Owner's Manual (Complete)

Chapter 10—Programs and the Visual Programmer
10 The Home Control Assistant
To connect elements together:
There are two methods of connecting elements.
Method 1
:
This method for connecting elements requires a steady hand with the mouse, but is worth learning
since it can be quick once you get used to it.
1. Select the
From element.
2. Carefully move the mouse pointer to the edge of the element. If you get the pointer in just the
right place, it changes to the small circle with a dot.
3. Left click and drag a connecting line to the
To element. Release the mouse when over the
target element.
Method 2
:
This method is useful for hooking up a whole series of elements.
1. Click the line tool in the toolbox and the cursor changes to the "circle with dot".
2. Now click on an element (let's call it A) you want as the source for the line. Just click. Don't
click and drag!
3. Now click on the element you want to have the line end in (let's call this B). The line is added
from A to B. Note that the cursor is still the "circle with dot".
4. Now click on another element (called C). A new line is created from the B to C.
5. And you can keep going, connecting C to D, D to E, etc.
6. To end just click anywhere not on an element.
It’s important to remember to click someplace on the canvas to end this style of connect. Until you
do, you will not be able to, for example, press the Validate button, OK, button, change to another
tab, etc.
Hint: There is another way to connect two elements without using an arrow. Refer to the About
Connecting Elements section.
See what an element does:
Once you have added an element to the canvas and set its properties, you can quickly see what it
does.
1. Move the mouse pointer over the element.
At the lower left corner of the properties dialog box, directly below the programming canvas,
you will see a description of what the element does when executed. If you have not yet set the
properties for the element, the description reads Element not ready.
Or
1. Press the Label Elements tool in the tools palette. This places text next to each element that
shows in a very brief form what the element does.
Hint: It is a good idea to leave some space between elements so the label text doesn’t overlap
other elements.
Add a note or comment about a program element:
Use the right mouse button when positioned over an element and select Comment from the popup
menu. Enter any notes you have about this element into the dialog box that appears. If an element
has any notes, these display in a popup window when the mouse is moved over the element.