To place an object at a desired timescale, refer to the calendar strips and sightlines at the top of the canvas. They are provided as rulers for designating time units. They can be turned on or off in the Schedule Properties window. For more info, see the Displays Tab.
Placing Objects
To place any object, first make sure that the desired icon has been selected from the toolbar.
When the cursor is moved over the canvas, it changes from the Select Tool to a set of crosshairs. The date and day-of-the-week display above the crosshairs.
As the cursor moves around the canvas, the date changes to reflect the exact calendar date that the cursor is at. If the date is a non-working period or holiday, the date text appears red (if the default calendar for new activities is chosen as the Calendar Day calendar, the date will appear black).
Move the crosshairs until the desired date is displayed, and click the mouse to place the object. Continue moving the crosshairs to stretch the duration (for an activity) or area (for a shade) before releasing the mouse. For most objects, an Object window will open with properties, displays, and formatting options.
After exiting the Object window, the cursor will switch back to the Select Tool, the exception being with the activity or delay/gain tools.
To return to the Select Tool, click the Select Tool icon form the toolbar or press the Esc (escape) key.
Selecting Objects
To select an object on the canvas, first click the Select Tool icon (or press the Esc key), and then click the desired object. The selected object will display its selected state (surrounded by black boxes). To de-select, click the canvas or another object.
There are three ways to select multiple objects: press and hold the Shift key while clicking on each object; click on a blank portion of the canvas and drag a rectangular marquee box around the desired objects; or click the desired objects with the Multi-Select Tool from the toolbar. When used, each object that is selected with the mouse is added without having to press the Shift key.
Selection Disambiguation
When objects overlap, the Selection Disambiguation feature may be used to specify the objects that should be included in the desired selection. In the example below, two activity selection areas overlap, so it is difficult to select the desired object.
Using a right-click generates a list of all nearby objects at the top of the resulting context menu, from where one or more of them can be selected.
A check mark indicates inclusion in the selection. If only one object is included, its individual context menu can be chosen. If multiple objects are included, the option can be chosen to select all included objects on the canvas. The canvas context menu can also be chosen, or this disambiguation menu can be exited by clicking outside of it anywhere on the canvas.
De-selecting Objects
When multiple objects are selected, individual objects may be de-selected by pressing Shift and then clicking them again.
Setting Default Properties for New Objects
Some objects may be formatted before they are drawn or placed on the canvas to avoid continually modifying them afterwards.
For New Text Boxes and Note Fields
To format all new text boxes and note fields, click from the menu bar. The Font window opens.
Font options include type, style, size, effects and color. Check the changes in the sample area, and readjust if desired.
Click OK to exit. Every new text box created will inherit these properties.
For New Activities
To format properties for all new activities, click from the menu bar. The Default Activity Object Settings window opens.
The fields in this window match much of the properties found in the Activity Object window.
Changing the default calendar will only apply to the current schedule. Custom calendars cannot be set as default for new schedules; this option is chosen at installation, and the only way to change the default calendar for new schedules is to re-install NetPoint and choose a different country template.
Click OK to exit this window. Every new activity will inherit these properties.
NOTE: The calendar property will also apply to Milestones.
Activity Duration Display Unit
By default, activity durations are displayed in days. They may be displayed in any unit larger than days or if PolyTime is enabled, any unit larger than the schedule time unit.
To change the display unit, click from the menu bar. The Activity Duration Display Format window opens.
To change the unit, click the down arrow button and choose from the list. When finished, click OK.
Modifying and Positioning Objects
To move an object horizontally or vertically, select it on the canvas and use the mouse, arrow keys, or Gestural Interface.
To change the duration of an activity, select it, and then hover over an end node until the double arrow displays. Use the cursor to click and drag either node in either direction.
The dates and durations of activities and other objects may also be modified through the Property/Dates tabs/sections of their corresponding Object windows. To open them, double-click on the desired object with the Select Tool.
If desired, activities may be changed one by one without affecting the network by turning off logic. Click the Logic Mode icon to turn this option OFF.
NOTE: There is a possibility to corrupt the original network. Please save and rename the plan before turning off logic.
Date Lock Mode
If only the vertical position or grid number of multiple objects needs to be modified (to improve diagram neatness), it can be helpful to freeze their horizontal position, or dates, to avoid accidental modification.
To turn on date lock mode, click the Date Lock icon from the toolbar. It will become depressed and prevent any objects from moving horizontally. To turn it off, click the icon again.
NOTE: Holding the ALT key while moving any objects will temporarily enable Date Lock Mode.
Aligning Activities
Instead of selecting and dragging activities, one by one, to the same horizontal gridline, they may be moved automatically by using the Line up Activities feature.
Whatever gridline the first activity selected lies on will become the target gridline for all subsequently selected activities. If no activity is selected first (i.e. a group is selected by drawing a box around them), then the gridline containing whichever activity was drawn first will become the target destination.
After making a selection, click from the menu bar. All selected activities will jump to the target gridline.