While every effort has been made to make this web site easy to navigate, it is understood that there may be occasions when some visitors may need a bit of extra help.  The information in this section is very condensed!  To maximize its use it must be read thoroughly.  While this section is not intended to replace your software help files, there are various keywords and topics introduced here that will assist with recognizing what to look for in them.  In many cases the information given here should be enough to get you on your way quickly.  If it does not, then please consult your software help documentation, or some other help source.


SMS - File Viewing

In most cases your web browser will be sufficient to view the files on this web, but there are some exceptions:

• Adobe Acrobat PDF
• Use the free Portable Document Format file viewer from Adobe.
• Microsoft Word DOC
• MS Word documents can be viewed with a free viewer from MS if you are unable to open it with software currently on your computer.
  

At the bottom of this page are a few help links that may further assist you with these and other basic computing tasks.


SMS - File Downloading

You can typically download a file from any link (including those distributed in e-mails) by using a mouse pointer "right-click" function (Ctrl+click in Mac OS) on the link and select the appropriate response from the resulting pop-up menu (typically "Copy Link Location", or "Save Target As...", or something similar).

If you are unable to save the file with a mouse right-click on the link, then click on the link to view the file.  Then, from the main menu bar select: "File", then "Save As".

The help documentation of your software program (e-mail client, browser, etc.) will give you more accurate details on these processes.  In the Microsoft Windows OS you can typically get help for wherever you are by hitting the "F1" key.

At the bottom of this page are a few help links that may further assist you with these and other basic computing tasks.


SMS - Site and Page Navigation

The most common navigation problem in surfing the web is getting stuck on a page that has no link returning you to the index for that page.  Your browser's "Back" function can assist you with this problem, and is describe in detail here (further below).

The simplest way to keep from getting lost on this site is to bookmark the home page (which contains the main table of contents), you should always be able to retrace your steps from here.  Frequently visited pages may be bookmarked as well to save time.

If you ever get a page not found error as a result of connecting to this web through a saved bookmark or link you can try again later, and/or check that the page has not moved by starting from the home page.

Your browser is equipped with tools to aid you in navigating sites on the web.  There is typically a tool bar that can be enabled that will allow you to navigate with your mouse pointer.  The most common tool bar commands for navigation are: Page Forward/Back, Stop (the page load), Refresh (or reload the page).  Most of these navigation commands have keyboard equivalents, and they are also available through the main menu bar.  These and other common commands are explained below.

One nifty tool bar (and menu) feature that is not typically available from the keyboard is the ability to skip several pages back (or forward) in your current navigation session.  Most browser tool bars have a small "down" arrow beside the left & right arrows that when clicked will enable a drop down list (in order) of the pages you have visited, which will allow you to skip more than one page back (or forward) with a single click.

Keyboard and mouse shortcuts and functions can help you navigate more efficiently through a web, and help reduce the chance of RSI (repetitive stress injuries) associated with computer use.  Many of these functions are similar, if not the same, across various software packages (especially browsers), and system platforms (operating systems like Linux, MS Windows, and the Mac OS).  Here are some of the more useful ones:

NOTE: Most keyboard commands will work only where the program window "focus" is!  You can easily shift the focus to the area you want manipulated (such as the text being viewed) by clicking on it with your mouse pointer (but don't click on a link!).

• Common Keyboard Navigation Functions on the Web
• Ctrl-F - Find text on a page.  This feature is especially useful for skipping to a specific text string (like a name) in a long page (such as the Event Results and Event Records files!).
  
• Alt+Arrow Key Left/Right - Page Back (left-arrow) and Forward (right-arrow) through your current browsing session.
  
• Arrow Key Up/Down (or Left/Right) - Scroll Up & Down (side scroll bar), or left & right on (bottom scroll bar) the page.
• Page Up/Down - Fast Scroll Up & Down the page.
• Home/End - Typically jumps to the beginning or end of a page.
• Esc (Escape) - Stops the page load process.  This can be useful if you encounter a page that seems "stuck" on loading.
  
  
• Common Mouse Navigation Functions on the Web
• Links - The mouse pointer will typically turn into a (pointing) hand when it is hovered over a link.  Simply click the link to navigate (but you probably already know this because you are here :"> ).  A "right-click" function on a link however can open up a menu bar with a number of time saving options.
• Right-Click - "When in doubt, right-click."  Remember this one and you will look like a computer pro in no time.  Right-clicking on various links, images, text, objects, etc., will typically offer a different pop up menu (depending on what you click on) that will enable you to perform a wide variety of functions.
  NOTE: The MAC OS v8+ equivalent to this command is Control+Click (hold the Control [or Ctrl.] key and click the mouse button).
• Scroll Bar - Click, Click & Drag
  
• Scroll Bars are only available if the document you are viewing is formatted to be larger than your current program window size.  Maximizing the program window will occasionally eliminate scroll bars, especially the bottom one.
  
• Click & Drag the Scroll Bar Button to scroll in the direction you drag it.  The side scroll bar allows you to go up & down.  The bottom scroll bar allows you to go left & right.
  
• Click the arrows at either end of the scroll bar to move the document up & down (or left & right).
  
• Click the shaded area above or below the scroll bar button to jump one page height at a time up or down (side bar), or from side to side (bottom bar).
• Adobe Acrobat - Scrolling in Acrobat files is commonly done as described above.  Additionally (with the correct tool selected), if you hover the mouse pointer over the page you will see a hand that appears to grasp the page when the mouse "select" button is held down.  Click & Drag the hand on the page to move the page.

Note:
Some settings (like keyboard scrolling in browsers) can be adjusted (by editing preferences, or properties, or options, etc.).

The help documentation of your software program (e-mail client, browser, etc.) will give you more accurate details on these processes.  In the Microsoft Windows OS you can typically get help for wherever you are by hitting the "F1" key.

• Mac Keyboard Help - Good basic information.
  
• Windows 98 Tutorial - If you are a MS Windows user your time here will be well spent!  While this site is intended for Win98, most of the information is easily transferable to XP, ME, 2K, etc.