Working with Trees

Adding a Tree

A tree can be added to the project by choosing Tree|Add Tree or the

Add Tree button on the toolbar. This will display either the New Root dialog or the New Sentence dialog that will prompt the user for a starting root or starting sentence respectively. After the root or sentence has been entered a new drawing canvas containing the new tree will be displayed on the desktop and a corresponding entry will be added to and selected on the Trees pane. Tree Builder will automatically give the tree a default name which can be changed by the user.

The dialog displayed will depend on the tree drawing direction preference (either top down or bottom up) that the user has chosen in the Tree option tab of the Tools|Options dialog.

Copying a Tree

The currently active tree can be copied and the copy added to the project by choosing Tree|Copy Tree. This will open the Copy Tree dialog prompting the user for a name for the tree. After the name has been entered a new drawing canvas containing the copied tree will be displayed on the desktop and a corresponding entry will be added to and selected on the Trees pane. Tree Builder will automatically give the tree a default, name which can be changed by the user.

Removing a Tree

The currently active tree can be removed from the project by choosing Tree|Remove Tree. After confirming that the user wishes to delete the tree, the tree will be removed from the desktop and the Trees pane.

Renaming a Tree

The currently active tree can be renamed by choosing Tree|Rename Tree. This will open the Rename Tree dialog, which will prompt the user for a new name for the tree. After entering a new name, the title of the drawing canvas as well as the entry in the Trees pane will be updated.

Viewing a Tree

A tree can be magnified within the drawing canvas by choosing View|Zoom. This will open the Zoom dialog, which allows the user to select a magnification to be applied to the tree. The magnification will apply to all trees when they are displayed.

Zoom Dialog

If the size of the tree exceeds the size of the drawing canvas scroll bars will appear to enable the user to view the whole tree.

The magnification will have no affect on the size of the tree when printed or on the size of the image when the tree is saved as a jpeg.

Alternatively, the user can also choose the Zoom drop down on the toolbar.

Saving a Tree

Trees are included as part of the project file and, therefore, are saved whenever the project is saved.

In addition, Tree Builder provides the capability to save a tree as a JPEG image for inclusion in documents and/or web pages. To save the currently active tree as a JPEG image choose File|Save Tree As JPEG. This will display a typical save file dialog for you to choose the name and location of the JPEG image.

Printing a Tree

The current tree on the desktop can be printed by choosing File|Print or the

Print button on the toolbar.

Note: The print operation will first try to print a tree in a portrait orientation. If the tree will not fit, it will choose the best orientation (portrait or landscape) for the tree and fit the tree on the page. The user can affect the size of the printed tree by changing the layout of the tree or adjusting the font size. Adjusting the zoom will have no affect on the printing.

If you wish to print more than one tree at a time choose File|Print Selection. See Printing the contents of a project for more information.