Main Index

The Chartist help information is organized into the following major areas:

Keyboard/Mouse

Using the Cursor

The Tool Bar

Commands

Procedures

Context Help:

In addtition to using the help system via the Index, Browsing, or Searching, you may also get help for any Chartist menu item:

Activate a Chartist  pull down menu, using Alt+ the underlined letter of the item in the menu bar (e.g. Alt+F for the File menu), or by clicking on the menu bar item with the mouse left button.

Highlight the menu command for which you want help by using the arrow keys.

Press F1, and the Help system will display information on that command.


Keyboard / Mouse

How the keyboard and mouse is used in Chartist is descirbed below:

General   - General Windows interface reference

Accelerators - Short cut key sequences.

Main Window -      ow the main window is organized.


Command Index

The Main Menu commands are described in the following sections:

File Menu Commands

Edit Menu Commands

Symbol Menu Commands

Line Menu Commands

View Menu Commands

Options Menu Command

Help Menu Commands


Procedures Index

Using The Cursor

Working wih Symbols...

Adding Symbols

Selecting Symbols

Setting Shape of Symbols

Setting Color for Symbols

Deleting, Cutting Symbols

Copying Symbols

Clipboard Data Exchange

Editing Text in Symbols

Adding A PIcture To A Symbol

Selecting Fonts for Symbol Text

Enlarging, Reducing & Modifying Fonts in Symbols

Establishing a Symbol Reference

Moving, Pasting Symbols

Sizing Symbols

Working with Lines...

Adding Lines

Routing Lines

Selecting Lines

Setting Style for Lines

Setting Color for Lines

Moving A Line End

.File Operations...

Save Chart File

Save Chart As File

Open Chart File

Load Shape File

Printing a Chart

Printer Options


Novagraph Order Form
Novagraph Order Form (Use File Print Topic... to print)

Purchase orders are accepted from corporations, government organizations
and institutions. Otherwise, payment can be made with with credit cards, checks
or money orders in US funds and drawn on US banks, otherwise add $35.00 to
cover collection fees. Currency accepted at your own risk.

Mail:	Novagraph, Inc.	Phn:	(972) 231-2169
PO Box 850115	FAX:	(972) 235-0607
Richardson TX  75085-0115
USA

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_____	Check here if  you want to download the distribution archive from
our web site (credit card or prepaid orders only). Note: The manual
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Where did you get the demo version? ____________________________

Software includes, manual, 1 year tech support / update notification, ten
additional shape libraries.
Both Win 3.1 and Win 95 versions are included on disk.

Qty	Item	Each	Ext Cost

___	Chartist® One User	$59.00	_______
___	Chartist® One User (2-5 copies, ea.)	$44.25	_______
___	Chartist 5 User (LAN/Site)	169.00	_______
___	Chartist 10 User (LAN/Site)	288.00	_______
___	Chartist-2 One User	  99.00	_______
___	Chartist-2 One User (2-5 copies, ea.)	  74.25	_______
___	Chartist-2 5 User (LAN/Site)	283.00	_______
___	Chartist-2 Ten User (LAN/Site)	484.00	_______
___	Extra Manual (LAN/Site purch rqd)	  10.00	_______
___	Upgrade Chartist to Chartist-2	  50.00	_______
  Single Usr S/N (rqd) ______________________
Shipping and Handling:
___	  US: $4.00 (1st Item), $2.50 (ea addl item)	_______
___	  Elsewhere: $7.00 (1st), $4.50 (ea addl)    	_______
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Total For Goods:	_______
Texas Residents Only: 8.25% Sls Tax	_______
Total, Including Taxes:	_______


Chartist-2 Product Information
Chartist-2 Enhanced Product Information.

Chartist-2 is an enhanced product, upward compatible with Chartist. In addition to all of the features of Chartist, Chartist-2 includes:

OLE Client Support

Link or embed OLE objects from Chartist-2 or other applications into symbol pictures or symbol references.

Browse capablility for symbol references.

Nest charts inside symbols, and automatically print the nested charts.

Advanced Group Editing Functions

Group resize, allowing all or part of a chart to be resized, or respaced.

Text grow / shrink in selected symbols.

Align to row, column or grid.

Permanent Grouping Support

Make a permanent grouping of any set of selected symbols.

