ALFI 6  Tips and Shortcuts

Summary

• Settings and Queries at Startup
• Main Menu
• Editor Windows
• Background menus
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Node Actions
• Right Mouse Button Actions
• Left Mouse Button Actions
• Middle Mouse Button Actions
• Keyboard Actions
• Port Actions
• Right Mouse Button Actions
• Keyboard Actions
• Connection Actions
• Right Mouse Button Actions
• Node Settings Commands
• Keyboard Actions
• Multiline Editor
• Keyboard Actions
• Find Dialog
•  Mouse Actions

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Main Menu

To activate the ALFI main menu commands with the keyboard, move the keyboard focus on the main window and press <ALT> + the mnemonic key (example "F" for the File Commands).

The following table lists the commands available through the main window menu:

<ALT> F	File Commands	Description
<ALT> N	New Box	Create a new box file
<ALT> L	Load	Loads a box file from the system
<ALT> R	Reload Selected Node	Reloads a box file from the system.
<ALT> U	Unload Selected Node	Unloads a box file from the system
<ALT> P	Preferences	Allows the user to change preferences, such as the E2E_PATH environment variable
<ALT> S	Save	Saves the box files that are directly affected from the changes
<ALT> Q	Quit	Exits the system

Editor Windows

RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON:	LEFT MOUSE BUTTON:	LEFT MOUSE BUTTON and <Control> KEY:
Clicking on the background of an editor window with the RMB will display the menu above.  These commands are actions available to the node that is being modified (current editor window).	Clicking on the background of an editor window with the LMB will display the menu above.  This menu contains the available primitives in the system.   The same primitives are available through the Primitives toolbar (displayed above).	Clicking on the background of an editor window with LMB and <Control> key will display the menu below.  This menu contains the available box files in the system.

Node Actions

A node is the representation of a box file or a primitive.   The figure below displays a node with several input ports, output port, and connections.

 

The following table lists the actions available to a node:

Action	Description
RIGHT Mouse Button Click	Brings up the menu displayed above.
LEFT Mouse Button Click	Selects the Node
LEFT Mouse DOUBLE CLICK  - on a Box File	Opens up the box file
LEFT Mouse DOUBLE CLICK - on a primitive	Opens up the (Primitive) Node Properties Dialog
LEFT Mouse Button Click on an output port (inside the node)	Starts a creation of a connection -  RIGHT click cancels the creation.  LEFT click on an input port finishes the creation of the connection.
LEFT Mouse DOUBLE CLICK on an input port of a primitive (inside the node)	Opens up the Input Port Default Value Dialog - to change from the default value to some other value.
LEFT Mouse Button Click on a port (from the node's external view) then DRAG.	Moves the port.

Port Actions

Note that many actions described below are valid (allowed) only for Local Ports. A local port is a port which has been added directly to the node in question as opposed to a port which has been inherited from one of the base nodes of the node in question. Local ports are visually identifiable by having a slightly thicker outline around the port symbol than the outlines around inherited ports.

The following table lists the actions available to ports on the outside edges of the Internal View of a node.

Action	Description
RIGHT Mouse Button Click	Brings up the menu displayed above. Available to ports on outside edges only.
LEFT Mouse Button Click on an existing port	Starts the building of a connection to or from this port. Or if a connection is currently being built, completes the connection at this port.
LEFT Mouse Button Click on the border	Creates a new port. Input ports are automatically created in the west and north borders. Output ports are created in the east and south borders.
LEFT Mouse Button Drag	Moves the location of the port to nearest open port space (after the last of the inherited ports on a given side.) Local ports on the outside edges only.

 

The following table lists the actions available to ports in the External View of a node.

Action	Description
RIGHT Mouse Button Click	Brings up the menu displayed above. This will allow the ports to be moved from one edge to another.
LEFT Mouse Button Click	Selects a port for possible repositioning (see arrow keys below.)
Arrow Keys	Moves selected port(s) along the edge of the node's external view. Local ports only.

Connection Actions

A RIGHT MOUSE button click on a connection will bring up the menu displayed above on processing connections.

 

Node Settings Commands

Multiline Editor

From the Node Settings Dialog, a parameter's value is modifiable through the Multiline Editor.

Most of the functions are accessible through the menu bar either by using mouse or using the keyboard.    The keyboard can access the menus by pressing <ALT> + the mnemonic key (example "F" for the File).
 
 

The following table lists the shortcut keystrokes for the Multiline Editor:

Action	Description
<CONTROL> B	Goes one chararcter backward
<CONTROL> F	Goes one character forward
<CONTROL> P	Goes one line up
<CONTROL> N	Goes one line down
<CONTROL> A	Goes to the beginning of the line
<CONTROL> E	Goes to the end of the line
<ESCAPE>	Closes the dialog - prompts to save any changes before closing.
<CONTROL> S	Saves (without prompting) and then closes the dialog.

 

Find Dialog

 

The following table lists the shortcut keystrokes for the Find Dialog:

Action	Description
<ALT> N	Available from the 'By Module Name' tab,  sets the cursor location to the 'Name' dropdown list (choices are: 'is' and 'contains').
<ALT> T	Available from the 'By Module Type' tab,  sets the cursor location to the 'Type' dropdown list (choices are: 'box' and 'primitive').
<ALT> R	Moves the cursor location to the 'Results' list.
<ALT> S	Moves the cursor location to the 'Sort' dropdown list (choices are: 'Backward Name Sort', 'Forward Name Sort', and 'Depth Sort'
LEFT Mouse DOUBLE Click on a 'Results' list entry	Opens the window that contains the node selected.
RIGHT Mouse DOUBLE Click on a 'Results' list entry	Opens the internals if the node is a box type.  Opens the Properties Dialog if the node is a primitive.
<SHIFT> LEFT Mouse Button Click  or  <CONTROL> LEFT Mouse Button Click	Selects multiple entries.   If the 'Edit' button is clicked, the windows which contain the selected nodes are opened.
<ALT> E	Opens the window which contains the node selected.