Help:Contents

Enclosure Terminology

Term	Usage	Example
back	AVOID. See rear	N/A
back panel	AVOID. See rear panel	N/A
bottom	Feature	Use the view commands to view the bottom of your enclosure.
bottom panel	Part	Click the bottom panel to open the Face Editor.
bracket	Part	Click the bracket to open the Face Editor.
chassis	Part	Click the chassis to open the Face Editor.
color	Parameter	You can change the color of each Part. New Assembly dialog box: Color: Default Color: Chassis Color: Left/Right Color: Top Color: Bottom Color: Front Color: Rear Color: Divider
colour	AVOID. See color	N/A
cover	Part	Click the cover to open the Face Editor.
default	Parameter option	Select the default color for your enclosure.
depth	Parameter	Enter the depth for your enclosure. New Assembly dialog box: Depth Depth: Bottom Depth: Top Depth: Recessed
extrusion	Part	Click the left extrusion to open the Face Editor.
face	Feature	You can draw features on the face using several drawing tools.
flange	Part	Select a color for the left flange.
flange mount	Part	Select a color for the flange mount.
front	Feature	Use the view commands to view the front of your enclosure.
front panel	Part	Click the front panel to open the Face Editor.
gauge	Parameter. (AVOID "gage".)	Select a gauge to use as the default thickness for your enclosure.
height	Parameter	Enter the default gauge for your enclosure. New Assembly dialog box: Height Height: Front Height: Rear Height: Recessed
left extrusion	Part	Click the left extrusion to open the Face Editor.
left panel	Part	Click the left panel to open the Face Editor.
material	Parameter	Select a material for your enclosure.
metal type	AVOID. See material	N/A
mounting hardware	Part	You can add mounting hardware to your enclosure.
panel	Part	Select a panel to open the Face Editor.
powder coat (also powder coating)	Feature. (AVOID "powdercoat".)
rear	Feature
rear panel	Part
right extrusion	Part	Click the right extrusion to open the Face Editor.
right panel	Part	Click the right panel to open the Face Editor.
self-clinching fastener	Part	You can add self-clinching fasteners to your enclosure.
side	Feature
silkscreen	Feature	You can add custom silkscreen to your enclosure.
style	Parameter	We build enclosures of all styles.
thickness	Parameter	Select a gauge to use as the default thickness for your enclosure. New Assembly dialog box: Thickness Thickness: Default Thickness: Front Thickness: Cover Thickness: Chassis Thickness: Rear
top	Feature	Use the view commands to view the top of your enclosure.
top panel	Part	Click the top panel to open the Face Editor.
type	AVOID when used for enclosure. See style	N/A
width	Parameter	Enter the width for your enclosure.

Style Guide

The following styles and grammar rules are used in the Protocase Designer documentation. Most styles and rules are referenced directly from the Microsoft Manual of Style.

Menus

• Menus contain commands, not menu items.
• Use click to describe user interaction with menus and menu commands. Do not use choose, select or pick. To open a submenu the user points to a command on the main menu, then clicks the appropriate command on the submenu.
• Use lowercase for the word menu when referring to a specific menu.
• Refer to unavailable commands and options as unavailable, not as dimmed, disabled, or grayed, unless describing their appearance.
• Always surround menu names with the words the and menu.
• Bold menu names and commands.

Example

On the File menu, click Open.

On the View menu, point to Sort by, and then click Date.

Toolbars

• General toolbars contain buttons.
• A toolbar button with a submenu is called a menu button.
• Use click to describe user interaction with toolbar buttons except with the Drawing toolbar.
• In general, do not use the words the and button with toolbar buttons.
• Use lowercase for the word toolbar.
• The Drawing toolbar contains tools.
• Use select to describe user interaction with tools on the Drawing toolbar.
• Always surround tool names with the words the and tool.
• Bold toolbar names, buttons, and tools.

Example

On the Standard toolbar, click New.

On the Drawing toolbar, select the Rectangle tool.

Check Boxes

• Two words. Use the identifier, check box, not just box.
• Use select and clear, NOT turn on and turn off, mark and unmark, check and uncheck, or select and deselect.
• Always include check box with the label name.

Example

Select the Spaces check box.

Click to clear the Bookmarks check box.

Mouse Terms

• Use drag, not click and drag. The drag action includes holding down a button while moving the mouse and then releasing the button.
• Use rotate to describe interaction with middle wheel button.
• Use wheel button to refer to the third or middle button on the mouse. Users rotate the wheel itself, and they click the wheel button.
• Refer to the mouse pointer as the pointer.
• Use click, not click on.

Example

To see the Control menu, right-click anywhere in the window.

Click in the window to make it active.

Right-click the selected text, and then click Copy.

Rotate the wheel button forward to scroll up in the document.

Title and heading style and conventions

• Use sentence-style capitalization for titles and for headings.
• Use imperative constructions for procedure titles.
• Describe what the user wants to do in the user's language.

Example

Draw circles

Reset view

Procedures

1. Title: identify the task using imperative
2. Describe the task
   • One or two sentences
   • Explain when and why
   • Cross-reference to related tasks
3. List prerequisites
4. Highlight hazards
5. Write the steps.
   • Use clear, present tense imperatives
     • e.g. Set the starting time vs. Users should select a starting time
   • Keep sentences short
   • Group steps based on complexity
   • Limit number of steps (<10)
   • Make sure you can perform each step
   • Do not tell the user every way to perform task (i.e. menu, button, etc.), unless the procedure is explaining one specific task.
   • Fake step 2 if there are a lot of 1 step procedures

Image Naming Conventions

Screenshots: png files

• button-editface.png
• button-acceptclose.png
• dialogbox-editproperties.png
• dialogbox-showparts.png
• tool-circle-construction.png
• tool-edit.png
• window-faceeditor-ushape-rear.png
• window-main-rackmount-nocover.png

Sketches: jpg files

• sketch-powersupply-pcb.jpg
• sketch-mounting-dimensions-rear.jpg

Photos: jpg or png files

• photo-fan-60mm.png
• photo-powersupply.png