Navigation Methods
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The primary method of moving between the four main screens is using the , , and buttons on the Navigator Bar, which will display all records.
For a selective display use the , , and buttons once the landlord, property or tenant has been selected.
To move around the records in each of the main screens there is a host of different ways:-
Use button to bring up a small window then enter the landlord, property, tenant or supplier code or first few letters of the SortKey. If no match is found for the entry made a warning will be given. If any record exists which starts with, or exactly matches the entry, the records shown in the left hand pane will display cantered around the match which will be highlighted. The records will also sort into Code or SortKey order to match the entry.
Entering a Code or SortKey when a main screen is displaying will automatically invoke Find. In both cases it is only necessary to enter a few characters the press the Enter key. It's quicker than using the mouse.
To move quickly to the last record in the file, in the sort order displayed, press or drag the slider to the bottom of the slider bar, or press the keyboard End key.
To move quickly to the first record in the file, in the sort order displayed, press or drag the slider to the top of the slider bar, or press the keyboard Home key.
To move one record at a time through the file press , or the keyboard Down Arrow key or the , or the keyboard Up Arrow key depending upon the direction you want to move. Clicking the Up and Down arrowheads in the slider bar does the same thing.
To move a screen full of records at a time through the file press the keyboard Page Up and Page Down keys. You can also click in the slider bar above or below the slider itself for the same effect.
Note. Holding a keyboard key depressed will cause multiple occurrences of the event to happen. For example holding Page Down depressed will page a screen full of records at a time through the file. By watching the top or bottom record Code or Name field you can lift the key as you approach the record you are looking for then press the key a page at a time. With the mouse pointer in the slider bar, holding the mouse button down will page a screen full at a time. If the mouse is held down with the pointer on the arrowheads the screen will scroll a record at a time.
If you haven't picked it up yet there is a relationship between the size of the slider and the number of records in the file/displayed on the screen and is shown by the ratio of the slider size to the slider bar length. Roughly if the file contains 1000 records and only 10 can be displayed on the screen at one time the slider will occupy 1/100th of the slider bar.
Well that's bloody interesting isn't!!!! Well, yes it is. Because it gives you an indication of where to drag the slider to when the file is large. Since you know that "L" is about halfway through the alphabet if you drag the slider to about the middle of the slider bar you might be close to the "Ls". Note where the slider is against some "marker" on the screen and move the slider up or down accordingly by an "inch or two". Look at the letter where you wound up and estimate how far between the first and second slider locations you need to move. This technique can get you close to the record you want in very few moves and a whole lot quicker than sitting on the slider bar arrowheads as I still see people doing. When you get close then go for paging a screen at a time and finally scroll the records.
Thus far all this has been on the main screens but exactly the methods are usable in the transaction grid and other table displays too. Not every Navigator Bar has all functions and most do not have the Find capability.
If you want to know a bit about moving through text quickly and the Windows Copy, Cut and Paste functions go to the Speed Keys topic which also includes practice exercise.
And, surprise, surprise, you will find many of the same techniques covered in this and the Speed Keys topic work throughout all Windows based applications including inside your word processor, so we aren't as smart as you thought. We're only using tools that are pre-packaged.
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