|
After launching the application, you automatically enter Train-mode with mixed-string exercises. Another available mode is Select-mode. You can switch between the two modes by clicking the Select/Train button or the function keys F1/F2 or by using Mode in the menu bar.
Topmost in the window you can see
-
the name of the chosen layout followed by its ID number and the corresponding script in brackets when typing a mixed-string exercise or being in the Select-mode
-
the file name when typing a text
-
the title of the web page when typing a web content
Underneath the window title, you see a toolbar with icons of TextEdit, of Mail and of various web browsers. An icon is dimmed when the corresponding application is inactive. Clicking the active icon imports a text into aTypeTrainer4Mac (see 2.1.4). You can close the toolbar using the button in the right top corner of the window of aTypeTrainer4Mac. You can customize the toolbar using View option of the Main Menu.
Underneath the window is a drawer with a virtual keyboard and the numbers 1 to 5, which correspond to the fingers from the thumb to the little finger. If a number is small, the appropriate finger should be positioned above the key without pressing it. The two indexes (2 and 2, both numbers green underlined in the virtual keyboard) are placed above the only keys with a little bump on their surfaces. If the number is large and bold, the corresponding finger should press the key to type the next character. When a key is pressed, a bold black dot appears on the key of the virtual keyboard. The typed signs show up in both input strings and run logs. If alternate keys are used instead of those "recommended" by aTypeTrainer4Mac (i.e. caps lock key instead of shift key, numeric pad keys instead of number keys and numerous other alternatives in various keyboard layouts), the typed signs are underlined. The virtual keyboard in the Train-mode is intended for visual orientation only (please note that the number pad is not represented in the virtual keyboard). For advanced training, you can close the drawer by clicking the -Drawer button.
The virtual keyboard uses an alternate fingering for the number row that is taught in some countries. With this fingering the right hand index finger only reaches to the number 7 key. Traditional touch type fingering has the right hand index finger stretching all the way to the number 6 key. The application may be used with traditional number row fingering but the virtual keyboard only shows alternate number row fingering.
The next character to be typed is placed between two sliders. Correctly typed characters appear in black on a gray background. Wrongly typed characters appear in white on a gray background.
At the end of each line of type (string) the text ends, and you can review your typing speed (characters per minute / words per minute) on that string by looking in the left bottom of the pane. aTypeTrainer4Mac starts the typing speed calculation when typing the first character in the string. To continue, simply press the Space bar (the default string terminator) and a new string of text will appear for you to type.
The application has a built-in unit which registers typing errors. When typing a mixed-string, each wrongly typed character has to be typed three times more. Typing errors will affect the next mixed-string. When typing an imported text, each wrongly typed word has to be typed three times more after the text is finished.
The pop-up menu in the left bottom corner of the main window manages the typing priority:
-
Option Quantity allows you to go on typing even if you made a typing error.
- Option Quality requires you to retype a wrongly typed character before going on with the typing exercise (default).
- Option Accuracy requires you to use the backspace key before retyping a wrongly typed character.
To learn to type rhythmically and to increase your typing speed, you can use the built-in metronome. After the first launching, it is set to 60 BPM (beats per minute). You can adjust the frequency using the pop-up menu in the right top corner of the window. The built-in metronome is unstable in some situations, especially on slower Macs at higher frequencies. Alternatively, you could use an online metronome or Metronome app or an external metronome.
|
