Obtaining Help
==============

Brief balloon-style help can be obtained on most components of this GUI
by setting balloon help from the Tools menu. With balloon help turned on,
if the mouse cursor is left on an item that has balloon help for a short
period of time, a text message (the balloon) will popup giving some short
information on the particular item. Balloon help is on by default. To make
the default to be no balloon help, use the TkECLiPSe preference editor.

If a more detailed help file (like this one for the top-level) is available
for a particular window, it can be obtained by typing Alt-h (Alt key with
h) within the window. If a menu bar is available in a particular window,
the help file can also be obtained from the menu.

*Note* functions that are accessed via the right-mouse button can
alternatively be accessed via control-left mouse button. This is mainly for
allow one-button mouse users, where the mouse button corresponds to the
left-mouse button.
 
Summary of function
===================

The toplevel provides a graphical user interface to ECLiPSe's top-level. A
set of tools are also provided to help the user to develop programs.

If tkeclipse is started from a command line, these command line options are
accepted:

    -g <size> the maximum size to which the global/trail stack area can
              grow to. The size is specified in megabytes (followed by an
              optional M), in gigabytes (followed by G) or in kilobytes
              (followed by K).

    -l <size> the maximum size to which the global/trail stack area can
              grow to. The size is specified in megabytes (followed by an
              optional M), in gigabytes (followed by G) or in kilobytes
              (followed by K).

    -e <goal> an initial goal to execute on startup

    -f <file> a file to load or compile on startup

    -L <name> default language dialect

    -t <name> name of initial toplevel module

    -P        enable profiling support

For another way to set these, see the initial settings section.

Layout
======

The toplevel is divided into the following components (from the top):

A menu bar

A box indicating the current toplevel module, and a query entry box

A set of buttons for controlling the execution of a program, plus an
indicator of the status of the current query.

A Results window where the result of executing the query is shown.

An Output and Error Messages window where outputs from a program and also 
messages from ECLiPSe are displayed.

Initial Settings
================

The user can specify initial settings for various parameters of tkeclipse,
which will override the predefined defaults. These parameters are divided
into two types: those specific to the tkeclipse toplevel, and those that
are used by the development tools (which may also be applicable to the
toplevel, e.g. balloonhelp). The initial values of these parameters
can either be specified by using the Preference Editor tool, or they can be
specified directly:

  a) On Unix: in the files .tkeclipserc (for toplevel parameters) and
     .tkeclipsetoolsrc (for development tools parameters). The system will
     first search for these files in the current directory, and then in the
     user's home directory.

     Each parameter is specified on a separate line in the appropriate
     file, in the format   <parameter> <value>


  b) On Windows: these parameters are specified in the Windows registry,
     under two keys:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\IC-Parc\\ECLiPSe\\tkeclipserc (for toplevel)
      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\IC-Parc\\ECLiPSe\\tkeclipsetoolsrc (for
         development tools)


     Each parameter is specified as a value under the appropriate key. The
     name of the value is the parameter, and the type of the value is a
     string.

The initial settings for the parameters for the tools will be loaded during
the call to ec_tools_init, so they will be set when the user uses the tools
in their own application.

The following parameters are currently allowed:

Toplevel:
---------

Parameter        Possible Value           Description
________________________________________________________________________
globalsize        positive integer       The maximum size to which the
                                         global/trail stack area can grow
                                         to. The unit is megabytes. 
                                         Overridden by the -g option.

localsize         positive integer       The maximum size to which the
                                         local/control stack area can grow
                                         to. The unit is megabytes.
                                         Overridden by the -l option.

startup_file      string                 A file loaded or compiled
                                         (using ensure_loaded/1)
                                         on startup (default: "").

initquery         string                 An ECLiPSe query that TkECLiPSe
                                         will execute immediately after
                                         startup. It can be used to perform
                                         user defined initialisations.
                                         (default: "").

default_module    string                 The default toplevel module name
                                         (default: eclipse).

default_language  string                 The default language name
                                         (default: eclipse_language).

with_profiler     0/1                    Profiling support (default 0)


See the manual for more detailed description of the memory areas of ECLiPSe.

