Menu Items

 

To access the vital functions of the client, you are provided with a menu of items to choose from.  To access these menu items, you are given four different methods.

 

·   Use the mouse to explore the menu and click on the desired item (you can only do this if the menu is visible)

·   Use the Alt key with a letter to access a particular item.  For example, the “File” menu is displayed as “File”  The underscore under the “F” means that holding down the Alt key and pressing the “F” key will select this menu.

·   Most menu items have a corresponding button on the Toolbar.  If you have the Toolbar showing, you can click on these buttons to activate the associated menu item.  By default, only a few of the most used buttons are shown.  You can configure other buttons to be shown by selecting Options|Customize Toolbar or right-clicking on the Toolbar itself with the mouse.

·   Just as most menu items have a corresponding button on the Toolbar, most also have a corresponding Ctrl+Hotkey (or similar) combination you can use the access the menu item.  Each hotkey can be seen next to the name of the items in the menu.

 

Note: Some program aspects are only available on Portal©-supported MUDs.  These are denoted with an asterisk (*)

 

Note: Most all of the Menu Hotkeys can be configured to your liking.  If you want to customize yours, or get a printed list of your current menu hotkey settings, simply go to the menu item Options|Customize Menu Hotkeys.

 

File Menu

 

Escape

This menu item actually does a few different things.  On each click, it will scan the following list until it finds a condition that is true.  It will continue along the list until it encounters a true condition.  Should it find a true condition, it will perform the associated action and then stop, not looking any further in the list.  Attached to the Esc key, this is designed to give the user quick access to clearing or escaping certain things.

 

Client Condition                                         Action Taken if Condition is True

Keyhistory is visible (Up or Down)                  Closes Keyhistory

Client is in Scrollback Mode                          Exits Scrollback Mode

*A delayed command is performing                Cancels all command in the current buffer

Text exists in the Command Line                  Clears the command Line

 

Example:

The client is currently in Scrollback Mode, there is also text currently in the Command Line.  The user presses the Esc key and the client exits from Scrollback Mode, but the text remains in the Command Line.  Clicking Esc again will then clear the text.

 

*  This will only occur if the Program Option - Esc Buffer Clear is enabled

 

If the Program Option: Escape All is enabled, pressing ESC will perform ALL of the above actions with only one click.

 

Panic Button

Clicking this will make the entire program hidden and will replace it with a small, innocent-looking system clock.  To return to the program, simply double-click on the clock.  Well, you gotta do something when your boss walks by right?  When the Panic Button is invoked, the commands contained in the Panic Macro (Macros screen) are performed.

 

An added feature of the Panic Button is that by clicking the “x” button to close the “clock” window will close down the WHOLE PROGRAM.  This is to allow you to cleanly exit the game if some lousy boss needs to sit down at your computer.  Remember, to get back to the game normally, double-click on the clock, don’t click on the “x” button or again, it will close down the WHOLE PROGRAM.

 

Another aspect of the Panic Button is that the Command Line REMAINS ACTIVE while the clock is showing.  This means that if, while the clock window is the active window, you type something, it is being typed directly into the Command Line.  This includes the Enter key.  So, if you had to hit the Panic Button and need to get off a last minute command or two to the game, simply type what you desire and hit Enter.  You won’t see anything of course, but it will go through.

 

Note: Besides the command line, nothing else regarding the manual user game controls is active.  This means that commands that are activated via the command line (aliased, quickchars, etc.) will work normally.  Commands that aren’t related to the command line (such as macro hotkeys) will not.  However, all events and other automatic aspects are still active.  Also, sounds are temporarily disabled until you bring the program back up.

 

Jumpstart Portal©

If, for whatever the reason, Portal© falls out of sync with the MUD server, this will reestablish concurrency.  This is only usable on Portal© supported MUDS.

 

Lock Character

Locks your character with your current password if you need to step away from the screen for a moment.  DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSWORD!

