CAD Linear Units 

Imported DXF Files: units

1:1 :DXF units equal original DXF drawing units. See also: Edit DXF-Element

 File Options  See also: ZXL file-type.

Extract ZXL Files to:

◉automatically to ZXL sub-directory: we add a sub-directory to the ZXL file and extract all files to it

◉Specify directory: I recommend you select Specify Directory. I usually specify the same path as the ZXL file itself. But I can also select or create a new path.

Enable Auto-Save check-box:

•Select: overwrite the active file-name with the active model at each auto-save.

•De-select: do not auto-save

Note 1: Before Auto-Save becomes active, the model must have a file-name. For new models, do File menu > Save.

# of Backup files

When you open a model, a backup is made with file-extension: CXL.1, .2, ... CXL.#;  and MTD.1, MTD.2, ...MTD.#

# of Commands between Auto-save

When # Edits = # (number), we auto-save your model.

To do this, we:

1.Rename file-name.CXL and file-name.MTD on disk to file-name.~CXL and file-name.~MTD

2.Save the active model to file-name.CXL and file-name.MTD

Tutorials Video Directory : see Tutorials - click the path box to specify the path for Tutorials Videos

User Library Folder -  See Import Library Files - click the path box to specify the path in which you will save your Library-File for your User Library Folder

Database Directory : DO NOT TOUCH! see Help menu > Language Database

Allow Internet Downloads : click the check-box if you will download any tutorials.

 Cam 'Soft Limits'  

Cam Radius-of-Curvature (Rc ∕ Rf)%

Cam Radius-of-Curvature, Rc ∕ Cam-Follower Radius, Rf ) * 100 %

If  | Radius-of-Curvature of the Cam | < % * Radius of the Cam-Follower Roller

•The Cam-Roller may not be able to contact the cam because of undercutting.

•The Cam track becomes red in the graphic-area.

•It is a soft-limit, that is a warning only.

 Theme Options  Themes are not Styles.

Active Theme: After you select a Target Theme, the box shows the Theme.

Target Theme:

•Windows Do not Select!

•Charcoal Dark Style (default)

•Windows10

Note: Mostly, in this help documentation, the Theme is Charcoal Dark Slate.

Note: Digits and Precision are similar to Decimal Places and Significant Figures, but not identical.

Note: Precision of calculations do not change.

 Data Output and Vector Format 

Data-format for data you save from a Graph FB or Cam-Coordinates FB.

•Float Number Format: See Internet Link here about number formats

•Precision and Digits - see below

Read-Only

List separator - the character that separates values in a list of values, especially a CSV file.

Decimal Separator - the character that separates the Characteristic and Mantissa parts of a the number (or the Integral and Fractional parts of a number.

 Dimension Format 

► Show Dimension Names

Click the check-box to show in the graphic-area, the name of each dimension element (and Motion-Dimension).

You can rename any Dimension from the Selection-Window

Data-format of dimensions, in the graphic-area

•Precision - see below

•Digits - see below

•Dimension Font Size - experiment (usually 14 is OK)

•Dimension font. - experiment

Notes :

Precision: The number-of-digits for the full number - before and after the decimal mark.

Digits: The number-of-digits after the decimal separator.

Typically: Min(Precision) ≥ (Digits +3), but depends on your model requirements.

See examples, below

 Display colors 

Edit the color of elements and symbols in the graphic-area.

To help you model, the elements - below - have different colors in different states.

Parts in the Mechanism-Editor:

•Blue Part-Outlines when the Part is not a kinematically-defined Part (Part Not Solved)

•Green Part-Outlines  when the Part is a kinematically-defined Part (Part Solved)

Sketch-Elements in the Part-Editor: are

•Blue: when NOT Geometrically Defined

•Black: when fully Geometrically Defined

CAD-Lines are Dark-Green in the Part-Editor and Mechanism-Editor.

XY-axes in the Mechanism-Editor and Part-Editor are:

•Orange: X–axis arrow

•Green: Y–axis arrow

XYZ-axes (RGB) at the Origin in Model-Editor (RGB):

•Red: X–axis, Green: Y–axis, Blue: Z-Axis

Reference Geometry: Orange

Display Options 

Quality Slider: Low < Quality > High

Use the 'Quality' slider to edit the drawing accuracy of various symbols and sketch-elements.

Display Function-Block 'Name'

To display the name of each Function-Block in the graphic-area it is useful to display the names of Function-Blocks

It is more useful when you rename the Function-Blocks

Do not display Function-Block Names

Default Names for Function-Blocks

It is good practice to rename the Function-Blocks

<<< See left.

See Rename element

 MenU 

Toolbar Icon Size

Large 48x48 - not recommended as you may not see all of the icons in a toolbars

Medium 32x32 - typical use

Small 24x24 - typical use

Tiny 16x16 - too small for me

English (An English Joke about language)

Languages: English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Chinese.

Show Hints

See also Help menu

If you do not need the hints, clear the Show Hints check-box. We still show hints in the Feedback zone.

Text Size

Text in Menus and Dialog-Boxes. They are related to the Icon Size

Large - too big

Medium - OK

Small - a bit small.

 Graphic 

Symbol Display Size (Pixels): The size of elements in the graphic-area, such as Part-Outlines.

Symbol Selection Size (Pixels): The size of the pointer selection pin-head. The larger this number the easier it is to select an element, but you may select than one element.

 Sounds 

Sounds Enabled: check-box to let you listen to a sound each time MechDesigner sends a message to the Message Area in the Feedback-Area.

Click the buttons to hear the sound for each message.

 Default Sizes 

Parameters that apply to Solids. You can change all four in their dialog-boxes, also.

Default Ball Radius

The size of the symbol we use for a Ball-Joint

See also: Add Ball-Joint ; Ball-Joint dialog

Default Bearing Dia.

Default Ground Bearing Dia.

The dimensions that apply to arcs and circles of Auto-Profiles with respect to moving and fixed Pin-Joints, respectively.

See also: Add Auto-Profiles

Default Extrusion Depth

The default dimension of the Extrusion-Depth parameter in the Extrusion dialog

See also: Add Auto-Profile ; Add Auto-Profiles ; Extrusion dialog-box