Getting Started

This chapter contains sections helpful in getting started with the system setup and basic operation: "System Requirements", "T-FLEX CAD System Setup", "Basic Terms and Drawing Techniques", "Quick Reference on User Interface".

 

System Requirements

Hardware Requirements

It is recommended to use only discrete (non-embedded) video cards.

The function of photorealistic real-time rendering is available only using Intel or AMD CPU with SSE 4.1 support or NVIDIA video cards with support for NVIDIA CUDA technology (version 2.1. or later). Make sure you have the latest drivers.

 

T-FLEX CAD System Setup

Protection keys

Security keys created by the Sentinel HASP technology serve to protect T-FLEX CAD from unauthorized usage. There are two types of protection keys: hardware and software.

The hardware protection key is recorded on a physical device that is inserted into a USB port on the computer. The key has its own memory, which contains information about the available user licenses.

Software protection key is a program and does not require a physical device. It is associated with a specific computer.

The hardware and the software key may be network or local.

Local software protection key is installed on single computer and cannot be used on another one.

Local hardware protection key allows you to work on any computer that is connected to the physical device with the recorded key.

If you are using a network security key of any type, the network administrator is granted access to manage available licenses and information about these licenses. Access to the network key license management is allowed through the program Sentinel  Admin Control Center.

Software for the protection key is installed automatically as part of the T-FLEX CAD installation process.

 

Installing Software and Hardware Protection Key

If you use a hardware protection key do not insert it into USB-port until T-FLEX CAD installation complete.

T-FLEX CAD installation with examples, libraries and auxiliary utilities is available on DVD.

Perform the following steps to install T-FLEX CAD on your PC:

1. Insert DVD-disk with T-FLEX CAD installation into DVD-drive.

2. Run Setup.exe file from T-FLEX Prerequisites folder.

This installation should be performed one time even after T-FLEX CAD reinstalling or uninstalling.

3. Run T-FLEX CAD.msi from “T-FLEX CAD” folder and follow installation wizard instructions.

You can install either T-FLEX CAD x32 or T-FLEX CAD x64 running msi file from appropriate folder.

Installation wizard will install examples and standard parts automatically.

4. Run appropriate msi files to install tutorials and necessary add-ons.

Press [Cancel ] button to interrupt installation process.

After installation complete new folder will be created in Program Files directory on your PC.

 

What is going on in setup?

The T-FLEX CAD application files on the CD ROM are in a compressed format. The installer extracts and copies these files into the specified folder on your PC's hard disk. The memory and disk space are monitored during the installation, and an error message is displayed if these are insufficient.

T-FLEX CAD is distributed with a set of sample drawings, and a library of standard elements. The installer program creates appropriate subfolders under the installation home folder. The data structure of these subfolders is as follows:

 

The T-FLEX CAD Main Window Layout

After launching of T-FLEX CAD the dialog box “Start Page” opens up. It includes several sections. In the section Recent Documents a list of recently used documents is shown. To open any of these documents, it is sufficient to point the cursor at any of them and press . The button [Open…] can also be used.

The section Create New Document allows creating a new document on the basis of any of the existing templates. For convenience all templates are divided into groups (“Common”, “Bom”, “Ray Tracing”).

The content of these sections duplicates the functionality of the menu File > Recent Files and the command FP: Create New Document Based on Prototype. More details on how to use these capabilities will be given in the chapter “Main Concepts of System Operation”.

The chapter What’s new contains information about the installed version.

When you select Resources tab, tflexcad.ru page opens in the browser. Here you can download the sample files, libraries, etc.

The chapter Tutorial contains basic information about T-FLEX CAD. The information is useful for novice users.

The dialog box “Start Page” is always visible on the screen when the standard settings of the system are used. Its tab will be aligned with the tabs of the open documents of the system (see below).

The window can be controlled by the Customize > Tool Windows > Start Page item.

In ribbon interface, you need to choose a special icon in the top right part of the window.

Control of the displaying of the dialog box Start Page during all sessions can be carried out through the dialog box of the command SO: Set Systems Options parameter Show Welcome Page at Start on the tab Startup.

