Edit Menu

Cut the selected objects from the design, or design view. The selected objects are deleted from the current view and placed on the clipboard for pasting to any other view using the Paste command. The command is only enabled if objects are selected in the view.

The Paste command is enabled if objects have been previously cut or copied to the clipboard. The Paste command brings up a CAD view dialog showing the objects in the clipboard and prompts for a node to be selected. The nodes for selection are visible as selectable entities (i.e colored green - see: Use of color in design ). Having selected the node and then the OK button on the Paste dialog, focus returns to the current view and the pasted objects are dragged in the view into the required position. From this point the paste operation becomes identical to a move command. The command dialog (see - command dialog ) prompts for a 3D point to be selected to drop the pasted objects. A 3D point can be numerically specified by typing it into the CAD dialog, or selected with the mouse from the CAD view. The snap tools are also activated to allow a second node selection in the current view. If a second node is selected the dragged node on the pasted object and the selected node in the CAD view are connected, forming a bend, tee or junction relationship between the objects that own the nodes, depending on the position of the nodes on the center lines of the respective objects (see - Connecting Objects ).

Select all objects linked (connected) directly or indirectly to the objects already selected in the current view. In effect this complete the selection of a linked chain (or chains) of objects in the current view. After using the command none of the unselected objects in the view are linked to any of the selected objects in the view. The command can be useful for examining the link relationships that exist in the design.

To create a part select the Create Part command then move the cursor into the current CAD view and select a 3D position for the first end of the part center line (see - Selecting a 3D point ). A command dialog appears allowing absolute point coordinates to be typed in, or the point can be simply selected with the mouse. You are then prompted to select a second point as the second end of the new part. Again the point can be typed, however in the case of both point selections the snap tools become active and available. These tools allow for object nodes or center line positions to be selected as an alternative to direct point selection. If a node is selected as either the first or second end of the part then the new part is linked to the part owning the node and an object relationship is formed. The relationship may be a bend, tee or junction depending on which nodes are linked (i.e. end to end - bend, end to mid - tee, mid to mid - junction - see: object relationships ).

Having positioned both ends the object is created as a simple cylinder with the default diameter. On selection of the second end position the edit part dialog is automtically opened on the part for section and other part feature editing (see - Using the Edit Dialog ).

The edit part command is an important feature of the program and is fundamental to the design process. The command is enabled when the CAD view is in the normal object selection mode and a single object is selected. Choosing edit part opens the part edit dialog. This dialogs allow virtually everything about the part to be adjusted or edited including section, length, orientation (if possible), zangle etc - see Edit Part Menu Command .

The Move Parts command is enabled when the CAD view is in normal object selection mode and one or more objects are selected. The command allows the selected objects to be move TOGETHER WITH ALL LINKED OBJECTS. The command does not allow the linkages between objects to be broken and keeps their relative positions the same during the move. The alternative to the move command is the Unlink Selected command which breaks any links between the selected objects and the rest of the design objects.

The command prompts for two points to be selected. The first must be one of the nodes on the selected objects - these are highlighed for selection. The second is any 3D point, or a snap tool can be used to drag the moving objects to form a link (i.e. object relationship ) with other objects in the design.

The duplicate parts command is similar to the move parts command, except that instead of moving the selected objects they are copied and dragged away from the orginals. In this case exactly the selected objects are duplicated and not any of the linked objects. The relationship between the selected objects are also copied but not relationships back to the design. In other words the duplicated objects are unlinked from any other part in the design. As with the move command a node can be selected as the drop point for the duplicate objects, in which case the relevant object relationships are formed.

The command creates a new construction line using two end point selections in the same manner as the create part comand. The construction lines can be linked to other object is the same way as the new objects, using the snap tools and node selection. A prompt is issued when construction line ends are dropped on nodes to confirm that a link should be made. In some cases it is better for the design not to form the links so that objects can be dragged away without first unlinking.

This command is only visible for the parametric designs that can be edited by deletion of parameter. The parameters currently selected in the parameter editor are deleted. the command can also be accesse via the 'Delete' command in the pop-up menu of the parameter editor. To access it right click the mouse with the cursor over the parameter editor.