The User Interface

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner >

The User Interface

The Display and User Interface

Notes

As MechDesigner starts, you may need to click OK in a pop-up to give permission to check your license status.

The first time you start MechDesigner, you must select a Theme. The Theme in these tutorials is Charcoal Dark Slate. It also uses the Dark style . See Themes, Styles and Settings.

Each time you start MechDesigner, you start a new project automatically.


TOP-TIP

Save a new project immediately. Auto-save does not start unless your project has a file-name.


GST-Main-User-Interface-Numbers

1

Main menu-bar & General toolbars

Menus and the General toolbars are above the graphic-area.

General toolbars are always available. Toolbars are collapsed when you start MechDesigner.

See more: Menus and Toolbars

2

Model-Editor, Mechanism-Editor,or Part-Editor

Editor-types and names

Model-Editor: to add Planes, Mechanism-Editors, to view the motion of Solids (3D-elements), ...

Mechanism-Editor: to build kinematic-chains with Parts, Joints, belts, gears, cams, ...

Part-Editor: to edit the length of a Part, to locate joints, to add shapes, for extrusions, ...

Workspace of each Editor-type

Graphic-area: the main workspace where you add elements to build your model

Name-tab: to identify the active editor - you can rename the Model-Editor and Mechanism-Editors

Contextual toolbars: to the left, right, and above the graphic-area

See more: Model Editor, Mechanism-Editor, Part-Editor

3

Project-Explorer

The Project-Explorer is to the left of the graphic-area.

It has three areas:

Selection-Window (top)

Command-Manager (middle)

Element-Explorer with two tabs (bottom)

Use the Selection-Window and Element-Explorer to select, edit, rename or delete elements.

Use the Command-Manager to do commands.

See more: Project-Explorer

4

Feedback-Area

The Feedback-Area is below the graphic-area. It includes:

Hint (read-only) - each command has a hint, which you see next to your mouse-pointer when it is above an icon.

Messages (read-only) - for example, a reason you cannot do a command.

Sliders - Master-Machine-Angle and Animation-Speed

Vector Scale Buttons: to change the length of Kinematic and Kinetostatic Vectors.

See more: Feedback-Area

5

MotionDesigner

MotionDesigner is docked to the right when you start MechDesigner.

You can float and dock MotionDesigner with Visibility toolbar > Dock / Float MotionDesigner

MotionDesigner has its own toolbars.

Design an unlimited number of motions, with an unlimited number of segments.

In MechDesigner, use Motion FBs to link motions from MotionDesigner to Motion-Parts and Motion-Points.

See more: MotionDesigner and Getting Started Tutorials - MotionDesigner

6

Memo-pad

The Memo-pad opens each time you start MechDesigner, unless you de-select the Automatically Open at Start check-box at the bottom of its dialog

See more: Memo