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Acorn computer A3000 Welcome Manual

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WELCOME GUIDE

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  • Page 1 WELCOME GUIDE...
  • Page 3 Copyright © Acorn Computers Limited 1989 Designed and written by Acorn Computers Technical Publications Department Neither the whole nor any part of the information contained in, nor the product described in this Guide may be adapted or reproduced in any material form except with the prior written approval of Acorn Computers Limited.
  • Page 4 Guidelines for safe operation The equipment described in this guide is designed and manufactured to comply with international safety standards IEC380 (BS5850), and is intended for use only as a desktop computer. It must not be used for other purposes. It is most important that unpacking and installation is carried out in accordance with the instructions given in this Guide.
  • Page 5 Warning: this computer must be earthed. Important: The wires in the mains lead for the computer are coloured in accordance with the following code: Green and yellow: Earth Blue: Neutral Brown: Live For United Kingdom The moulded plug must be used with the fuse and fuse carrier firmly in place. The users fuse carrier is the same basic colour (though not necessarily the same shade of that colour) as the insert in the base of the plug.
  • Page 7 The second part of the Guide gives you some advice about looking after your computer. It also contains some more detailed information about the A3000 computer, which you may need to refer to when you want to use equipment such as printers.

  • Page 8: Table Of Contents

    Contents Unpacking Describes what you should find when you open the box containing your A3000 computer. Check the contents to make sure you have everything. Setting up the computer Explains how to connect everything together. Getting started Tells you how to turn the computer on and describes the display on the screen.
  • Page 9 A3000 hardware The next your three chapters contain some advice on looking after computer, reference section marked along with some more technical reference information. They are with a paper. grey block on the edge of the Maintaining your Tells you how to clean the computer and mouse, and how to computer ensure that the internal cell stays charged.
  • Page 10 Contents...

  • Page 11: Unpacking

    Unpacking This section tells you about unpacking your A3000 system, lists the items which should be in the box when you receive it, and helps you choose a spot where you can set it up. Unpacking Unpack your A3000 system on a flat surface — a large table where there's plenty of room for the box as well as for the computer is best.
  • Page 12 Put all the packing back into the box and put it away somewhere safe. If you ever want to transport your A3000 system, it is best to use the box, even if you only take it a short distance in a car. If you ever have to take it back to your dealer, too, you'll have to pack it back into the original box.

  • Page 13: Setting Up The Computer

    Guide. After you've checked the components against the checklist in the last section, you can connect them together and begin to use your A3000 computer. Follow these simple steps to set up your computer: 1. Connect mouse to Take the mouse out of its plastic bag.
  • Page 14 Acorn supplier. You can then plug the modem or printer into the socket marked SERIAL. • If you have an Econet network, connect your A3000 computer to the network using the socket marked ECONET. Again, you will need to ask your supplier to install an Econet module inside the computer.

  • Page 15: Getting Started

    I is OFF O is ON The desktop The A3000 will appear on the screen, looking something like this desktop (unless your computer is connected to an Econet network, there will be only...
  • Page 16 At least one will appear on the icon bar: Floppy disc drive. The A3000 computer uses 3.5 inch floppy discs, loaded into the drive slot on the righthand side of the computer. You can save (store) information by copying it from the computer's memory onto a floppy disc, and retrieve it later by loading it back into the computer from the disc.
  • Page 17 The pointer moves around the screen as you move the mouse. The mouse moves best over a firm, flat surface. Try moving the mouse to see how the pointer moves. Getting started...
  • Page 18 Getting started...

  • Page 19: Using The Mouse

    The mouse is used to select and move items displayed on the screen. It is your principal means of communicating with the A3000 desktop. As you move the mouse, the pointer on the screen moves correspondingly. Try...
  • Page 20 The mouse buttons The mouse has three buttons, known as Select, Menu Adjust: button is used most of the time to select icons displayed on the Select screen. P r e s s i n g t h e b u t t o n u s u a l l y m a k e s a m e n u a p p e a r . M e n u s a r e M e n u described in the chapter Menus.
  • Page 21 Clicking 1. Point at the icon Move the mouse so that the pointer is over the item you want to select For example, point at the desktop colour palette icon on the icon bar. 2. Click on the mouse Click once on the lefthand button of the 3.
  • Page 22 More practice with the One of the icons on the icon bar is the palette, mentioned on the preceding mouse page. This lets you alter the colours used in the screen display. Click on the palette icon to display the palette on the screen: Now click on the third colour block on the top row (which is actually a lightish grey).
  • Page 23 Move the pointer somewhere in the middle colour bar, and press the left mouse button. The bar will snap to the position of the pointer, and the colour will change accordingly. Keep the button down, and drag the bar backwards and forwards.
  • Page 24 Using the mouse...