 

Clear Keyhistory

Clears all items in the Keyhistory.  (See the main help file for more info)

 

Graph Paper Generator

Whenever you need a sheet of graph paper, pop open this wonderful utility.

 

Downloading Data (Portal© supported MUDs only)

Portal© allows you the feature of downloading data from Portal© supported MUDs.  This gives you the ability to grab entire files and lists, which you can then send to the Autotyper or save to a text file for later use.  Any file download is performed by the MUD server, which is usually initiated by a command you would send to the server.  This is a great convenience to game wizards, for instead of editing a file online, they can download it, copy it to the Autotyper, edit it locally, then upload it back to the server via a quick autotype.

 

Replace Contents of Autotyper with Download*

Copies any data in the download buffer to the Autotyper, replacing the existing file.

 

Paste Download into Autotyper at Cursor*

Pastes the download data into the Autotyper at the cursor.

 

Capture Download to File*

Allows you to choose a text file, which will then be written with the data contained in the download buffer.

 

Clear Download*

Clears any download from the download buffer.  This will also halt any current download.

 

Upload Files

Uploads files to the server.  This function is only available where supported.

 

Disconnect from Server

Disconnects the current link to the server.

 

Reconnect

Attempts to reconnect to the server.

 

Attempt Secondary Connection

Attempts to connect to a secondary host/port.  You will be prompted for the necessary information.  See the secondary connection section in the keyboard input help file for more information on controlling the secondary connection.  Also, on the Toolbar, two buttons appear.  To control which connection gets control, press the appropriate button.  If the "1" button is pushed down, commands from the command line will be sent to the primary connection.  If the "2" button is pushed down, commands from the command line will be sent to the secondary connection.

 

Disconnect Secondary Connection

Disconnects any active secondary connection.

 

Reverse Connection Control

Toggles command control between the primary and secondary connections.

 

External Applications

Portal© gives you the option to define links to a set of external applications.  With these links, you can invoke the associated application whenever you desire.  Please see the help file on External Applications for more.  Applications linked, that don’t exist, will not appear in the list of links.

 

Import/Export

This allows you the ability to import/export aliases, macros etc.  It also allows you to export the current profile configuration without having to disconnect.

 

Exit Program

Closes all windows and exits the program.

 

Edit Menu

 

Copy Selected Text to Clipboard

Copies selected text to the clipboard.  Now, there are a few different sources where text can be selected on the Main Screen.  The order is as follows:

 

First           Command Line

Second      Scrollback View

Third          Main View

 

This means that if you have something selected in the Main View and the Command line, the selected text in the Command Line is what is copied.

 

Copy Selected Text to Autotyper

Same as Copy above, but the text is also pasted immediately into the Autotyper.

 

Note: The Autotyper is automatically opened at this point, if it was not already open.

 

Send Text from Clipboard

Any text currently in the clipboard is sent directly to the server.  This can be a single word or line of text or multiple copied lines.

 

Send Space-Delimited Text from Clipboard

Any text currently in the clipboard is sent directly to the server.  This can be a single word or line of text or multiple copied lines.  If it is multiple copied lines, the lines are sent as only one line, with a space between each line, up to a maximum of 500 characters.  If there is any text in the Command Line, that text will be inserted at the beginning of the send.  Confused yet?

 

For example, if I have the text “say” currently in the Command Line and the following, separate lines copied into the clipboard:

 

one

two

three

 

When I send the space-delimited text, it will send: “say one two three

 

Paste Space-Delimited Text from Clipboard into Command Line

Any text currently in the clipboard is pasted into the Command Line  This can be a single word or line of text or multiple copied lines.  If it is multiple copied lines, the lines are pasted as only one line, with a space between each line, up to a maximum of 500 characters.

 

Cut Selected Text from Command Line to Clipboard

Cuts the selected text in the Command Line to the Clipboard.

 

Copy Selected Text to Clipboard

Same functionality as the above “Copy Selected Text to Clipboard” menu item, but an extra hotkey.

 

Paste Text from Clipboard into Command Line

Pastes any text in the Clipboard into the Command Line.