See the Preference Editor help file for a description of the development
tools parameters.



Functionality
=============

Menu Bar
--------

   File Menu 

       Change directory - allows to change ECLiPSe's current working
           directory.

       Compile - allows the user to select an ECLiPSe source file. This
           file will be compiled and loaded.

       Use module - allows the user to select an ECLiPSe module file
	   (source or precompiled). This will be compiled/loaded and
	   its contents imported into the current toplevel module.

       Edit - allows the user to select a file to edit.  The text editor
           to be used can be specified in the Preference Editor.  The
	   default values are the value of the VISUAL environment variable
	   under Unix, or Wordpad under Windows.

       Cross referencer - allows the user to select a source file, runs the
	   cross referencer over it (see library(xref)), and displays the
	   resulting graph in a new window.

       Source checker (lint) - allows the user to select a source file, runs
	   the lint source checker over it (see library(lint)), possibly
	   displaying warnings in the Output window.

       Compile example - like 'Compile', but shows files from the example
	   directory which is distributed with ECLiPSe.

       New module - allows the user to specify a new module that will
	   be created.  The new module becomes the current toplevel
	   module.  If an existing module is given, then tkeclipse
	   will attempt to erase the module first.  Locked module and
	   the default module cannot be erased this way.  The user
	   needs to specify the name of the module and can also
	   specify the language that the module will be loaded with. 

       Clear toplevel module - allows the user to clear the current
	   toplevel module, i.e. to erase it and start with a fresh,
	   empty module.  The language loaded with the module will be
	   eclipse_language.  Use `New module' to create a module with
	   a different language.

       Exit - Leave ECLiPSe


   Query Menu 

       Run - run the query in the Query Entry window (this is the same
           as clicking the run-button)

       Time Profile - run the query in the Query Entry window with the
           timing profiler (see lib(profile)). Only the first solution
	   will be computed.  This requires ECLiPSe to be started with
	   the -P command line option or the with_profiler startup setting.

       Port Profile - run the query in the Query Entry window with the
           port profiler (see lib(port_profile)). Only the first solution
	   will be computed.

       History - pop up the query history window, containing all previous
           queries in reverse order.


   Tools Menu - this offers a set of tools that the user can use for
     developing ECLiPSe programs. These tools can also be available to user
     programs which have their own GUI developed via ECLiPSe's new Tcl/Tk
     interface (see the example programs in the lib_tcl directory). See the
     tools' respective help files for more details on a specific tool.

       Compile scratch-pad - allows the compilation of short ECLiPSe code.
       Source Files - this tool provides an interface to the files tracked
           by ECLiPSe make command. 
       Predicates - this tool provides an interface to obtaining
           information on predicates that are currently in ECLiPSe.

       Delayed Goals - displays the goals that are currently being delayed
           during execution.
       Tracer - a debugging tool that allows the user to trace the
           execution of a program.
       Inspector - allows the user to browse and examine ECLiPSe terms.
       Visualisation Client - launches a Java visualisation client (see
           the Visualisation Manual for details)

       Global Settings - allows the user to view and change global settings
           of ECLiPSe.
       Statistics - display statistical information on ECLiPSe, which are
           updated at regular intervals.
       Simple Query - allows the user to run a simple query once (no
           backtracking) at a different break-level from the main top-level
           execution. 
       ECLiPSe Help - an interface to ECLiPSe's help/1 predicate to obtain
           information on ECLiPSe built-ins.

       Preference Editor - See above

       Balloon Help - toggles balloon help.


   Help Menu

       Balloon Help - toggles balloon help.

       About this ECLiPSe - shows information on the version of ECLiPSe
           being run.

       Toplevel Help - this window

       Other help topics



Current module box
------------------

This shows the current module. The user can change to a different module by
the popdown list from the arrow button on the right of the box. 

