Introduction:

ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus Screen Image.    (Click for a larger image in a pop-up window)

This document describes the features of the ARRIS++ (pronounced ARRIS-Plus-Plus) Enhanced Menus Package, created by CJSA  LLC, which significantly extends the functionality of the standard ARRIS system, provides numerous fixes for long-standing bugs and improves the graphical user interface. This work is the result of over 16 years of development and has received considerable testing in production environments.

The primary goal of this project has been to create an improved graphical user interface (GUI) that would significantly increase user productivity by:



• Unifying the interface to make it more attractive and easier to navigate visually.
  
  
• Standardizing the interface to make its operation more consistent and predictable.
  
  
• Correcting existing deficiencies and adding new functionality.
  
  
• Providing users with increased capabilities for customizing the interface to their personal requirements.
  
  
• Honoring the existing ARRIS layout style to the greatest extent possible to minimize difficulty in learning to use the new features.

Overview of ARRIS++ Features:

This section provides a quick highlight of the most important features of the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus Package. Detailed information on these features will be found throughout the remainder of the documentation.

General:

• Since the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus Package is designed as a typical ARRIS plug-in module, it may be loaded or unloaded at any time. When unloaded, ARRIS will continue to operate with its native functionality and appearance.
  
  
• The work involved major revisions to and integration between the Draw, Architect, Details, 3D and Site application modules. When the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module is loaded, all of these other modules are automatically loaded as well.
  
  
• The ARRISplus tools have been fully integrated into ARRIS++. If this third-party module is installed on the system, it will also be automatically loaded and activated by ARRIS++.
  
  
• To make it easier to distinguish between menu labels and user data, the old ARRIS convention of representing the label text in all "CAPS" was reinstated.
  
  
• Additional informative messages were added when commands were launched to keep the user apprised as to what action was being taken.

Menus:

• In order to provide the benefits discussed, over 140 existing ARRIS and 12 ARRISplus menus were revised while many new menus were created from scratch.
  
  
• Menus were redesigned to position common functions in the same predictable location so that there is no need to search in order to find a similar tool.
  
  
• The size of menu text labels was adjusted to make the menus more readable and a number of new menu icons were created to provide a more uniform appearance.
  
  
• The Draw and Architect modules were consolidated into a single main menu. This allows a third module such as Details, 3D or Site to be loaded concurrently.
  
  
• A new toolbar system was created that offers a variety of user-selectable configurations (from 20 to 80 buttons) with two commands (left and right-click) associated with each button.
  
  
• A user may select toolbar commands from a pop-up menu containing approximately 800 ARRIS commands organized by functional group.
  
  
• All of the menus were enhanced to support user-customizable right-click actions for every box.
  
  
• Many application overwrite menus were redesigned to make more tools directly available without having to first access an intermediate pop-up menu, significantly improving drawing efficiency.
  
  
• Many menu commands were enhanced with logical right-click options that improve efficiency. As one example, editing functions that operate on a single entity will generally operate within an area (AREA IN) if selected using a right-click.
  
  
• Flyout menus were added to all main menu boxes that have an associated application overwrite menu.
  
  
• Snap flyout menus were added for all application overwrite menu commands that could take advantage of this feature.
  
  
• All commands now insure that the associated status menu is loaded. This eliminates the vexing problem of commands executing without their parameter data being visible.
  
  
• All new and revised pop-up menus have been enhanced to allow them to be repositioned on the screen.

Documentation:

• Context-sensitive on-line help (accessible by selecting any menu button using <F2>) was written for every function on each of the new or revised menus. In the rare cases where existing help text was already provided for these menus within standard ARRIS, it was rewritten and expanded to make it more comprehensive and useful.
  
  In addition to describing the standard action associated with a menu button, an additional section has been provided to discuss any special default right-click operation which may have been assigned.
  
  
• All significant ARRIS++ modifications and enhancements made to the standard ARRIS distribution have been described in this document.
  
  
• A revised and updated copy of the ARRIS Menus: User Interface Manual has been included. This document is a comprehensive reference guide for the construction and use of menus under the ARRIS system.

Sigmacs:

• In order to provide the benefits discussed, a large number of existing ARRIS sigmacs were revised and hundreds of new sigmacs were created from scratch.
  
  
• Many sigmac commands were modified to remember and prompt with the last six user-specified input values.
  
  
• For developers, many significant improvements were made to the :menld menu compiler and a new command (:menu) was added to aid in the exploration of the existing menu system.

Cool New Features:

• A small Signal Light was added to the DESKTOP menu to indicate when the database has been changed and needs to be saved.
  
  
• Two additional small signal lights were added to the DESKTOP menu to indicate when Entity Edit Filters were active and the current status of the Layer Retain mode.
  
  
• The RECENT DOCUMENTS menu was substantially improved to provide a list of fixed documents under full user control that can be used to quickly load current drawings and sheets.
  
  
• The status menu for PATTERNS has been significantly enhanced to make working with pattern styles much easier.
  
  
• A new command to visually Insert Points into pattern boundaries was created.
  
  
• Significant improvements were made to the ARRIS Notes tools.
  
  
• The Color Menu was enhanced and a set of new colormaps were created.
  
