+widget ACCESS

Allows you to start windows from which you can select an experiment to join and from which you can construct a new experiment. Normally you will only have to do this when using MIDAS for data acquisition and a facility exists for an experiment to be joined automatically by default when you start the software session.

+widget DIRECTORY

Starts the spectrum viewing package. Initially a browser window will start which enables you to select the spectra to be displayed.

+widget XM

Opens the "Exception Monitor" window. If any important messages arrive for you from the data analysis or data acquisition systems this window will open automatically to ensure that you see them.

+widget OPTIONS

The menu enables you to start windows which allow you to 
1)  Select output device (printer) to be used
2)  Select your personal colour scheme
3)  Select your personal font scheme
4)  Run simple demo scripts (The is mainly a development tool)

+widget HARDCOPY

Allows you to make a hard copy of either the whole screen or a selected window.
You can select the output device by using the "Printing" option of the "Options" menu from the base frame. You will be asked to confirm that you wish to proceed with the print and can abort the hardcopy at that point. If the output device is "File" then a directory browser window will be opened to allow you to select the file for the hardcopy. The file produced will be encapsulated colour postscript.

+widget HELP
Click to start. F1 for Help

For an introduction to MIDAS press button 1 to open the menu; select the first item in the menu (Online Manual); and release button 1 to start. Alternatively just press button 3 to start the Online Manual.

Other items in the menu allow you to browse the MIDAS documentation data base (if installed on your system) and allow you to view selected manual pages relevent to the MIDAS implementation. 

For the technical manual on the MIDAS help system press Shift+F1.

+widget QUIT
Press to finish!

Press button 1 to end your MIDAS session in a tidy manner.

For development purposes buttons 2 and 3 start debugging tools.

+widget DEFAULTHELP
Click to start. F1 for Help

If this is a simple button then click to start the option.
If this button has a menu (small rectangular indicator on the right hand side of the button) then click with button 1 to open the menu, select the option you require from the menu, and then release the button to start the option. The first option in the menu can always be started by clicking with button 3.
In both cases if the option is already running then its window will normally be opened and brought to the front of your desktop.

Further information may be available if you press Shift + F1.