When you first start Pulsonix in its default configuration, the Menu Bar appears across the full width of the top of the main application window above the Standard Toolbar.
The Menu Bar is a special Toolbar that contains the application menus such as File, Edit, View, etc. As a special toolbar it possesses much of the functionality available to other toolbars, such as docking, floating and customisation.
The menus items available on the Menu Bar are:
- File - manage and save your data files.
- Edit - editing options such as Cut/Copy/Paste and find. Manipulate and modify items within the design.
- View - View functions to change the view of the design and other user interface items.
- Insert - use this menu to add new items to the design.
- Setup - these are all options for setting up and managing the contents of the design before the actual design work starts. Items such as the Technology manager, Library manager etc. are found on this menu. From this menu you can setup and manage your design styles, libraries and contents, default data folders and your design preferences etc.
- Utilities - utilities are located here for specialist tasks that are not considered general tools but more utilities to aid design work.
- Simulation - this menu contains utilities for setting up and running Spice simulation.
- Tools - this contains automation tools and tools which are used for design checking or integrity checking etc.
- Output - all your output functions are here; CAM Plot for exporting Gerber, Excellon, PDF and Windows plots as well as menu options for exporting to STEP and other mechanical CAD tools and other systems, such as LPKF, ODB++ and GenCAD. Write reports, netlists and Parts lists from here also.
- Window - standard Windows menu options that control the layout of Pulsonix.
- Help - access the on-line help system and all documentation held on the web site. Context help is available at any time by pressing the F1 key in any option.
Clicking a Menu Bar item will cause it to display its dropdown menu of options. The options available on each of the menus are context sensitive and will vary depending on the type of design currently being used. For example the Insert menu which contains common options such as Insert Shape and Insert Text, also contains context specific options such as Insert Board and Insert Track when editing a PCB design and Insert Connector Pin and Insert Bus when editing a Schematic design.
To display a description for an option on one of the dropdown menus, place the mouse pointer over it. (You do not click or press a mouse button.) The description appears in the status bar in the lower left corner of the application.
If the Personalised Menus and Toolbars option is enabled on the Customise option, Options tab, initially only a short version of the drop down menu, showing only basic and most frequently used commands, will be displayed. The menu may be expanded to show all its commands by clicking, or pausing, the mouse on the Show All button at the bottom of the menu,
If you are working with your design window maximised within the main application window, in addition to the menu items, at its right-hand end the Menu Bar will also contain standard Windows buttons - Maximise, Minimise and Close that operate on just the maximised design window rather than the application as a whole.