 

Interface

There are two interfaces in T-FLEX CAD: ribbon and textual. Ribbon interface offers a convenience of commands usage and their easy searching. Textual interface was used in previous versions of the system.

You can use flag Ribbon mode in the Customize system command on the Options tab.

Ribbon

All commands on ribbon are distributed on tabs. Name of each tab reflects the content. Commands icons are grouped.

The Quick Access Toolbar containing main commands for document management is located in the header of the window. The commands are: 2D Drawing, Assembly drawing, 3D Model, 3D Assembly, Open, Save, Undo, Redo. These commands are always available and do not depend on the active tab. The Set Document Parameters command is also located here.

The File button contains commands for operating with the document.

Text menu, which contains the full set of commands, can be accessed by clicking on the button.

In the upper right corner you may find: a field for displaying of integration with T-FLEX DOCs , a drop-down menu of help information , a drop-down menu of system settings , a command for the start page displaying , a command for the full screen mode activation .

In the drop-down menu you can specify displaying of the tabs.

A help drop-down menu contains commands for invoking help information about the system.

The customize drop-down menu contains commands for changing various system settings.

 

Textual interface

Main Menu contains the textual menu of the T-FLEX CAD commands by groups.

Main Toolbar contains icon buttons for T-FLEX CAD commands. Besides the main toolbar, the application window of the system can contain several toolbars (including the toolbars created by the user). Toolbars can be docked along one of the main window borders, or stand alone as floating windows.

System Toolbar contains the fields for modifying current settings of entities, such as color, line type, level, and layer. Also contains controls for modifying layer configuration, level configuration of the current document, and selector settings.

Elements of T-FLEX CAD Control

Ruler indicates current X and Y coordinates in the active drawing.

The active drawing window - the graphics window for displaying the drawing. Drawings can only be created and edited in this window.

Automenu - a menu of icon buttons for the options available within the current command. If no command is current, the automenu is empty.

Status bar contains the name of the current command, a prompt for the expected user action, the current X and Y coordinates, and the command-dependent auxiliary coordinate.

Pages Tabs provide quick access to the desired page in a multi-page document. To activate a page, select the respective tab. Tabs are not shown for the hidden pages.

Documents Tabs help quick navigation through the open documents. To activate a document, select the respective tab.

The user can reconfigure the layout (position and visibility) of the dialog boxes and various control bars on the main T-FLEX CAD window. Use the menu Customize > Tool Windows or Customize > Customize…”.

 

Tool Windows

Library Explorer Window

Diagnostics Window

3D Model Tree Window (only for 3D release)

Properties Window

Macros Window

Variables Window

Assembly Structure Window

Materials Window

Product Structure Window

Bird’s Eye View Window

Electrical Components Window

Find Command Window

Model Elements Window

Structural Elements Window

Studies Window (only for 3D release)

Weld Project Window

 

Working with tool windows

The system tool windows (the properties window, "3D model", "Library Explorer", the Bird's eye view window, "Macros", the diagnostics window and other windows) can be positioned in the main application window in various ways. Those can be "docked" at the side of the working window, made "hideable" or set to "floating" mode. To save the workspace, some windows can be joined in one group window. Unused tool window can be turned off.

 

●Hide. Remove the window from the screen.

●Set floating. Turn on the “floating” mode for the window (see below).

●Auto Hide. Turn on/off the auto hide mode for the window.

●Show window automatically. The option allows to enable the mode in which the window is automatically activated when you work with its parameters.

A set of commands available in the context menu is dependent on the state of the current window.

It is also allowed to group several windows into one. You should capture a new window using and move it to another header zone. You can switch between the grouped windows using tabs.

To separate one of the grouped windows, you should capture its header and move the window to the required position.

You can also set a floating mode for the service windows to free some workspace. In the floating mode the window will be minimized to the tab state and located along the perimeter of the main system window. When you hover the cursor on this tab, the corresponding window will automatically appear. If you move the cursor from the window, the window will be minimized again. To enable the floating mode, use the Auto Hide context menu command.

Use the button in the window header to enable floating mode without binding the window to the main window borders.

 

Working with Multiple Monitors

You can open multiple windows for one document and operate with it on multiple monitors.

