The 'Open New Design' dialog box opens in response to the 'File|New' command.
Fig: Open New Design Dialog
The dialog requests several items of input:
1. The distance measurement 'Units' of the design: The units are important for printing the unfolded
patterns of the design because the unfolded patterns are printed full scale to enable manufacture of the
design. The units setting applies to all open designs windows. If other design windows are already open
then the units setting has already been made and therefore the units selection combo box is grayed out
with the current setting so it cannot be altered from the dialog. However the units setting can be altered at
any time from the 'Options' dialog 'General' tab page. Altering the 'Design Units' on this options page
alters it for all open designs.
2. The X,Y,Z CAD space required to accommodate the new design: The CAD space input should be larger
than the intended overall design but is not critical because the zoom commands can be used the alter
(enlarge or reduce) the CAD space in the view. In the absence of any objects in the design the 'Zoom
Extents' command (shortcut F2) zooms to the current CAD space (see controlling the view ).
Once objects
are placed in the design the CAD space becomes redundant and the 'Zoom Extents' command zooms to
comfortably fit all objects into the view (with a working margin).
3. The default diameter sets the diameter to be used for all new objects in the design: When a new object
is initially created in the design it takes the simplest form - a cylinder. The length is determined by the
length of the center line specified by picking points in the CAD view, and its initial diameter is the 'Default
Diameter' specified in the dialog box. The sections shape and dimensions can be altered later at any time
using the 'Edit Part' dialog (accessed
using the 'Edit|Edit Part' command, or by double clicking on the
object in the CAD view).
