls, the functionality of these keys (or their commands) varies between types of controls and these will be explained in this Tutorial.

Keys use with menus

A menu always starts with a vertical list of menu items and sub-menus. A sub-menu contains other menu items or sub-menus of related operations.

You navigate a menu item list with the 'Up' and 'Down' keys.

You navigate to a sub-menu (go down a level) by using the 'Right' key and go up a level with the 'Left' key. When you get to the menu item you want you select it with the 'Select' key (you cannot select a sub-menu).

As the operation of all menus is the same, the following abbreviation is used:

Suppose that you have a sub-menu called 'File' which contains a 'Delete File' menu item which you need to select to delete the file in question. Instead of giving a detailed instruction of the 'Up', 'Down', 'Right', 'Left' and 'Select' keys it will use the simple abbreviation:

Select File > Delete File

where the '>' character indicates a sub-menu.


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