Menus and user interface elements

When this document refers to any user interface element, it will do so in bold font. For instance, you will often see reference to the Project Explorer, which is taken to mean the project explorer window. Similarly, you'll see references to the Standard toolbar which is positioned at the top of the CrossStudio window, just below the menu bar on Windows and Linux.

When you are directed to select an item from a menu in CrossStudio, we use the form menu-name > item-name. For instance, File > Save means that you need to click the File menu in the menu bar and then select the Save item. This form extends to items in sub-menus, so File > Open With Binary Editor has the obvious meaning.

Keyboard accelerators

Frequently-used commands are assigned keyboard accelerators to speed up common tasks. CrossStudio uses standard Windows and Mac OS keyboard accelerators wherever possible.

Windows and Linux have three key modifiers which are Ctrl, Alt, and Shift. For instance, Ctrl+Alt+P means that you should hold down the Ctrl and Alt buttons whilst pressing the P key; and Shift+F5 means that you should hold down the Shift key whilst pressing F5.

Mac OS has four key modifiers which are ⌘ (command), ⌥ (option), ⌃ (control), and ⇧ (shift). Generally there is a one-to-one correspondence between the Windows modifiers and the Mac OS modifiers: Ctrl is ⌘, Alt is ⌥, and Shift is ⇧. CrossStudio on Mac OS has its own set of unique key sequences using ⌃ (control) that have no direct Windows equivalent.

CrossStudio on Windows and Linux also uses key chords to expand the set of accelerators. Key chords are key sequences composed of two or more key presses. For instance, the key chord Ctrl+T, D means that you should type Ctrl+T followed by D; and Ctrl+K, Ctrl+Z means that you should type Ctrl+T followed by Ctrl+Z. Mac OS does not support accelerator key chords.

Code examples and human interaction

Throughout the documentation, text printed in this typeface represents verbatim communication with the computer: for example, pieces of C text, commands to the operating system, or responses from the computer. In examples, text printed in this typeface is not to be used verbatim: it represents a class of items, one of which should be used. For example, this is the format of one kind of compilation command:

hcl source-file

This means that the command consists of:

Whenever commands to and responses from the computer are mixed in the same example, the commands (i.e. the items which you enter) will be presented in this typeface. For example, here is a dialog with the computer using the format of the compilation command given above:

c:\code\examples>hcl -v myprog.c

The user types the text hcl -v myprog.c and then presses the enter key (which is assumed and is not shown); the computer responds with the rest.