<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > The User Interface |
Notes:
MechDesigner can take longer than other applications to start. Also, you may need to click OK in a pop-up to allow MechDesigner to check its protection status.
When you start MechDesigner, you start a new project automatically.
If necessary, to display the MotionDesigner correctly, drag the vertical separator-bar that is to the right of the graphic-area
to the left or right a small distance.
The interface above uses the Charcoal theme for borders, menus and command icons and the Dark style - see also Themes, Styles and Settings.
Main menu-bar & General toolbarsMenus and the General toolbars are above the graphic-area General toolbars are always available. Toolbars are collapsed with you start MechDesigner. See more: Menus and Toolbars |
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Model-Editor, Mechanism-Editor or Part-EditorEditor-types and names Model-Editor: the editor (and name-tab) you see when you start MechDesigner. Mechanism-Editor: the editor to build kinematic-chains with Parts, Joints, belts, gears, cams, ... Part-Editor: edit the length of Parts, and add geometry to position joints, and also to add shapes for extrusions Workspace Graphic-area: the main workspace where you build your model Name-tabs: identify the name and editor type Contextual toolbars: to the left, right and above the graphic-area |
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Project-ExplorerThe 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 and edit elements. Use the Command-Manager to do commands. See more: Project-Explorer |
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Feedback-AreaThe Feedback-Area is below the graphic-area. It has these areas: •Hints (read-only) - about a command, show when you move your mouse-pointer from an icon. •Messages (read-only) - for example, a reason you cannot do a command. •Sliders - Master-Machine-Angle and Animation -Spee •Vector Scale Buttons: to change the length of Kinematic and Kinetostatic Vectors. See more: Feedback-Area |
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MotionDesignerMotionDesigner is to the right. Use Visibility toolbar > Dock / Float MotionDesigner to: MotionDesigner has its own toolbars. •Design an unlimited number of motions. Use Motion FBs to link motions from MotionDesigner to Motion-Parts and Motion-Points. See more: MotionDesigner and Getting Started Tutorials - MotionDesigner |
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Memo The Memo shows 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 |