  • Page 25: Discs And The Disc Drive

    Discs and the disc drive This chapter tells you how to use and take care of your A3000 discs and disc drive. Floppy discs Information and programs are stored on floppy discs. The A3000 computer uses 3.5 inch floppy discs, which are loaded into the computer as they are needed.
  • Page 26 The Applications suite Your A3000 computer is supplied with an Applications suite on floppy discs, which contain application programs, utilities and games. It is advisable to make back-up copies of the discs before you use them, just in case you delete something by mistake.
  • Page 27 The contents of the disc will be displayed in a window for you to see: Write-protecting floppy The Applications discs are supplied write-protected. This means that you cannot change discs anything on the disc, delete anything by mistake, or save any new files to the disc. To write-protect a new disc, move the plastic tab with your finger nail towards the outside edge of the disc: Discs and the disc drive...
  • Page 28 You will build up a collection of discs as time passes. Label them so that you Looking after floppy always know which one holds the information you need. Store them carefully discs and keep them away from: • extremes of temperature •...

  • Page 29: Windows

    Windows This chapter describes windows and explains how they can be moved, resized, hidden and closed. describes move through the contents a document too large to display in a all at once. window What is a window? A window is an area of the screen displaying an activity or application. Examples of windows you have seen so far are the colour selection palette and the directory window, displayed when you click on the palette and disc drive icons respectively.
  • Page 30 Title bar Displays the title of the window. This may be the name of an application, or the name of a document if you are editing text. If you click on this, the window will be hidden behind any windows which Back icon overlap the area it occupies.
  • Page 31 Moving a window 1. Select the Title bar Move the pointer onto the Title bar. 2. Move the mouse P r e s s a n d h o l d t h e S e l e c t ( l e f t h a n d ) button, and drag the window.
  • Page 32 Toggling window size 1.Select the Toggle size Move the pointer over the Toggle size icon icon and click the Select (lefthand) button. Practise this on the Applications disc directory window. The window size will snap to nearly the width of the screen. 2.Click on the Toggle size Clicking on the icon again will reverse the...
  • Page 33 Closing windows Select the Close icon Position the pointer on the Close icon and click the Select (lefthand) button. example, close the directory window. The window will disappear from the screen. If the window has some unsaved work in it ( some edits you have made to a document, for example), you will be asked whether you want to save the changes you made since you last...
  • Page 34 Scrolling A window is so named because it often acts as a window through which you can view something which may be much bigger. It allows you to see part of a file, directory or picture stored in the computer. The proportion of the file visible depends on the size and shape of the frame.
  • Page 35 Most windows have arrows to enable you to move the scroll bars scroll window around a file: Scroll bars allow you to scroll the window over t h e d o c u m e n t ( o r d i r e c t o r y o r picture) you are viewing.
  • Page 36 Scrolling step by step Select the scroll arrow Position the pointer on the scroll arrow and click on the Select (lefthand) button to scroll by small steps at a time. H o l d t h e b u t t o n d o w n t o c o n t i n u e scrolling.
  • Page 37 Moving through a file 1. Select the slider Position the pointer on the slider, press the Select (lefthand) button a n d k e e p i t down. pressed 2. Drag the slider Drag the slider to display the part of the file you want to view.
  • Page 38 Windows...

  • Page 39: Menus

    Instead of having to remember what you can have, and how to ask for it, you just point at what you want on the menu and select it. This is the main way of doing things in the A3000 desktop. Using menus Click the middle mouse button to display a menu.
  • Page 40 Displaying a menu 1. Point to the relevant Move the pointer over the window or icon icon you want to work on. pointer e x a m p l e , m o v e t h e o v e r Applications disc I directory window.
  • Page 41 Choosing from a submenu 1. Select the main menu Move the pointer onto a main menu item item with an arrow. The arrow indicates that submenus are available. Display option on example, point at the the Filer menu. 2. Display the submenu Move the pointer onto the arrow.
  • Page 42 Use the Delete key to erase mistakes. 3. Click on the name When you are happy with your entry, click on the name. The action requested will be carried Menus...

