Frequently Used Palettes

STATUS BAR

Ribbon : Workspace | Page Setup | Status Bar

Default : View | Display | UI | Status Bar

This is the area where an instruction is provided to the user in response to specific actions.

For example, when the Circle tool is activated, the user is prompted in the Status Bar to Define the Center Point of the Circle.

Status Bar at the base of the workspace

TheInspector Bar

Ribbon : Workspace | Page Setup | Inspector Bar

Default : View | Display | UI | Inspector Bar

Information is passed to the workspace by means of the Inspector Bar, positioned at the base of the workspace.

The Inspector Bar is context sensitive, meaning it will respond differently to each feature.

The data fields, into which the information is input, are accessed by using the TAB key. The TAB key is also used to cycle between the fields in the Inspector Bar.

By typing information into the relevant fields, the data is passed to the objects within the selector shell when the ENTER key is pressed.

The TAB keyboard key is used to access the data fields of the Inspector Bar. The TAB key is also used to cycle between the fields in the Inspector Bar. To process the information in the data fields of the Inspector Bar, the keyboard ENTER key is used.

The data fields of the Inspector Bar accessed using the keyboard TAB key.

This illustration shows the Inspector Bar when using the Polyline tool.

TheCoordinate Fields

The coordinate fields are located towards the bottom right of the editor.

The X-Y-Z fields are accessed using the keyboard SHIFT TAB keys, after which the TAB key is used to cycle between the 3 fields.

The information input into these fields relates to polar or rectangular coordinates and not length and angle.

Coordinate modes can be switched between Absolute (working from a fixed reference point) or Relative (working from the last indicated point) using Modes > Coord System.

The coordinate fields

Properties Sheet

The Properties sheet can be activated from the Inspector Bar once a drawing entity or toolbar item has been selected.

This is a context-sensitive feature that is used to change any physical characteristic of an entity, including Text, Dimensions and Hatch.

The Properties sheet is used to set the preferred method of how a tool will function. This is done by right clicking onto the icon and setting the preferred parameters.

To modify an object, double click onto the entity, then right click and select Properties from the local menu. Alternatively, use the Properties Sheet at the bottom left of the workspace.

Activating the Properties Sheet

Selection Info Palette

Tools | Palettes | Selection Info

This Palette has multiple applications and is usually retained in the workspace during all drawing sessions.

The Selection Info Palette allows information relating to a selected object or group of objects to be comprehensively displayed.

The Selection Info Palette allows the measurement, spatial or layer properties of single or multiple objects to be modified.

Such changes made in the Selection Info Palette will be updated in the selected sketch in the workspace.

Using the Selection Info Palette to change the radius of the selected circle 

 

part tree modification

Selection Info Palette

Ribbon : Tools | Palettes | Selection Info

Default Menu : Tools | Palettes | Selection Info

The Selection Info Palette is used to view and modify the dimensional properties of any object.Several objects can be selected and their individual properties modified.When a part or multiple parts are selected in the editor, a Part Tree is created in the Selection Info palette.This allows individual components to be modified within the part, updating the final design immediately or within a specified delay interval.The ‘Edit in Place’ option allows contextual modifications to be done directly on the part, with the changes being immediately updated in both the model and the Part Tree.

When a model has been produced from separate components, the design process is recorded in the Part Tree of the Selection Info Palette. For example, if an extrusion was created from a circle, both components are recorded in the Part Tree, shown below.

In the example below, multiple extrusions are selected, with the cylinder shown by the arrow selected in the Part Tree.

All cylinders selected; highlighted cylinder selected in the Part Tree

Changes to the design of the selected part can be modified in the Selection Info palette or contextually in the editor. To update the extrusion height of the selected cylinder, the value is changed in the Selection Info palette, shown below.

Selected cylinder height updated to 80

SELECTION INFORMATION PALETTE HIGHLIGHT

Tools | Palettes | Selection Info (Select object/s)

Use the Selection Highlight feature in the Selection Info palette to highlight selected stages of the design.

 

Format Painter

Format | Arrange | Format Painter

This tool is used to harvest the properties of one object (source) and apply all or selected properties to another (destination).

The Properties of the selected object automatically appear in the Format Painter palette and the Selection Info Palette.

The Format Painter tool allow properties of an object to be harvested from an object and saved as a specific style.

 

Using the Format Painter tool tocreate a new Style

The Format Painter tool, frequently used to apply the properties of the selected (source) object onto a destination object can now be used to harvest the properties of a selected object, such as line style, hatch pattern, text etc, and save this as a specific Style.

This style will be stored in the Style Manager and can be automatically applied to subsequent objects.

In the example below, the style of the brush fill pattern, will be harvested by the Format Painter tool and stored as a unique pattern. This pattern will then be preset for subsequent use.

Worked Example

Select the Format Painter tool and left click into a pre-drawn fill pattern similar to that shown above The brush fill pattern can be any size, style or color for this example.

When the pattern is selected, right click and select Make Property Values Presetfrom the local menu.

From the Select Property (Entity) Type menu, browse to the Generic Properties option.