Spell Checker Interface

Support for using your word processor spell checker to check Chartist-2 documents.

Symbol Text Word Wrap / Flow

Automatically wrap text as it is entered. Automatically reflow symbol text whenever symbol is changed.

Templates

Use any chart file as a template for new files. Can autoload a template on program launch.

Text File Exchange Format

Externally document file save and load format for charts. Use to integrate Chartist-2 with other user software.

Rotate, Flip Shapes

Symbol shapes may be rotated in 90 degree increments, or reflected about either axis.

Rotate Text

Symbol text may be rotated in 90 degree increments.

Find / Replace

Symbol text may be searched and replaced with standard dialogs.

Additional Symbol Text Macros

Place document title, page number or symbol identifier number in symbols.

Copy Selection To Placeable Metafile

Copy an area of a document image to a file in Aldus Placeable Metafile format. This is for use with external image preparation programs.

Drawing Order For Lines

Have lines drawn either first or last, either running under or over them


Using The Cursor

The appearance of the cursor changes in the main window, depending on whether any items are selected, or some action is under way:

Cursor	Meaning

Arrow	No items selected.

Cross	One or more items selected.

Dotted Box	Adding, moving or pasting.

Gunsight	Waiting for initial point selection in a multistep operation.

Pencil	Drawing or selecting a line.

Double Arrow	Cursor is over a sizing handle for the selected symbol.

Quad Arrow	Sizing a symbol, or selecting a group.

Router	Routing lines.

Hourglass	Time consuming operation.


General

Refer to the Microsoft (c) Windows (tm) User's Guide for general instructions on using Windows applications.


Accelerators

Certain keys act as "accelerators" for some menu actions. This allows a short key sequence to activate a menu action.  Activate the main menu with F10 and pull down each submenu to see these key assignments. Accelerator keys do not operate when a menu is active.


Main Window

Unique Keyboard/Mouse Actions In Main Window:

Home	Restores the display to the horizontal origin.

Ctrl+Home	Restores the display to the chart origin.

End	Moves the display horizontally to show the right side of the chart.

Ctrl+End	Moves the display vertically to show the bottom of the chart.

Page Down	Moves the display down by 1/2 of the window height.

Ctrl+

Page Down	Moves the display right by 1/2 of the window width.

Page Up	Moves the display up by 1/2 of the window height.

Ctrl+

Page Up	Moves the display left by 1/2 of the window width.

Esc	Aborts the current action.

Left Button	Selects/Deselects a symbol if cursor is inside that symbol

Left Button

Click&Drag	If inside a symbol, selects and begins moving that symbol. Otherwise, begins selecting a group symbols.  Mouse movement is tracked until button is released, at which time the action completes, if possible.

Shift+

Left Button

Click/Drag	If inside a symbol, adds that symbol to those selected, and begins moving them as a group. Otherwise, begins adding to a selected group of symbols.  Mouse movement is tracked until button is released, at which time the action completes, if possible.

Shift+Ctrl

Left Button

Click/Drag	If inside a symbol, toggles the selected state of that symbol, without affecting any other symbols.

Arrow Keys	Arrow keys move the cursor in the direction indicated. Holding down a key causes the rate of movement to increase as it repeats.

Return Key	The Return or Enter key simulates a click of the left mouse button.


Tool Bar
The Tool Bar

The Tool Bar lies just below the main menu.  Its purpose is provide point-and-click short cuts to some frequently used commands, and to show status  information.

Button	Command

Symbol Add...

Symbol Shape...

Symbol Color...

Symbol Picture...

Symbol Reference...

Line Add...

Line Style...

Line Color..

Symbol Text Font...

Symbol Text Enlarge

Symbol Text Reduce

Symbol Text Justify Left

Symbol Text Jusify Center

Symbol Text Justify Right

Symbol Text Justify Vertical Center

Symbol Text Justify Top

Options Default Symbol Size...

Symbol Reset Size

Status Information

To the right of the Tool Bar buttons is status information:

1.	Default shape, colors and border style for symbols.

2.	Default source arrow, routing style and line style and colors, destination arrow and font for lines.

3. 	Current viewing scale factor


Shape Palette
The Shape Palette

The Shape Palette is visible along the right hand side of the Chartist-2 Window when the View Shape Palette command is checked. This palette may contain up to 16 shapes from the current shape library, and provides a quick way to add symbols of different shapes. See Adding Symbols. The contents of the Shape Palette can be customized from the Select Symbol Shape dialog.


