The term hard key refers to all of the buttons on the instrument face except for the vertical row of gray buttons adjacent to the measurement display. These eight gray buttons are called soft keys, and they are used to activate virtual soft key buttons within the measurement display screen. This soft key display area (soft key menu) is also called the active function block. Refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview (item 2) and Figure: Vector Network Analyzer Smith Chart Display (item 6) and Figure: Typical Spectrum Analyzer Display Screen (item 6).

Pressing this key cancels any setting that is currently being made. Refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview (item 3). The Esc key is located directly above the eight soft keys.

Press this key to finalize data input. Pressing the rotary knob performs this same function. Refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview (item 12). The Enter key is located directly below the Number 3 key in the number keypad.

The four arrow keys (between the rotary knob and the Esc key) are used to scroll up, down, left, or right. Refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview (item 8). The arrow keys can often be used to change a value or to change a selection from a list. This function is similar to the function of the rotary knob. The arrow keys are also used to move markers.

Pressing the Shift key (refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 9 and Figure: Shift Key Icon) and then a number key executes the function that is indicated in blue text above the number key. When the Shift key is pressed (when it is active), its icon is displayed in the upper right corner of the measurement display area between the battery charge indicator and the soft key menu label.

Press this key to delete only one character, one number, or the range that is specified by the cursor. The Back key is located directly above the Number 7 key in the number keypad.

Press this key to change the sign of numbers that are entered with the number keys. The Plus/Minus (+/-) key is located directly above the Number 8 key in the number keypad.

These keys are used to directly input numeric values.

Turning the rotary knob (refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 10) changes numerical values, scrolls through selectable items from a list, and moves markers. Values or items may be within a dialog box or an edit window. Markers are moved within the sweep window.

Pressing this knob finalizes the input function in the same manner as pressing the Enter key.

These five function keys (refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 14) are horizontally arranged adjacent to the measurement display screen along the lower edge. These buttons have no labels. As with the soft keys, they are positioned to accompany virtual key labels that are displayed to match instrument modes and functions. These function hard key labels change to match specific instrument Mode settings. Each Mode uses a specific set of Function Hard Keys. For details about selecting the Mode, refer to the Section Mode Selector. In some manuals, such as Measurement Guides, the Function Hard Keys are referred to as Main Menu Keys.

These eight gray keys have no labels (refer to Figure: Front Panel Overview, item 4). They are arranged adjacent to the measurement display screen along the right-hand edge. They are positioned to accompany virtual soft key labels that are displayed to match instrument modes and measurement functions. These soft key labels (also called the Active Function Block) change as instrument measurement settings change. In some manuals, such as Measurement Guides, the Soft Keys are referred to as Submenu Keys.

The following Soft Key Types describes how these keys are used:

 

A Select soft key has a small circle in the upper right corner of the virtual key face and is used to select the function or item that is displayed on the virtual soft key label. When not selected, the circle is gray. When selected, the circle is red to indicate that the function is active.

Press the key to make the selection. Press a different key to make a different selection.

A Select soft key may also be a Switching soft key. Switching soft keys show both a gray circle and an arrow mark (-->).

A Select soft key may change to a Switching soft key when active. These keys show only the gray circle when not active, but show the arrow mark as well as the red circle when active. Refer to section Switching.

An Input soft key is used to select an item or a value. This type of soft key displays the setting parameter and the setting value on the virtual key face. When the key is pressed, a select box or edit box may open on the display screen, or the key face may turn a darker gray color to show that the setting is being made. At any time before finalizing the input, press the escape (Esc) key to abort the change and retain the previously existing setting.

To set or select an item or a value, use the number keys, the arrow keys, or the rotary knob. Press the rotary knob or the Enter key to finalize data input. If a value is being selected or entered, then the soft key Active Function Block may change to provide one or more soft keys for units, such a Hz or dB. Pressing a unit soft key sometimes finalizes the data input in the same manner as pressing the Enter key. If more than one unit key is displayed, then pressing the Enter key without first pressing a unit key selects a specific unit by default. The specific default units are described along with soft key descriptions that are included in the analyzer chapters and the Measurement Guides.

With some functions, only a specific set of values are valid. When scrolling with the Up/Down arrow keys or the rotary knob, only valid values are offered. If different values are set with the number keypad, then those values might not be accepted. Even if different values are accepted on the soft key face, the values may not be valid for the selected measurement. Your knowledge of measurement functions must be used to determine acceptable values.

A Toggle soft key displays the setup item and the toggle states. Toggle states may be On and Off or may be a selection of types or values such as Reference Impedance: 50 ohm or 75 ohm.

Each press of the Toggle soft key moves the selection to the next value or item in sequence. The selected item or value is underlined on the virtual key face.

A Switching soft key is used to open an additional soft key menu, and it has an arrow mark (-->) in the lower right corner of the virtual key face.

Some Select soft keys become Switching soft keys after being pressed (after becoming active). These keys may not display the arrow mark until they are active (their circle is red). An additional press, after the circle is red and the arrow mark is displayed, opens the additional soft key menu. Refer to section Select.

The Switching soft key that is labeled More opens a menu with additional soft key functions. The Switching soft key that is labeled Back returns to a previous soft key menu. The Back key has the arrow mark (<--) in the lower left corner of the virtual key face.

Pop‑up list boxes, edit boxes, and dialog boxes are used to provide selection lists and selection editors. Scroll through a list of items or parameters with the arrow keys or the rotary knob. Select numerical values by scrolling with the arrow keys or rotary knob or by entering the digits directly from the number keypad. These list boxes and edit boxes frequently display a range of possible values or limits for possible values.

Finalize the input by pressing the rotary knob or the Enter key. At any time before finalizing the input, press the escape (Esc) key to abort the change and retain the previously existing setting.

Cable parameters can be added to list boxes by creating them in Line Sweep Tools (LST). Signal Standard parameters can be added to list boxes by creating them in Master Software Tools (MST). Refer to Anritsu Tool Box for a brief overview of these software tools.