The Status Bar is displayed at the bottom of the ADDCALC 98 window. To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu. If the status bar text is not completely visible, widen or resize the ADDCALC 98 window. Maximizing the ADDCALC 98 window will also make the status bar text completely visible.

The Status Bar describes actions of menu items as you navigate through menus. This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them. If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button. Clicking within a field will also show the corresponding text on the status bar. It also reminds you that by pressing F1 you will view associated help.

Use the Context Help command to obtain help on a specific portion of ADDCALC 98. When you choose the ADDCALC 98 main toolbar's Context Help button, the mouse pointer will change to an arrow and question mark. If you click somewhere in the ADDCALC 98 window, such as another toolbar button or a field, the help topic will be shown for the item you clicked. Clicking in a field or area in the ADDCALC 98 window and pressing the F1 button will also produce help for the item you clicked.

The Help menu offers the following commands:

• Index: Offers you an index to topics on which you can get help. Use this command to display the opening screen of Help.
• Using Help: Use this command for instructions about using Help.
• Web Support: Vortex Business Software web site. Select "ADDCALC tutorial" or "Vortex Home Page"
• About ADDCALC 98: Displays the copyright notice and version number of your copy of ADDCALC 98.

Selecting the Index command will display the ADDCALC 98 Help opening screen. From the opening screen, you can jump to descriptions on the ADDCALC 98 menus, as well as detailed information on all of the ADDCALC concepts. The ADDCALC 98 Online Help system is easy to use, with a hypertext table of contents and index. Each topic is covered with several explanations and often contains green underlined text you can click to see a definition of the term.

The Help Toolbar

• Click the Contents button to return to the opening Help screen.
• Click the Index tab to find specific topics listed alphabetically and then follow the instructions on your screen.
• Wherever you are in Help, you can click the Back button. This will return you to the last screen entry. Continuing to press the Back button will return you to the opening screen.
• The Print button will allow you to print a help topic.

A shortcut menu also appears in some help windows as a toolbar button called Options. This will give you a shortcut menu with the options of Annotate; Copy; Print; Change Font; Keep Help on Top; and Use System Colors.

Concept Help

The opening screen of the Help Index displays a hypertext list of all of the ADDCALC concepts. They are displayed in the following categories:

• Estate Planning,
• Tax Planning.
• Retirement Planning.
• Corporate Insurance,
• Pension Estate Maximization,
• Charitable Giving.
• Miscellaneous Concepts.

Each specific concept will contain a:

• Synopsis
• Description
• Financial Plan
• Client Profile
• Recommendation(s)
• Explanation of the ledger columns for that concept
• Explanation of the chart(s) for that concept (if applicable).

[top]