 

For example, if your computer is connected with two monitors, you can display 3D model on one of them and a drawing with the same model projections on the other. Changes in the model are displayed in all main windows that are associated with the same document. So that, changes in the model made on the first monitor are immediately displayed on the projections at another monitor after the Shift+f7: Regenerate all command activation.

New main windows are independent of each other. Each of the windows has commands, input parameters, and other user interface elements.

The system will ask you about saving of the document only when you close the main window with its last open copy.

 

You can copy document to a new main window via command New Main Window:

 

You can transfer document to a new main window via command Move to Main Window:

 

The commands are also available in the document tabs context menus.

Before new main window opening, you can specify the Views placement for it.

The main windows related to a single document are numbered. Number of a window is displayed in its title in parentheses. It helps to choose the window if you want to copy or transfer a document.

         

Drawing Basic Terms

Drawing in T-FLEX CAD involves using several types of entities.

Construction entities. These make the framework of a drawing. The graphic entities of the actual drawing are drawn over the construction entities. The construction entities include construction lines and nodes.  These construction lines and nodes are the principal elements for defining the parametric layout of the drawing. The analog for these in the conventional drawing is the thin pencil lines to be later marked in ink. The parametric behavior of the drawing will be driven by the relationships between the various-type construction lines and the nodes. This will result in a particular way in which the drawing geometry will adjust to changing parameters. The construction entities are displayed solely for user reference. They do not appear on printouts or plots, and are not exported.

Graphic Entities. These constitute the actual drawing of the drawing. The graphic entities include the graphic lines, dimensions, text, hatches, GD&T symbols, etc. These entities may be “snapped” to respective construction entities. In this case, modifications in the construction entities and nodes propagate on the corresponding graphic entities. This is the main technique for parametric design in T-FLEX CAD. The other type of the parametrization is the parametrization of the graphic lines using the Constraints command. The graphic entities constitute the drawing image on a printout or a plot.

The Auxiliary Entities of T-FLEX CAD are variables, databases, reports and other certain system data.

 

Construction Entities

 

Construction Lines are the core elements of the T-FLEX CAD parametric model. These are "thin" base lines that define the parametric framework of a drawing. The construction lines include infinite straight lines, circles, ellipses, splines, offset lines, function curves, and paths. They are displayed as dashed lines. The in-depth description of the construction line types and their creation techniques is given in the following chapters. The particular ways of creating construction lines define the behavior of the drawing as the user modifies location of any construction line. This is due to interdependencies among the construction lines that are established at their creation.

A Node is a point whose placement is defined by a particular way of creation and by interdependencies with other entities in the model. Nodes are also the core elements of the T-FLEX CAD parametric model. Typically, nodes are created at construction line intersections.

The nodes are directly involved in defining the parametric model that will drive other construction entities. Examples of such situations are: a line passing through a node at a specified angle to another line, a circle passing through two nodes, etc. Modifying the location of one of the lines defining the node will cause the node to adjust. This change will propagate on other construction entities related to the node. The nodes are also used for defining the ends of the graphic line segments and other graphic entities.

Besides the nodes that are defined by intersections of pairs of construction lines, T-FLEX CAD supports several other types of nodes whose creation techniques are described below. For now, let's consider only the difference between the "snapped" and "free" nodes.

The typical technique of creating a parametric model implies creating nodes at construction line intersections. This technique is called "constrained drawing mode". While in "constrained drawing" mode, creating a node at some location will undergo automatic snapping to the nearest to cursor pair of construction lines and their intersection.

Creating "free" nodes is a special drawing technique used in non-parametric drawing, such as sketching. This will further be referred to as "free drawing mode". While in "free drawing" mode, the nodes are created exactly under the cursor, without snapping to construction line intersections.

The "constrained drawing" mode is indicated by the icon of the T-FLEX CAD automenu.

The "free drawing" mode is indicated by the icon of the automenu. Switching between these modes is done with <Ctrl><F> or by picking the respective automenu icon.

The recommended drawing technique is using the "constrained drawing" mode. Avoid using mixed modes on the same drawing, as this may cause errors in parametric modifications of the drawing.

