Drag, Hints and Selection-Boxes
Many mouse actions in MechDesigner will be different to those in your CAD software.
Notes:
•Mouse-pointer, mouse, cursor, mouse-cursor and pointer are equivalent.
•Click is Left-button-click for the standard mouse setting.
Add element: Drag
We use drag to add many different elements. For example: •Mechanism-Editor: Add Part •Part-Editor: Add Line ; Add CAD-Line ; Add Circle ; Add Arc* ; Add Blend-Curve |
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Drag to add Elements: 1.Mouse-button down 2....move your mouse-pointer... 3....mouse-button up. You may (usually not) need to: 4.Click in the graphic-area to complete the command |
Move element: Drag
We use drag to move elements in the graphic-area. For example: In the: •Mechanism-Editor: to move FBs, Free-Parts or Completely Free Parts, ... •Part-Editor: to move sketch-elements, dimensions, ... |
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Drag to Move Elements: 1.Hover above an element so that the element becomes red 2.Mouse-button down... 3....move your mouse ... 4....mouse-button up |
View SHORTCUTS: PAN, SHIFT
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CTRL Key + Drag = PAN 1.CTRL+Drag the active view. SHIFT Key + Drag = SPIN 1.Click in the graphic-area to deselect all elements 2.SHIFT+Drag the active view. See also Keyboard shortcuts for different Spin options |
Merge Points Add sketch-element - Hover + Drag
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In the Part-Editor, to create a sketch-path/sketch-loop you must Merge (the) Points of adjacent sketch-elements. To merge-points is to reduce the two Points that are coincident to one merged-point. You can use Geometry toolbar > Merge-Points, or use the following, much more efficient procedure: |
To add the first sketch-element: 1.Add the first sketch-element with the usual drag technique. To add the second sketch-element: Before you Mouse-Button-Down... 2.Move you mouse-pointer above the end-Point of the first sketch-element so that only the Point becomes red (see image above)... 3.Mouse-button-down... ...move your mouse... ...mouse-button-up. The new sketch-element should now be in the graphic-area. Its start-Point should be Merged with the end-Point of the first sketch-element. Continue to do 2 and 3 to add more sketch-elements. To add the last sketch-element: Before you Mouse-Button-Down... 1.Move you mouse-pointer above the end-Point of the last sketch-element ... 2.Mouse-button-down... move your mouse... Before you Mouse-Button-Up... 3.Hover above the start-Point of the first sketch-element .... 4.... mouse-button-up A sketch-loop is complete. Should you fail to hover correctly, repair the sketch-loop with Geometry-toolbar > Merge-Point. |
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Right-Click in Graphic-Area
COMMAND-MANAGER
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When the Command-Manager is active... If you have selected all of the elements to fill the selection-boxes... ...Right-Click in the graphic-area = Even faster: If you have ONE more element to select: ...Right-Click the last element in the graphic-area = Select the last element +
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If you have not selected all of the elements to fill the selection-boxes... ...Right-Click in the graphic-area = |
MECHANISM-EDITOR
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Right-click in the graphic-area to: 1.Cancel the active command 2.Show the contextual-menu next to the mouse-pointer The image shows the Mechanism-Editor shortcut contextual-menu |
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Hover + Right-Click an element To show a contextual-menu: 1.Hover above an element until the element becomes red 2.Right-Click - or - 1.Click an element The element shows in the Selection-Window 2.Right-click in the graphic-area, but somewhere else! <<< the image shows the contextual-menu after Hover+Right-Click ... a Part |
PART-EDITOR
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When you are using the Part-Editor: 1.Right-click cancels the active command, and 2.Right-click shows the Part-Editor shortcut menu next to the pointer The image shows the Part-Editor shortcut menu. Add Arc is about to be selected. The Edit Part command (top) is always active at the top of the contextual-menu in the Part-Editor - but not very clear! You can click this command to close the Part-Editor. |
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Hover + Right-Click an element To show a contextual-menu: 1.Hover above an Element, so that the element becomes red 2.Right-Click - or - 1.Click an Element The element shows in the Selection-Window. 2.Right-click in the graphic-area, but somewhere else! |
Double-click an element to edit
See also: How to Edit an Element. When you double-click an element, you open its dialog-box. |
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To edit a Part: 1.Double-Click a Part-Outline The Part-Editor opens. |
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- or - 1.Double-Click a sketch-element that you have added to a Part previously The Part-Editor opens. |
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To edit a Dimension in the Part-Editor: 1.If necessary, de-select Add Dimension 2.Double-Click the arrowhead Note: nothing happens if you double-click the dimensional value/number |
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To close the Part-Editor: 1.Double-Click the Y-axis* or a sketch-element (see image) The Y-axis is a much easier to double-click than the X-axis*. The X-axis and the CAD-Line are collinear. |
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To edit Gear-Pairs or 2D-Cams Best-Practice: Use the Assembly-Tree or the Selection-Window to locate the Gear-Pair or 2D-Cam elements: 1.Click the Gear-Pair or 2D-Cam in the graphic-area or Assembly-Tree 2.Right-click the Gear-Pair or 2D-Cam in the Selection-Window 3.Click Edit element in the contextual-menu. |
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In the Assembly-Tree or Selection-Window 1.Double-click an element in the Assembly-Tree - or - 1.Double-click an element in the Selection-Window If it is possible to edit the element, the element's dialog-box opens. |
To stop 'Tool-Tips' showing next to your pointer:
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Tool-tips, or Hints, can hide the tool and icon that you want to use. To show or hide Tool-Tips next to your pointer: 1.Click Help menu >Toggle Hints - or - 1.Click Application Settings > Accessibility tab > Show Hints check-box |
