Program Basics

The Basic Parts
Window Caption
Menu Bar
Wallet Pane
Dataset Pane
Status Bar

Wallet Pane
Pane operations

Dataset Pane
Pane operations

Status Bar

Menus
File
Options
Help



Main application window

DataWallet is a standard Windows application, but since it utilizes Microsoft's new ".Net Framework", you had to install some addition software on your Windows computer before you could install DataWallet.  However, it runs just like many other applications.

The Basic Parts

The title bar caption tells you the application you are running; when you have selected a wallet or a dataset, their names also appear in the title bar.  The menu bar contains the basic menu items that control some of the application's actions.

The main window is divided into three parts.  The blue-colored column to the left is the Wallet Pane. It shows the contents of your data wallets. You many open more than one wallet at the same time, and you can copy datasets between open wallets.

The yellowish right-hand area is the Dataset Pane . It shows the detailed contents of the dataset that you have currently selected in the wallet pane.

Along the bottom of the window is the Status Bar.  It tells you which wallet file you're viewing and whether or not it has been altered.

The Wallet Pane

The wallet pane shows the titles of each open wallet and the names of the datasets in each wallet.  If you click on a particular dataset's name, the right-hand dataset pane will be redrawn to contain the detail information in that wallet.

To create a new wallet or open an existing one, use the File menu.  For all other operations, right-click on a particular element in the wallet pane and choose the action you desire from the context menu.  Some operations will not be available from every location in the pane.

The wallet pane's context menu allows you to:

  • Rename (retitle) a wallet
  • Rename a dataset
  • Remove (not delete) an open wallet
  • Create a new dataset
  • Remove (delete) a dataset from an open wallet
  • Copy and paste a dataset from one wallet to another
  • Save a wallet in either encrypted or unencrypted form
  • Set the encryption passphrase for a wallet.

The relative sizes of the left and right panes can be changed.   Slowly move the mouse across the boundary between the panes and it will change to a "splitter" form, which appears as a vertical bar.  Hold down the left mouse button and you'll be able to drag the splitter to a new location, thus changing the relative widths of the two panes.

You can reorder the datasets in a wallet by holding down the left mouse button and dragging the set names into the positions you want.

The Dataset Pane

The dataset pane shows the detailed columns and rows of information from the dataset currently selected in the wallet pane.

The gray bar at the top of the grid or spreadsheet-like table shows the names of the columns.  Below that, the rows of information are displayed. 

Each field or cell can be edited simply by clicking on it and typing new information.  To move from cell to cell you can use the Tab key; to move backwards from cell to cell, hold down the shift key and type the Tab key.

The context menu for the dataset pane allows you to:

  • Delete a column or row
  • Move a column or row
  • Add a column or row
  • Edit an entire row
  • Rename a column
  • Sort the rows in a column by the data in that column
  • Change the color of the grid
  • Copy the information in a cell or field to the clipboard
  • Paste the contents of the clipboard into a cell or field
  • Resize the columns to fit the data they contain
  • Fill a cell with a randomly generated password

There must be at least one column and one row in a dataset.

DataSet Shortcuts

For convenience, certain combinations of (left button) mouse clicks and keyboard shift keys perform some of the context menu operations, but faster and more easily.  The Control key (CTRL), the Shift key (SHFT) and the Alt key (ALT) are used in these shortcuts:

  • double-click in a non-empty row starts the row editor for that row
  • CTRL-click in a non-empty row starts the row editor for that row
  • SHFT-click adds a row at the current mouse location or the end of the set
  • CTRL-SHFT-click adds a row and starts the row editor for the new row
  • ALT-click on an empty row edits the DataSet column name

The Status Bar

  left-clicking on a non-empty row starts the row editor
  • on non-empty row starts the row editor
  • inserts a new row and starts the row editor
  • The Status bar is the horizontal area at the bottom of the window.  It displays the name of the wallet currently select and an asterisk if the wallet has been modified since it was loaded.

    Menus

    There are three menu items in the main menu bar.

    File

    • New: Creates a new, empty data wallet file.
    • Open: Opens an existing data wallet file (encrypted or unencrypted).
    • Save:  Saves the current data wallet file to disk.
    • Print:  Prints the current dataset or all the datasets in the current data wallet.
    • Print Preview:  Previews the results of the printing operation.
    • Page Setup:  Set usual printing options.
    • Exit:  Exit DataWallet application.

    Options

    • Encryption: This option lets you choose between the older AES encryption and the latest version supplied by Microsoft's .Net run-time system.   
    • Import Spreadsheet:  Displays a new window that allows you to import worksheets from Excel workbooks. See Importing for more details.
    • Export Wallet:  Allows you to save your entire DataWallet file as an Excel workbook. See Exporting for more details.  Using this option will (usually) render your data readable by anyone with access to your computer!
    • Password Generation Options:  Displays a window that allows you to set the characters used by DataWallet when generating passwords.
    • Import Contacts: Displays a window that lets you import contact information from Microsoft Outlook.  See Importing from Outlook for more information.
    • Minimize to Tray Icon:  If this option is checked, when DataWallet is minimized it will appear as a small "safe" icon in your "system tray" (the set of icons on the far right of your Windows XP task bar).
    • Find Text: Allows you to search all rows of all sets of a wallet for a particular value.
    • Find Next: Searches for the next instance of the value you are searching for.
    • Use Row editor for long fields: Indicates that you want DataWallet to automatically start the row editor if you begin to edit a field that is longer than the column in which it is displayed. 

    Help

    • Browse Documentation:  This options starts Internet Explorer and displays the highest level page of the help system.
    • About DataWallet: This option displays information about the DataWallet application. 
    • Templates:  This option allows you to create a new DataWallet file based upon a standard "template".
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