Adding Text Outside Symbols

All text in a chart document must either be inside a symbol or on a line, as a line label (set in the Line Style... dialog).

There is, however a special shape that is used for placing text in a chart, such that it does not appear to be inside a symbol. This shape is called Titl-Cent. On the default shape palette it appears as a rectangle with a phantom, or dashed, border. In a chart, on the main display it also has a phantom border, so you can see where it is, and what the boundaries are. When printed, however, there is no border.

Note that any lines connected to the Titl-Cent shape will go all the way to the center of the shape. This is because the Title-Cent shape has a secondary use as a line connector or waypoint. To have free floating text that does not appear to be inside a symbol, but has lines terminating at the bounding rectangle, use a Rect shape, and color the border white with the symbol color dialog.


File Menu
File Menu Commands

File

  New

Erases the current chart, and resets the default line style.

File

  Open...

Loads a chart from a file. The default extension for chart files is ".CHT".

File

  Save

Saves the current chart into the current file. If there is no current file, the user is prompted for a file name.

File

  Save As...

Saves the current chart into the file specified by the user.

File

  Print...

Prints the current chart.

File

  Delete

Allows you to choose and delete files.

File

  Setup Printer & Paper...

Selects and configures the current printer, and paper settings

File

  Load Shapes...

Loads a shape file.  A shape file defines the names and drawing instructions for symbol types. See Help About...

File

  Exit

Exits the Chartist application. If the current chart has been changed, the user will be prompted to save or abandon it.


Edit Menu
Edit Menu Commands

Edit

  Delete...

Deletes selected items.

Edit

  Undo

Restores previously changed items.

Edit

  Copy

Copies the selected symbols and lines to the Clipboard.

Edit

  Cut

Copies the selected symbols and lines to the Clipboard and deletes them from the chart.

Edit

  Paste

Copies the contents of the Clipboard to the chart.


Symbol Menu
Symbol Menu Commands

Symbol

  Add...

Adds a new symbol to the current chart.

Symbol

  Select

Selects a group of symbols.

Symbol

  Select All

Selects all symbols in the current chart.

Symbol

  Select by Shape

When one symbol is selected. You can use this command to select all other symbols that have the same shape.

Symbol

  Select To End

    Right

    Left

    Up

    Down

Selects all symbols from the selected symbol to the end of the chart in the direction indicated.

Symbol

  Move

Relocates the selected symbols, together with any lines.

Symbol

  Shape...

Selects a new shape for the selected symbols.

Symbol

  Color

Sets the background, border and text color for symbols.

Symbol

  Hatch Pattern...

Sets the hatch pattern for the selected symbols, or the default, if no symbols are selected. A symbol may also be made transparent in this dialog, as in the Symbol color dialog.

Symbol

  Size

Changes the size of the selected symbol.

Symbol

  Reset Size

Changes the selected symbols to the current default size setting.

Symbol

  Text

    Edit...

Edits the text inside a symbol, and allows the selection of fonts for use with that text.

Symbol

  Text

    Font...

Modifies fonts in the selected symbol or symbols.

Symbol

  Justify

    Left

    Center

    Right

    Top

    Vertical Center

Sets the text justification of the selected symbols.

Symbol

  Picture...

Selects the bitmap picture to be displayed inside the symbol.

Symbol

  Reference...

Edits the reference command line for the symbol.


Line Menu
Line Menu Commands

Line

  Add

Adds a line from one symbol to another.

Line

  Select

Selects a line between two symbols.

Line

  Pick From Symbol

Selects the lines connected to all selected symbols, then deselects the symbols.

Line

  Font...

Selects the font to be used for line labels.

Line

  Style...

Changes the pen style, line width, arrow style and label text for the selected line.

Line

  Color...

Selects the color for lines and line labels.

Line

  Add Waypoint

Segments a line and inserts a "handle" between the segments, allowing manual manuipulation of the route.

Line

  Main Branch

Causes the selected line to be the line to which all other lines, connecting to the same point, fan into. The Options Auto Fan In command must be checked for the fan in logic to operate.


