XFEM4U UI and settings

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Renumber

With these function the nodes and beams will be renumbered

Every adaptation can be reversed and repeated without limitation. Do you want to go back to a previous situation? That is possible. The undo function will help you flawless and fast.

A wrong or accidental input can be restored but with this function you can also quickly compare different solutions. It helps you make an optimal design of your construction.

Copy

With this function you can easily copy selected nodes, beams and plates. You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen. (1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to copy the

nodes and beams. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to copy.) Just like the situation within AutoCAD, a dimension line is visible. You can also directly insert the distance via your keyboard. You close with the Enter-key. All nodes, beams and plates will be relatively copied.

The COPY command is repeated. So you can place your copy in several places and thus enter your model even faster and easier. Use the esc-key or the right mouse button to end the copying process.

Move

With this function you can easily move nodes. You select the concerning nodes by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen. (1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to move the node. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to move.)

While moving your mouse, a dimension line in one of the main directions x,y or z will appear. You can, just as you know it from AutoCad, immediately insert the distances numerically by entering the value / values from your keyboard. There are 3 possibilities:

1. Move with a known length in one of the main directions.

The value will appear in the dimension line. Here you can type in the distance. By the use of the enter-key the input is closed and the selected nodes will be moved.

2. Move using relative Cartesian coordinates (dx, dy, dz).

First you enter the distance in x-direction. The value will appear in the dimension line. Thereafter you type a semicolon ";" and the distance in y-direction. The value will appear in a second input field. Next you type a semicolon ";" and the distance in z-direction. The value will appear in a third input field. By the use of the enter-key the input is closed and the selected nodes will be moved.

3. Move using relative Cartesian coordinates (dx, dy, dz) or to absolute Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z).

Press the space key and the dialog box below appears. Here you can enter relative coordinates or absolute coordinates directly.

Delete

With this function you can easily delete parts. You select the concerning objects by using the select window / crossing.

Rotate

With this function you can rotate selected parts. You can also make multiple copies with this function.

You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you select the first point of rotation axis. (1. Select first point of rotation axis.) Second you select the second point of the rotation axis. (2. Select second point of rotation axis.) The dialog below will be visible.

Enter the value of the rotation angle. Optional you can also make multiple copies.

Flip

With this function you can mirror or flip selected parts. The mirror surface is arbitrary and is selected with 3 points.

You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you select the mirror / flip surface by 3 points.

1. Select first point of mirror.

2. Select second point of mirror.

3. Select third (last) point of mirror.

The dialog below will be visible.

Choose to mirror or flip the selected objects.

Multiple Copies (Linear Arrays)

With this function you can easily make multiple copies of selected nodes, beams and plates. You select the concerning nodes, beams and plates using the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen. (1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to copy the nodes and beams. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to copy.) Just like the situation within AutoCAD, a dimension line is visible. You can also directly insert the distance via your keyboard. You close with the Enter-key. The dialog below will be visible.

Enter the number of copies. With divide the copies will be distributed over the distance. All nodes and beams will be relatively copied.

Make selections

For selecting a (big) amount of nodes or beams in one time you can use the Select window or Select crossing.

This works exactly the same way as you might know from a.o. AutoCAD.

You draw a window from left to right. You draw a crossing from right to left.

Select window ( from left bottom to the right top)

1) Determine, using your mouse, the starting point of the window that you want to draw. This is the left corner of the window you want to draw.

2) Push the left mouse button

3) While you push the left mouse button you move the mouse to the right. A window is drawn in (partly transparent) blue.

4) When you release the left mouse button, all the nodes and beams that are completely in this window will be selected.

Select crossing ( from the right top to the left bottom)

1) Determine, using your mouse, the starting point of the window that you want to draw. This is the right corner of the window you want to draw.

2) Push the left mouse button.

3) While you push the left mouse button you move the mouse to the left. A window is drawn in (partly transparent) green.

4) When you release the left mouse button, all the nodes and beams that are partially in this window will be selected.

Multi select

To select multiple nodes or beams you can use the CRTL-button.

By pushing the CRTL-button continuously, you 'draw' the selection window as is described above.

Unselect

To unselect multiple nodes or beams you can use the SHIFT-button.

By pushing the SHIFT button continuously, you 'draw' the selection window as is described above.

Look at this demo in which a few possibilities of select window/ crossing are shown.

context menu

Zoom extents

With zoom extents the total construction is shown in full screen.

Distance

By this you can measure distances between 2 nodes. The distances are displayed in 4 directions. In x-, y-, z- and xyz- direction.

Screenshot

Make a screenshot. The screenshot is copied to the clipboard ( so you can immediately paste the image to your MS-Word document), and is also saved as a file in the map where the input file is saved, under the name: "name of your input file date time.png" . In this way you can always retrace your images.

Copy

With this function you can easily copy selected nodes and beams. You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen.(1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to copy the nodes and beams. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to copy.) Just like the situation within AutoCAD, a dimension line is visible. You can also directly insert the distance via your keyboard. You close with the Enter-key.

All nodes and beams will be relatively copied.

Move

With this function you can easily move nodes. You select the concerning nodes by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen.(1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to move the node. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to move.) Just like the situation within AutoCAD, a dimension line is visible. You can also directly insert the distance via your keyboard. You close with the Enter-key.

All nodes will be relatively moved.

Delete

With this function you can easily delete parts. You select the concerning objects by using the select window / crossing.

Rotate

With this function you can rotate selected parts. You can also make multiple copies with this function.

