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1256E User Manual
Racal Instruments
©
2002
Using the Front-Panel Controls 3-7
In the above example, the user starts at the top of the menu
hierarchy and proceeds downward through the following levels:
Level
1: Menu type: OPERATIONS, PATH CONTROL,
SETTINGS, STORE / RECALL, SYSTEM (This
example used OPERATIONS).
Level 2:
Slot number or class: Selects the switch plug-in to
control or generic menu class.
Level 3:
Channel number or option: Selects the relay channel
to control or generic menu option.
Level 4:
Status: Shows whether the relay is open or closed, or
the state of the present menu option, and lets the
user change the status or state of the menu option.
The above example illustrates that the user interface has a
hierarchical menu structure. The top line shows the top level of
the menu. The second, third, and fourth lines show successively
lower levels of the hierarchy.
Some menus do not use all four lines of the display. When a line
is unused, or contains nothing that the user can change, the LED
in the corresponding key is not illuminated. Pressing such a key
has no effect. However, when the LED in a key is illuminated,
that key represents a line that can be edited.
This menu system is easy to use because the display shows all
levels simultaneously. In addition, the user may instantly go to a
higher level by simply pressing the corresponding key.
The Five Menus
At the top of the menu hierarchy, on the first display line, are five
menus, or general types of functions. These menus, and the
functions they include, are:
•
Operations:
Open and close relays on switching plug-
ins, and set logic levels high or low on digital I/O plug-
ins.
•
Path Control:
Open and close user-selected
pathnames stored in non-volatile memory (paths must
be defined and stored through the remote user-interface
prior to accessing them through the display).
•
Settings:
Set menu preferences such as IEEE-488
address, RS-232 baud rate, and display brightness.