         

Graphic Entities

 

 

Auxiliary Elements

 

Variable is a system element for specifying non-geometrical dependencies between the various parameters. One main use of the variables is assigning their values to the construction line parameters. Consider, for example, a line parallel to a given line, at a certain distance. This distance can be defined not only by value, but via a variable as well.

Database is a table of information ordered in a certain way. Databases are used for storing information required in the drawing.

Reports are textual documents that are created with the T-FLEX CAD text editor. Reports can include the system variables and are used for creating various text documents.

 

Drawing Techniques

A T-FLEX CAD drawing can be created in one of the following ways:

Parametric Drawing. This is the recommended drawing technique in T-FLEX CAD. Take the advantage of parametric design capabilities of T-FLEX CAD to create a drawing that can be easily modified according to your design intent. Such a drawing can also be added to a parametric model library to be later used in other, more complex drawings. In the latter case, one can specify a new location for the drawing as a fragment, and modify parameters to obtain a desired shape.

Non-parametric Drawing (Sketch). This is a conventional drawing similar to those created by most CAD systems. This drawing is created by using the standard set of functions for plotting different basic entities (straight lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, splines etc.) and by using the mechanism of objects snaps. These drawings do not have advantages of parametric drawings as far as efficient modification of parameters (dimensions) is concerned, however, in certain cases creating these drawings saves time and can give the benefit when significant subsequent modification is not required.

Creating Parametric Drawing in T-FLEX CAD

Creating a drawing in T-FLEX CAD begins with creating construction entities. Construction entities can be created by various means. First, create the base construction lines that will be used as a reference for additional construction lines. The base lines can be vertical or horizontal. Next, create straight lines and circles dependent on the base lines. For instance, construct parallel lines, tangent circles, etc. The way in which additional lines are created is stored in the model. The line intersections provide reference locations for nodes that need to be created for further construction.

More straight lines and circles can then be created referencing the earlier ones in various ways. A line, for instance, can be created through two nodes; a circle can be drawn through a node and tangent to a line. All these construction steps are stored, and in future the thus created entities will be adjusting to the base and other entity modifications according to their creation history.

Thus, the early stage of creating a drawing involves building parametric dependencies among construction entities that become the parametric framework of the drawing. Once the construction framework is built, proceed with drawing the graphic entities. Create line segments, arcs and circles by drawing over the construction lines, snapping to nodes.

Once the actual drawing graphics is complete, proceed with the drawing layout arrangement. Create dimensions referencing construction lines and nodes. Define hatch contours, their filling patterns and other particulars. Add text entities. When placing text use snapping to nodes and construction lines if desired. This would be necessary if a text is supposed to move together with the drawing graphics.

Further, define GD&T symbols, roughnesses and leader notes. Finally, a complete parametric drawing is created and can further be modified. One can vary construction entity parameters, such as distances between parallel lines, angles between lines, radii of circles.

     

The graphic entities will subsequently adjust with the construction ones they reference. Thus, a family of variations of the original drawing can be created. All the rest of the drawing layout will also adjust accordingly, all done in an instant.

Note that the above scenario for creating a parametric drawing in T-FLEX CAD is just one recommended technique. One can create construction entities and graphic entities in an arbitrary sequence. What is important is that the graphic entities are constrained to the construction ones.

The following chapters will tell how to use variables as drawing parameters, how to create an assembly from fragments, and much more.

 

Creating Non-Parametric Drawing (Sketch) in T-FLEX CAD

This technique implies quick sketching of the drawing graphics, completely avoiding preliminary creation of the construction entities. Sketching supports object snapping and provides dynamic hints that make the drawing process simple and slick. However, thus created drawings do not share the advantage of parametric drawings in the capability of parameter (dimension) modifications. Creating non-parametric drawings may be somewhat preferable in the cases when no significant modifications are expected.

 

Creation of Sketch with Constraints – Graphic Lines Parametrization

The third method allows creation of parametric drawings using only sketch tools. User creates only graphic lines using the Sketch commands and using object bindings. You can also enable the Infer Constraints mode. In this case the basic parametrization will be created automatically. You can also define the parametrization manually by setting constraints for each line separately.