Input a suitable name in the Enter Unique Preset Name field. In this example, the name Mesh was used, shown below. Click OK.

Creating pre-set properties using the Format Painter tool

Applying Preset Properties harvested by theFormat Painter Tool

From the Tools Palette, open the Line tool in the Sketch Menu and right click onto the Rectangle tool. In the General page, select the newly created Mesh property. Click OK.

Left click onto the Rectangle tool and draw a similar rectangle alongside the original.

New ‘Mesh’ properties applied to all newly drawn objects

As can be observed, the property values of the Mesh have been preserved and can be applied to the new drawing object, shown below by the arrow.

Styles can be removed by right clicking onto the feature for which they were created, eg: Line, Hatch or Text tools and selecting Delete.

In the example below, a specific text font, size and color was harvested and preset as a standard called ‘Label Text’, shown below. This specific text property can now be preset when required by right clicking onto the Text tool and selecting the unique preset name from the General page.

 

TAKE NOTE

The Format Painter tool allows you to transfer Custom Properties and Property Set Definitions (PSD) from one object to another. A crucial feature for extending your BIM/IFC models.

TheCalculator Palette

Tools | Palettes | Calculator

The Variables palette is used to control Dimensional Constraints which have been added to a sketch.

When orthogonal and radial dimensions are inserted when Auto Constraints is activated, the Variables palette will be populated with these dimensional constraints, shown below. Each dimension has a Variable Name and a Value, shown in the palette below.

Values which are updated in the Variables palette will automatically updated their associated dimension, shown below.

Variables and the use of Auto Constraints are discussed and demonstrated in more detail in Tutorial Session 6.

Use this sample drawing or create a similar sketch in the workspace.

The Variables palette showing the name and value of the dimensional constraints

Style Manager Palette

Tools | Palettes | Style Manager Palette

The Style Manager Palette is used to create standard formats for objects with multiple settings, such as dimensions, text, wall styles etc.

Take Note

When updating parameters using the Styles Manager palette, all objects containing that style in the workspace will be updated.

In the example below, a new dimension style is created.

 

CreateNew Dimension Style

To create a new standard of dimension setting, open the Style Manager Palette from the Tools | Palettes | Styles menu and click onto the type of object to which a new style should be applied, in this case, Dimension Styles | Standard.

Select Create New Style, input a suitable name for the new style, shown below, then apply the dimension format using the preferred settings.

Applying a new Dimension style for Architectural drawings

Newly created styles can be immediately applied and added to the subset of styles shown below.

Setting a new style, then applying the style settings

Using aFormatted Dimension Style

Formatted styles can be used when first inputting the objects to which the style has been applied by right clicking onto the tool, such as the Dimension tool, then selecting the preferred style in the appropriate drop down menu, similar to the illustration, below.

 

Starting a new dimension using a pre-formatted style. Using the Properties sheet to define the new style.

Palettes, Toolbars and Menus

Palettes contain toolsets of related items, conveniently structured into accordion-like panels. For example, the Line menu panel is a component of the Sketch menu, shown below. The Sketch menu contains most the tools required to draw 2D objects in the editor.

Palettes are accessed using Tools | Palettes and are by default docked at the right edge of the editor.

Some frequently used Palettes are shown below.

The Tools Palette

Tools | Palettes | Tools Palette

The Tools Palette is a convenient tool for viewing and accessing multiple menu panels which contain associated tools.

Menu panels can be added to or removed from the Tools Palette to suit particular tasks.

The Tools Palette is activated using Tools | Tools Palette and remains docked at the right side of the workspace until closed.

An example of the Tools Palette is shown below.

 

The Sketch menu with the Line menu panel expanded

Use the Panels Setup, shown below to customize the menu panels by adding, removing and grouping preferred or frequently used tools.

Adding and removing menu panels

Adding a menu panel

The Align menu will be added to the Modify menu panel of the Tools palette.

Make sure the Tools palette is open by selecting Tools |Palettes | Tools Palette.

From the Presets menu, select the Sketch menu, shown below.

Selecting the Sketch menu panel

From the Palette Options menu shown by the red toolbox above, select Panels Setup.

From the Toolbars explorer on the left, double click onto the Align menu. This will automatically include this menu in the Sketch palette., shown below.

Align menu added to Sketch palette. Bring to Front option selected.

 

The Design Director

Tools | Palettes | Design Director

It is a still a requirement of 3D Design that layers be used to identify objects.  Different views of the model will be required and layer control performs a vital role in accurately displaying the contents of a viewport.

Three basic layers have been created and saved in the Student Template.  These layers are Model, CL (center line) and Dims (Dimensioning)

Additional layers are required at various stages throughout this Training Guide.  New layers which are created in the current drawing are not saved in the template.  Should you wish to add additional layers to the template, open the Student Template (Student.tct) from the templates folder.

New layers are created using the Design Director. Tools | Palettes | Design Director 

Objects are drawn onto the current layer, shown by the check symbol, right.

Color and pen styles can be assigned to layers. 

