2.1.1. Main Screen

When the user first opens the test tool, he is presented with a simple menu bar and a set of 3 palettes. The menu bar is shown below and its command allow the user to perform basic functions (File), open and close palettes and panels (Windows), and get help if needed. The Menu bar is persistent throughout the application.


Menu Bar Expanded
Figure A The Menu Bar

The menu options are listed below.

  • File
    • Take Test
      Opens a open file dialog allowing the student user to load a test file for taking
    • New Workspace
      Opens a file dialog allowing the user to create a new workspace where he/she desires
    • Save Workspace
      Opens a save dialog allowing the user to save his/her settings
    • Load Workspace
      Opens a load dialog allowing the user to load his/her settings
    • Options
      Opens the options dialog
  • Edit
    • Undo
      Reverses the last command issued by the user
    • Redo
      Reissues the last command reversed by the user
    • Cut
      Cuts the selected test, text, question, or similar and adds it to the clipboard
    • Copy
      Copies the selected test, text, question, or similar to the clipboard
    • Paste
      Pasted the last copied test, text, question, or similar from the clipboard
    • Delete
      Deletes the selected test, text, question, or similar
    • Select All
      Selects all objects as relevant to the current context
    • Special Characters
      Launches the Special Characters Insert Dialog
  • Window
    • Close
      Closes the current context window
    • Minimize
      Minimizes the current window
    • Previous
      Switch context to the previous window
    • Next
      Switch context to the next window
    • Test palette
      Opens the Test palette if closed or unhides it if hidden
    • Database palette
      Opens the Database palette if closed or unhides it if hidden
    • Filter palette
      Opens the Filter palette if closed or unhides it if hidden
    • Grading palette
      Opens the Grading palette if closed or unhides it if hidden
    • Current Window Open
      Swtiches between active windows
  • Help
    • Tip Buttons
      Toggles the display of the tip buttons as outlined in Section TIP
    • Online Help
      Launches the online help in the system's default web browser
    • About
      Lists the version information for the testtool
    		•

    On the left side of the screen test tool displays 3 palettes: Tests is expanded, Databases is expanded, Filter by: is hidden. The palettes can be expanded by the user clicking on the [+] button or hidden by [-] at any time. palettes can be pulled apart and dragged to any location on the screen if the user clicks and drags the palette's header bar. As palettes are dragged near each other, they "stick" together and align. If the user drags any palette above, all stuck palettes also move.

    The Main Pallets
    Figure A The palettes

    The Test palette lists the tests that the user has created in chronological order, latest modified at top. The palette contains 4 buttons that buttons: New Test, Edit, Grade, and Delete. The New Test button creates the new test window, shown in the Test Generation Section. The Edit button opens the selected test and the delete button deletes from the program. The Grade button launches the load answers dialog and allows the user to grade student takes.

    The Database palette lists the databases that the test tool is connected to, both local and remote. This palette allows the user to add (or connect to) remote databases and local databases, delete them and edit their properties much like the Tests palette.

    Finally, the Filter palette contains a list of tags, characteristics, and booleans that can be dragged into filters throughout the application. The details of filters are covered in the Filtering section.

     

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