Urc MX-3000 User Manual

MX3000 Programming Manual

MX-3000 RF/IR Touch Screen Remote Control

MX-3000 Programming Manual © 2003 Universal Remote Control, Inc.

The information in this manual is copyright protected. No part of this manual may be copied or reproduced in any
form without prior written consent from Universal Remote Control, Inc.

UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL, INC. SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR OPERATIONAL,TECHNICAL OR EDITORIAL
ERRORS/OMISSIONS MADE IN THIS MANUAL.

The information in this manual may be subject to change without prior notice.

Home Theater Master is a registered trademark of Universal Remote Control, Inc. Entertainment Made Simple is a
trademark of Universal Remote Control, Inc. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies or organizations.

500 Mamaroneck Avenue

Harrison, NY 10528

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

READ THIS FIRST!1

You Need a Personal Computer With a USB Port 1

Installing MX-3000 Editor and Microsoft ActiveSync 1

Keep Your Database Up to Date — USE LIVE UPDATE 3

THE PROGRAMMING WINDOW 4

T

HE MENU BAR AND THE MENUS 5

File Menu 5

Edit Menu 5

View Menu 6

Program Menu 6

Page Menu 7

Tools Menu 7

Communications Menu 7

Window Menu 8

Help Menu 8

THE TOOLBAR AND SHORTCUT BUTTONS 8

T

HE SIMULATE VIEW MODE 8

Opening Simulate View 8

Selecting Buttons in Simulate View 9

Button Flags in Simulate View Mode 9

TREE VIEW 10

Devices and Pages 10

PAGE VIEW MODE 12

Opening Page View 12

Button Layout Editing in Page View Mode 12

Using the Window Menu in Page View Mode 12

THE EDIT AND LABEL BUTTONS WINDOW 13

Opening The Edit & Label Buttons Window 13

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Table of Contents

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Editing Button Labels 13

Button Text Controls 13

Button Image Control 14

Button Image Import and Export 14

Advanced Applications - Variables and Dynamic Options Enable “Display” Buttons 15

THE MACRO/FAVORITE WINDOW 16

Opening Macro Window 16

The Macro Step Buttons 16

Macro Mode Buttons 17

Using the “Spreadsheet” Macro Window 18

What is an Alias? 18

Two Ways to Record ALIASES 18

The Alias Window 19

Recording Other Types of Macro Steps 19

Re-Arranging the Macro Step Order 19

Deleting any Macro Step 19

THE RF CONTROL WINDOW 20

Overview of Basic RF Options 20

Overview of Receiver RF Options 20

THE UNIVERSAL BROWSER WINDOW 21

Overview 21

P

ROGRAMMING OVERVIEW 22

A. New File, Existing File on PC or in Remote 22

B. Use SAVE AS 22

C. Use the Program Menu 22

D. Save and Export 22

E. Download to both Remote Controls 22

SELECTING A TEMPLATE 23

Table of Contents

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CREATING,NAMING AND ARRANGING DEVICES 25

Open the Create and Name Devices Window 25

Creating Devices 25

CREATING,NAMING AND ARRANGING DEVICES MANUALLY IN TREE VIEW 26

C

REATE BUTTON LAYOUTS 29

Open the Create Button Layouts Window 29

Selecting Button Layouts 29

USING THE IR DATABASE 30

Discrete Codes,Toggles and other New Words 30

Selecting a Code Set from the Database 30

TESTING 32

Downloading to TEST Pre-Programmed IR Commands From The Database 32

Preparing the List of Buttons to be Learned 32

Hiding Pages 32

LEARNING TIPS 33

L

EARNING IR CODES ONE AT A TIME 33

L

EARNING A BATCH OF BUTTONS EFFICIENTLY 35

A

DVANCED IR CODE MANIPULATION 36

Modifying Carrier Frequency in a Learned Command 36

Creating a Button that Sustains the IR Code for Several Seconds (Pre-Programmed or
Learned Codes) 36

