====== MFM Usage Tips ====== **Basics** Some keyboard controls: - 'h' to show/hide help menu (list of all keyboard controls) - 'i' to show/hide info panel (population counts, timer, some controls) - 't' to show/hide toolbox (create/destroy objects, edit settings) - SPACEBAR to start/stop simulation - Arrow keys - pan view of MFM grid **Saved state feature** From Professor Ackley: "When you click 'Save State', it writes out a file in a temporary directory. You can find the name of that file by looking at the console output or typing 'l' in the interface. It's usually some kind of name like /tmp/NUMBERS/save/10.mfs Because /tmp is temporary, if you get a save file you like, you should probably copy it off someplace else. To restart from a saved position, you need to mention its path name in a -cp argument on the command line. Like if you ran: mfms -cp file1.mfs -cp /path/file2.mfs then it will try to load file1.mfs on startup, and if you then hit 'Reload', it'll alternately load /path/file2.mfs and file1.mfs each time you click it. ===== MFM Tool Questions ===== These are questions and comments on how to use / usability of the mfms GUI tool. * Q: Is there a way to change the brush radius? I see a 2 next to the nuke icon, but I don't know how to change it. * A: Use the scroll wheel, with the mouse positioned over grey background in the toolbox * Q: Is there a way to start back at 0 kAEPS? I cleared the grid, but I would like to reset the timer. I clicked Reload, but it doesn't seem to do anything... * A: At present (29-Aug-2014 02:44:17AM-0600) the only way to reset the timers is to restart. There's a lot of distributed internal counters and stats behind the main AEPS display so resetting it properly is a little more involved than might appear. * Q: I would like to be able to change the variables of an Atom after right clicking, but it seems like the variables only appear on a left click, which changes the bindings. * A: Good point! Have to look into that! * Q: Having the toolbox be a separate window would be nice so I could see the grid and the toolbox at the same time. * A: mfms is a 'one window' app by pretty deep design, so that would be a major change. But you can get much of the effect by using the scroll wheel over the grid to shrink it a bit, and/or use the arrows or Ctrl-Left-Drag to move the grid, so that the toolbox doesn't cover it up.