Let's take a look at each part of the main window, and learn what they do:
Command Overview
Getting Started: The Main Window
To install and start Mandelbrot Madness!, follow the instructions listed in the Installation and Setup page. We will assume you've already started MM! and are looking at the main application window, which is happily staring back at you.
Let's take a look at each part of the main window, and learn what they do:
The File menu: This pull-down menu holds most of MM!'s important commands, such as opening parameter files, saving to each of MM!'s different save formats, getting image information, rerendering and printing images, and closing the program. Some of these will appear "grayed out" or disabled if no image windows are currently open. To learn more about the File menu, follow this link.
The Edit menu: This pull-down menu allows you to transfer data between MM! and other applications. You can copy an image's parameter information (useful for documenting images on a Web page, for example) or the graphical image data. The menu command always applies to the currently active image window. To learn more about the Edit menu, follow this link.
The Tools menu: This pull-down menu allows you to perform certain non-rendering tasks, such as converting between different parameter file formats and launching helper applications, which help you perform additional functions MM! cannot perform on its own. To learn more about the Tools menu, follow this link.
The Options menu: This pull-down menu lets you set all of MM!'s many customizations. You can decide whether or not to show the toolbars, specify your user directories (parameter file, palette, and image directories), define helper applications, and other useful settings. To learn more about the Options menu, follow this link.
The Window menu: This pull-down menu helps you manage all the little image windows MM! creates. From here, you will be able to close one window or all of them at once, or bring hidden windows to the front. To learn more about the Window menu, follow this link.
The Help menu: This pull-down menu does three things: it opens the Online Help (where you are now!), can open a Web browser to the official MM! Web site, and displays the application About dialog. Whenever you need help with MM!, this should be the first place to look.
In addition to these menus, you will see two toolbars, the Main Toolbar and the Render Toolbar. These give you quick access to the vast majority of MM!'s many functions. If you're familiar with previous versions of MM! and miss the old Main Dialog, you'll find it still exists, reincarnated as the Render Dialog. Just click the New button on the Main Toolbar, or choose File -> New to bring it up.
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© Copyright 2007, Jeffrey T. Darlington. All rights reserved.