User Interface Basics
Data Entry
3-9
Data Entry
ThedataentrysectionofthefrontpanelincludestheAlphawheel,thePlus/Minusbuttons,and
the14‐buttonalphanumericpad.
The Alpha Wheel
TheAlphaWheelisespecially usefulbecauseitcanquicklyenterlargeorsmallchangesin
value.IfyouturntheAlphaWheeloneclicktotheright,you’llincreasethevalueofthe
currentlyselectedparameterbyoneincrement.Oneclicktotheleftdecreasesthevaluebyone
increment.
Ifyouturnitrapidly,you’lljumpbyseveralincrements.YoucanalsousetheAlpha
Wheeltoenternameswhenyou’resavingobjects.
The Plus/Minus Buttons
ThesebuttonsarelocatedjustundertheAlphaWheel.ThePlusbuttonincreas esthevalueofthe
currentlyselectedparameterbyone,andtheMinusbuttondecreasesitbyone.Thesebuttons
aremostusefulwhenyou’rescrollingthroughashortlistofvalues,orwhenyouwanttobesure
you’rechangingthevaluebyoneincrementatatime.OnepressofthePlusorMinusbutton
correspondstooneclicktotherightorleftwiththeAlphaWheel.Thesebuttonswillrepeatif
pressedandheld.
PressingthePlusandMinusbuttonssimultaneouslywillmoveyouthroughthe
currentlistof
valuesinlargechunksinsteadofonebyone.Don’tconfusethesebuttonswiththe+/‐buttonon
thealphanumericpad.Thisbuttonisusedprimarilyforenteringnegativenumericvaluesand
switchingfromuppercasetolowercaseletters(andviceversa).
The Alphanumeric Pad
Asitsnameimplies,thissetof14buttonsletsyouenternumericvalues,andtoenternamesone
characteratatime.Dependingonwhereyouare,thePC3Kautomaticallyenterslettersor
numeralsasappropriate(youdon’thavetoselectbetweenalphabeticornumericentry).
Whenyou’reenteringnumeric
values,pressthecorrespondingnumericbuttons,ignoring
decimalplacesifany(toenter1.16,forexample,press1,1,6,Enter).Thedisplaywillreflect
yourentries,butthevaluewon’tactuallychangeuntilyoupressEnter.BeforepressingEnter,
youcanreturntotheoriginalvalueby
pressingCancel.PressingClearisthesameaspressing0
withoutpressingEnter.
Whenenteringnames,youcanusetheLeft/Rightcursorbuttonsorthe<<</>>>softbuttonsto
movethecursortothecharacteryouwanttochange.Usethelabelsunderthealphanumeric
buttonsasa
guidetocharacterentry.Pressthecorrespondingbuttononeormoretimestoinsert
thedesiredcharacterabovethecursor.TheCancelbuttonisequivalenttothe>>>softbutton,
andEnteristhesameasOK.TheClearbuttonreplacesthecurrentlyselectedcharacterwitha
space.The+/
‐buttontogglesbetweenuppercaseandlowercaseletters.
There’salsoaconvenientfeaturecalledkeyboardnaming,whichletsyouusethekeyboardto
entercharactersinnames.Seepage 5‐5.