View Menu
View Menu Commands

View

  Refresh

Redraws the chart display.

View

  Zoom In

The scale of the display is increased by one step, to 4X full scale at most.

View

  Zoom Out

The scale of the display is decreased by one step, to a minimum of 1/4 full scale.

View

  Normal

The display is returned to full scale.

View

  Reference

The reference document of the symbol is activated.  See Establishing A Symbol Reference.

View

  Tool Bar

When checked, the Tool Bar is displayed.

View

  Shape Palette

When checked. the Shape Palette is displayed along the right side of the Chartist-2 Window

View

  Grid

When checked, the grid is displayed.

View

  Ruler

When checked, the ruler is displayed.

View

  Pictures

When checked, pictures that have been loaded into symbols are displayed.  When not checked, gray rectangles are displayed in place of the pictures to save time.

View

  Line Attach Points

When checked, locations on symbols where lines can be attached are shown. The number of line attachment points per symbol side is selected with the Options Line Attach Points... command.


Options Menu
Options Menu Commands

Options

  Default Symbol Size...

Selects the initial size of new symbols added to the chart. Sizes of symbols already in the chart may be changed to the default size by selecting them and using the Edit Reset Size command.

Options

  Chart...

Select the chart dimensions, units and grid spacing.

Options

  Snap to Grid

When checked, symbol positions and dimensions are rounded to the nearest multiple of the grid interval for that axis.  Note that symbols are positioned relative to their centers.

Options

  Line Attach Points

Selects the number of possible line attachment points per symbol side. The possible selections are 1, 3, and 7 attachment poitns per side. Existing lines are not affected. Checking the View Line Attach Points command shows the attachment points on symbols.

Options

  Auto Fan In

When checked, Auto routed lines fan into the first line that connects to a given attach point, with the arrows at the first line, or main branch. The main branch can be chosen with the Line Main Branch command.

Options

  Fast Line Routing

When checked, lines route to the bounding rectangle of symbols, rather than the actual boundary of the solid region of symbols. This results in much faster routing of lines, at less accuracy in some cases. When not checked, lines route to the boundary of the solid region of symbols.

Options

  Active Planes

    0

    1

    2

    3

    4

    5

Turns on or off the selection and designation logic in the six symbol planes. This is useful for working with symbols in layers.

Options

  Add Symbol Dialog

When checked, the Choose Symbol Shape Dialog is called when a new symbol is added to the chart, to allow shape selection.  When not checked, the new symbol takes on the current default shape properties.

Options

  Edit Colors

Edits current palette colors.

Options

  Get Colors

Retrieves a file containing a set of palette colors.

Options

  Save Colors

Saves the current set of palette colors into a file.

Options

  Background Color...

Sets the background color for the chart.

Options

  Clipboard Formats

  Metafile Picture

Checking this option causes Chartist to copy a metafile picture of the selected area to the clipboard when cutting or copying. Metafile pictures are inherently more accurate and device independent than bitmaps. Many word processing applications can read metafile pictures.

  Bitmap

Checking this option causes Chartist to copy a bitmap picture of the selected area to the clipboard when cutting or copying.  Many other applications can read bitmap pictures.

Note:	Disable the Metafile option if you are pasting to an application that can read both formats, but want the bitmap. Disabling both options still permits cutting and pasting Chartist private clipboard data.

  Directories

    Documents...

    Shapes...

These dialogs allow you to set the initial working directories for chart documents, and shape libraries. The path set by the Shapes... dialog is the one from which shape libraries will be loaded as specified from documents. If no setting is made, then the initial paths are the same as the Chartist-2 program file.


Help Menu
Help Menu Commands

Help

  Index

Activates the Help system with the Main Index displayed.

Help

  Keyboard

Activates the Help system with the Keyboard Index displayed.

Help

  Commands

Activates the Help system with the Commands Index displayed.

Help

  Procedures

Activates the Help system with the Procedures Index displayed.

Help

  Using Help

Activates the Help system with the Help On Help file.

Help

  About...

Displays the Chartist copyright information and the full path name of the current shape file.


Adding Symbols

Using The Tool Bar Or The Menu:

Select the Symbol Add... Menu Command, press the Ins key, or click on [image]. The cursor changes to a dotted box shape. Move the cursor to the desired location on the chart, and click the left button.