 

Insert Line-Break Character into Command Line

Inserts one line-break into the command line at the cursor position, effectively breaking the current line into two.

 

Insert Esc Character into Command Line

Inserts one Escape character into the command line.

 

Insert Beep into Command Line

Inserts one beep character into the command line.  Don’t be a dork with the beeps OK?

 

Insert Control Character into Command Line

Inserts a specific control character (Ctrl+A through Ctrl+Z) into the Command Line.  This is useful for servers that use control characters for certain functions.

 

Send Masked Text

Allows you to send masked text invisibly to the server.  A small popup window will appear, which you can then fill with a line of text.  The text will appear in the box masked by asterisks.  Press the Accept Button on the popup box to invisibly send the text.  Press the Cancel button to cancel the send.

 

Send Text File

Parses a specified text file to the server, sending each individual line in the file as a separate command.

 

Scrollback Menu

 

View Scrollback

Enters Scrollback Mode.  If the program is not currently in Scrollback Mode, pressing the Scroll Lock key will enter it.

 

Exit Scrollback

Exits Scrollback Mode.  If the program is currently in Scrollback Mode, pressing the  Scroll Lock key will exit it.

 

Find Text

Finds the first occurrence of a specific string of text in the scrollback buffer (if any).  Enter the string you are searching for into the Command Line, then perform the find function.  Attempting a find on text will place the client into Scrollback Mode, if it wasn’t already in it.

 

Find Next Text Occurrence

Finds the next occurrence of the text found using Find Text (if any).

 

Clear Scrollback

Clears all text in the scrollback.

 

Scrollback Mode Key Functionality

Exit Scrollback Mode                 Esc

Scroll One Page Up                   PgUp

Scroll One Page Down               PgDn

Scroll One Line Up                     Ctrl+Up

Scroll One Line Down                 Ctrl+Down

Scroll to Top                              Ctrl+PgUp, Ctrl+Home

Scroll to Bottom                         Ctrl+PgDn, Ctrl+End

Move Scroll Bar Up                    Shift+Up

Move Scroll Bar Down                Shift+Down

Move Scroll Bar to Top               Shift+PgUp

Move Scroll Bar to Bottom          Shift+PgDn

 

Capture Scrollback Buffer to File

Dumps the current contents of the scrollback into a text file of your choice.

 

Log Incoming Text to File

Allows you to select a text file to log all incoming text into.  While the text is logging, the red light on the Status Bar will remain lighted.  The log will continue until you turn it off by either selecting this menu item again, or by clicking on the red light in the Status Bar.  The log will be automatically time-stamped every 10 minutes.

 

Actions Menu

 

Aliases…

Opens the Aliases screen.

 

Macros…

Opens the Macros screen.

 

Quickchars…

Opens the Quickchar screen.

 

Nicknames…

Opens the Nicknames screen.

 

Ticker…

Opens the Ticker screen.

 

Next Buffered Command

If there is a current delay (“wait” command) performing in the delay buffer, this will skip it and move on to the next command (or delay) in the buffer.  You can click on the analog clock timer (to the right of the digital system clock) or the countdown numbers to do this as well.

 

Clear Command Buffer

If there are any commands or delays currently buffered, they will be ALL cleared.  You can click on the buffer number remaining (to the right of the analog clock timer) to do this as well.

 

Recording On/Off

Starts/Stops recording of an alias or macro.

 

Events Menu (includes Groups and Filters)

 

Events…

Opens the Events screen.

 

Quick Event…

Lets you create a quick event (see the help file for Events).

 

Variable Maintenance…

Opens the Variable Maintenance screen.

 

Setup Groups…

Opens the Groups screen.

 

Activate the BASE Group

Assigns the BASE group as the active Text and Status Events group.

 

Autotyper Menu

 

Open Autotyper

Opens the Autotyper, Portal©'s powerful text editor..

 

Autotype Text from Autotyper

Autotypes text from the current Autotyper file into the game.

