Project: HiCAD Basics

Docking Windows

So-called "docking windows" that are windows contain functions and settings for specific construction aids or tasks. These windows are attached to the edges of the screen and can be expanded can be shown and hidden.

HiCAD offers the following docking windows:

Window	Contents / Purpose	Position on screen
Drawings	Faster opening of HiCAD drawings (.SZA)	Right
Civil Engineering functions	Insertion of joints and connections, fasteners, stairs and railings or other objects	Right
Panoramas	Assigning of panoramas for simulation of environments	Right
Various Plugin windows	Integration of freely definable plugins	Right
Simulations	Tool allowing simulations of movements of parts	Bottom
Part variables	Displays the part variables of the active part	Left
Exploded view	Shows a log of an exploded view of a model drawing	Right

The following options are available for the processing of the windows:

Change window size

You can change the size of the individual drawing windows by dragging the window frames to the required size (press and hold down LMB and drag).

Show/Hide tabs

The windows as well as individual tabs of the ICN can be hidden and redisplayed. For this you use the Settings > Docking window function.

Functions of the context menu

A context menu provides further processing options for the windows. You activate the context menu by right-clicking on the required window.

Floating
Use this function to change the fixed position of a window. The window is downsized and can then be moved freely.
Docking
Use this function to re-dock floating windows.
AutoHide
This function enables you to dynamically hide and show windows. If you apply the function to a displayed window, the window will be hidden and redisplayed as a tab on the right hand side of the HiCAD window. If you place the mouse pointer on the tab entry, the window is shown. If you move the mouse pointer out of the window, it is hidden again. Alternatively, you can also use the symbol at the top right of the window. The symbol changes its appearance to .

Hide
Use this function to hide windows. This corresponds to the deactivation of the window with the Settings > Docking window function.

Move window

Undocked windows can be freely moved with the mouse. Place the cursor on the caption bar of the window, press and hold down the LMB, drag the window to the required position and drop it by releasing the LMB.

If you want to align the window to one of the borders of the HiCAD screen, use one of the automatically displayed arrow symbols shown below:

If you want to align the window to another docking window, move the window in the vicinity of the required other docking window, and click the appropriate arrow symbol.

In addition, you can define the window as a tab of the docking window: Use the symbol for this. If you want to revoke this assignment as tab, left-click on the corresponding tab and, while holding down the LMB, drag it to the required position.

Docking window: Drawings

The Drawings docking window enables a quicker opening of HiCAD drawings. (.SZA). Simply select the required folder and double-click on the required file name.

If the window is not displayed, activate it via Settings > Docking windows.

This docking window can also be switched off permanently via the Window Registry. To do this, create in the Windows Registry at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ISD Software und Systeme\HiCAD\3

a new DWORD value (32) Bit and assign the value 1 to it.

The docking window can then no longer be activated in HiCAD. If you want to re-enable the activation of the window, set the value in the Registry to 0.

Docking Window: Civil Engineering functions

Use this docking window to fit joints and connections, fasteners, stairs, railings, or other objects in Steel Engineering or Metal Engineering drawings.

Docking window: Panoramas

HiCAD offers the option to simulate environments. For this purpose a panorama is assigned to a Sheet or Model area. The surfaces of shaded models can then mirror this panorama, i.e. the environment.

This panorama can be used as background as well as for visualisation of environment mirroring.

Assign panorama

In the Panoramas docking window, select the desired panorama.
Activate the Use as background checkbox if you want to use the panorama as background of the sheet or model area. Please note that the corresponding area must not contain more than one view.
Specify the Size factor and click Apply.

If the surfaces of shaded models are to mirror a panorama, i.e. the environment, activate the environment mirroring. To do this, use the Shaded view function under Shaded representation via Views > Representation > Shad... In the dialogue window, acitivate the checkbox Mirror panorama. Deactivate the checkbox to undo this effect.

Plugin windows

HiCAD supports the integration of freely definable plugins. If such plugins have been implemented in your system, they will be displayed in a docking window. Examples are the templates for planning grids in Metal Engineering or the Sheet Metal Cost Calculation tool.

Docking window: Simulation

You can use this tool to simulate and animate movements of parts in an assembly. You can also use HCM constraints to link the movements of individual parts to particular conditions. To be able to define or edit simulations, the Simulation docking window needs to be open.

Docking window: Part variables

In this docking window the Part variable of the active part and (if any) also those of the superordinate parts are displayed.

The symbols in front of the Part variables indicate the type of the variable.

Expand/collapse structure

The display of the Part variables can be expanded or collapsed by using the symbols and in the docking window above the Part structure. Use the icon to limit the display to the 1st and 2nd level of the part structure.

For opening/closing the variable display of each parts/assemblies use the symbols and .

Unused variables

With a click on the symbol you can mark all unused variables for deletion. The deletion will only be carried out after clicking on Apply all changes

CSV export

Click to create a CSV file that contains a list of all variables.

Function
Add new variable	For adding a new variable, click with the right mouse button on the name of the part (or the assembly) which should be attributed to the variable. In the context menu, select the function Add new variable. In the next dialogue window, determine the name of the variable, select a variable type and set a start value. If requested, a comment can be added. The following variable types are supported: After leaving the dialogue window, the new variable will be marked with . Only if you click on Apply all changes the variables will be added ultimately.
Variable, where-used	This function shows where variables of parts/assemblies are used, e.g.
Mark unused variables for deletion	Marks all usused variables of the part for deletion with the symbol. This also applies to variables of subordinate parts of an assembly. In order to delete the variables ultimately, use the function Apply all changes.
Mark for deletion	Marks all variables of the part for deletion with the symbol. This also applies to variables of subordinate parts of an assembly. In order to delete the variables ultimately, use the function Apply all changes.

Context menu for variables and values/comments

With a click on the right-mouse button, context menus for variables as well as values/comments can be opened analogously. With these functions it is possible to

mark one or more variables to delete them,
rename variables,
copy or cut variables and assign them to another part by inserting them and
copy values/comments or cut them and insert them elsewhere.

In order to change the value or comment of a variable, click on the respective field and enter the desired change. The variable will be marked with . Only if you click Save all changes, the change will be implemented.

Save all changes

The function Save all changes in the properties docking window saves the changes of the variable list:

All variables marked with will be added.
All variables marked with will be changed.
All variables with will be deleted.

The marks will be deleted subsequently.

By activating the function all delete markers will be removed.

Exploded view

This docking window shows a log of an exploded view of a model drawing.

Exploded views can be edited subsequently via this log.

User Interface • Plugins • Simulate Environments • Textures

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