IBM Softcopy Reader
Getting Started



Opening a Book
To open a book:
  1. From the Menu Bar Choose File » Open
  2. From the Look in panel, click on the down arrow to display a list of drives that are physically on your workstation, or connected to your workstation through a network. 
  3. Click on the drive letter (C:, D:, etc.), then click on the folder containing the book you want to open. The books contained in the folder will be listed. 
  4. Highlight the book you want to open by clicking on it, then click on Open
Using the Table of Contents
Once the book is open, the Table of Contents will be displayed on the left side of the Softcopy Reader window. You can go directly to any topic in the Table of Contents by double clicking on the topic . Unexpanded paths will have an  icon next to them. Click on this icon to expand or collapse the topic. To expand or collapse all topics, choose the View » Expand All or View » Collapse All from the main menu. There are several other ways to navigate, which are explained below. 

Viewing Pictures in the Text
You can select if you want the pictures in the book to be automatically displayed in the text. From the Menu Bar, choose View » Pictures and click on Show Pictures in Text. If you do not select this, you can view the pictures manually by clicking on the picture labels.

Using the Toolbar
Navigate by All Topics (Table of Contents)
Clicking on this icon expands the current topic (text and pictures) to the full size of the Book Reader window.  The Table of Contents will open in a smaller floating window that you can position anywhere.  Double-click on a topic to open it in the main window. 
Also available from the menu: Navigate » By Table of Contents
Navigate by Revisions
If a book contains revisions this icon will be active. Click on the icon and a window will open with the list of revised topics.  Double-click on a topic to open it in the main window. 
Also available from the menu: Navigate » By Revisions
Navigate by Topics Seen
Displays the history of topics visited. Double-click on a topic to open it in the main window.
Also available from the menu:  Navigate » By Topics Seen
Back
Moves to the previous topic visited.
Forward
Moves to the next topic visited (after using the Back button).
Go to Previous Topic
Moves to the previous sequential topic in the book.
Also available from the menu:  Navigate » Go To Previous Topic
Go to Next Topic
Moves to the next sequential topic in the book.
Also available from the menu:  Navigate » Go To Next Topic
Search
Opens the Search Book Window.
Also available from the menu:  Search » Search Book
Display Search Results
Displays a list of search results from the last search performed. Double-click on a search result to see the topic containing the result.
Also available from the menu:  Search » Display Search Results
Go To Previous Topic Match
Moves to the topic for the previous sequential result from the last search.
Also available from the menu:  Search » Go To Previous Topic Match
Go To Next Topic Match
Moves to the topic for the next sequential result from the last search.
Also available from the menu:  Search » Go To Next Topic Match
Create New Note
Displays the New Note input window which allows you to create a new note attached to the currently displayed topic.
Also available from the menu:  Notes » New
Display Notes List
Displays the Notes List window showing all notes in this book. Double-click on the notes in the list to see the topic containing the note.
Also available from the menu:  Notes » Display Notes List
Print
Opens a Print window allowing you to select the printing of the current or selected topics. 
Also available from the menu:  File » Print
Help
Displays this help screen.
Also available from the menu:  Help » Getting Started

 
 
Using the Menu Items on the Menu Bar
In addition to the functions that appear on the toolbar, there are several additional features that are available through the menus. These are:

File
 
Open... Opens a new book in the reader.
Book Description Displays additional book information.
Save Topic as HTML Allows you to save a topic as an HTML file.
Print Opens a Print window allowing you to select the printing of the current or selected topics.
Close Closes the Book Reader.


Edit
 
Copy Copies text highlighted in the Book Reader window to the clipboard.
Place Bookmark Places a bookmark on the current topic. The bookmarked topic will have an  icon under its heading. Using the Navigate » Go to Bookmark menu selection will bring the reader back to this topic from other places in the book.
Remove Bookmark Removes the previously-placed bookmark.
Select All Selects all topics in the Table of Contents.
Deselect All Removes all selected topics in the Table of Contents.
User Defined Directories Displays the User Defined Directories for Books, Bookshelves and Bookshelf Indexes window to allow changes to the user definedBooks and Bookshelf paths.


View
 
Expand All Expands all topics and sub topics to display the entire topic tree in the Table of Contents panel.
Collapse All Collapses all topics and subtopics to display only the top-level topics in the Table of Contents panel.

View > Pictures
 
Show Pictures in Text  This check box item determines whether picturesare displayed inline with the text. If not selected, thepictures may be  opened manually by clicking on the picture labels. When opened  manually, the pictures will be displayed in a separate window.
Scale Images This check box item determines whether inline pictures are to be scaled to a size that can be comfortably viewed within the text body frame.  Images opened in a separate window will always remain at their original size.


Navigate
 
By Topics Opens the Table of Contents window. Double-click on a topic and it will be displayed in the Book Reader window.
By Topics Seen Opens the Topics Seen window. Double-click on a topic and  it will be displayed in the Book Reader window.
By Revisions If a book contains revisions the By Revisions text bar will be active. Click on this bar and the Revisions window will open with the list of revised topics. Double-click on a topic to open it in the Book Reader window. 
By Figures Opens the Figures window. Double-click on a figure in the list to display the topic in which it appears.
By Tables Opens the Tables window. Double-click on a table in the list to display the topic in which it appears.
By Index Opens the Index window and displays the book's index.  Click on the  underlined topic numbers in the Index to go to the appropriate topic.
Go To Topic ID Opens the Go To Topic ID window. Enter the desired topic ID (e.g "2.0" or "GLOSSARY") in the Enter a Topic ID panel. The selected topic (if the ID is valid) will be opened in the Book Reader window.
Go To 
Bookmark
Returns to the topic previously bookmarked during the current session.
Go To
Previous Topic
Moves to the previous sequential topic in the book.
Go To Next Topic Moves to the next sequential topic in the book.


Search
 
Search Book Opens the Search Book window.
Display Search Results Displays a list of search results from the last search performed. Double-click on a search result to see the topic containing the result.
Go To Previous Match Moves to the previous hit in the same topic.
Go to Next  Match Moves to the next hit in the same topic.
Go To Previous Topic Match Moves to the topic for the previous sequential  result from the last search.
Go to Next Topic Match Moves to the topic for the next sequential result from the last search.


Notes
 
New Displays the New Note input window which allows you to create a new note attached to the currently displayed topic.
Display Notes List Displays the Notes List window showing all notes in this book. Double-click on the notes in the list to see the topic containing the note.


Help
 
Getting Started Displays this help screen.
User's Guide Opens the IBM Softcopy Reader User's Guide
About Softcopy Reader Opens the About Softcopy Reader window which describes the current version of the reader. 


IBM® and Softcopy Reader® are registered trademarks of the
International Business Machines Corporation.