3.16. The “Main” Toolbar
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## 3.16. The “Main” Toolbar

The main toolbar provides quick access to frequently used items from the menu. This toolbar cannot be customized by the user, but it can be hidden using the View menu, if the space on the screen is needed to show even more packet data.

As in the menu, only the items useful in the current program state will be available. The others will be greyed out (e.g. you cannot save a capture file if you haven’t loaded one).

Figure 3.14. The “Main” toolbar

Table 3.13. Main toolbar items

Toolbar Icon | Toolbar Item | Menu Item | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
| Interfaces…​ | Capture → Interfaces…​ | This item brings up the Capture Interfaces List dialog box (discussed further in Section 4.3, “Start Capturing”).
| Options…​ | Capture → Options…​ | This item brings up the Capture Options dialog box (discussed further in Section 4.3, “Start Capturing”) and allows you to start capturing packets.
| Start | Capture → Start | This item starts capturing packets with the options from the last time.
| Stop | Capture → Stop | This item stops the currently running live capture process Section 4.3, “Start Capturing”).
| Restart | Capture → Restart | This item stops the currently running live capture process and restarts it again, for convenience.
| Open…​ | File → Open…​ | This item brings up the file open dialog box that allows you to load a capture file for viewing. It is discussed in more detail in Section 5.2.1, “The “Open Capture File” dialog box”.
| Save As…​ | File → Save As…​ | This item allows you to save the current capture file to whatever file you would like. It pops up the Save Capture File As dialog box (which is discussed further in Section 5.3.1, “The “Save Capture File As” dialog box”). If you currently have a temporary capture file, the Save icon will be shown instead.
| Close | File → Close | This item closes the current capture. If you have not saved the capture, you will be asked to save it first.
| Reload | View → Reload | This item allows you to reload the current capture file.
| Print…​ | File → Print…​ | This item allows you to print all (or some of) the packets in the capture file. It pops up the Wireshark Print dialog box (which is discussed further in Section 5.8, “Printing packets”).
| Find Packet…​ | Edit → Find Packet…​ | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to find a packet. There is further information on finding packets in Section 6.8, “Finding packets”.
| Go Back | Go → Go Back | This item jumps back in the packet history. Hold down the Alt key (Option on macOS) to go back in the selection history.
| Go Forward | Go → Go Forward | This item jumps forward in the packet history. Hold down the Alt key (Option on macOS) to go forward in the selection history.
| Go to Packet…​ | Go → Go to Packet…​ | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to specify a packet number to go to that packet.
| Go To First Packet | Go → First Packet | This item jumps to the first packet of the capture file.
| Go To Last Packet | Go → Last Packet | This item jumps to the last packet of the capture file.
| Colorize | View → Colorize | Colorize the packet list (or not).
| Auto Scroll in Live Capture | View → Auto Scroll in Live Capture | Auto scroll packet list while doing a live capture (or not).
| Zoom In | View → Zoom In | Zoom into the packet data (increase the font size).
| Zoom Out | View → Zoom Out | Zoom out of the packet data (decrease the font size).
| Normal Size | View → Normal Size | Set zoom level back to 100%.
| Resize Columns | View → Resize Columns | Resize columns, so the content fits into them.
| Capture Filters…​ | Capture → Capture Filters…​ | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to create and edit capture filters. You can name filters, and you can save them for future use. More detail on this subject is provided in Section 6.6, “Defining and saving filters”.
| Display Filters…​ | Analyze → Display Filters…​ | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to create and edit display filters. You can name filters, and you can save them for future use. More detail on this subject is provided in Section 6.6, “Defining and saving filters”.
| Coloring Rules…​ | View → Coloring Rules…​ | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to color packets in the packet list pane according to filter expressions you choose. It can be very useful for spotting certain types of packets. More detail on this subject is provided in Section 10.3, “Packet colorization”.
| Preferences…​ | Edit → Preferences | This item brings up a dialog box that allows you to set preferences for many parameters that control Wireshark. You can also save your preferences so Wireshark will use them the next time you start it. More detail is provided in Section 10.5, “Preferences”
| Help | Help → Contents | This item brings up help dialog box.

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