<chapter id="usage-mainwindow">
<title>The Main Window: Evolution Basics</title>
<para>
Start <application>Evolution</application> by selecting
<guimenuitem>Evolution</guimenuitem> from the
<guisubmenu>Applications</guisubmenu> of the <guimenu>Main
Panel Menu</guimenu>, or by typing
<command>evolution</command> at the command-line.After
<application>Evolution</application> starts up, you will see
the <interface>main window</interface>, which looks a lot like
in <xref linkend="usage-mainwindow-fig">. On the left of the
<interface>main window</interface> are the <interface>shortcut
bar</interface> and the <interface>tree-view</interface>.
Just underneath the title bar is a series of menus in the
<interface>menu bar</interface>, and below that, the
<interface>tool bar</interface> with buttons for different
functions. The largest part of the <interface>main
window</interface> is taken up by a welcome message. <!--
para does not end here but after fig! -->
<!-- ==============Figure=================================== -->
<!--
Make sure that this figure meets its descriptions below: it should
show the shortcut bar, the tree view with some trees expanded, and so
forth. Can these things be labelled with little arrows & stuff?
-->
<figure id="usage-mainwindow-fig">
<title>Evolution Main Window and Inbox</title>
<screenshot>
<screeninfo>Evolution Main Window</screeninfo>
<graphic fileref="fig/mainwindow-pic" format="png" srccredit="Aaron Weber">
</graphic>
</screenshot>
</figure>
<!-- ==============End of Figure=================================== -->
<note>
<title>The Way Evolution Looks</title>
<para>
The appearance of both
<application>Evolution</application> and
<application>GNOME</application> is very easy to
customize, so your screen might not look like this
picture. You might configure
<application>Evolution</application> to start with a
different view, or without the <interface>shortcut
bar</interface> or <interface>tree view</interface>.
</para>
</note>
</para>
<sect1 id="usage-mainwindow-shortcutbar">
<title>The Shortcut Bar</title>
<para>
The buttons in the <interface>shortcut bar</interface> give
you quick access to the different functions that
<application>Evolution</application> provides.
</para>
<para>
The buttons in the <interface>shortcut bar</interface> are:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>
<guibutton>Today</guibutton>, which will bring up a summary
of any new messages you've recieved, along with the tasks and
appointments you have lined up for today.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guibutton>Inbox</guibutton>, which will show you all
of your email. Your Inbox is also where you can
access Evolution's tools to filter, sort, organize,
and search your mail.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
The <guibutton>Calendar</guibutton>, which can store
appointments for you. Connected to a network, you
can use it to keep a group of people on schedule and
up to date.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
The <guibutton>Contacts</guibutton> tool holds your
addresses, phone numbers, and contact information.
Like calendar information, contact data can be
synchronized with hand-held devices and shared over a
network.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
The <guibutton>Tasks</guibutton> tool combines a "to
do" list with reminders to help you keep track of
daily events.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para> <guibutton>Notes</guibutton> is your catch-all
notepad: write <glossterm>haiku</glossterm>, take down
messages from phone conversations, or keep small
things organized.
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
<para>
If you prefer to use a keyboard shortcut, or <glossterm>hot
key</glossterm>, you can use those instead. They're
shown... (INSERT DESCRIPTION) You can also set your own hot
keys for functions that don't have any; this is covered in
<xref linkend="config">. If you're using the keyboard
shortcuts you may also want to hide the <interface>shortcut
bar</interface> by selecting <guimenuitem>Hide/Show Shortcut
Bar</guimenuitem> from the <guimenu>MENU</guimenu> menu.
</para>
</sect1>
<sect1 id="usage-mainwindow-treeview">
<title>The Tree View</title>
<para>
The <interface>tree view</interface> is the most comprehensive way to
get to your information: it can show you everything you've
stored with <application>Evolution</application>
appointments, address cards, emails, and so forth.
The <interface>tree view</interface> display presents your
data like a <glossterm>file tree</glossterm>— it
starts small at the top, and branches downwards. There are a
few folders you will always see, because they're at the top.
On my computer, I have only one: <guilabel>Local</guilabel>.
When I click on the plus sign next to the label, I see the
contents:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Calendar</guilabel>, where you'll find your
appointments and event listings.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Contacts</guilabel>, where your address
cards are stored.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Directories</guilabel>, for search directories, which
have not been implemented yet.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Inbox</guilabel>, for your incoming mail.
This is where you will make the most subfolders.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Outbox</guilabel>, where you can store
copies of mail you have sent, or unsent drafts.
</para>
</listitem>
<listitem>
<para>
<guilabel>Trash</guilabel>, where you can throw things away.
</para>
</listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
<para>
Right-clicking will bring up a menu for just about anything
in GNOME, and <application>Evolution</application> is no
exception. If you right-click on a folder, you'll have a
menu with the following options:
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>Something</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Something</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>Something</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>.
</para>
<tip>
<title>Context-Sensitive Help</title>
<para>
You can almost always get help on an item by
right-clicking it. If you're not sure what something is,
or don't know what you can do with it, right-clicking and
choosing <guimenuitem>Help</guimenuitem> is a good way to
find out.
</para>
</tip>
<para>
If a folder has other folders in it, there will be a plus
sign next to it. Click on the plus sign, and the folder will
open to let you see the other folders inside. This may
change in the future to something more attractive, like
triangles that drop down as you click on them to display the
rest of the tree.
</para>
<para>
Any time new information arrives in a folder, that folder
will be highlighted, or its label displayed as bold
text. You can learn more about customizing
<application>Evolution</application> alerts and appearance
in <xref linkend="config">.
</para>
<para>
Moving and deleting folders and other items works in one of
two ways: using <glossterm>drag-and-drop</glossterm> or by
right-clicking and selecting an item from the
<interface>right-click menu</interface>. You can drag the
folders inside the tree view to change their order or put
one folder inside another. To delete a folder, drag it into
the trash folder or right-click it and select
<guimenuitem>Delete</guimenuitem> from the menu that pops
up. The same goes for individual messages, appointments,
and address cards, whether they're in the <interface>tree
view</interface> or not: drag them where you want them, and
they will go there. <!-- ****This paragraph could use some
work**** -->
</para>
<para>
You can also use the <guimenu>right-click menu</guimenu> to
move, rename, and delete folders.
<guimenuitem>Delete</guimenuitem> function from the
<guimenu>right-click menu</guimenu>.
</para>
<para>
Once you've familiarized yourself with the <interface>main
window</interface> you can start doing things with it.
We'll start with your email inbox: you've got a letter
waiting for you already.
</para>
</sect1>
</chapter>
