Docking Window

On the right hand side of the HiCAD screen, the

• Drawings
• Civil Engineering functions
• Visual effects
• Various Plugin windows

docking windows can be displayed.

At the bottom of the HiCAD screen, a window for simulations can be displayed.

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 .

Example

• 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.

The Drawings docking window

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.

The Civil Engineering functions docking window

Docking window: Visual effects

Use this window to assign textures to 3-D parts.

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

The Visual effects docking window

Assign texture

1. In the Visual effects docking window, select the required texture.
2. Enter the angle of rotation and the size of the texture tiles.
3. Use the mouse to drag the texture onto the required part. You can also double-click the texture to change the cursor representation: The corresponding texture symbol will be displayed at the cursor. You can then click the parts to which you want to apply the texture.

Delete texture

1. In the Visual effects docking window, select the Delete texture symbol.
2. Drag the symbol onto the required part.

Apply texture

1. In the Visual effects docking window, click the symbol.
2. Identify the part the texture settings of which you want to apply. The texture settings selected for this part - size and rotation - will be shown in the docking window and the texture will be highlighted.
3. The corresponding texture symbol will be displayed at the cursor. Now, click the parts to which you want to apply the texture. Press the middle mouse button to end the function.

Assign panorama

1. In the Visual effects docking window, select the desired panorama.
2. 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.
3. Specify the Size factor and click Apply.

Plugin windows

HiCAD supports the integration of freely definable plugins, e.g. the product configuration tool HELiCON. 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.

 Related Topics

User Interface • Plugins