Chapter 16 Tools Menu Enhancements

Chapter 16 Tools Menu Enhancements

Browse Methods

Opens the Marked Methods Browser, Recently Modified Methods Browser or the Recently Visited Methods Browser.

Browse Methods | Including String

Opens a method browser on all methods within the system that contain a user specified string. This is a very time consuming process. A progress dialog is displayed which may be cancelled at any time.

Browse Unreleased Classes

Quickly view the unreleased classes owned by any user. Version and release them in place. With thanks to Sherwood Zern.

Browse Marked Classes

Opens the Marked Classes Browser. Any class that is marked via the Classes | VA Assist Pro Tools | Mark command is added to this browser. Multiple classes may be marked at once. This is a useful tool for browsing a number of collaborating classes in one place.

Setup

A convenient, multi-page window for changing any of the VA Assist Pro settings.

Settings

Contains menu items for controlling al of VA Assist Pro’s settings.

Enhanced List Widgets

Turn the use of enhanced list widgets on and off and configure the colors and attributes used.

The drag drop button may be configured to be either the left, right or center mouse button.

Color Syntax

Turn the color syntax highlighting on and off and configure the color schemes.

Spell Check

Turn the dynamic spell checking on and off, turn global name checking on and off and refresh the spelling dictionary. Auto spell correction may also be turned on and off and the auto correction dictionary may be edited.

Abbreviations

Turn abbreviation expansion on and off and edit the abbreviations.

Version Names

Define the template used for all version names.

Import New Names

Sets the policy used when encountering new config map, application or class version names during import. If the version names in the import library differ from the names already present in the current library, the new version names may be “Always Accepted”, “Always Rejected”. If set to “Always Ask”, the system will prompt the user for how to proceed.

Export Library Format

Defines the default export file format. Choices include “16GB (New Format)”, “1GB (Old Format)” and “Always Ask”. VA 4.5 or above only.

Smart Prompters

This menu allow you to control whether the prompter autofills (e.g., guesses based upon the user's input), whether the autofilling is case sensitive, and whether the prompter should suggest an answer if the system does not suggest one.

Snapshot Target

Send the snapshots to the clipboard, printer or save them to a file in bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PCX or TIFF format. A user customizable delay may also be set (default is two seconds).

Change Sizes

Change the size of the class history list or the method list (for recently modified or recently visited methods). You may also change the size of the color syntax highlighting maximum method size and the threshold used to determine whether to inspect an object with a hierarchical inspector or not.

Clear Lists

Clear the history list, any of the special method lists, the prompter suggestion lists or the confirmation dialog answers (e.g., “don’t ask me again”).

Auto Update

Specify which special method browser will automatically update whenever a relevant change occurs (if this is turned off, the browser will only update when it gains focus).

Sorted

Specify which special method browser will be sorted by class and method selector. Also lets you determine whether the class history list will be sorted.

Set Code Font

Set the font used in the text portion of code browsers independently from the font used in the rest of the window.

Set Marked Class Prefix

Specify the character to use to prefix marked classes in the history/find list.

Synchronize Browsers

Specify whether code browsers should be synchronized.

Auto Indent

Turn auto indenting on and off.

Drag Drop

Turn drag/drop on and off. If drag drop is turned on and the drag drop mouse button is set to the left mouse button, drag/drop will interfere with the ability to drag select multiple items in the various browser lists. This option allows the user to quickly toggle drag/drop on and off. If the drag drop mouse button is set to the right mouse button, there is no conflict and drag/drop may be left on permanently.

Use Abbreviated Names

Specify whether abbreviated browser names should be used.

Only Release Clean Classes

with thanks to Anthony Lander

Specify whether the Application Manager will stop you from releasing a class that is in conflict with the previously released version of it. That is, if someone releases a new version behind your back, you won't overwrite their changes.

Show Valid Expressions

With this turned on, you can quickly see which configuration expressions evaluate to true.

Super User

Become a Super User who can leap tall buildings with a single bound. Super Users are designated by a '+' appended to their names in the title bar of the Application Manager.

Allow Special Features

Specify whether version renaming and Super User mode is allowed in this image. Only the Library Supervisor has the power to enable the special features in an image. Once enabled in an image, the user of the image may turn Super User mode on and off at will and rename classes and applications.

Save/Restore

Various options for saving and restoring VA Assist Pro settings.

Save To Disk

Save the current VA Assist Pro settings to a file.

Restore From Disk

Restore the current VA Assist Pro settings to a file.

Save Settings In Library

Save the current VA Assist Pro settings in the library.

Load Settings | From Library

Restore the current VA Assist Pro settings from the library.

Load Settings | From User

Load the VA Assist Pro settings for a different user from the library.

Load Settings | System Defaults

Restore the settings to the system defaults.

Enable

Turn on the VA Assist Pro features.

Disable

Turn off the VA Assist Pro features. Note that any VA Assist Pro affected browser will be closed.

Un-Install

Uninstall the VA Assist Pro package. Use this command rather than either the Configuration Maps Browser or Application Manager unload commands. Note that any VA Assist Pro affected browser will be closed.