This program creates a graphic window with a menu, a workplace panel and a toolbox panel. When needed, a floating window appears to show properties of the components.
From the application menu it is possible to open a file dialog, print dialog, help window, preference dialog, an about box and exit.
It is possible to create, move, edit any components in the workplace panel using the mouse buttons.
Components can be connected together by first pressing the mouse button over a terminal, then move the mouse pointer over another terminal and then release the mouse button: an edge between the two terminals is created.
Popup menu is shown when the right button of the mouse is pressed over the workplace panel. Note that mouse cursor changes when specific actions are performed, e.g. during dragging.
It is possible to use keyboard accelerators like Ctrl+C, Ctrl+X, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+S, Ctrl+N, Ctrl+O, Ctrl+P, F1.
The program supports selections of multiple objects by dragging the mouse cursor. Copy and paste are supported.
The toolbox shows the available javabeans (proclet) via their icons and names. The user can select a javabean by clicking the mouse pointer in the toolbox area. After releasing the mouse button, the cursor changes to cross-hair cursor indicating that a javabean was selected. Then you move the cross-hair cursor in the left panel and click again: when the mouse button is released, the selected javabean is placed in the workplace panel.
It is possible to view/modify the configuration of a component by double-click over a component in the workplace panel.
Properties of components are shown in the "properties" floating window. It is possible to change each property of a component by changing data inside the "properties" windows.
In case you set data that are not allowed by the component, a dialog box will pop-up explaining the limitation.
http://visualap.sourceforge.net/menu.png
New: creates a new system. Accelerator: Ctrl+N
Open: open an existing system (.vas is the filetype for VisualAp systems). Accelerator: Ctrl+O
Save: save the current system (noname.vas in case no filename has been defined). Accelerator: Ctrl+S
Save as: save the current system using a specified file name
Print: print the current system. Accelerator: Ctrl+P
Quit: quits VisualAp
Properties: displays the selected component properties (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse over the component in the workspace panel)
Cut: delete the selected component (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse over the component in the workspace panel). Accelerator: Ctrl+X
Unbind: removes all the edges connected to the selected component (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse over the component in the workspace panel)
Copy: copy the selected component (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse over the component in the workspace panel). Accelerator: Ctrl+C
Paste: insert a copy of the clipboard in the workspace panel (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse in a free area of the workspace panel). Accelerator: Ctrl+V
Insert: insert a new component in the workspace panel (the same command is available by right-clicking the mouse in a free area of the workspace panel)
Check: performs a check of the correctness of the current system
Run: run process simulation of the current system
Preferences: Set preferences
Help Topics: display the Help window. Accelerator: F1
Help on beans: display the help information related to available beans
About VisualAp: Displays the version number of VisualAp