- 1.Language File Name
- 2.Hardware ID
- 3.Auto-start telegraph on program start
- 4.Sound frequency (Hz)
- 5.Sound volume level
- 6.Path to Morse dictionary
- 7.Symbol for unknown sequence
- 8.Key Code for input
- 10.Morse Time Mode (0-dots, 1-milliseconds)
- 11.ON time for Dot (ms)
- 12.ON time for Dash
- 13.ON time to reject current beep
- 14.OFF time between characters
- 15.OFF time between words (space character)
- 16.ON time for calling an extended command
- 17.OFF time for calling an extended command
- 20.Path to file with current work progress
- 21.Interval for autosave file (s)
- 22.Name of file to save user data to
- 23.Time stamp format string (to replace *)
- 30.Labels update time on main form (ms)
- 31.Panel Height
- 32.Path to file with skin
- 33.Corner of skin for transparency (0-not used, 1-top left, 2-top right, 3-bottom left, 4-bottom right)
- 40.Wait for program completion (0-continue to work, 1=wait)
- 41.Extended Command to execute with ON
- 42.Extended Command to execute with OFF
- 43.(45, 47, 49, 51) Extended overload code
- 44.(46, 48, 50, 52) Extended overload command
ECTmorse provides the user with 37 changeable parameters. These parameters can be accessed through "Settings" – "Show Settings Form" menu items or by pressing F3 hotkey. To enable more convenient working, the different groups of parameters on the settings panel are color-coded. (see fig. 12).
The settings panel of the program has its own "Action" menu (see fig. 13). It contains the same items as "Settings" submenu.
The user can change each parameter by modifying its value in the second column of the table. When work using the program is terminated, all changes are automatically saved in a configuration .ini file. The program automatically loads them during the following launch. Such a configuration file is created during the very first start of the program and after each termination of the program.
Let's look closer at the parameters of the settings panel of ECTmorse.
1. Language File Name. This field allows the user to manually set the full path to a localization file for the program.
2. Hardware ID. This field is used to save information about the hardware code of the system, which the program runs in. This parameter is necessary for activation of ECTmorse.
3. Auto-start telegraph on program start. This parameter can have two different values: 0 and 1. If it's equal to 0, the automatic telegraph start during ECTmorse launch is disabled. If it's equal to 1, the automatic start is enabled. It is recommended to use automatic telegraph start in situations when all settings are correct and no additional adjustments are required. The default value of this parameter is 1.
4. Sound frequency (Hz). This allows the user to select a comfortable and convenient signal frequency. The default value of this parameter is 900Hz.
5. Sound volume level. This allows the user to select a comfortable and convenient signal volume as a percentage: (0 = silence, 100 = maximum volume). The default value of this parameter is 60.
6. Path to Morse dictionary. This parameter allows the user to specify the location of an alternative Morse code vocabulary. It can be used in situations when the user requires several different vocabularies, or when ECTmorse is used by more than one user and each of them requires different vocabulary settings.
7. Symbol for unknown sequence. This specifies the symbol, which is used when an entered sequence of dots and dashes is not found in the current Morse code vocabulary. The default value of this parameter is "*".
8. Key Code for input. This parameter specifies the key which is used to control the telegraph. The default value of this parameter is 13 (Enter key). It is not necessary to remember all the key codes to change this parameter in the settings panel of the program. The user can double click on this parameter cell and select any desired value in the most right drop-down menu (see fig. 15).
10. Morse Time Mode (0-dots, 1-milliseconds). This parameter is incredibly important, because it allows the user to choose the working mode of ECTmorse. If it's equal to 0, the user has to specify time in milliseconds only for "dot" printing (parameter 11). All other parameters of this group (12-17) are set as multiples of parameter 11. Thus, in order to increase or decrease the speed of the telegraph, the user can change only parameter 11, while all other parameters will be automatically changed by the program. In case of this parameter value being equal to 1, the user has to specify time in milliseconds for each parameter (11-17) manually. The default value of this parameter is 0 ("Multiplicity" mode).