Hybrid parameterization of the drawing is also possible. In this case sketch lines with constraints are partially determined by parametric construction lines.

 

Quick Reference on User Interface

This section provides quick reference to T-FLEX CAD while assuming user familiarity with PC operation in general, and some CAD experience as well.

 

Getting Help

The answers to the questions arising during operation can be got by the following means:

● Help on the current command can be accessed by pressing <F1> key. When no command is active, pressing <F1> invokes the help.

● While within a command, the status bar displays hints and prompts.

● Pop-up help appears when the mouse is placed over an icon, a toolbar or other control element for a brief time. This help message tells the name of the element pointed at, or other related information.

 

Mouse Interface. Context Menu

T-FLEX CAD operation is mainly performed by mouse. The keyboard is used for inputting numerical values, names, and, in certain situations, for keyboard command accelerators (see below).

Using Left Mouse Button

●Pointing cursor at an icon and pressing invokes the respective command.

●Pointing cursor at an item of the textual menu and pressing also does the command call.

●Pointing cursor at a 2D construction or graphic entity in the drawing window and pressing selects this entity and activates its editing command.

●Pointing cursor at a 2D entity and double-clicking invokes the “Entity Parameters” dialog box.

●Pointing cursor at an entity and depressing and holding while moving the mouse (“dragging”) moves the entity.

●Subsequent clicking on 2D or 3D entities while holding left <Shift> key selects a group of entities.

●A group of 2D entities can be selected by “box selection” that occurs when the mouse with the depressed is dragged across the drawing window. The entities will be selected that are entirely within the selection box.

If the mouse is moved from left to right the entities will be selected that are entirely within the selection box. The box is drawn with continuous line.

When mouse moves from right to left, the entities are selected with the “cutting” box. This means that the elements both entirely and partially within the selection box will be selected. The box is drawn with the dashed line in this case.

●To unselect one entity in a group of selected, click on it with while holding left <Ctrl> key.

●Pointing cursor at a selected group of entities and clicking or double-clicking starts moving the selected entities.

●Managing libraries and arranging toolbars can be done using Drag&Drop mode. This is done by pointing cursor at an element, depressing and holding , and moving to a new location.

For more information, refer to the appropriate volumes of the documentation.

Using Right Mouse Button

●While within most commands, pressing cancels the last action or quits the command. Certain commands, as, for instance, the spline creating command or the hatch creation, allow user customization of the action performed by the command on the click. This could be quitting entity creation, canceling last selection, or completing a sequence of inputs.

●If no command is active, pressing invokes context menu. This menu consists of the currently available commands for the given entity. The set of items of the context menu will depend on elements the cursor is pointing at. Thus, it will be different when the cursor is pointing at drawing entities from when the cursor is over a menu area, or toolbar area, or control window area of T-FLEX CAD, etc. To launch a command, point the cursor at the desired line of the context menu and press .

The context menu can also be invoked while working with dialog boxes (see the topic “Context Menu for Dialog Box Items” in the chapter “Customizing Drawing”).

The described right mouse button actions are set as defaults, but can be customized. To do so, go to Customize > Options… (Preferences tab). For more information, refer to the chapter “Customizing System”.

Using mouse with wheel (IntelliMouse)

●Spinning the mouse wheel zooms in and out.

●Dragging the mouse with the wheel depressed pans the 3D scene.

●The mouse wheel can also be used for alternative selection from a set of objects under the cursor. Alternative selection mode activates after two-second delay after pointing cursor at the object. Scrolling through the list of objects is done by spinning the wheel.

●Spinning the wheel performs the standard functions of scrolling in the appropriate field of

●dialog boxes.

 

Calling a Command

A command call in T-FLEX CAD can be performed by the following means:

●Using commands on ribbon tabs;

●Using an icon on a toolbar;

●Selecting an item in the textual menu;

●Typing a keyboard accelerator sequence.

In this volume, any T-FLEX CAD command description will begin with a table describing these three ways of calling the command. For instance, consider the command ESA: Select all elements in current View. The table will appear as follows:

The table shows four ways for calling of a command.

