Customizing the Work Area

The Customize dialog (Settings > Customize) includes options that allow you to customize the NetLinx Studio UI to best suit your preferences. The options in this dialog are organized into the following tabs:

• • Commands: Contains options for customizing the menu bar and menus.
  • Toolbars: Contains options for customizing the toolbars.
  • Tools: Contains options for adding external programs to the Tools menu as shortcuts.
  • Keyboard: Contains options for customizing keyboard accelerators (hotkeys).
  • Menu: Contains options for customizing the menus and context menus.
  • Options: Contains additional options for customizing the toolbars

Customize Dialog - Commands Tab

Use the options in the Command tab of the Customize dialog to customize the contents of the toolbars (FIG. 322).

FIG. 322 Customize dialog - Commands tab

Customize Dialog - Toolbars Tab

Use the options in the Toolbars tab of the Customize dialog to control the TPD4 toolbars, including custom toolbars (FIG. 323).

FIG. 323 Customize dialog - Toolbars tab

NOTE: To specify which toolbars to display, select View > Toolbars to access the Toolbars sub-menu. Select the Toolbar(s) that you want to display; de-select Toolbars that you want to hide.

Adding Buttons to Existing Toolbars

1. Select a command category (under Categories). The commands included in the selected category are displayed (under Commands), along with their associated toolbar icon, if one exists. Alternatively, select All Commands to view a full list of all commands, regardless of category.
2. Click to highlight a command/icon (under Commands).
3. While holding the mouse-button down, drag the command/icon to a toolbar. Note that the cursor symbol indicates that it is not allowed to be placed anywhere except inside the area of a toolbar (any toolbar).
4. Position the command/icon right where you want to drop it in the toolbar, and release the mouse button.
5. The command/icon is placed as a button in the toolbar.

Associating an Icon with a New Command

Once you have added a new command to a toolbar or menu, you can associate an icon with the command:

1. For toolbar buttons, right-click on the select the button that you want to associate an icon with. For menu items, right-click on a menu item to open the Command context menu.
2. Select Button Appearance to open the Button Appearance dialog.
3. Select Image Only or Image and Text (the Text Only option does not allow you to associate an icon).
4. Select an icon from the User-Def ined Image field.
5. Click OK.

Removing Buttons from Existing Toolbars

1. Click to select a toolbar button from an existing toolbar.
2. While holding the mouse button down, drag the button to any area outside of a toolbar. Note that the cursor symbol changes to an "x" when the button is dragged outside of the toolbars.
3. Release the mouse button to delete the button from the toolbar.

Alternatively, as long as the Customize dialog is open, you can simply right-click on any button to open the New Command context menu. Select Delete to delete the button.

Creating a New Custom Toolbar

1. Click the New button. This opens the Toolbar Name dialog.
2. Enter a name for the new toolbar in the text box and click OK.
3. The new toolbar name appears in the Toolbars list, along with an empty new toolbar icon.
4. Click and drag to move the new toolbar icon into position, in an empty area near the other toolbars.
5. With the empty toolbar in place, go the Commands tab of the Customize dialog.
6. Select a command category (under Categories) to display a list of commands (under Commands).
7. Click and drag commands from the Commands list and drop them inside the area of the new toolbar. Repeat this process to add as many commands as you like to your custom toolbar(s).

Renaming Custom Toolbars

1. Select the toolbar you want to rename from the list, and click Rename to open the Toolbar Name dialog.
2. Enter the new name in the Toolbar Name text box and click OK to save the change.

Deleting Custom Toolbars

1. Click to select a custom toolbar.
2. Click Delete to permanently delete the selected toolbar. NOTE: The standard NetLinx Studio toolbars cannot be deleted.Customize Dialog - Tools Tab

Use the options in the Tools tab of the Customize dialog to add/remove external program shortcuts to the Tools menu (FIG. 324).

FIG. 324 Customize dialog - Tools tab

Customize Dialog - Keyboard Tab

Use the options in the Keyboard tab of the Customize dialog to control keyboard shortcut keys (or "Accelerators"), including custom Accelerators. An example of a common accelerator in Windows is CTRL+C as a shortcut to "Copy" (FIG. 325).

FIG. 325 Customize dialog - Keyboard tab

Customize Dialog - Menu Tab

Use the options in the Menu tab of the Customize dialog to customize the contents of the menus (FIG. 326).

FIG. 326 Customize dialog - Menu tab

Creating a New Custom Menu

1. Select New Menu from the Categories list. This places the "New Menu" entry in the Commands list. This item represents a new "empty" menu.
2. Click to select New Menu (under Commands).
3. While holding the mouse button down, drag the New Menu icon to a location within the Menu Bar.
4. Release the mouse button to create the new (empty) menu at the cursor location.
5. To name the new menu, right-click on the menu to open the Command context menu, and select Button Appearance. This opens the Button Appearance dialog. Type the name for the new menu in the Button Text field and press OK.
6. Select a command category (under Categories) to display a set of commands (under Commands).
7. Add commands to the new menu by clicking and dragging commands from the Commands list to the new menu.
8. Release the mouse button to place the selected command in the new menu.

Adding Commands to Existing Menus

1. Open the menu that you want to add command(s) to.
2. Select a command category (under Categories). The commands included in the selected category are displayed (under Commands), along with their associated toolbar icon, if one exists. Alternatively, select All Commands to view a full list of all commands, regardless of category.
3. Click to highlight a command/icon (under Commands).
4. While holding the mouse-button down, drag the command/icon to the open menu.
5. Position the command/icon right where you want to drop it in the menu, and release the mouse button.
6. The command/icon is placed as a new option in the menu.

Associating an Icon with a New Command

Once you have added a new command to a toolbar or menu, you can associate an icon with the command:

1. For toolbar buttons, right-click on the select the button that you want to associate an icon with. For menu items, right-click on a menu item to open the Command context menu.
2. Select Button Appearance to open the Button Appearance dialog.
3. In the Button Appearance dialog, select Image Only or Image and Text (the Text Only option does not allow you to associate an icon).
4. Select an icon from the User-Def ined Image field.
5. Click OK.

Adding a Command to a Context Menu

1. Select a context menu from the drop-down list of available context menus.
2. While holding the mouse button down, drag the menu item to any area outside of a menu. Note that the cursor symbol changes to an "x" when the menu item is dragged outside of the menus.
3. Release the mouse button to delete the item from the menu.

Alternatively, as long as the Customize dialog is open, you can simply right-click on any menu item to open the Command context menu. Select Delete to delete the button.

Removing Commands from Existing Menus

1. Click to select a menu item from an existing menu.
2. While holding the mouse button down, drag the menu item to any area outside of a menu. Note that the cursor symbol changes to an "x" when the menu item is dragged outside of the menus.
3. Release the mouse button to delete the item from the menu.

Alternatively, as long as the Customize dialog is open, you can simply right-click on any menu item to open the Command context menu. Select Delete to delete the button.

Customize Dialog - Options Tab

Use the options in the Options tab of the Customize dialog to customize the general appearance of the toolbars (FIG. 327).

FIG. 327 Customize dialog - Options tab