The control panel window is a central point of control for the CAD system. While there are various shortcuts to commands inherent to the program, the control panel is where every CAD command can be executed. CAD commands or actions are performed using either units or events (or both). In order to take an action against either a unit or event, it must first be “selected”. The process of selecting is simple. On the Control Panel, there is a field labeled “Unit” and a field labeled “Event”. When the unit field displays the value of a particular unit id, that unit is regarded as being selected. Likewise, when the event field displays a certain event #, that event is regarded as selected. Units can be selected from a drop down list of unit resources that have been configured into your system code tables. The units that appear in this drop down list represent your complete list of configured resources and not just those that are currently on duty or “In Service”(IS). Events can be selected by entering the event number directly into the event field. Units and Events can also be selected via drag & drop operations and via status monitor menus, which will be discussed later.
The Event number format consists of a 10-digit number. The format for that
number is as follows: Digits 1-6 represents the date in Year-Month-Day
format, followed by a 4-digit sequence number. In the illustration above
the event number is ‘0510060013’. This represents the year 2005 (05),
the month of November (10), the 6th day (06) and the 13th event (0013)
to have been documented on that day.
Once a unit and/or event is selected actions may be taken relating to them. Example: once a unit and event are selected, you may dispatch that unit to that event by clicking the Dispatch button. Once the unit has been dispatched, you may place that unit Enroute by clicking the Enroute button. These commands and the various ways you can use them will be discussed later in this document.
Due to the
critical nature of the CAD command window, this window will always remain
“on top” positioned on top of other open windows.