Possible locations for a symbol are indicated with grid dots. A symbol is centered  on a grid dot. Grid dots are shown for reference only, and are not printed.

The Select Symbol Shape dialog box will optionally be displayed.  Select the symbol type from the list.  This dialog is displayed if the Options Add Symbol Dialog command is checked.  If this option is not checked, the symbol will take on the current default shape properties.

Using The Shape Palette:

If the Shape Palette is visible, click the mouse left button with the cursor over the desired shape. Then, as above, move the cursor to the desired location on the chart, and click the left button. The Shape Palette is made visible by checking the View Shape Palette command. The shapes on the Shape Palette may be customized from the Select Symbol Shape  dialog.


Setting Symbol Type
Setting Symbol Shape

To change the shape properties of one or more symbols, choose the Symbol Shape command (F4), or click on [image].

When no symbols are selected, the current default settings for new symbols are edited.

When multiple symbols are selected, only those properties that are in common among the selected symbols are shown in the dialog.  Any of the properties may be edited, however, and forced to take on a new common value.

Select a shape for the symbol from the list. Highlighting a shape name in the list, causes a model of that shape to be previewed in the dialog box.

The width and style of the border may also be selected from the radio buttons.  It a width other than Normal is selected, the style selection is ignored.

The Plane selected for a symbol determines the order in which it is drawn.  Symbols are drawn in the bottom plane first, followed by the middle, and finally the top.  This selection allows symbols to be "stacked", using symbols to provide framing and background for other symbols, for example.

Changing Symbol Shapes With The Shape Pallette:

The Shape of one or more symbols may also be changed with the Shape Pallette. To do this, select the symbol(s) to change, then hold down the Shift key, and click on the desired shape in the Shape Pallette.

To change the Shape Palette:

With the Select Symbol Shape dialog displayed, and with the Shape Palette visible, highlight the shape that you wish to add or remove from the Shape Palette. Click on the Add To Palette button to add the shape to the Shape Palette. Click on the Del Fm Palette button to remove a shape from the Shape Palette. Only one copy of a given shape may be in the Shape Palette. The maximum number of shapes that may be in the Shape Palette is 16. If you change only the contents of the Shape Palette from the Choose Symbol Shape dialog, it is recommended that you use Cancel or Esc to exit the dialog. The Shape Palette settings are saved in the CHARTIST.INI file in the WINDOWS directory of your system.


Setting Color for Symbols

Choose the Symbol Color command (F8), or click on [image].  If no symbols are selected, the colors for new symbols will be edited.  If symbols are selected, then the colors chosen in the dialog will be applied to the selected symbols.

If the Transp. box is checked, then the background area of the affected symbols is made transparent. This means that information that is in a lower plane, or drawn first in the drawing sequence will show through. Any background color selection is ignored.


Selecting Symbols

1. Click the left button with the cursor inside the desired symbol.

or,

2. Choose the Symbol Select command. Click at a point to start the selection. Drag a rectangle to touch or enclose the desired symbols. Click to complete the Selection.

or,

3. Click and hold the left button with the cursor outside all opaque symbols Drag a rectangle to touch or enclose the desired symbols. Release the left button to complete the selection.

When one symbol is selected, it is highlighted with eight "handles" that may be used for sizing.  When multiple symbols are selected they are surrounded with  dotted rectangles .

To keep prior selections from being dropped when a new selection is made, hold down the Shift key is while selecting.

To toggle the selected state of a symbol while a group is selected, hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys, and click inside the symbol.

To de-select all items, click on the chart outside any symbol and away from any line.


Deleting, Cutting Symbols

With one or more symbols selected, choose the Edit Delete or Edit Cut command.

If the Delete command is chosen, the selected items are removed, they may be recovered with the  Edit Undelete command, of no other symbol or line changes have been made to the chart..

If the  Cut command is chosen, the deleted symbols and lines will be placed in the Clipboard and may be Pasted back into the current chart, another chart, or a different application.


Copying Symbols

With one or more symbols selected, chose the Edit Copy command. The selected information is copied to the Clipboard. As in the Cut command, the Clipboard data may be pasted into the current chart, another chart, or a different application.