You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you select the first point of rotation axis. (1. Select first point of rotation axis.) Second you select the second point of the rotation axis. (2. Select second point of rotation axis.) The dialog below will be visible.

Enter the value of the rotation angle. Optional you can also make multiple copies.

Flip

With this function you can mirror or flip selected parts. The mirror surface is arbitrary and is selected with 3 points.

You select the concerning nodes and beams by the use of the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you select the mirror / flip surface by 3 points.

1. Select first point of mirror.

2. Select second point of mirror.

3. Select third (last) point of mirror.

The dialog below will be visible.

Choose to mirror or flip the selected objects.

Multiple Copies (Linear Arrays)

With this function you can easily make multiple copies of selected nodes and beams. You select the concerning nodes and beams using the select window / crossing. See Make selections. Thereafter you mark the beginning by clicking on the screen.(1. Select base point.) Now move the mouse in the direction in which you want to copy the nodes and beams. (2. Select second point in the direction you wish to copy.) Just like the situation within AutoCAD, a dimension line is visible. You can also directly insert the distance via your keyboard. You close with the Enter-key. The dialog below will be visible.

Enter the number of copies. With divide the copies will be distributed over the distance. All nodes and beams will be relatively copied.

Divide beam

With this function you can easily divide your selected beams into equal beam parts.

Determine intersections of beams

With this function you can easily calculate the intersections of your selected beams. Nodes will be added on each intersection found.

Switch beam orientation

With this function you can easily switch the begin and end node of your selected beams. By switching the nodes the direction of the local beam axis changes.

Make beam group

Specifically and only for the lateral-torsional buckling resistance check a beam group can be inserted here. XFEM4U automatically detects for which beams this qualifies. Only the beams which are connected by a fully fixed connection to this particular beam and have the same profile will be showed. You can select which beams should be taken into account. For this group you subsequently enter the length between the lateral restraints and the buckling length out of plane. See Eurocode.

Create bill of materials

A bill of materials is created of all visible beams that you can export to Excel.

Reversing plate contour

The direction of the plate contour also determines the direction of the local z axis. With this function you can reverse the direction of the plate contour.

Properties

With this function you can easily change the properties of your selected objects (beams, node, loads...).

Fast preview

With this function you can make a fast preview skipping the output selection dialog.

View

Display options

There are many ways to set the graphical view. See Display options.

Visibility

With visibility you can make a selection of beams and/or plates visible.

How does it work? Make a selection (see Make selections) and click on this menu option. Only the selected beams and/or plates will now be drawn. The other beams and/or plates will be drawn transparently.

Helpful tip: You can now also make a sub-selection. How? Rotate the model make another selection and press "Visibility" again.

To undo this click on this menu option without making a selection.

Search

The Search function allows you to look up a node, beam or profiles quickly and very easily. See Find.

Dimension

Dimension line. You can use this to draw associative dimension lines. You can place the line with 3 clicks. You click on 2 existing nodes and choose the position of the line. There is an automatic snap to previous dimension lines.

Zoom extents

With zoom extents the entire construction is shown in full screen with the default camera position.

Zoom selection

With zoom selection the selection is displayed full screen. If nothing is selected, the entire construction is shown in full screen with the last camera position..

Line view / Solid

solid

Setting whether:

· The wireframe and nodes are drawn (Line view) or that

· all profiles are drawn as solid model in true size (Solid model view)

Distance

By this you can measure distances between 2 nodes. The distances are displayed in 4 directions. In x-, y-, z- and xyz- direction.

Screenshot

Make a screenshot. The screenshot is copied to the clipboard ( so you can immediately paste the image to your MS-Word document), and is also saved as a file in the map where the input file is saved, under the name: "name of your input file date time.png". In this way you can always retrace your images.

Snap size

The amplitude in mm in which is searched to a known point (node/middle of a beam/ grid line). The default value is set to 150 mm. Generally this value suffices.

Dockable windows

What are these? Dockable windows are windows that can be moved freely or placed on fixed spots. (left/right/top/bottom of the screen)

The tables for Geometry (Grid lines / Levels, Nodes, Profiles and Beams) and the tables for Loads ( Load combinations, Beam lodes, Node loads and Combinations) can be displayed or not.

You can enter your construction fully graphically, whereby the use of tables is not really necessary. Nevertheless it can be handy to see, for instance, the node coordinates in tables. This is possible. But in contradictory to many other programs you can also make any changes in these tables. It does not matter. Graphical drawing or numerical input via tables can be done simultaneously. After each change, all tables are updated and the construction is redrawn. Of course the undo and redo functions still work.

The windows can be set as 'floating' (in a random position but also outside the screen) or can be 'docked' left/right/top/bottom in the main window. This gives you much freedom. You can decide for yourself what you find most pleasant. The program remembers this setting, so you only have to do this one time. Of course you can always change this.

For example, when you have two computer monitor, you can show the construction graphically in full screen on one monitor, and show the tables on the other monitor.

Changing dimensions

Changing dimensions or values in the graphical view

1. Move your cursor on the number in the dimension line.
2. When the dimension line gets its focus, the number is viewed bold. The color of the dimension changes from gray to black.
3. Press left mouse button. A dialog appears with the number to be edited.
4. Change the value.
5. Press. The dialog will be closed and the dimension has been changed.

or Press to cancel.

Back-up files

When you save a project, XFEM4U makes a backup copy of the previous version of the project (that is, the project file before the current save). This backup copy has the name "_backup<nnn>_"<project_name>.xfem, where <nnn> is a 3-digit number indicating how many times the file has been saved. The backup files reside in the same folder as the project file. The number of backup files is 3.