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VCS Hints: Template Browser Panel |
Access: via Template Panel -> Attribute Set Name
The Template Browser Panel lists subattributes of nine picture template categories: text, format, x-tick marks, y-tick marks, x-labels, y-labels, box/lines, legend space, and display space. These are designated in the Template Browser Panel scroll window by asterisks that precede and follow each category name. The corresponding subattributes also appear in the scroll window below the category name.
How to Use the Template Browser Panel
Displaying the Template Rulers:
To display the temlplate rulers, move the pointer over the yellow 'View'
menu button, and press and hold the left mouse button. A menu of options
will appear, with the 'tear-off' selection as the first menu element. (The
tear-off appears as a dashed line and retains the menu selections on the
display.) Then move the pointer over the 'Rulers' menu option and release
the left mouse button; rulers will appear above and to the left of the
VCS Canvas, which represents the size of a
page: 8.5 x 11 inch (21.59 x 27.94 cm) for 'landscape' setting or 11 x
8.5 inch (27.94 x 21.59 cm) for 'portrait' setting.
Displaying the Template Grid:
To display the template grid, move the pointer over the yellow 'View' menu
button, and press and hold the left mouse button. Then move the pointer
over the 'Grid' menu option and release the left mouse button. Grids lines
will appear on the VCS Canvas at intervals
of inches or centimeters (see also Specifying the Template
Measurement Units).
Specifying the Template Measurement Units (Inches
vs Centimeters):
To specify the template measurement units, first move the pointer over
the yellow 'View' menu button, and press and hold the left mouse button.
Then, to specify measurement units of inches, move the pointer and release
the left mouse button on the 'Inch' menu item; to specify measurement units
of centimeters, release the left mouse button on the 'Cm' menu item.
Specifying 'Snap to Grid':
To specify 'snap to grid', move the pointer over the yellow 'View' menu
button, and press and hold the left mouse button. Then move the pointer
over the 'Snap' menu item and release the left mouse button. When the 'Snap'
option is on, the user can move graphics objects on the screen by increments
of 1/16 inch or 1/10 centimeter. If the 'Snap' option is off, graphics
objects can be moved at more precise increments of one pixel length.
Modifying the Overall Template:
All the subattributes can be scaled or translated at once by selecting
the yellow `Modify Overall Template' button. The subpanel labeled `Overall
Modification of (template name)' then will appear below the Template Browser
Panel. Scale and/or translate the template by modifying the desired input
text window, then select the red `Apply' button to register changes. When
the `Overall Modification of (template name)' subpanel is brought up, eight
red buttons and an interconnecting box also appear on the VCS
Canvas. (The box represents the outermost edges of the template and
the buttons signify a box corner or edge: 'TL', top left; 'TC', top center;
'TR', top right; 'CR', center right; 'BR', bottom right; 'BC', bottom center;
'BL', bottom left; and 'CL', center left.) By moving the pointer over one
of the red buttons and pressing and holding the left mouse button, the
box size can be altered, thereby scaling the template: when the left mouse
button is released, the template scales to match the new box size. By moving
the pointer within the box and pressing and holding the left mouse button,
the box can be translated to a different location on the screen: when the
left mouse button is released, the template translates to these new coordinates.
Modifying a Subattribute:
Move the pointer over the desired subattribute name and click the left
mouse button. A subpanel then appears below the Template Browser Panel
to allow editing of the subattribute--select the red `Apply' button to
register changes. When the subpanel is accessed, one, two, or four red
boxes also appear on the VCS Canvas representing
the subattribute's screen coordinates. To change these coordinates, move
the red button to the desired location, and release the left mouse button.
The position of the subattribute on the VCS Canvas
also can be altered by changing the values of the input text windows labeled
`x', `y', `x1', `y1',`x2', or `y2'. Note, the position values are either
expressed in inches or in centimeters (see Specifying the
Template Measurement Units).
Changing the Priority of a Subattribute:
To change the priority of a subattribute, enter a new integer value in
the `p' input text window in its editing panel. The subattribute with the
highest priority number is displayed on top of all others on the VCS
Canvas, while a subattribute with priority 0 is not displayed. The
priority also can be changed by use of the 'up-down' arrow associated with
the subattribute's input text window.
Changing a Secondary Element of a Subattribute:
If a subattribute uses one of the eight secondary elements (e.g., line,
marker, text, etc.), then the corresponding input text window is labeled
(e.g., `Tl' for line, `Tm' for marker, `Tt' for text, etc.) and colored
(e.g., cyan for line, brown for marker, magenta for text, etc.) accordingly.
To change a secondary element of a subattribute, copy and drop the desired
secondary element attribute name in the input text window of the appropriate
secondary element panel. (See Hints associated with the secondary
element panels for copy and drop procedures.)
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LLNL Disclaimers