  
• A special set of commands was created which can be used to display a temporary Border Lines showing the extents of the viewport boundary when working in a full-screen viewport, eliminating all of the guesswork concerning how work will appear upon returning to sheet space.
  
  
• A complete, menu-based C-PEN system was added to manage the association of pens and colors while drawing.
  
  
• A new command was added which may be used to automatically draw Break Lines.
  
  
• A set of tools was included to automate the use of Macros, providing a quick means of automating complex tasks within ARRIS.
  
  
• The DISTANCE menu was enhanced to show rectangular areas and remember accumulative distances.
  
  
• A POINTS Toolkit was added which provides an entire suite of tools to manage points (aka, symbols).
  
  
• An Indirect Reference command was added to make it easy to set a new reference point in open space.
  
  
• An enhanced Revision Cloud tool has been added.
  
  
• Manual Dimensioning has been significantly enhanced and is now table-driven so that individuals may customize it for their personal needs.

User Productivity:

• The improved design of the graphical interface allows users to locate commands more quickly, leaving them more time for real work.
  
  
• Combining the Draw and Architect modules into a single main menu eliminates the need to toggle back and forth between these two applications to accomplish normal architectural drafting tasks and allows a third module to be loaded concurrently. The result is a significant savings in time spent looking for a drawing function.
  
  
• The addition of a complete set of main flyout menus now make it possible to access one-shot commands without having to toggle back and forth between multiple application overwrite sub-menus. Once this technique is learned, it can save considerable drawing time.
  
  
• The redesign of most application overwrite menus allowed many additional functions to be added, saving the user the time of having to hunt for them on other hidden menus.
  
  
• The consistent availability of main flyout and snap flyout menus means the user can begin to rely on these features and use them as shortcuts for many operations.
  
  
• The improved toolbar system increases the number of customizable commands from 22 to between 40 and 160 (typically 80) depending upon which of the three available toolbars is loaded. This increased functionality significantly improves the users ability to customize ARRIS to their personal work style.
  
  
• Use of the new viewport outline tools can increase drawing productivity when working with full-screen viewports.
  
  
• A sensible and consistent set of default right-click commands were assigned to most buttons, increasing the utility of every menu.
  
  
• By allowing every menu box to have its right-click command modified, the ability to customize ARRIS to meet individual work habits is further improved.
  
  
• The inclusion of comprehensive on-line help allows new ARRIS users to become productive much faster as they can explore the functions of the system on their own as they encounter a question. In addition, the availability of on-line help provides the seasoned user with a means of getting immediate information for those infrequently used commands.
  
  
• Enhancements and bug-fixes to many existing sigmacs means that these commands will work more easily and reliably with a corresponding increase in productivity.
  
  

Automatic Startup:

• To get the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module to load automatically when ARRIS is started, simply add an entry to either the compiled :ustart sigmac or to the ustart.tx text file.

  :ustart sigmac:

  • Add the following line near the end of the ustart.ff sigmac source file:
    :mn_appask;='cj'
    
    
    
  • Recompile the sigmac, probably storing it in the user.sm sigmac library.

  ustart.tx file:

  • If the :ustart sigmac is not being used, then add the following line near the end of the USR:ustart.tx file:
    @#@CMD;:mn_appask;#str;cj;0

  The next time ARRIS is started, the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module will be automatically loaded.

• Note: When the ARRIS++ module is loaded, it automatically loads the 3D, Architect, Details, Site Design, Expert Translator and ARRISplus modules (assuming they are installed on the system), so there is no need to perform these startup tasks separately.

Version Information:

This document describes version 8.0 (release 01) of the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus Package. This is intended to be used with ARRIS 8.0, which is also denoted as spin #219. The ARRIS++ version numbers will now always match the version of ARRIS with which it is intended to operate. Minor revisions within a version will be noted by the incrementing release number.

At any time, the current version of ARRIS may be checked from within the program by typing the command:

:vers

Once the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus Package has been installed and is loaded, its current version may be displayed using the command:

:cj_vers

Demonstration Version:

The Demonstration (DEMO) version of the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module is intended for evaluation purposes only. It is fully functional as described in this documentation, with the following exceptions:
• All save options have been disabled. Any attempt to save a sheet or drawing will result in the message:
  
  
  SAVE is disabled in the DEMO version of ARRIS++

• The autosave function is disabled and the following message may be seen when the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module is first loaded:
  
  
  AUTOSAVE is disabled in the DEMO version of ARRIS++
  
  The autosave interval is automatically set to 0 to avoid the repeated display of this message.

• All other routines which attempt to save, copy, rename or export the current sheet or drawing have been disabled. Any attempt to run these commands will result in the message:
  
  
  This feature is disabled in the DEMO version of ARRIS++

• The ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus module may not be unloaded unless working in noname.db. Any attempt to do otherwise will result in the message:
  
  
  ERROR: DEMO MODE: Cannot unload ARRIS++ unless noname.db is loaded

To obtain either a free demonstration version or a fully functional copy of the ARRIS++ Enhanced Menus, first review the Software License Agreement. If you accept the terms of the license, send a request to:

CJSA  LLC
7000 E Mercer Way
Mercer Island, WA  98040
206.232.3338
Email: arris++@cjsa.com

Please include a statement that you accept the terms of the license and indicate the hardware platform and operating system on which you intend to run the software.