<sect1 id="sect-gui-overview">
  <title>Overview</title>

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  <para>
    This part of the &gnum; manual
    explains the pieces of the software that users can manipulate. The
    menus, the toolbars and the cell grid area comprise what is called
    the graphical user interface of an application because it is an
    interface --- a way to interact with Gnumeric --- which is made of
    graphical elements --- pictures --- designed to be used by human
    users.
  </para>

  <para>
    &gnum; opens by default with a view
    of an empty workbook which is called "Book 1" and which contains
    three worksheets: "Sheet1", "Sheet2", and "Sheet3" as can be seen
    in <xref linkend="fig-gui-overview-gnumeric-labelled" />. The
    outermost portion of the window is not actually part of
    &gnum; and may look different on
    different machines. &gnum; attempts
    to place its name and the name of the workbook on this outer
    portion.
  </para>
  
  <para>
    The majority of spreadsheet work is done while interacting with
    this view of &gnum;. All of the
    functions which &gnum; provides can
    be accessed quickly from here. The graphic elements of
    &gnum; are made of several
    independent pieces.  <xref
    linkend="fig-gui-overview-gnumeric-labelled" /> shows a newly
    opened, empty Gnumeric with the principle elements labelled.
  </para>

  <figure id="fig-gui-overview-gnumeric-labelled">
    <title>The Gnumeric worksheet elements</title>
    <mediaobject>
      <imageobject>
	<imagedata fileref="figures/gnumeric-labelled.png" format="PNG" />
      </imageobject>
    </mediaobject>
  </figure>

  <para>
    The elements names are listed below along with a reference to
    the section that discusses that element. Those reading this document
    on their computers may be able to click on the references to jump to
    that section of the manual.
  </para>
  
  <variablelist>
    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">1</emphasis>
	  The menubar
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>The menubar provides access to the core
	  functions of GNOME. Almost everything that can
	  be done in &gnum;
	  can be done through the menus. The menus and
	  menubar are discussed in <xref linkend="sect-gui-menus" />. </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">2</emphasis>
	  The standard toolbar
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>
	  The standard toolbar provides shortcuts for the most used
	  items in the menus. The toolbars are discussed in <xref
	  linkend="sect-gui-toolbars" /> and this toolbar in particular in
	  <xref linkend="std-toolbar" />.
	</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">3</emphasis>
	    The format toolbar
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>
	  The format toolbar changes the display properties of data in
	  the workbook. It is presented in <xref linkend="fmt-toolbar"
	  />, part of the general discussion of toolbars of <xref
	  linkend="sect-gui-toolbars" />.
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
   
    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">4</emphasis>
	  The object toolbar
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>This toolbar enables the user to draw graphic elements
	on the sheet, such as text labels, big red circles or thin
	green arrows. These can be used to bring attention to a
	particular part of a worksheet. The object toolbar is
	explained in <xref linkend="obj-toolbar" /> in the <xref
	linkend="sect-gui-toolbars" /> portion of the manual.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    
    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">5</emphasis>
	    The data entry area
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>The data entry area is useful for the
	  modification of complex formulas. It is discussed in
	  <xref linkend="data-entry" />. </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
      
    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">6</emphasis>
	  The cell grid area
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>The cell area lies in the middle of all the rest. The
	cell area includes the row and column labels, the scrollbars
	and the tabs below. The use of these elements is explained in
	<xref linkend="cell-grid" />.</para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    
    <varlistentry>
      <term>
        <emphasis role="bold">7</emphasis>
	  The information area
      </term>
      <listitem>
	<para>This area is used by
	  &gnum; to give
	  feedback on the status of certain
	  operations. This information is explained in
	  <xref linkend="info-area" />. </para>
      </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
    
  </variablelist>
  
  <para>
    The next chapters will explain each of these elements. <xref
    linkend="sect-gui-menus" /> will explain the menus, <xref
    linkend="sect-gui-toolbars" /> will explain the toolbars, <xref
    linkend="data-entry" /> will explain the data entry area, <xref
    linkend="cell-grid" /> will explain the cell grid area, and <xref
    linkend="info-area" /> will explain the information area.
  </para>
  
        <!-- A few of these functions are complicated (and powerful) so
	they are explained in larger sections later in the manual. The next
	section gives references to those detailled so that readers looking
	for advanced information can skip to those sections directly. -->



</sect1>
 



