Glossary

WINDOW TERMS

Note: Menu and submenu items are indicated by File|Open, which means select the File menu and then select the Open menu item.

• Balloon Help - short help message which is displayed as you move over a Control.
• Canvas - an area within a window where objects are drawn.
• Check Box - a button with a small square indicator to the left of its text. A check mark appears in the indicator when the button is selected.
• Click - press and then release the left mouse button.
• Dialog - a type of window in which you input information.
• Drag - press and hold down the left mouse button and move the mouse to 'drag' the cursor on the screen.
• Drop Down List - a listbox which is only displayed when you click on the 'drop-down' button.
• Edit Box - an area where you can enter a String, Integer or Floating Point value.
• Highlighted - an area on the Canvas which is in inverse-video.
• Left-Click - same a Click, used in contexts where Right-Click is also used.
• Left-Drag - same a Drag, used in contexts where Right-Drag is also used.
• Shift-Left-Click - Left-Click while holding down the Shift key.
• Press - click on a button.
• Radio Button - a button with a small round indicator to the left of its text. The indicator is filled when the button is selected.
• Radio Button Group - a group of radio buttons which indicate mutually exclusive choices.
• Resizing Border - a thick border around resizable windows that you can use to change the window size.
• Right-Click - press and then release the right mouse button.
• Right-Drag - press and hold down the right mouse button and move the mouse to 'drag' the cursor on the screen.
• Shift-Right-Click - Right-Click while holding down the Shift key.
• Select - click on an object to indicate you want to do something with it.

GENERAL XTRKCAD TERMS

End-Points

One of the most important concepts in XTrkCad is the End-Point. A piece of flex-track has an End-Point at each end. An End-Point has a position and an angle and it can be connected to other End-Points. The End-Points control where the track is placed and how it is connected.

Turnouts have several End-Points (normally 3). Turntables have a varying number.

• Active End-Point - when placing a turnout, the End-Point which is used as a 'handle' when moved along other tracks.
• Selected End-Point - when selecting track for various reasons the Selected End-Point is the one closest to the selection point.
• Unconnected End-Point - an End-Point which is not connected to another.

• Auto-connect - when placing turnouts and creating parallel tracks, the new track will automatically be connected to other tracks if the tracks are aligned properly.
• Easements - a section of track with gradually changing radius which is used to smoothly connect tracks of differing radii. Also known as Spiral Transition Curves.
• Error Message - an error message displayed in the Status Bar accompanied by a beep.
• Flex-track - prefabricated track which may be formed into any suitable shape. This term is also used for handlaid track.
• Info Message - an informational message displayed in the Status Bar.
• Object - an item on the layout, such as a track segment, table edge, line, note or text.
• S-Curve - a curve which bends in one direction and then the other, forming an S-like shape.
• Sectional Track - prefabricated track which cannot be bent, split or changed.
• Track Segment - any piece of flex-track, turnout or sectional track.
• Turnout - track which can switch the Train between two or more paths. In XTrkCad, Turnouts also include Sectional Tracks, crossings and forms of prefabricated (non-flex) track.
• Turnout Frog - the place on the Turnout track where one rail crosses the other.
• Turnout Points - the part of the Turnout that moves to select a path.

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