File Pull-Down Menu
- Once the pressure vessel is created, in addition to loading the model into the FEA Editor environment, you can export the geometry to either xml, igs. or Excel file format using the Export command. The igs format will be a trimmed surface file which is usually associated with solid models, but it works well for plate/shell models, too.
- Selecting the Print command will print the current image in the display area.
- Select the Done command to load the model into the FEA Editor environment.
View Pull-Down Menu
- The Mesh Only command will display an unshaded wireframe of the model.
- The Shaded Mesh / New Style command will display the model shaded according to part number with back mesh lines.
- The Shaded Mesh / Old Style command will display the model shaded gray with the mesh lines colored according to part number.
- The Shaded Only command will display the model shaded according to part number with no mesh lines.
- The Show Dimensions command can be used to toggle the display of the dimension names on and off in the Preview area. The dimension names correspond to the variables shown after the text label in the Input area. Use the Model
Colors command to set the color used for the dimension names. - The command in the Mouse Mode pull-out menu can be used to manipulate the view in the preview area. When the cursor is in the preview area, the shape reflects the selected command. The commands are:
- Rotate: dynamically rotate the model by holding the left mouse button and dragging the mouse around the screen. An alternative way to rotate the model dynamically is by pressing down the wheel button on your mouse and then dragging the mouse around the screen.
- Zoom: dynamically zoom the model by holding the left mouse button and dragging the mouse. Move the mouse up the screen to zoom in, or move the mouse down the screen to zoom out. An alternative way to zoom the model dynamically is by pressing down the <Shift> key and the wheel button on your mouse and then dragging the mouse up and down.
- Rectangle Zoom: Draw a box to zoom in on a portion of the model. Drag the mouse from one corner to the opposite corner to define a box.
- Pan: Dynamically pan the model by holding the left mouse button and dragging the mouse. An alternative way to pan the model dynamically is by pressing down the <Ctrl> key and the wheel button on your mouse and then dragging the mouse around the screen.
- The commands in the Orientation pull-out menu will allow you to select the view displayed in the Preview area (top view, front view, enclose the view, and so on).
- The Toolbars pull-out menu can be used to customize which toolbars are displayed.
Model Menu
- The Parts, Heads, Mesh and Thickness commands provide access to dialog boxes that define the parameters used to create the pressure vessel. These menus are enabled only when creating a single nozzle vessel. See the page Creating a Pressure Vessel With a Single Nozzle for details.
- The Preferences command provides access to the Preview Properties dialog box.
- The Clipping Planes command provides access to the Clipping Planes Settings dialog box. You can define slice planes that hide the model on one side.
- The Colors command provides access to the Color Selection dialog box. Clicking in any of the colored boxes brings up a menu with all of the available colors. You can select the color that you want to use for that specific item. To change the font used for the preview text, press the button next to Arial, 8 and choose a new font.
- The Dialog Position menu can be used to specify the position at which you want the free floating input dialog boxes to be launched. Although each dialog box can be dragged to a different position on the screen, they reappear in the chosen location each time the dialog is re-opened.