IMPORTING AND EXPORTING DEVICES 37

I

MPORTING AND EXPORTING DEVICES 37

Exporting Step by Step 37

Importing Step by Step 38

MACRO PROGRAMMING 39

What is a Macro? 39

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Discrete IR Codes vs Toggle IR Codes 40

Toggle Commands create “Point & Pray” Macros 40

Finding Workarounds for Toggle Commands in Macros 41

Programming a Power On Macro 41

Programming a Power Off Macro 44

Programming Activity Macros on MAIN LCD “Device” Buttons 44

Importing Macros (Copying or Cloning a Macro) 45

PROGRAMMING PUNCH THROUGH 46

P

ROGRAMMING RF CONTROL OPTIONS 47

The RF Setup Window 47

Adjusting Signal and IR Output Options 47

Adding MRF-250 Receivers, Conguring ID#’s and Front Blasters 48

SETTING UP THE MX-3000 DEFAULTS 49

S

ETTING UP THE MX-3000 USER PREFERENCES 49

D

OWNLOADING TO MX-3000 50

U

PLOADING FROM THE REMOTE TO PC 50

U

SING MX-3000 TOOLS 51

Using Make My IR Database 51

Using The Emulator 51

PUSH AND HOLD MACROS 52

Push and Hold for Activity Macros and Tap to Switch Devices 52

One Button Issues Two Different Macros 52

S

TATUS MESSAGES FOR IMPATIENT CLIENTS WITH LONG MACROS 52

H

ELPING CONFUSED CLIENTS 52

TOAD - TV Input “Scrolls” or “Toggle” and has no Workaround 52

Using Variables for Toggle Only Actuated Devices 53

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Table of Contents

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Read This First!

You Need a Personal Computer With a USB Port

MX-3000 Editor will run on any Pentium II or faster Windows PC. Your PC should be equipped with an adequate
amount of RAM for the operating system you use. MX-3000 Editoris compatible with the Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP
and XP Pro operating systems. It is not compatible with Windows 95 or previous versions of Windows.

MX-3000 Editor is installed via a self extracting installer file downloadable from www

.hometheatermaster.com.You

need a connection to the internet to download the file or to update MXEditor.

Installing MX-3000 Editor and Microsoft ActiveSync

MX-3000 Editor installs with a companion program for communication, Microsoft ActiveSync.You must install both
programs.To install the two programs, follow these steps:

1 Connect to the internet and go to this website address:

http://www.hometheatermaster.com/mxeditor/downloads/mx-3000setup.exe

2 A file download window will open. Click on OPEN.

3 The InstallShield Wizard window for MX-3000 Editor will open. Click on NEXT

4 The Install Destination window will then open. Click on NEXT.

5 The Ready to Install window will open. Click on INSTALL.

6 The program will install and then show that installation has been completed. Click on FINISH.

7 A new small window will open asking, "Install the Microsoft Active Sync 3.7." Click OK.

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Getting Started

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8 A new set up window will open for ActiveSync 3.7. Click on NEXT.

9 A new window will open to select the installation folder. Simply click on NEXT.

10 A new window titled "Get Connected" will open. Do not click on any button in the Get Connected win-

dow yet.

11 After the Active Sync Installed window opens, Click OK.

12 Open MX-3000 Editor.

13 Plug the USB cable into your computer and then the MX-3000 Remote.

Getting Started

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The Get Connected window will
automatically update. Do not
click on NEXT.

14 The Get Connected Window will close and then a "Set UP a Partnership" window will open.At this point

you can make two choices. Please read and make sure that you understand both choices before proceed­ing:

Ye s - This will set up a partnership with that particular MX-3000.This is ideal for an end user, as they typi­cally will not be programming multiple MX-3000's. Every time the same MX-3000 is plugged in, it will auto­matically establish the connection.

After choosing Yes, a new "Select Number of Partnerships" Window will open. Chose "Yes, I want to syn­chronize with only this computer" and then click NEXT.

