The Panel popdown allows you to set up aspects of the Cambridge Z88's operation to suit your own preferences. You can alter the rate at which keys on the keyboard auto-repeat when you hold them down, the time after which the Cambridge Z88 will automatically switch off, the default device and directory used by the Filer, and the parameters for the serial interface.
You can call up the panel by typing 
S (for Settings).
Altering the panel
To alter an option on the panel, first select it by moving the cursor to the appropriate line with the cursor keys 
, 
, 
and 
. Then type in the new value for the option, and press
In the case of options with alternative values you can also select between the alternatives by giving the Next Option command, 
J, or you can specify the option you want by typing the option's first letter.
You can save a particular set of panel settings in a panel file, using the Save command on the FILES menu. Selecting the New command on the FILES menu returns the settings to their initial values.
Panel options
For each of the following options the initial default value is shown in brackets.
Note that options marked + affect only the state of new activities, and existing activities retain their original settings.
Keyboard options
Auto-repeat rate (6): determines the rate at which keys auto-repeat when held down continuously. Smaller values increase the repeat rate. A value of 0 gives no auto-repeat.
Keyclick (No): altering the option to Yes gives an audible bleep at each keypress, to provide additional feedback during touch-typing.
+ Insert/Overtype (Insert): in Insert mode text typed at the keyboard is inserted at the cursor position, and subsequent text on the line moves to the right to make space for the new text. Some typists prefer Overtype mode, in which text types over any text previously on the line. To insert text in Overtype mode you need to make a gap in the line with the Insert Character command U first.
Filer options
+ Default device (:RAM.0): the device to and from which files are saved and loaded, which is set to the internal RAM memory filing system by default. It can also be set to :RAM.1, :RAM.2, or :RAM.3, corresponding to the three RAM cards.
+ Default directory: allows a path of one or more directories, which should already exist, to be specified for all filing-system operations. By default the top-level directory is selected.
Machine options
Timeout (mins) (5): determines the time after which the Cambridge Z88 will switch off if nothing is typed at the keyboard; a value of 0 disables timeout. Setting the timeout to 2 minutes will extend the effective battery life of the Cambridge Z88 (1 minute is possible but not recommended for normal use).
Sound (Yes): allows the internal sound system to be switched off.
Map (Yes): allows the PipeDream page map display to be turned off if not required. Typing and editing will be marginally faster when the map is disabled.
Map size (80): allows the size of the map to be altered up to a maximum of 92 characters across, or 255 characters across on an expanded machine. See Expanded/Unexpanded,
Date format (European): determines the format for all dates in the Cambridge Z88; the default date format is European, so that dates are recognised in the form:
day/month/year
The option can be changed to American to work with the format
month/day/year
Serial port parameters
Transmit baud rate (9600) / Receive baud rate (9600): can both be set to any of the following values:
75, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 9600, 19200, 38400
Parity (None): can be set to None, Space, Mark, Odd, or Even. The number of data bits is 8 if None is specified, or 7 otherwise.
Xon/Xoff (Yes): determines whether the serial communication protocol uses Xon/Xoff.
The number of start and stop bits is fixed as follows:
Transmit: 1 start bit, 2 stop bits.
Receive: 1 start bit, 1 stop bit.
Note: In versions of the Operating System up to and including 3.0 ODD and EVEN parity settings do not result in correct behaviour.