2.9. Details of File and Edit Commands

The following sections describe the commands found in the FIle and Edit menus.

2.9.1. File Commands

The Files menu contains generic functionality for file commands. These functions include New, Open, Save, Save As, Save All, Print, Print Options, Close, Close All, and Exit. Section 2.1.1 briefly desribes these functions, and more. But, the following describes how users use each function in a little more detail.

• New
  
  To create a new gradebook, the user selects New from the File menu. The system creates a New gradebook and prompts the user for Course information. This would include the following:
  
  
  • Course Title
  • Section Number
  • Quarter
  • Instructor
  • Teacher Assistant, if provided
  
  If the user is an Instructor, and provides a Course Title and Section Number that already exists in the database, the system notifies the user of this. If the user matches the Instructor or Teacher Assistant associated with the existing gradebook, the system brings up that existing one and allows the user to edit. However, if the user does not match, the user is not allowed to create or edit the gradebook associated with that Course. If the gradebook for that Course does not exist in the database, the user creates this one and is brought to the initial UI view, as seen in Section 2.1.



• Open
  
  To open an existing gradebook, the user selected Open from the FIle menu.
  
  The system will show a standard Open window, allowing the user to either browse through the database of Course gradebooks, or browse throught the local filesystem and select a gradebook to open. All previously saved information appears and fills in the initial UI screen as seen in Section 2.1.



• Save, Save As, and Save All
  
  When a user initially creates a New gradebook, it is associated with a file which is associated with a Course, but must be saved to keep any changes made.
  
  The Save command is enabled whenever the current grade sheet has unsaved changes. When the user selects Save from the File menu, all newly entered scores and edits will be saved and available when the file is opened next time. The Save command also saved any changes made to the grade settings, such as the grade scheme or graph options. If the file is associated with the Course database, the gradebook in the database is also updated with the saved changes. Or, if the file is not associated with the Course database, the file is just saved locally.
  
  The Save As command can only be applied to gradebooks that are on the local computer. This command will change the Course information associated with it, which is not suppose to be possible when editing a gradebook from the databade. The user can change any labelling information, such as Instructor, Assistant, Title, Section, or Quarter.
  
  It is possible to have more than one gradebook open on the same screen. The Save All command will save all active gradebooks containing any unsaved changes.



• Print and Print Options
  
  PolyGrade provides very minimal printing functionality. But, when the user selects Print from the File menu, the system shows a printing window with all standard options. This allows the instructor to print out the grade sheet that is currently active (ie: on top of the others). The Print Options command is similar to the standard Page Setup, which allows the user to change the settings on how to print out the grade sheet (ie: layout, colors, size).



• Close, Close All, and Exit
  
  When the user selects the Exit command in the File menu, the system begins the exiting process by executing the Close All command. Idential to Close, during the Close All command, the system checks if there are any unsaved session-wide changes. If so, the system warns the users and prompts with a dialog asking if the user would like to save the changes before closing the file.
  
  If the user does want these changes to be saved, the system saves all changes to the file. If the answer is no, the system doesnot save any changes made to the files, thereby losing them all. If the user cancels the closing process, the system returns view to the active grade sheet.
  
  The Exit command terminates the current session of PolyGrade, thereby returning the user to the underlying operating environment.

2.9.2. Edit Commands

The Edit menu contains generic functionality for edit commands. These functions include Undo, Redo, Clear, Copy, and Paste. The following describes how users use each function.

• Undo and Redo
  
  This command restores the grade sheet to the state that existed prior to any changes that user had made. For instance, if the user incorrently inserts scores into the grade sheet, Undo will remove the scores from the grade sheet and return to the most recently saved state. If the grade sheet has not been updated since it was last saved, Undo has not effect. If the user undoes an Undo, it effectly returns the grade sheet to the previous state before the first Undo. The only objects that Undo has effect on are the scores being entered.
  
  Redo has the same effect as undoing an undo. It returns the grade sheet to the existing state prior to removing any required changes.
  
  


• Clear, Copy and Paste
  
  Operating systems typically provide a "clipboard" area through which clear and paste editing commands operate. This clipboard holds values that are cleared, copied, and pasted in tools such as the PolyGrade grade sheet. Hence, PolyGrade Clear, Copy, and Paste commands operate through such a clipboard.
  
  To execute the Clear or Copy command, the user must first select scores from a column. Score selection is performed using click and drag with the mouse, or by clicking on the columns header to select all scores. The Clear command will remove all selected scores, and the Copy command will copy all scores to the clipboard. Order and placement on rows will be preserved through the Copy command.
  
  To execute the Paste command, the user must first execute a Copy and then place the typing cursor within the desired column. After these steps, when the user selects the Paste command from the Edit menu, the scores stored in the clipboard is inserted into the column at the same position the previous command was executed, as if it had been entered by the user from the keyboard.
  
  If the user attempts to execute a Clear or Copy command without first selecting scores, the commands have no effect. If the user attempts to execute a Paste command without having executed a Copy, the Paste command has no effect. The Clear, Copy, and Paste commands operate only on scores in the grade sheet.






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