<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > Settings, Styling, Mouse actions, Shortcuts > Mous-Clicks and Drag |
Many mouse actions in MechDesigner are different to those in your CAD software.
Terminology
•Mouse-pointer, pointer, cursor are equivalent.
•Click is Left-button-click for the standard mouse setting.
We use drag to add many element-types. For example: •Mechanism-Editor: to add a Part, to connect a wire between FBs •Part-Editor: to add a Line, CAD-Line, Circle, Arc, or Blend-Curve. |
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Drag to add a Circle |
Drag to add an element: 1.Mouse-button down 2.... move your mouse-pointer 3.... mouse-button up. You may (usually not) need to click in the graphics-area to complete the command. |
We use drag to move elements in the graphics-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 a FB Drag to move a Dimension |
Drag to move Elements: 1.Hover above an element so that the element is the selected-color. 2.Mouse-button down 3.... move your mouse 4.... mouse-button up. |
CTRL+Drag = PAN |
CTRL + Drag = PAN 1.Click in the graphics-area to deselect all elements 2.CTRL + Drag to Pan. SHIFT + Drag = SPIN 1.Click in the graphics-area to deselect all elements 2.SHIFT+Drag to rotate at your mouse-pointer's position. See also Keyboard shortcuts for other Spin shortcuts |
Hover to merge the start-Point of a Line with the end-Point of an Arc |
Part-Editor: to create a sketch-loop or sketch-path. Add sketch-element + Hover above an end-Point + Drag to merge a new sketch-element with the end-Point of an existing sketch-elements Mechanism-Editor: You can add a Part and a Joint at the same time. Add Part + Hover above a Point + Drag to add a Part with a Pin-Joint Add Part + Hover above a Line + Drag to add a Part with a Slide-Joint |
When the Command-Manager is active... if there is an element in all selection-boxes... ... Right-Click in the graphics-area = to complete the active command. Even faster: As you are about to select the last element: ... Right-Click the last element in the graphics-area = Select the last element + to complete the active command.
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If there is not an element in all selection-boxes ... ... Right-Click in the graphics-area = to cancel the command. |
General shortcut-menu |
Right-click to: 1.Cancel the active command 2.Right-click in the graphics-area The shortcut-menu is next to your mouse-pointer The image does not show all of the shortcut-menu in the Mechanism-Editor. |
Contextual shortcut-menu |
Hover + Right-Click an element
1.Hover above an element until the element is the selected 2.Right-Click The shortcut menu is contextual to the element that you right-click. <<< the shortcut-menu after Hover+Right-Click ... a Part |
In the Part-Editor: 1.Right-click to cancel the active command 2.Right-click again ... ... the shortcut menu is next to your pointer The image is the Part-Editor shortcut menu. Add Circle is about to be selected. Note: Edit Part in Part-Editor is at the top of the shortcut-menu. 1.Click Edit Part in Part-Editor to close the Part-Editor. |
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Hover + Right-Click an element 1.Hover above an Element, so that the element is selected. 2.Right-Click The commands that you can do to the element are in the shortcut-menu or 1.Click an Element The element is in the Selection-Window. 2.Right-click the element in the graphics-area |
See also: How to Edit an Element. When you double-click an element, you open its dialog. |
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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 of a Dimension Note: nothing happens if you double-click the dimensional 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 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 graphics-area or Assembly-Tree 2.Right-click the Gear-Pair or 2D-Cam in the Selection-Window 3.Click Edit element in the shortcut-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 opens. |
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 |