A "Select Synchronization Settings" Window will open. Uncheck all of the boxes as these features do not
pertain to the MX-3000 and then click NEXT.

The “Set Up Complete” window will then open. Click FINISH.A new window will open showing that a
connection to the MX-3000 has been established.

No - This is best for installers, as they will be programming multiple MX-3000's.This is considered a
"Guest" partnership. Each time that the MX-3000 is plugged in, it will open the get connected window and
the programmer will need to click "No" to establish a connection with the MX-3000.

After clicking No, the Microsoft ActiveSync Window will open and show that a "Guest" connection has
been established.

Keep Your Database Up to Date — USE LIVE UPDATE

MX-3000 Editor includes a vast library of IR codes for hundreds of brands and models of A/V components.This data­base is constantly growing with the inclusion of new devices every month. Keep your software up to date by using
the Live Update feature. Rather than un-installing and re-installing the software, you download updates to the soft­ware from the internet. Simply follow these steps:

1 Connect to the Internet normally.

2 Open MX-3000 Editor.

3 From the Communications Menu, select Live Update.

4 In the Live Update window, click on Update Now.

5 Wait for the window to indicate the download is

completed. Close the Window.

6 Close and re-open MX-3000 Editor.You do not need to

restart Windows.

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Getting Started

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The Programming Window

Menus and Shortcut buttons for common tasks. The Program Menu activates each task in the correct order.

Tree View of the MX-3000 configuration. Double clicking on any page enables you to quickly display that
page on the simulator view. Right clicking on a device or page activates a context menu.

The MX-3000 Simulate View is used to navigate and to select a button to program, edit or record a macro.

The Edit and Label Buttons window is used to control a button’s graphics, text and activation.

The Macro window is used to view and edit macros.

The information bar displays whether your keyboard is cap locked or num locked.

The important thing to remember as you program is that most Windows conventions hold true in MX-3000 Editor.
Explore the program menus. Hover your mouse over most of the buttons and controls and a balloon will appear
with a hint as to purpose. Navigate around the program window and explore a little before you begin programming.

Windows, Menus,Tools and Definitions

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Tree View

Simulate View

Macro Window

The Menu Bar and the Menus

Like all Windows programs, the menu bar reveals menus of commonly used tasks. Simply click on the menu title and
the menu appears. Move the mouse cursor over the menu choice you wish to select and click.

File Menu

Configurations for particular clients are saved as .rcc files on your PC.Thus the file menu enables you to open, save
and import all or part of a configuration.

New - Use to start programming a file from scratch.
Open - Use to open a file anywhere on your computer.

Save - If you wish to save your work to the current file.
Save As - If you wish to save a new copy of the current file

with a new file name.

Import - Import Devices from other MX-3000 configurations.
Export - Export Devices from the current configuration.
Import Learn IR - Import only the learned IR commands from

another MX-3000 configuration.The learned commands import
to the embedded Learned IR list, where they can be dragged to any button.

User Preference - Opens the Preferences window, where you
can set defaults for this configuration.

Recent Files appear here for you to reopen with a click.

Exit - Use to exit MX-3000 Editor completely.

Edit Menu

Once you have “selected” an item in Tree, Page or Simulator View, you can copy and paste, group and ungroup or
move the selected item.The item can be a device, page or button.

Undo - Use to remove the effect of the last action you made.
Redo - If you have used undo, you can cancel with redo.

Cut - Use to copy and delete the item selected.
Copy - Use to copy without deleting.
Paste - Use to paste a new copy of the last item copied.
Paste Action - Use to paste only the action list of a button.
Paste Special l- Use to paste only the image, the text, the position,

the action or the IR ID of the last item copied into another button.
Paste from Clipboard - Use to paste an image you copied from
another windows program into a button’s Before or After position.

Delete - Deletes the selected item completely.
Delete Contents - Deletes only the contents of the selected item.

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Select All - Selects all the buttons on the currently displayed page.
Select None - Cancels the current selection without selecting anything new.

