---
title: "Formatting"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/DOCSGUIDE/113290767/Formatting"
format: markdown
---
## **Format UI Elements**

 

> ⚠️ Spell the UI item exactly as it appears in the UI, whether capitalized or not.

|  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Item ** | **Formatting ** | **Example ** |
| Filenames and extensions | Italics | Open the file *Engine_Start.mb*.<br>Export the data to a *.vrmat* file. |
| Rollout name | Bold | You can find it in the **Properties** rollout. |
| Tab name | Bold | They are set from the **Caustics** tab in the Render Settings. |
| Button that the user clicks | Bold | Click the **Start **button. |
| Value user types in<br>This refers to values the user has to type with the keyboard. | Italics | For the Intensity multiplier value, enter *0.5*. |
| Slider values for user to slide to | Italics | Use the slider to set the AA Quality value to *25%*. |
| Dropdown item that user needs to choose | Bold | Choose **Default **from the dropdown<br>Choose the **Default **option from the dropdown |
| Checkbox to be enabled or disabled | Bold | To avoid this, enable the **Compensate Energy** option. |
| Parameter names | Bold | **Caustics** – Enable the use of caustics in the scene. |
| Menu choice | Bold separated by > |  |
| Key to press on keyboard | Bold | Press the **B** key |
| Other UI elements | Bold | **V-Ray** menu > **Cameras** > **Physical Camera** |
| Nouns after parameter names such as value, parameter, option, key, node, etc. | No special formatting | Choose the **Default **option from the dropdown.<br>Press the **B** key. |

 

  

## **Software and UI Language Notes**

- Setup vs. Set up vs. Set-up:
  - Do not use Set-up (with hyphen)
  - Setup is a noun; set up is a verb
- Plug-in not plugin
- Dialog not dialogue
  - Window -  A free-floating UI element with parameters, buttons, etc.
  - Dialog - A window that requires an entry or response in order to continue. Example: a color picker or color chooser that requires a color selection.
  - Pop-up - A window that pops up
- Color correction not color corrections


### **Formatting Tutorials **

These instructions pertain specifically to tutorials. 

- Refer to UI items exactly as they appear in the UI.
- Right: Select the VRayMtl node.
  Wrong: Select the VRay Material node.
  The "wrong" sentence is wrong because there is no node in the UI that is actually labelled VRay Material.
- Never use quote marks to denote a UI element. If in doubt, use bold.
- Do not refer to steps by number, as these step numbers can be easily changed when the document is edited. Instead, refer to the step by its actions or content. Instead of saying "Repeat step 6," say "Repeat the step where you initiated the driver."
- Avoid referring to images directly where possible. For example, try not to say "in the image at right..." Instead, put captions on images. This avoids problems if the image being referred to is later deleted or moved to another part of the document.
- When referring to a parameter, you can either refer to it as a label on its own, or put a noun like value, option, parameter, etc. after it. If you put "the" before a parameter name, you must put a noun after it, such as: value, option, parameter, selection, key, node, material, etc.  If you refer to the label on its own, do not use "the".
  - Right: Set the Glossiness value to 1.
  - Right: Set the Glossiness parameter to 1.
  - Right: Choose the Default selection from the dropdown menu.
  - Right: Set Glossiness to 1.
  - Right: Choose Default from the dropdown menu.
  - Right: Press B.
  - Right: Press the B key.
  - Wrong: Set the Glossiness to 1.
  - Wrong: Choose the Default from the dropdown menu.
  - Wrong: Press the B.

 

|  |  | **Examples ** |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **UI Item ** | **Language Usage ** | **Wrong ** | **Right ** |
| Checkbox | Enable or disable | Check the On checkbox<br>Uncheck the On checkbox | Enable the On checkbox<br>Disable the On checkbox |
| Tabs | "Under" or "in" a tab | On the Render tab, click Choose. | Under the Render tab, click Choose. |
| Clickon | Always click, not click on | Under the Render tab, click on Choose. | Under the Render tab, click Choose. |
| Right-click or left-click | Hyphen between | Right click, left click | Right-click, left-click |
| Keypress | Press the __ key (preferred)<br>Press __ | Hit Enter | Press the Enter key<br>Press Enter |
| Shift, Ctrl or Alt with other keys | Shift+[key label] | Press Shift-F1 | Press Shift+F1 |

   

### **Windows/macOS file paths**

For Windows: You can use <span style="color: #202124">%APPDATA%, %TEMP%, %USERPROFILE% instead of C:\Users\<username>\. </span>

<span style="color: #202124">For macOS: use ˜/</span>


<span style="color: #202124">This way, if a user copies the file path, they will be able to directly open it. </span>

<span style="color: #202124">The other way of using C:\Users\... is still valid!</span>