The “Ribbon” section shows how to call a command using Ribbon: name of the tab, name of the group, name of the command.

The “Icon” section shows the toolbar icon, with which you can also invoke this command. As a rule, the name of the tab of the toolbar containing this icon corresponds to the name of the corresponding item in the textual menu. To facilitate selection, when you move the cursor to any icon, a hint with the name of the command appears. After calling a command (by clicking on the appropriate icon), the selected icon remains pressed until you exit the command or switch to another command.

The “Textual menu” section shows how to call the command using the textual menu. Name of the textual menu item, name of the command in the textual menu. The name of the command in textual menu may differ from the whole command name.

The “Keyboard” section shows the sequence of keys that allows to call the command using the keyboard. It also indicates the standard key combination reserved for the command (if specified). The key combination is indicated using separate angle brackets for each key.

Note: the keyboard accelerator combination is input by pressing the keys sequentially, while the function key combination is pressed simultaneously, i.e. the first key is depressed and held while pressing the second key.

The accelerator sequence for a command can be watched in the prompt field of the status bar when selecting the command in the T-FLEX CAD menu bar or a toolbar. If a function key combination is defined, it is shown on the textual menu item button at the right of the name. Any command allows defining or modifying such combination. See "Customizing System" chapter, "Customizing Toolbars and Keyboard", "Keyboard" tab.

When inputting a command by typing, make sure the system is not within another command, and the status bar is empty.

Each command has an additional set of options and subcommands that can be accessed via the automenu or from keyboard. The keyboard accelerators appear on the pop-ups by the respective commands. Some commands can be conveniently accessed from the context menu. The context menu is invoked by pressing after selecting one or several elements. The context menu contains a list of commands available with the given selected group.        

       

Canceling a Command

The last action can be cancelled by pressing in the drawing area or <Esc> key. Repeated pressing quits the command. Alternatively, use the icon of the automenu. Canceling a command clears the command field in the status bar and the automenu.

Starting System, Saving Drawing, Exiting System

Upon the start of the system the dialog box “Start Page” appears on the screen. It has been explained how to work with this dialog box at the beginning of this chapter. It is worth mentioning again that this dialog box allows creating new documents on the basis of templates already existing in the system, and it shows the list of the recently used documents (with the possibility of opening them). Also, this dialog box has various links, which can be useful in working with the system.

 

In addition to the dialog box “Start Page”, to create new documents and open already existing ones, the system commands gathered in the textual menu File can be used.

 

FN: Create New Model command allows to create a new document:

 

FP: Create New Document Based on Prototype command displays a dialog box that allows to select a prototype file for the new document:

 

 

O: Open Model command brings up the standard “Open” dialog box to open a document for editing:

 

SA: Save Model command saves the current document:

 

SV: Save Model As command allows the user to save the current document into a new file with a different name without changing the original document:

 

SL: Save All Modified Models command saves all currently open documents:

 

SY: Save current document as prototype for new documents command saves the current document as a prototype for creating new documents:

 

 

Once this command is called, a dialog box appears on the screen. This dialog allows the user to specify the name for the prototype file, specify the tab in this dialog box for this prototype or create a new tab if desired, and also delete unnecessary files and tabs.

The prototype files are located in the “Prototypes” folder under the “Program” folder off the T-FLEX CAD home. This is exactly the folder whose content is displayed in the dialog box by default.

A prototype folder can be specified by the command SO: Set System Options, Folders tab.

Save document copy to file with different name command allows to save copy of the document without opening the copy. In this case you can continue working in the source document.

 

 

PS: Show Model Properties command displays all properties of the current document, and allows to input a brief comment:

 

File > Recent Files displays the list of files open during previous sessions. Select a file name in the list to open. The number of displayed recent files can be set via the Customize > Options > Preferences command.

“FCL: Close Model” command closes the current document:

 

A document can also be closed using the button , located in the top-right corner of the document window.

“FI: Exit system” command closes the T-FLEX CAD session:

The system queries the user whether to save modified documents (if any) before exiting.

 

Function Keys

Certain frequently used commands are bound to function key combinations, as follows:

Please note that the above command bindings can be changed via the Customize > Customize… > Keyboard command.