  • Page 43: Using The Keyboard

    Using the keyboard This chapter describes the keyboard and explains how it differs from a typewriter keyboard. It includes an exercise using the text editor, Edit. A tour of the keyboard Up to now we've concentrated on the mouse, and rather neglected the keyboard.
  • Page 44 • using a word processor, or a text editor like Edit. Whenever you need to use the keyboard within the A3000 desktop, a vertical bar appears (it is red, if you have a colour monitor). This is called a Any characters caret.
  • Page 45 Anything you type appears in the window: A couple of points to note: • The Caps Lock key light may be on when you start, indicating that all letters you type will be capitals. Press this to get all lower-case letters. •...
  • Page 46 If you want to save the file you have created, and are using a non-writeprotected copy of the Applications disc, see the procedure in Files and Directories. When you have finished practising using the keyboard, you can abandon your work Leaving Edit and leave Edit: •...

  • Page 47: Files And Directories

    Organising your files Everything you create using the A3000 computer can be saved as a file, whether it consists of text, graphics or a program. Each file has a name – you have to provide one when you save a new file.
  • Page 48 Building a file structure As you create more files, it will become increasingly important to organise them carefully. If you leave all your files in the main directory on the disc, it will soon become large and unwieldy – you will have to scroll through the disc directory window every time you want to find something.
  • Page 49 Saving (and loading) a file Open the directory window Decide which directory you want to save your file in, and double-click on its icon to open a directory window for it. your You could save Edit file, created in the last open, chapter, to the directory window already you are using a non-write-protected copy of the...
  • Page 50 Creating a new directory 1. Display the Filer menu Open a window for the subdirectory in which you want your new directory to be created. Press the Menu (centre) button, and the Filer menu will appear. 2. Select New directory Move the pointer over the arrow to the r i g h t o f t h e N e w d i r e c t o r y o p t i o n .
  • Page 51 To move a file to a different directory (leaving no copy behind), hold down the Shift key while you carry out steps 2 and 3. Deleting files and directories Point at the icon, and press the Select ( 1. Select the file or lefthand) button.
  • Page 52 Files and directories...

  • Page 53: Outside The Desktop

    — *Commands. To do this, move the pointer over the A3000 'A' icon at the far right of the icon bar and press the Menu (centre) button. Click on the *Commands option. A line is cleared below the desktop, and the desktop moves up to make room for it.
  • Page 54 programs or applications which are not accessible from the desktop from here, but you can't use any of the desktop features while you are using system commands, only the keyboard. The program or application you select, however, may use desktop features. When you have finished, leave any program or application you have been u s i n g, an d w he n t h e st ar pro mp t ret u rns, pre ss th e Re tu rn key on t he keyboard.

  • Page 55: If Things Go Wrong

    If things go wrong This chapter offers solutions to some problems you might encounter while you are finding your way around the desktop. If you try all the solutions suggested and the problem is not solved, consult your supplier. Possible solution Problem No picture The computer is turned on, but there is nothing on the screen.
  • Page 56 Pointer won't move Moving the mouse does not move the pointer. Check that: • The mouse is firmly connected to the computer. • The surface you are moving the mouse across is firm enough to allow the ball in the base of the mouse to move. Move the ball with your fingers to check that the mouse works.

  • Page 57: Maintaining Your Computer

    Clean the mouse occasionally to keep it running smoothly. There are two types of mouse that you may have with your A3000 computer. One has a screw underneath keeping the ball in place. To clean this type of mouse, you need...
  • Page 58 • small cross-head screwdriver • some tape head cleaner • a cotton swab • a lint-free, dry cloth. To remove the ball and clean the mouse, take the following steps: 1 Unplug the mouse and turn it upside down. 2 Using the cross-head screwdriver, remove the screw holding the ball retainer. Maintaining your computer...
  • Page 59 3 Hold one hand over the ball and retainer and turn the mouse right side up, allowing the ball, screw and retainer to drop into your hand. Set them aside in a safe place. 4 Locate the three plastic rollers as shown in the drawing. Maintaining your computer...
  • Page 60 5 Lightly moisten the cotton swab with tape head cleaner and apply it gently to the rollers. Rotate the rollers, carefully cleaning off any dust or dirt that may be clinging to then 6 Make sure the inside of the mouse is free from dust. 7 Wipe the ball with the clean, dry cloth.

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