Replicating Symbols

Symbols can be replicated with a direct click and drag operation. Select one or more symbols to replicate. Then hold down the Alt key (and the Shift key, if multiple symbols are selected), and click and drag the copy to the desired location.


Clipboard Data Exchange

Other applications that can read Clipboard metafile pictures can Paste the Chartist information from the Clipboard. The application will generally enable its Paste command, if it can read a Clipboard bitmap or metafile picture. Multiple instances of Chartist may also exhange information in this manner.

Applications that support OLE can link or embed Chartist objects. When Chartist information is copied to the clipboard, information is also copied that allows these applications to link or embed that information. Chart objects may be linked only if they have been saved to a chart file.


Editing Text in Symbols

With the desired symbol selected, choose Symbol Text... or press F3. The Edit Symbol dialog box is displayed. The area for text entry operates similary to other Windows applications.

Note:  You may also initiate the Symbol Text command by double-clicking on the symbol to edit with the mouse left button.

Use the direction keys and mouse to move the cursor and caret. Refer to the Chartist User Guide for details on selecting, cutting and pasting text.

A new symbol uses the last selected font for text. See Selecting Fonts for Symbol Text

If more text is placed in a symbol than will fit, it is clipped when displayed in the chart, but remains in the symbol. To complete editing, click on the OK button. To disregard any changes click on the  Cancel button.


Selecting Fonts for Symbol Text

With the Symbol Text dialog box displayed, move the caret to the desired location to start a new font, or select the text to be "re-fonted". Click on the Fonts button.

The list of fonts represents all fonts directly supported by the printer. Each size is listed as a separate font. Once the font is chosen, click on the OK button.

Entering Special Characters in Symbols

Some fonts provide several special characters that cannot be accessed directly with the keyboard. You can click on the Keymap button to allow you to chose any character in the current font, by double clickong on that character. The Keymap dialog will remain visible until you dismiss it.


Changing Fonts In Symbols

The fonts used in a group of symbols can be modified at the same time. Any changes made will be applied to all of the symbols selected.

Modifying Fonts

Chose the Symbol Text Font... (Ctrl+F) [image] command to modify all fonts in the selected symbols at once. The Choose Font dialog will appear. Any changes made will be applied to all fonts in the selected symbols. Font properties which vary among the selected group will be "grayed" or not shown, but they may still be modified.


Establishing A Symbol Reference

The symbol reference is a command string to display a reference document.  Such a document can be displayed by selecting the View Reference (Shift F3) command or double clicking on the symbol with the Ctrl key held down.  This behavior is similar to that of hypertext.

When a symbol has a reference established, an asterisk (*) will de displayed in the lower right corner of the symbol, in the text color used by the symbol and in the current line font.  The asterisk does not show in data sent to the clipboard nor when the Chartist document is printed.

To establish or modify a symbol reference, select the symbol and then choose the Symbol Reference... command (Alt+F4), or click on the [image] button in the Tool Bar.  The Edit Symbol Reference dialog box will be displayed. The reference may be a document for which there is a file manager association or an execute command.

For documents or commands:

Enter the command string for the reference document into the edit field.  File names for documents should be fully qualified with the path name.

The Clear button removes the symbol reference.


Adding A Picture To A Symbol

A symbol can display a picture in its text area.  The picture may be stretched or shrunk to fit inside the symbol. Pictures may be device independent bitmaps (.bmp) files or windows metafiles (.wmf).

To add a picture to a symbol, select the desired symbol and choose the Symbol Picture... command (Shift+F4) or click on the [image] button in the Tool Bar.  The Edit Symbol Picture dialog box will appear.  Any picture already in the symbol will be displayed in the dialog box.

To remove a picture, click on the Clear button.

Checking the Stretch to Fil checkbox, will cause the picture to be stretched or shrunk to fit extactly within the symbol. Otherwise the picture will be displayed in its original size and clipped if necessary.

For files:

To load a new picture from a file, click on the Load button.  The Open File dialog will be displayed, with the default extension set to .BMP. Select the desired file by double-clicking on it in the list box, or by typing in the file name and clicking on Open.  The selected picture will be loaded into the picture.

For Metafile Pictures From the Clipboard:

Click on the Picture button, if it is enabled. The metafile picture in the clipboard will be loaded and shown in the preview area.

