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A starter window displays all the parameters of a starter which you may set and change. For each combination of initial point and curve there is a specific starter and, correspondingly, a set of parameters which control its performance. After you choose the types of the initial point and the curve to be computed, MatCont loads the appropriate starter and displays the window associated with it.

The number and meaning of the parameters in the window depend on the particular system and starter but all the windows have the same layout. The window is divided into sections. A section has the title at the top of it. The title marks the beginning of a section and has no other purpose. There are one or more lines below the title of a section. Each line displays the value of one parameter. The name of a parameter is displayed on the left side of the line while the current value of the parameter is shown and adjustable on the right side.

The way you set or change the value of a parameter depends on the kind of the parameter. There are several kinds of parameter:

Kind of parameter

Representation and modification of values

Number

values are represented by numbers, integer or float depending on particular parameter. To change the value, click on it with the mouse and then use the keyboard as usual. You have to press the Enter key or move to another input box to indicate that you have completed typing.

Number with state is the same as Number with the extension that a parameter may be in one of two states: active or frozen. The active state of a parameter is indicated by the highlighting the radio button in front of its name and the frozen state is indicated by the absence of the highlighting (empty radio button). You can change the state of such a parameter by clicking on the radio button in front of the name. The parameters of dynamical systems are of this kind.
Exclusive list values are represented by a set of identiefiers with each identifier denoting one possible value of a parameter. Only one identifier representing the current value is visible. To change the value click it until the desired value appears.

The number of parameters may be greater than the window can accomodate. In such a case use the scroll bar at the right edge of the window to make other parameters visible.