Viewing Controls

View Controls Dialog Box

This dialog box ( Macro > Edit/View ) displays a scrolling list of all currently defined controls in the order of execution. Use this dialog box to delete, modify, or change the order of controls. Selecting a control highlights the shapes and control lines used in that control.

Edit opens the control dialog box for the selected control so you can change parameter values, change the shapes operated on by the control, or change the control line that the control uses as a reference (see Editing a Control).

Cut removes the selected control from the list. If you do not paste the cut item back in before you exit the Viewer dialog box, the control is deleted. Any control that you cut is displayed in the Cut Buffer Contents field.

Paste inserts a cut control back into the list, in front of the selected control.

Detail displays the detailed settings for each control (see Control Details).

Compile is a shortcut to close the Viewer dialog, open the Compile dialog, and compile the macro.

Cancel cancels only cut/paste modifications. After you accept a change in an individual control's dialog box, that change can not be undone from the Control Viewer. Use the individual control's Cancel button before you leave that dialog box.

Control Details

When you click Detail in the View Controls dialog box, the program displays a list of the currently defined controls that includes all of the settings for each control.

Because a control is not actually deleted when you cut it from the Viewer, the detail list contains all controls defined when you opened the Viewer. When you dismiss the Viewer (deleting any cut controls), the detail list updates.

The detail list does not automatically update as you make changes to control order or control settings. To force an update without closing the Viewer, click Refresh .

Compile a shortcut to close the Viewer dialog, open the Compile dialog, and compile the macro.

Editing a Control

Use the View Controls dialog box to edit an existing control:

1. Select the desired control.
2. Click Edit .
3. When the definition dialog box opens for the selected control, edit the control definitions. You can change parameter values, change the shapes operated on by the control, or change the control line that the control uses as a reference
4. Click OK to accept the new settings.

Note To cancel editing on a control, use the individual control's Cancel button before you leave that dialog box. Remember, after you accept a change in an individual control's dialog box, that change can not be undone from the Viewer; the Cancel button in the Viewer cancels only cut/paste modifications.

Compile Shortcut

After the initial PAM has been defined, a very common use-model is:

1. Open the Viewer dialog.
2. Make various changes to the controls under development.
3. Exit the Viewer dialog.
4. Open the Compile dialog.
5. Save the design.
6. Compile.
7. Exit the Compile dialog.
8. Test the latest version of the PAM.

When operating in this mode, steps 3 through 6 are little more than busy-work. The Compile button in the Viewer dialog performs these four steps for you, saving the extra mouse clicks and getting the results of the compile without delay.