 

Options Menu

 

Program Options…

Opens the Program Options screen.

 

Show Toolbar

Toggles showing of the Toolbar.

 

Show Record Tool on Toolbar

Toggles showing of the alias/macro recording tool on the Toolbar.

 

Show Statusbar

Toggles showing of the Statusbar.

 

Show HP1 Bar (Hit Point bar)

Toggles showing of the HP Bar.

 

Show HP2 Bar (Hit Point2/Gauge bar)

Toggles showing of the HP2 Bar.

 

Show HP3 Bar (Hit Point3/GLine bar)

Toggles showing of the HP3 Bar.

 

Show HP4 Bar (Hit Point4/Combat & Guild Message Window Bar)

Toggles showing of the HP4 Bar.

 

HP Bar Setup Assistant…

Clicking here brings up the HP Bar Setup Assistant.  The Assistant will help you in setting up a customized event which will ultimately populate the status bars at the bottom of your screen – automatically!  Please see the help file on the HP Bar Assistant for more information.

 

Customize Toolbar…

Allows you to customize the buttons that appear on the Toolbar.

 

Customize Menu Hotkeys…

Allows you to customize the menu item hotkeys.

 

Reduce Font Size

Reduces the display font by 1 point size (not to go below 6pt)

 

Increase Font Size

Increases the display font by 1 point size (not to go above 20pt)

 

Choose Display Font…

Selects the font you desire for the display font.

 

Setup Display Colors…

Allows you to choose the colors that are displayed in the Main Screen.

 

Screens Menu

(A check next to the screen name item indicates that the corresponding screen is active)

 

Canvas

Brings up the Portal© Canvas

 

Imagery

Brings the Imagery to the front (and opens it if necessary)

 

Chat Monitor

Brings the Chat Monitor to the front (and opens it if necessary)

 

Tell Monitor

Brings the Tell Monitor to the front (and opens it if necessary)

 

Cartographer

Brings up the Cartographer, Portal©'s automated mapping tool

 

Room Monitor

Brings up the Room Monitor to the front (and opens it if necessary)

 

System Messages

Brings up the System Messages screen.

 

Clear System Messages

Clears all System Messages.

 

Return Screens to Home

Moves the selected floater screens to the upper-left “home” position of the monitor.  The purpose of this would be to retrieve lost screens due to something such as a resolution change or a bad move of an anchored screen.

 

Anchoring Screens

Anchors the selected floater screens to the main screen.  When the main screen is moved, the floater will move with it.  Click again to un-anchor it. An anchored floater will appear with its caption in [ ].

 

Close All Screens

Closes all Portal© floating screens (except for the main window).

 

Music Menu

 

Music Playlist Editor

Brings up the Music Playlist screen, allowing you make save and load your very own Portal© music playlists. 

 

Load Playlist

Loads a previously created Portal© playlist.

 

Play Song

Plays the current song in the loaded playlist.  If the Randomize Playlist menu item is checked, and this button is pressed while a song is playing, a random song from the playlist will be chosen and played.

 

Pause Song

Pauses the currently playing song.

 

Rewind Song to Beginning

Rewind the currently loaded music file to the beginning.  If you are currently playing a music, rewinding will automatically begin playing from the beginning.  If the current music is paused, it will not begin playing until you manually start it.

 

Repeat Song

If this menu item is checked, the currently playing music file will repeat when it reaches the end.

 

Randomize Playlist

If this menu item is checked, when a song ends, the next song to start will be chosen randomly from the currently loaded playlist.

 

Goto Previous Song

Moves to and plays the previous song in the loaded playlist.

 

Goto Next Song

Moves to and plays the next song in the loaded playlist.

 

Goto First Song

Moves to and plays the first  song in the loaded playlist.

 

Goto Last Song

Moves to and plays the last song in the loaded playlist.

 

Help Menu

 

Help Topics

Lists the Help Overview section.

 

About Portal© for Windows…

Displays relevant Portal© information, links and licenses.  You can also register your copy of Portal© via this screen.