Group - Groups a number of selected buttons into one group arrangement that

can be moved, copied and pasted as one.You select multiple buttons by holding down
the shift key, then clicking on as many buttons as you like.
UnGroup - Cancels the grouping of buttons so that each button can be moved
independently.

Move Up List - Moves a selected page or device up the list in tree view.
Move Down List - Moves a selected page or device down the list in tree view.

View Menu

The workspace inside MX-3000 Editor window can be arranged as you like.

Macro - Opens and closes the Macro window.
Edit & Label Buttons - Opens and closes the Edit & Label Buttons window.

Simulate Mode - Most useful mode for programming button actions since you

can see hard buttons and the flag on each button denoting its programming type.
Only one page at a time can be viewed.
Page View Mode - Useful for extensive editing of images. Programming flags are
not visible, multiple pages can be viewed at once and page Zoom controls
zooming in.

Both Simulated and Pages - Allows both views to be active.

Toolbar - Opens and closes the toolbar of shortcut buttons.
Status Bar- Opens and closes the status bar at the bottom of the window.

Program Menu

Many of the Program Menu steps will open a new window in front of the main window. You can exit any of these
windows without making any changes by clicking on the Close button.

1. Create & Name Devices - Opens a new window for creating and naming devices.
You’ll need to name a device (a grouping of hard buttons and pages) for every remote
control that you are replacing.

2. Create Button Layouts - Opens a new floating window to select the button
arrangements for each of your devices from the pre-built templates.

3. Pre-Programmed IR Database - Opens a new window to test and program IR
code sets from the Universal IR database.You can drag an individual code or the entire
set of codes.

4. Learn IR - Opens a new window for organizing, labeling and learning IR codes.

5. Punch Through - Opens a floating window that enables you to program a button to “punch through” to another

device.Typically used to program Volume Up, Down and Mute to always operate the a/v surround sound receiver.

6. Macro Programming - Opens the Macro window if it was closed. Starts the MACRO recorder if a button was
selected.

7. RF Control - Opens a new window for configuring the MX-3000’s radio control options.

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Page Menu

Add New Page - Add a new page to the selected device (tree view).
Add New Button - Add a new button to the displayed page (simulate or page view).
Is Hidden - Make the currently selected button or page hidden from view when in

use. If the page or button is already hidden, a checkmark will appear.To make a page or
button visible again, simply select the item, then select Is Hidden, and the checkmark
will disappear making the item visible again.
Zoom - Only useable in Page View mode. The Zoom menu enables you to enlarge the
view of any page by 2x, 3x or 4x.

Grid - Enables you to view, adjust or select a grid as an aid to alignment of your buttons.

Move to Front - Moves the currently selected button in front of all other buttons.
Move to Back - Moves the currently selected button in back of all other buttons.

Tools Menu

Image Gallery - Opens a window of button art.You can drag buttons from the gallery

to any page.
Sound Gallery - Opens a window of sounds.You can drag sounds onto any button.
The sound will appear as a macro step in the selected button.
Personal CCF Gallery - Opens a window that will allow you to open any ccf file.You
can drag any LEARNED IR command from the Gallery to any button.

Make My IR DB - Opens a window that enables you to customize the IR Database so
that you only see the brands and models you use on your installations.

Record Timer- Opens a window that enables you to specify that any button’s macro can
be automatically issued at a particular time of day (every day, weekly, monthly or only once).

Run Emulator - Opens a new window emulating the MX-3000 for testing of navigation.
Close the Emulator by right clicking and choosing exit.

Communications Menu

Upload - Get the programming from a remote control and open it in MX-3000

Editoras a new file. Once it is uploaded, you can save it, edit it and/or export the
devices in it.

Download - Send the currently open file to the remote control.
Remote Control Setup - Opens a new window for you to adjust Backlight time-out,

brightness, volume, low battery warning and pick up sensor.
Time Sync from PC - Sets the MX-3000 internal timer to the clock setting of your
PC.