If the View Pictures command is checked all symbol pictures will be displayed.  Unchecking the View Pictures command causes all symbol pictures to be shown as gray rectangles, speeding up the display process considerably if there are pictures.

Stretch or shrink the symbol to get the desired size and aspect ratio for the picture. Depending on how the picture was digitized, it may look distorted on the display.

If there is also text in a symbol, it is displayed on top of the picture.


Moving, Pasting Symbols

Using the Symbol Move or Edit Paste Commands:

With the desired symbols selected, pick the  Symbol Move Command (F2)

 or if there is chart information in the clipboard, select the

Edit Paste Command (Ctrl+V).

The cursor changes to a dotted box. Move the cursor to the desired chart location and click the left button.

Alternative Move techniques:

Dragging a symbol with the Mouse:

To drag one symbol to a new location:

Click and hold the mouse left button while in the symbol.

As you start moving the cursor, the bounding rectangle of the symbol will appear and move with the cursor.

Release the mouse button with the cursor centered over the grid point for the new location.

To drag a selected group of symbols:

Hold down the Shift  key.

Click and hold the mouse left button while in one of the selected symbols.

As you start moving the cursor, the bounding rectangle of the selected group will appear and move with the cursor.

Release the mouse button with the cursor centered over the grid point for the new location

Point of Reference  for a group:

The point of reference for the cursor is the upper left corner of a rectangle bounding the group of symbols to be moved or pasted. If appropriate, a dashed bounding rectangle will track the cursor, to show the area needed by the Move or  Paste.

Note: If the Options Snap to Grid command is checked, the point of reference will be positioned on a grid point.


Sizing Symbols

Using the Symbol Size Command:

With the desired symbol selected, choose the Symbol Size (F6) command. The cursor will move the the lower right corner of the selected symbol. Using the mouse or arrow keys, stretch the symbol to the desired size, and click again to complete. Hold down the Shift key while stretching to maintain the original aspect ratio of the symbol.

or,

Stretching with the Selection Handles:

Having selected the desired symbol, move the mouse so that the cursor covers one of the small black rectangles (selection handles) around the symbol.  The cursorr will change to a double arrow, indicating the directions that the symbol sides may be stretched.

While the cursor is a double arrow, click and hold the left mouse button, then move the mouse to change the size of the symbol as desired.  Release the left button to complete the operation.

If you make a mistake in sizing a symbol, you can select it and reset it to the current default symbol size with the Symbol Reset Size Command.

Note: If the Options Snap to Grid command is checked, dimensions of symbols will be rounded to the nearest grid interval multiple.  The Options Chart... command allows you to change the grid interval.

Since symbols are always centered on grid points, the corners of a symbol can snap to 1/2 the distance between two grid points (for odd multiples of the grid interval).


Adding Lines

Choose the Line Add menu command (Tab), or click on [image].  Click inside the source symbol  bounding rectangle near the desired exit side (and attachment point), and drag a line to the destination symbol. Click again  inside the destination symbol bounding rectangle near the desired entry side (and attachment point) to complete the operation.

The right mouse button may be used to add lines directly.

The number of points on a symbol side to which a line may be attached is selected with the Options Line Attach Points command (1,3, or 7 points per side). The attachment points on symbols may be seen by checking the View Line Attach Points command.

The line will exit the source symbol's side that is closest to the initial point.  It will enter the destination symbol's side that is closest to the destination point.


Routing Lines

Line routing takes place automatically after any change to the chart that affects the layout of lines.

A line will fail to route properly if the endpoints are not properly designated, or if the connected symbols are moved so that the router cannot route the line.

After a routing failure, the offending line is drawn in red, but the line is not deleted automatically. The user can delete the line, rearrange the chart so the line will route, or add a waypoint as described below and manupulate the line route manually.

The route of a line can be modified manually with the Line Add Waypoint command. Select the line to be changed and choose the Line Add Waypoint (Ctrl+Tab) command. The selected line will be split into two segments, with an invisible symbol (shown with a dot-dash border) at the mid point. The line route can them be moved by dragging the invisible symbol. When this operation is done, there are two lines and a symbol replacing the original line.


