This section describes the different elements of MLCad's window:
On top there is the menu bar, which cannot be moved. From the menu you can select various features of the program and change settings and ...
Below the menu bar there are several tool bars (the bars with the symbols). The buttons on it often have a function which can be activated from the menu as well. The bars can be moved to any place of your screen, and docked to the left, right, top or bottom frame of the window. Here they are docked to the top frame and the color bar to the right frame.
Below the tool bars there are the so called "panes".
The pane top, left is a tree showing the available parts of the library in a sort of directory structure, clicking on a box with the plus "+" expands the tree clicking on a dash "-" shrinks the tree. The tree itself is organiced in groups:
Parts contains the parts of the library, Models list files which are found in the sub-directory "Models" in the program directory (MPD files are not shown). Document contains the sub-models of a MPD projekt, and Favorites contains the favorite items of the user. To add a part to the favorites right click on the part and select "Add to Favorites" from the pop-up menu. Right clicking on a favorite part allows to remove it from the favorites by selecting "Remove from Favorites" from the pop-up menu.
From here you can drag a part into the model part list or into the drawing and viewing area.
The pane below is the preview pane, which shows the parts of the library in a visualised form. With the sliders of this pane you can move through the whole part library. The slider on the right moves within a group, the slider at the bottom can be used to move through the different groups. From here you can drag a part into the model part list or into the drawing and viewing area.
The pane top, rigfht containing a list of
text, keeps information about the parts and commands used in the
model you are working with. The list is in processing order. That
means: During viewing mode the program goes through this list
from top to bottom, like executing it line by line. Here you can
select, copy and delete parts, as well as changing the execution
order.
See "view
mode" for more information
about this list.
The four panes to the right are four different views of the model you are working with, this is also a place where you can add and modify parts of your model when "place mode" is active. In "view mode" this panes are used to show the building steps of the model.
The view mode is used to display the building steps of a model. This mode does not allow to modify the model!
The program uses the list which is displayed in the "model part list". It starts going through the list from top to bottom, skipping generally all comments, executing commands and displaying parts it finds until the program reaches a sort of "Step command". Then the program waits until the user either clicks into one of the viewing panes, or clicks on a button of the "Movement bar". Now the program continues with the next statement it finds, repeating the steps described before until it finds the end of the model.
For information on how you can control the view mode from you model, read the section "View control commands".
To activate the view mode you can either select the menu "Settings/View mode", or you click on the corresponding button in the "View bar". Also pressing the key F2 activates this mode.
The place mode allows the modification of the model. All view releated control commands are ignored in this mode and have no effect. The "Movement bar" changes it's function so that you can move the selection through the model part list.
In place mode you can add, copy, delete and move parts using the mouse in one of the viewing panes.
For more information about using the place mode read the section "Creating/Modifying models".
To activate place mode you can either select the menu "Settings/Place mode", or you click on the corresponding button in the "View bar". Also pressing the key F3 activates this mode.
This modes are used to permanently allow zooming or moving inside the viewing panes. View control commands and editing facilities are disabled in this modes.
After activation you can zoom or move the view by moving into the pane you want to change, then press and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse. In zoom mode the view will zoom in and out when the mouse is move up or down, in move mode the model can be moved with the mouse. To finish the action release the mouse button.
To activate zoom mode you can either select the menu "Settings/Zoom mode", or you click on the corresponding button in the "View bar". Also pressing the key F4 activates this mode.
To activate place mode you can either select the menu "Settings/Move mode", or you click on the corresponding button in the "View bar". Also pressing the key F5 activates this mode.