11. ON time for Dot (ms). This parameter specifies the time, in milliseconds, that the controlling key needs to be held down in order to type a "dot". This parameter is always set in milliseconds! The default value of this parameter is 500 milliseconds (half a second).
12. ON time for Dash. This parameter specifies the time to hold the controlling key required to type a "dash". The default value of this parameter is 3 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 3).
13. ON time to reject current beep. This parameter specifies the time limit the controlling key needs to be held down, after which the program cancels the current input. The default value of this parameter is 4 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 4).
14. OFF time between characters. This parameter specifies the period of idle time, which is required to transform a code into a symbol. The default value of this parameter is 5 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 5).
15. OFF time between words (space character). This parameter specifies the period of idle time which is required to complete the current word (and put a space symbol at the end of it). Thus, it is not necessary to enter a sequence of "dots" and "dashes" in order to divide words with spaces. The default value of this parameter is 7 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 7).
16. ON time for calling an extended command. This parameter specifies the time of holding down the controlling key required to launch an extended command. Any third party application can be used as the extended command (e.g. medical personnel sound notification application). The default value of this parameter is 10 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 10).
17. OFF time for calling an extended command. This parameter specifies the maximum period of idle time which is required to launch the extended command. Different extended commands can be used for parameters 16 and 17. The default value of this parameter is 12 (time required to type "dot", multiplied by 12).
20. Path to file with current work progress. The text, which the user inputs in the main window of the program, is saved into a file. This text is saved when the user opens the settings panel, exports or imports user profiles or terminates the program. During the following launch of ECTmorse, that text will be loaded into the main window of the program. This parameter allows the user to specify the full path and name for this file, which saves current work progress. The default value of this parameter is ”CurrentWork.txt”.
21. Interval for autosave file (s). The text that the user inputs in the main window of the program is also repeatedly saved into separate files within certain intervals. This secures current work progress in case of any software/hardware failure. This parameter allows the user to specify a period in seconds between each automatic file saving. The default value of this parameter is 120 seconds.
22. Name of file to save user data to. This parameter makes it possible to specify the name template for all files with the user's text. The default value of this parameter is user_data_*.txt. "*" The symbol in the name of the file will be replaced with the current date and time, and its format can be specified in the parameter 23.
23. Time stamp format string (to replace *). This allows the user to specify the time and date format, which is used in the names of files with the user's text. The default value of this parameter is YYYY_MM_DD_HH_NN_ZZZZ (current year in full format, month, day, hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds).
30. Labels update time on main form (ms). This parameter specifies the key status update interval in the main window of the program (labels on the main window). The default value of this parameter is 100 milliseconds.
31. Panel Height. This parameter specifies the height of the main window of the program above the text field. The default value of this parameter is 72. The value of this parameter can be increased in situations when the skin of the telegraph key has significant vertical size.
32. Path to file with skin. This allows the user to specify a full path to a file with a telegraph skin. The skin of the telegraph key is shown in the main window of the program above the text field (see fig. 19).
33. Corner of skin for transparency (0-not used, 1-top left, 2-top right, 3-bottom left, 4-bottom right). This parameter allows the user to specify a the color of a pixel to be used as a transparent color for the telegraph key skin. The default value of this parameter is 0 (no transparent color).
40. Wait for program completion (0-continue to work, 1=wait). This parameter is used for all external commands (applications and programs). The default value of this parameter is 1. In other words, when the user executes any extended command, ECTmorse is paused until the user terminates such applications or programs.
41. Extended Command to execute with ON. This parameter allows the user to specify any external application which will be executed after holding the telegraph key for a period of time, indicated in the parameter 16.
42. Extended Command to execute with OFF. This parameter allows the user to specify any external application, which will be executed after the period of user inactivity indicated by parameter 17. It is recommended to avoid using this parameter without real need.
43. (45, 47, 49, 51) Extended overload code. This group of parameters allows the user to specify a unique sequence of "dots" and "dashes", which will execute an external application or program, when entered successively.
44. (46, 48, 50, 52) Extended overload command. This group of parameters specifies exact application to be executed with "codes" from the previous group of parameters.