Selecting Lines

1. Place the cursor on a unique part (within 1/16") of the line, that is, an part of the line that is not combined with other lines.  Click the left button to select.

Note:  This method will not work on lines that share full paths with other lines. You must use the Line Select Command for them.

or,

2. Choose the Line Select command.  Click on the source symbol, drag a selection line to the destination symbol and click again to select.

When a line is selected, its path is shown in  reverse colors.

Selecting Multiple LInes:

The selection of other lines will be dropped unless the Shift key is held down while selecting.  If the  Shift key is held down while selecting, multiple lines may be selected.

Selecting Lines From Symbols

A fast way to select several lines is to select the symbols that they connect to, and then choose the Line Pick From Symbol command (Shift F7).  All lines connected to those symbols will be selected.  The symbols will be deselected.


Setting Style for Lines

With the desired line selected, choose  Line Style... (Shift+F4), or click on [image]. The Edit Line Style dialog box will be displayed.

Note:  A line that is selectable by clicking directly on it (it does not share both end points), can be double-clicked to activate the Edit Line Style dialog. Refer to  Selecting Lines.

Note that selecting a pen width other than Normal, causes the pen style to be ignored. (This is a characteristic of the Windows 3.0 GDI).


Setting Color for Lines

To select line colors, choose the Line Color command (Alt+F8), or click on [image].  If no lines are selected, the colors for new lines will be selected.  If lines are selected, then the selected lines will take on the colors chosen in the dialog box.


Moving A Line End

To move one end of a line, select it. Then move the mouse cursor over the end of the line, until the cursor changes to the pencil. Click the left mouse button to pick up the line end and then drag the mouse to the new end location. Release the left button to complete the operation.


Save Chart File

Select the File Save command. If the current chart does not have a file name, the Save As dialog box will be displayed. See Save Chart As.


Save Chart As File

To save a chart in native format select the File Save As... command. Enter the desired name for the file. The default extension for chart files is CHT, and need not be entered. If the chosen name would cause the overwriting of an existing file, a confirmation is requested.


Open Chart File

Select the File Open... command. Select the desired chart file from the directory list. Other directories may be browsed by selecting the subdirectories shown enclosed in square brackets. The chart file name may be typed in if it is known.

If you check the Use Current Shapes box, the file will load without loading the specified shape file (the shape file with which it was last saved).


Load Shape File

Select the File Load Shapes... command. Select the desired shape file from the directory list, as in the File Open Chart procedure. A shape file defines the names and drawing instructions for symbols. The extension for shape files is SHP.

The current chart will be erased in order to load the new shape file.

The path name to the current shape file is maintained in the CHARTIST.INI system file. Chartist requires a valid shape file to operate. Editing or deleting the supplied shape file is a dangerous business.


Printing a Chart

Select the File Print... command. A confirmation will be requested. After a print operation is started it may be canceled before completion via the dialog box that remains in view while Chartist is sending output to the printer. The current printer is used.

When there are selected symbols, the Selection Only or Selected Pages box may be checked.

For Selection Only, the selected group is printed starting at the top left corner of the printer paper.  Only those lines connected entirely within the selected group are printed.

For Selected Pages, all pages containing selected information are printed in their entirety.

When the Print Selection box is not checked, the entire chart is printed.  The chart is tiled onto the required number of printer pages. Also, the Fit To Page checkbox will cause the entire chart to be printed on one page in the current page size and orientation.

The Tile Y First checkbox causes the chart to be tiled onto paper in Y-order first. This is useful for printing large charts in portrait orientation on continuous form paper.

By choosing a Scale Factor other than 100%, the overall size of the priinted chart may be enlarged or reduced. This is usefeul for getting an overview of a large chart on one or a few sheets of paper. Non scalable device fonts may not reduce or enlarge properly with this option.


Printer Options

Choose the File Setup Printer...  command to choose a printer or change the default printer settings. If Setup... is selected, the printer driver dialog box will be displayed. The new printer settings apply to the Chartist application, and not to specific chart files.

Depending upon the printer driver, changing the printer option settings may affect other applications currently active. Similarly, other applications that change printer settings may affect the printer settings of Chartist. This interaction depends upon whether the printer driver is fully Windows 3.x compliant.

Paper settings are made in this dialog. The paper settings are saved with the chart document.