Live Update - If your PC is connected to the internet, clicking Live Update will open a new window enabling you to
update MX-3000 Editor software with any new database
entries and/or programming improvements.

Remote Control Version - If you are connected to an MX-3000, a new window will open, displaying the OS and
the Program version number.This may be useful to technical support.

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Windows, Menus,Tools and Definitions

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Window Menu

The window menu is used when in Page View mode to control the many windows you can open at once:

Cascade - This will cascade all open windows from left to right.
Arrange Icons - This will minimize all open windows and arrange the minimized icons

at the bottom of the window from left to right.

Close - This closes the selected window.
Close All - This closes all Page View windows, but leaves MX-3000 Editor open.

Help Menu

Tutorial - This will open a new window with an interactive tutorial, complete with

movies that demonstrate how to program an MX-3000.
Go to Website - Click on this after connecting to the Internet to go to the Universal
Remote Control website for more on-line learning resources.

About MX-3000 Editor - This opens a new window displaying the version of MX-3000 Editor installed on your PC.

The Toolbar and Shortcut Buttons

Hover your mouse over the Shortcut buttons, and you will see a pop-up flag displaying the function of the shortcut.
Click on the button to activate it. The most common functions of the menus are displayed on the toolbar.

The Simulate View Mode

Opening Simulate View

The Simulate view mode is the center of programming activity. To open this view, go to the View Menu and select
Simulate Mode as shown or press the shortcut key F5.

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When you hover the mouse over a shortcut button,
a pop-up flag will display its purpose.

Selecting Buttons in Simulate View

You use the Simulate view to select a button by clicking on it with the mouse. When a button is selected, it has a red
rectangle around it. Once a button is selected, you can move it, copy or cut it, delete it or use the Edit and Label
Buttons window or the Macro window to program it.

When you want to switch to a new device, first click on the MAIN button.

Choose the new device from the MAIN MENU by double clicking on it.
On a real MX-3000, the double click is not necessary. But within MX-3000 Editor
you sometimes will want to select it for editing or macro programming.

Cycle through the pages of any device by clicking on either of the PAGE buttons.

Hover your mouse over a button to see the drag and drop flag.

Click on a button to select it. A red rectangle will appear around it.

Button Flags in Simulate View Mode

A button with no flag will not do anything when pressed. It is empty and has no programming yet.

A P flag indicates that the button is programmed with an IR database code. An IR database code can be
tapped or pressed and held for a sustained burst. Any button (hard or soft) can be programmed with
learned codes, except the MAIN and PAGE navigation buttons.

An L flag indicates that the button is programmed with a learned IR code. A learned code can be tapped
or pressed and held for a sustained burst. Any button (hard or soft) can be programmed with learned
codes, except the MAIN and PAGE navigation buttons.

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The red rectangle indicates that the TV button is selected.

An M flag indicates that the button is programmed with a macro. All buttons can be programmed
with MACROS except the navigation buttons.

A PT flag indicates that the button is programmed to “punch through” to another device.

The pop-up flag will appear after you have clicked on one of the buttons on the page.

Thereafter, whenever you move the mouse over a button with a learned or a pre-pro­grammed IR command in it, a pop-up flag appears, displaying the actual code name.

Tree View

Devices and Pages

Tree View controls what you see in the Simulator or Page view. It serves as the quickest way to navigate (especially
when programming macros) and enables you to cut, copy and delete devices and/or pages via the right click context
menus.

A Page refers only to a group of soft buttons, not to the hard buttons in the same device.
A Device is comprised of up to 255 pages of soft buttons and one set of functions for the hard buttons.

Double click on a device to expand or collapse your view of its pages (or you can single click on the +/-).

A double click on a page in Tree View will change the SIMULATE view to the selected device and page.

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Collapsed

Expanded

The quickest way to
navigate is to keep tree
view expanded, so that
you can double click on
any page to display it in
Simulate view mode.