Query entry box and buttons
---------------------------

The user can type in ECLiPSe queries here. A terminating full-stop is not
necessary. This can be used as in a traditional tty interface, with most
built-ins available in a tty interface also available, although
more convenient methods may be available through the GUI, such as
examining the ECLiPSe global state (via the global settings tool).

A query is executed either by typing return, or by clicking the run
button. Alternatives can be obtained by clicking the more button. Note that
clicking on the run button when more alternatives are available will
re-execute the query. 

A history of previous queries can be obtained from either the popdown list
on the arrow at the right of the box, or by selecting 'History' from the
Query menu or the query entry context menu.  The popdown list contains
the previous queries with duplicates removed in chronological order
(oldest first), while the history window shows all the previous queries
in reverse chronological order. A previous query can then be selected and
re-executed from either of these lists. The user can also step through the
previous queries via the up and down arrow keys. Typing the tab key will
try to complete the query with the most recent matching query from the
(non-duplicated) history.
 
The status of the currently executing or just executed query is shown in
the status box:

  Yes: the query has executed successfully. 
  More: the query has executed successfully, and there is still
    search-space left to explore which might produce more solutions. The
    more button would be active.
  No: the query has failed.
  Abort: the query has aborted (e.g. with errors).
  Idle: no query yet, or previous query terminated.
  Running: the query is currently being executed. Note that if the tracer
    tool is active, then it is possible for the execution to be stopped at a
    trace-line in the tracer tool, and continued execution of the query is
    controlled from the tracer tool in this case.

The make button: runs the make command, which will recompile any
    files that are tracked by the system and which have been changed
    since they were compiled (see the Source File tool from the Tools
    menu for the interface to the file tracking).

The interrupt button: use this button to interrupt an executing query.
    This will pop up a window that allows to abort or continue the execution.
    If the debugger is on, it can be forced into creep mode.


Results Window
--------------

For each query, this window shows the query that is executed, followed by
the bindings made to the variables in the query after it succeeds.  The
most recent query is shown in blue, with the previous queries shown in
black. In addition, the status after executing the query is shown after any
bindings: More/Yes/No/Abort.  

The contents of the results window can be copied and pasted onto a different
window. Select an area to be copied by dragging the left mouse-button, and
then on Unix systems, the results can be pasted with the middle button. On
Windows, middle button can only be used to paste to another window of
tkeclipse. The standard single click to select character, double click to
select word and triple click to select line under the mouse is available.
To paste to a window from a different application, the selected
text must first be copied using control-C and pasted using control-V (or
Control-/ to select all). 

The outputs on the results window and the output and error messages window
can be matched up by right clicking on the text in one of the windows and
selecting the `Highlight corresponding' option from the background menu.
The corresponding sections in both windows will be highlighted in light blue.
Note also that this highlighting is orthogonal to the normal selection.

The results and output windows can be cleared by right click and selecting
the `Clear this window' option from the background menu.


Output and Error Messages Window
--------------------------------

Outputs from the user program (e.g. from write/1 to the standard output)
are sent to this window. The outputs from the most recent query is shown in
blue; those from previous queries in black. 

Messages from ECLiPSe are also sent to this window, both normal messages,
and error/warning messages (those sent to the error stream). The error
messages are shown in red, and warning messages in orange. To alert the
user that errors/warnings have occurred, the window is positioned to
display the last of any such messages in the current query, and
scrolling is disabled until the next query. To re-enable scrolling before
the next query, left-click on the y-scroll bar.

The contents of the output window can be copied and pasted onto a different
window. Select an area to be copied by dragging the left mouse-button, and
then on Unix systems, the results can be pasted with the middle button. On
Windows, middle button can only be used to paste to another window of
tkeclipse. To paste to a window from a different application, the selected
text must first be copied using control-C and pasted using control-V. 

The relative sizes of the results window and the output and error messages
window can be adjusted by dragging their common boundary.

