Contextual-Help: Tool-tips, F1, '?'

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner >

Contextual-Help: Tool-tips, F1, '?'

TOOL-TIPS: While you are using MechDesigner:

When you start using MechDesigner, you will need to look up the Local-Help for each command - see below. As you become more familiar with MechDesigner, you can use Tool-tips. Tool-Tips show the name of the command, and a short hint of how to use it, or what the command does.

Eventually, you will not need the tool-tips.

To see a tool-tip: move your mouse-pointer above a toolbar icon, and pause a short time.

If you do not want to see Tool-Tips:

Show / hide tool-tips :

1.Click Edit menu (or toolbar) > Application-Settings | Accessibility tab > Menus >

2.Clear the Enable Hints and Tool-tips check-box

 - or -

1.Click Help menu > Toggle Hints (2×?)

Local-Help

From MechDesigner 15.1, we install the Local Help at the same time you install MechDesigner.

To download the latest Local-Help

Run MechDesigner as Administrator

In the Windows Desktop:

1.Right-click the MechDesigner icon.  

2.Click Run as Administrator

3.Click Help menu > Download Latest Help...

Click 'Download Now' to install the Local Help

Click 'Download Now' to install the Local Help

4.Click the Download Now button.

5.Check the Feedback-Area > Messages

See Permissions if the message is:

Failed to Create: C:\ProgramData\PSMotion\Help\MechDesigner.chm,

If the progress-bar under the Download Now button is making progress, then please wait until the last message is:

Download Successful.
tog_minusTo get contextual Help for Commands, Dialogs, and Parameters:

You open the Local-Help when you open the contextual-help for a command, dialog-box, or parameter.

Command Help:

 

COMMAND HELP: Press the F1 key to open the local help at the 'Machine Settings' topic

COMMAND HELP:

1.Move your mouse-pointer above a toolbar command, or a toolbar icon

2.On a desktop, press the F1 function key.

or

2.On a laptop with a reduced key set, press the Fn+F1 keys together.

Dialog-box Help: 

DIALOG-BOX HELP: Click the '?' to open the local help at the 'Add Dimension' topic.

DIALOG-BOX HELP: 

There are four small icons at the top of each dialog box:

1.Click the DialogHelp icon.

The help for that dialog-box will open.

Parameter Help:
PARAMETER HELP: Click when the parameter help '?' shows, to open help at the parameter topic

PARAMETER HELP: 

Parameters are the data you can edit for an element in its dialog-box.

You will frequently find an icon to the left of a parameter.

1.Move your mouse-pointer over the Parameter icon that is to the left of its data-box.

The help icon Help shows over the icon.

2.Carefully, move your mouse-pointer slightly down. The Help icon shows above the parameter's icon, but your mouse-pointer is not over the Help icon.

3.Click you mouse.
tog_minusVideo: How to show Contextual Help for Commands, Dialog-boxes, and Parameters

 

Getting Help from within the Mechdesigner Application.

 
tog_minusHow to use the Local Help CHM application:
Contents tab

Contents tab

There are four(4) tabs at the top of the Topics;

Contents tab (default) -

Show the Table of Contents

 
Index tab

Index tab

Index tab

Enter a keyword they you would like to find. Then click one of the links to the keyword.

These are the keywords that the author has entered,

You should be able to find the relevant topic.

If you cannot find the topic you want, try the Search tab
Search tab

Search tab

Search tab

•Enter a term, and click List Topics.

•Select a topic and click Display, or Double-click a topic in the list.

•Create Boolean searches with "AND", "OR", "NOT" and "NEAR".

At the bottom of the Search tab:

•Select Search previous results to use only the previously found topics for the next search. This allows you to narrow down your search by adding keywords.

•Select Match similar words to highlight similar words in the found topics, or Search titles only to find only topics with the keyword in the title.
tog_minusPath Permissions:

You may need ask your I.T. department for these Windows' permissions on your PC.

A)Do you have permission to see C:/Program Data ?

1.Go to Files Explorer > View tab > Show/Hide panel

☑Click Hidden items

B)Do you have permission to download the local-help file ?

Start as Administrator to download the Local Help

1.Navigate to: C:\ProgramData\PSMotion\Help

2.Right-Click the Help path-name

3.Click Properties at the bottom of the contextual-menu, to open the

In the Help Properties dialog.

4.Click the Security tab

5.Click the Edit button, to open the Properties for Help dialog

6.In the Group or user-names box, click the Users group (usually)

7.In Properties for Help dialog, click the Allow check-box, for the Write option.

8.Click the Apply button, then the OK button to close the Properties for Help dialog.

9.Click the OK button to close the Help Properties dialog.

Now you should be able to automatically download the latest help file.