Layers can only be deleted when there are no objects in the workspace currently residing on that layer.

Objects drawn on a particular layer can be universally selected using the Edit > Select by > Layer feature.

Objects on a locked layer, shown by the  symbol are displayed in the workspace but cannot be accessed for modification purposes.

When a layer is switched off, shown by the  symbol, objects on this layer are not displayed in the workspace.  Care should be taken when moving objects associated to this layer.

The Blocks Palette

Tools | Palettes | Blocks

The Blocks palette is the palette where formatted objects called Blocks are stored. These Blocks can be dragged into the editor to form part of the current drawing, with the original Block remaining permanently in the Blocks palette.

The Blocks palette is a useful palette for storing interim stages of a design, or for storing common parts which form part of an assembly.

All Blocks which are inserted into the editor from the Blocks palette are required to be exploded Modify | Explode in order to return them to their constituent entities.

In the illustration below, the Blocks palette contains the Sketch and the Bearing part which have been used to construct the design in the editor.

Blocks palette containing Sketch an Bearing parts

The Drafting Palette

Tools | Palettes | Drafting Palette

The Drafting palette is used to identify components which form part of an assembly. 

Multiple views of a single component can be created, including standard, isometric and sectional views.

In the example below, 3 components have been identified and named and a part name has been created in the Drafting Palette. 

All the components, when selected form a complete assembly, which has been identified and named, shown below.

TheLocal/Context Menu

By using the right-click mouse button, a local menu containing context-responsive tools tools and sub-commands relevant only to the current action will be displayed.

Although the Local Menu responds to the current action, the Local Snap menu can always be obtained. This allows single-instance selection of a specific snap mode.

Local Snap menu obtained by using right-click mouse button

BIM Palette

Tools | BIM | IFC BIM Data

BIM is the acronym for Building Information Modeling, an international method of storing and sharing critical information related to data or attributes contained in mechanical or architectural designs across the project lifecyle.

BIM information is stored in the drawing as a database and can be updated by the creator or collaborators when required, thereby creating an archival record of all aspects of the project.

The BIM palette is organized such that a wide range of critical data can be captured and stored in the drawing database.

Building Information Modeling palette

TheUndo Manager Palette

Tools | Palettes | Undo Manager

This palette creates an incremental list of actions taken in the editor.

These actions are numerically listed sequentially in accordance with their event history.

This allows a sequence of events, up to the selected item to be reversed. The reversed items remain listed in the Undo Manager palette, allowing items to be restored up to a selected item.

To create a numbered sequence, select Options The Options icon is shown in the toolbar of the Undo Manager palette. in the Undo Manager palette, shown below, and set the option to AddNumber.

Setting the option to Add Number

By using the Add Number option, all actions in the editor are numbered in ascending order of their event history, shown below.

Incremental actions listed sequentially

TAKE NOTE

Actions which are reversed or restored using the Undo Manager palette still respond to the Undo and Redo features available in the editor.

Example

Activate the Undo Manager palette using Tools | Palettes | Undo Manager.

Draw a few objects in Plan view, similar to the illustration below.

Simple sketch object

In the example below, a fillet radius of 5 has been applied to the corners shown by the points 1 and 2 below. These are listed as Fillet2D 0 and Fillet 2D 1 in the palette, shown by the arrow, below right.

Fillet blends created and added to the palette

All subsequent modifications to the sketch will be listed sequentially in the Undo Manager palette. In the example below, the sketch has been stretched vertically and horizontally, then the Meet 2 Lines tool was use to trim inner segments of line, shown below.

The Undo Manager palette has created a sequentially numbered list of these actions, shown below.

To modify the process in the Undo Manager palette, select the item whose action you wish to reverse.

In the example below, the item Stretch 2 represents the vertical stretch of the process.

By selecting the yellow right directional arrow shown above, all actions up to but not including the horizontal stretch – Stretch 2 – will be reversed to their original position.

As shown above, the Meet 2 Lines 4 and 5 functions, as well as the Stretch 3 action are greyed out. This indicates that all actions up to Stretch 2 have been reversed.

 

Restoring an Undo action in the Undo Management Palette

In the example below, the Meet 2 Lines 4 and 5 items and the vertical stretch represented by Stretch 3 should be restored. Select the Stretch 2 item shown below, then select the left yellow directional arrow to restore the sketch to the Stretch 2 position.

Restoring a sequence of events

All following actions such as Stretch 3, Meet 2 Lines 4 and 5 will be restored.

CONTENT SERVER PALETTE

Tools | Palettes | Content Server

This palette contains a library of over 700,000 mechanical parts which support international standards such as DIN, KR, ISO, ANSI and ASME. This repository is updated regularly allowing additional content such as house plans and architectural details to be accessed through Content Server palette, shown below.

The Content Server palette is accessed from Tools > Palettes > Content Server, and a separate serial number is required to activate the content.

Content Server Palette showing selected part category

The required part is selected and dragged into the workspace from the lower panel, shown below.

Part dragged into workspace

Part rendered using Draft Render > Visualize > X-Ray