Consumables Databank Dialog

This dialog appears by selecting Databanks } Consumables from the main menu of the application.

From this dialog you can:

1. View the contents of all consumable databanks (‘Designer’ and ‘User’ databases).

2. Add, delete or modify the properties of consumable categories and consumable types in your ‘User’ databank.

On the left pane, the entire set (as kept in both databases) of available consumable categories is shown (after you expand the parent node named ‘All Consumable Categories’). When a consumable category is selected on the left pane, all its member consumables are displayed on the right pane. The node icons of the consumable categories and consumables that exist in the ‘Designer’ database appear in red to indicate that they cannot be changed or deleted. On the other hand, the node icons of user-defined consumable categories and consumables appear in green to indicate that they are (or will be) stored in the ‘User’ database and, therefore, you may delete them or modify their properties (those that can be edited).

► To add a new consumable category in the ‘User’ databank...

1. On the left pane, select the parent node named ‘All Consumable Categories’ and click on the Add New () button on the toolbar that lies above the pane. Alternatively, you may right-click on the parent node to bring up its context menu and then select Add Consumable Category on that menu. Either action will display the Consumable Category Dialog.

2. In the Consumable Category Dialog, type in an acceptable name (must be unique amongst all consumable categories in the ‘User’ and the ‘Designer’ databank) and check at least one reference basis for the new consumable category. After you click OK, a new node of green icon color will be created under the parent node to represent the new consumable category.

Make sure you have typed the name(s) of the consumable category(s) correctly and made the right reference basis choice(s). Once the information about the new consumable category(s) is included in the databank, these fields cannot be edited again; the only way to modify them would be to completely remove the corresponding consumable category from the databank and introduce it again with the new name and reference basis choice(s).

► To view/edit the properties of a consumable category...

1. Make sure you can view the existing consumable category on the left pane by expanding the parent node (‘All Consumable Categories’).

2. Select the desired consumable category on the left pane. If you have chosen a consumable category that exists in the ‘Designer’ database (the corresponding node icon is red), then click on the View () button on the toolbar above the left pane. You can also right-click on the consumable category and select Edit Consumable Category or double-click on the consumable category as a shortcut. Any of above actions will display the Consumable Category Dialog. Notice that you can view but cannot modify any values on this dialog. If you have chosen a consumable category that exists in the ‘User’ database (the corresponding node icon is green) then, instead of the View () button, the Edit () button will appear on the toolbar above the left pane. After clicking on this button, the Consumable Category Dialog will appear once again, only this time, you can view as well as modify and save new property values for those properties that can be edited. As previously, you can also right-click on the consumable category and select Edit Consumable Category or double-click on the consumable category as a shortcut to display the above dialog.

► To delete a consumable category from the ‘User’ databank…

1. Select the user-defined consumable category (green icon node) that you want to delete.

2. Click on the Delete () button. Alternatively, right-click on the consumable category and select Remove Consumable Category on the context menu.

► To add a new consumable type in the ‘User’ databank...

1. Select the consumable category (either on the left or right pane) and click on the Add New () button (either on the toolbar above the left pane or on the toolbar above the right pane). Alternatively, you may right-click on the consumable category to bring up its context menu and then select Add Consumable on that menu. Either action will display the Consumable Properties Dialog.

2. In the Consumable Properties Dialog, type in an acceptable name (must be unique amongst all consumable types of that consumable category) and suitable property values for the new consumable type. After you click on OK, a new node of green icon color will be created under the parent node to represent the new consumable type.

Make sure you have typed the name of the consumable(s) correctly. Once the information about the new consumable(s) is included in the databank, this field cannot be edited again; the only way to modify it would be to completely remove the corresponding consumable from the databank and introduce it again with the new name.

► To view/edit the properties of a consumable...

1. Make sure you can view the existing consumable categories on the left pane by expanding the parent node (‘All Consumable categories’). Select the desired consumable category on the left pane.

2. Select the desired consumable on the right pane. If you have chosen a consumable that exists in the ‘Designer’ database (the corresponding node icon is red), then click on the View () button, either on the toolbar above the left pane, or on the toolbar above the right pane. You can also right-click on the consumable and select Edit Consumable or double-click on the consumable as a shortcut. Any of above actions will display the Consumable Properties Dialog. Notice that you can view but cannot modify any values on this dialog. If you have chosen a consumable that exists in the ‘User’ database (the corresponding node icon is green) then, instead of the View () button, the Edit () button will appear on either toolbar. After clicking this button, the Consumable Properties Dialog will appear once again, only this time, you can view as well as modify and save new property values for those properties that can be edited. As previously, you can also right-click on the consumable and select Edit Consumable or double-click on the consumable as a shortcut to display the above dialog.

► To delete a consumable from the ‘User’ databank…

1. Select the user-defined consumable (green icon node) that you want to delete.

2. Click on the Delete () button. Alternatively, right-click on the consumable and select Remove Consumable on the context menu.

► To save the ‘User’ databank…

1. To save the changes made to the databank back into the ‘User’ database, simply click OK to close the dialog.

Once the changes in the databank are saved into the ‘User’ database, they are irreversible. In case you change your mind about changes made, and these are not yet saved, you may cancel changes and revert to the saved databank by clicking Cancel on the dialog.