Right click on MAIN to reveal the Device Context Menu:

Add New Page enables you to insert an additional page to the MAIN Menu (to a maxi-

mum of 255 pages).The page is inserted as the new last page.

Paste Page will paste the last copied page into the MAIN menu.

Delete Contents will delete all labels and codes but not the pages.

Tools > Image Replace will open a new window allowing you to browse to a folder

with new images for all of your button graphics. Any image with the same name as the
images in your current configuration will be replaced.

Right click on a device to reveal the Device Context Menu:

Rename enables you to type in a new name for the device.
Cut will copy the entire device and when pasted will delete the original.
Copy will copy the entire device without changing the original.
Paste will paste the copied or cut device as a completely new device with the same

name.
Delete will delete everything about the selected

device.
Delete Contents will delete all codes and macros but not the labels, buttons or
pages.

Move Device Up moves the device up the list of devices.
Move Device Down moves the device down the list of devices.
Add New Page will insert an additional page to the device (to a maximum of 255).
Paste Page will paste the last copied page into the device.
Tools > Image Replace will open a new window allowing you to browse to a folder

with new images for this device’s button graphics.Any image with the same name as
the images in the current device will be replaced.

Right click on a page to reveal the Page Context Menu:

Rename enables you to type in a new name for the page.
Cut will copy the page and when pasted will delete the original.
Copy will copy the page without changing the original.
Paste will paste the page into the selected

device.

Delete will delete the selected page completely.
Delete Contents will delete all codes and macros but not the labels, buttons or

page.

Move Page Up moves the page up the list of pages.
Move Page Down moves the page down the list of pages.
Is Hidden will make the page invisible on the remote control yet still available for

macro programming.
Open Page will display the page in the Simulate View or the Page View mode (what­ever was last selected).

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Page View Mode

Opening Page View

The Page view mode is only useful when doing extensive editing of your button layouts.
To open this view, go to the View Menu and select Page View Mode as shown or press
the shortcut key F6.

Button Layout Editing in Page View Mode

In page view mode, you can have as many pages as you like open at once.The larger your screen, the more pages you
can fit. In the illustration below, you can see many pages open at once as well as opening the Image Gallery.This
greatly speeds copying and pasting of buttons from one page to another and encourages direct comparison.

Using the Window Menu in Page View Mode

When you are in page view mode, the Window menu commands are extremely useful:

Cascade - This will cascade all open windows from left to right.
Arrange Icons - This will minimize all open windows and arrange the minimized icons

at the bottom of the window from left to right.

Close - This closes the selected window.
Close All - This closes all Page View windows, but leaves MX-3000 Editor open.

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The Edit and Label Buttons Window

Opening The Edit & Label Buttons Window

If the Edit and Label Buttons Window is closed, reopen it by by pressing F4 or selecting
Edit and Label Buttons from the View Menu.

Editing Button Labels

Button Text Controls

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Normal Text

This is the label you see on the
button before you press it.
Simply click in the window and
type to change the button label.

Dynamic Text

This is the label you see on the
button after you press it. MX­3000 Editor automatically copies
whatever you typed in the
Normal Text window, but you
can overwrite it by clicking the
Dynamic Text tab.

Normal, Date,Time or Page

You can have a button display the
Normal Text, the date, the time
of day or the page the button is
on via these radio buttons.

Display Text

You must check off this box for
the label to be displayed.
Uncheck the box when you are
using button art that has text as
part of the image (like the icons
for VCR, DVD etc.).

Bold, Italic or Underline

You can select or combine the
Bold, Italic or Underline styles
with these buttons.

Font

You can select any of the fonts
displayed in this pull down list
box.

Font Size

You can select any of the sizes
displayed in this pull down list
box.

Font Preview

You can see a preview of your
color, style and font settings
here.

Normal Text Window

Click in the window and type. If
you want more than one line, hit
return to make a new line.

Color of Text

You can select any color by click­ing the Color button, which
opens the Color window.