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Function Bars

The following function bars are displayed when you are in a database:

The menu bar - at the top of the screen
The tool bar - contains shortcuts to many options and is situated just below the menu bar
The status bar - at the bottom of the screen, displays information about the current record
The button strip - on the left of the screen displaying options which are relevant to the record type

You can find detailed information about these function bars below.

The Menu Bar

One of the ways of telling Calm what to do is to select options from menus. The menu bar near the top of the screen shows the names of the menus; you select options by clicking on the menu name, a list of options then drops down, allowing you to click on the option you require. 
Here is an example record highlighting where the menu bar is located on the screen. Please note that the example record will open in a new window, when you have finished and wish to return to this page, use the cross in the top right corner to close the window.

Many of the menu options have keyboard shortcuts, which are displayed next to the options within the menus. You do not need to learn all of them, but you will save time if you learn the shortcuts for the options you use most. Some of the menus have options that lead to a further menu. These options are indicated by solid arrows next to the option, for example like the one next to the Print option from the File drop down menu.

Some of the menu options perform slightly differently if you hold down the shift key while you select the option:

Field, Insert Insert a field of the same type as the current field.
Field, Append Append a field of the same type as the current field.
Hit List, Backtrack Backtrack to the first stacked hit list.

The Tool Bar

Below the menu bar is a grey bar containing a number of buttons. Like keyboard shortcuts, these allow quick access to particular menu options.
Here is an example record highlighting where the tool bar is located on the screen. Please note that the example record will open in a new window, when you have finished and wish to return to this page, use the cross in the top right corner to close the window.

When you point to a button using your mouse a piece of text called a ToolTip is displayed to describe the button's function. To use a tool button, move the mouse so that the pointer is over the required button, then click the left-hand mouse button once. See the Tool Buttons page for a full list of the tool buttons and their functions.

The tool bar will also tell you where you are in the list of currently selected records. For example, if you are viewing the 1st record and the total number of records is 12, the record counter in the tool bar will show:

1 of 12

The Status Bar

Here is an example record highlighting where the status bar is located on the screen. Please note that the example record will open in a new window, when you have finished and wish to return to this page, use the cross in the top right corner to close the window.

Once you have opened a database, the status bar gives you information about the currently displayed record. For example, the status bar includes:

  • The type of record currently displayed, prefixed with a colon ("Collection" in the above example)
  • The name of the field where the cursor is currently positioned ("Level" in the above example). If the field has a label, the original name will be shown in brackets after the current name of the field.
  • The word Marked, if the record is marked.

You may also see the following in the status bar:

  • The phrase "Locked by another user", if somebody else is viewing the record (multi-user system only) or if you do not have permissions (set in Calm security) to edit this record
  • The word "ReadOnly" if the files are set as read only or the database needs to be re-indexed
  • The phrase "Record unavailable" if no records are currently selected

The Button Strip

Here is an example record highlighting where the button strip is located on the screen. Please note that the example record will open in a new window, when you have finished and wish to return to this page, use the cross in the top right corner to close the window.

The button strip appears on the left of the screen and contains functions that are relevant to the type of record that is currently displayed, and to the data in its fields. Some of the options in the button strip have single arrows, like this: >, next to them to indicate that clicking on the button will reveal a further menu. For example clicking on the Record > button in the button strip will display the Record menu. To return to the original menu in the button strip click the < Back button once. To leave the database you are currently in and return to the previous menu, click the << Menu button once.