ABOUT VISTA'S DESKTOP

ViSta's DeskTop window has three window-panes. By default, you see all window-panes at the same time. You can use the various MAXIMIZE items of the DESKTOP menu to focus exclusively on one specific pane. 

When you use a MAXIMIZE item it is replace with a RESTORE DESKTOP item. The RESTORE DESKTOP item restores your view of all window-panes . The DEFAULT DESKTOP item restores your view to the original default view.

The window-panes are described briefly below. More information is available by reading appropriate subtopics of the USING THE DESKTOP help topic.

WORKMAP
The upper-left window-pane is the WorkMap. The WorkMap maps the steps you take during a data analysis session. The map is constructed and displayed as your analysis progresses. At first, before you start analyzing your data, there is no map.  As you step through your data analysis, icons representing data analysis steps are added to the WorkMap. The icons are usually connected to previous icons by lines that show the flow of your data analysis steps.  


SELECTOR
At the upper-right is the SELECTOR, which itself consists of two small window-panes. The Selector display lists of the observations and variables in the currently active data object (when there is one). You can select items in these lists to form subsets of the data.

LISTENER
The Listener window-pane displays messages about the system, and lets you type commands in ViSta's underlying languages.
