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User Interface
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a Graphical User Interface generally known as the client workspace. This interface appears when you launch Simcenter STAR-CCM+ interactively.
Using the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Workspace
This chapter shows you how to use the various components of Simcenter STAR-CCM+, with a focus on the user interface.
Using the Workspace
If you have used any GUI-based applications (such as Microsoft Word), you will have little difficulty using the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ workspace.
Navigating the Workspace with the Keyboard
You can use the keyboard to navigate among open top-level components of the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ client workspace, including the simulation object tree, properties window, and scene and plot displays.

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User Interface
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ provides a Graphical User Interface generally known as the client workspace. This interface appears when you launch Simcenter STAR-CCM+ interactively.
- Using the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Workspace
  This chapter shows you how to use the various components of Simcenter STAR-CCM+, with a focus on the user interface.
  - Using the Workspace
    If you have used any GUI-based applications (such as Microsoft Word), you will have little difficulty using the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ workspace.
    - Defining Colors
      The dialog for color control is used for a wide variety of objects within Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
    - Pasting Coordinate Sets Directly into Dialog Fields
      If you have a string of comma-separated coordinates, for example of a vector, you can paste them directly into a dialog with a single paste action.
    - Identifying the Version of Simcenter STAR-CCM+
      To find out which version of Simcenter STAR-CCM+ you are running, select Help > About.
    - Working with Unicode Characters
      On systems that support unicode, named objects on the tree as well as scene annotations can include non-Western (UCS-16) character sets as shown below.
    - Changing the Appearance of Decimals
      When you browse large amounts of data, it may seem cumbersome to view values in their lengthy double-precision format. For easier data viewing, change the decimal display.
    - Changing the Appearance of the Scene Highlight Font
      You can control the appearance of the font that is used to highlight objects in scene displays.
    - Changing the Workspace Font Size
      In Linux or Windows you can adjust the size of the font that is used in the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ client workspace, such as dialogs and the object tree, for that session.
    - Navigating the Workspace with the Keyboard
      You can use the keyboard to navigate among open top-level components of the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ client workspace, including the simulation object tree, properties window, and scene and plot displays.
  - Using the Menus
    The menu bar is typical of GUI-based applications. It can be navigated with the mouse or with the keyboard.
  - Using the Toolbars
    Like the menu bars, the toolbars are typical of GUI-based applications, providing easy access to the most common actions.
  - Using the Explorer Pane
    The Explorer pane is typically docked on the left of the workspace.
  - Using the Table Editor
    The table editor combines the functionality of the simulation tree and Properties window.
  - Using the Properties Window
    The Properties window is a single location where all of the properties for a selected object can be viewed and manipulated.
  - Guide to the Graphics Window
    The graphics window displays viewable objects such as scenes and plots. The window also hosts interactive views such as the 3D-CAD view and the surface repair environment.
  - Using the Output Window
    The Output window gives a precise text description of all developments within the simulation.
  - Using Keyboard Shortcuts
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ accommodates keystrokes for a host of activities.
  - Conditions, Values, and Profiles
    Throughout the simulation tree, Simcenter STAR-CCM+ presents groups of condition nodes and their matching value nodes. For example, a boundary object has child nodes on which you choose physics conditions, and child nodes on which you set physics values. These values are quantities such as velocity, temperature, or density. The particular values available for change depend on what you set in the conditions.
  - Tables
    Tables refer to objects in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ containing tabular data.
- What Are the Important Concepts?
  This section presents the key concepts you come across when using Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
- Working with Simulation Objects
  Objects are the key components of Simcenter STAR-CCM+. They represent various aspects of a simulation and have properties that you can set as required for your particular problem.
- Automation
  The Automation node provides easy access to a number of frequently used automated processes.
- Expressions
  In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, you can define property values using expressions, which you write using a function language that is a subset of the C programming language. Expressions can define mathematical expressions or perform other operations, such as interpolating tabular data from XY tables in the simulation.
- Global Parameters
  Global parameters include scalar and vector physical quantities (for example, 120.0 K or [0.0, 1.0, 0.0] m) that can be defined once and used in multiple objects. Another type of global parameter is a file, currently used for the Replace Parts operation in Geometry > Operations and in Design Manager.
- Field Functions
  Field functions allow you to access fields (scalar or vector data that are evaluated at cells, vertices, or boundary faces) in Simcenter STAR-CCM+. You can use field functions to visualize the computed fields, to specify boundary and region values, or to define initial conditions.
- Engineering Units
  Simcenter STAR-CCM+ has flexible and customizable support for engineering units. The standard SI and USCS systems are built in, and you can add new units as desired. Physical quantities can be specified and displayed in any of these units. Individual quantities can be specified with new units on the fly by simply typing something like “80 mph”.
- Simulation Operations
  Simulation operations allow you to automate the solution processes in Simcenter STAR-CCM+ without using Java macros. Condition and loop operations provide the basic logic control common to many programming languages.
- Staged Physics
  In Simcenter STAR-CCM+, staged physics allows you to store multiple configurations of physics settings and apply them in sequence during a simulation. Simulation operations provide the framework in which physics stages are applied.
- Working with Volume Shapes
  A volume shape is a closed geometric figure that can be shaped as a block, cone, cylinder, or sphere.
- Simulation Guide
  The simulation guide is a single embedded document that you can edit within a simulation file. This document can contain formatted text, tables, images, and hyperlinks to nodes in the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ object tree or external web resources.
- Template Simulation Files
  Template simulation files allow you to define pre-configured setups for use in new simulations. When used in conjunction with query-based selection, template files present a powerful technique for automating repeat analyses on similar geometries.
- Scripting the Application
  Scripting allows you to work more efficiently by automating repetitive tasks.
- Working with User Code
  User code allows Simcenter STAR-CCM+ to be customized with functions written in a compiled language such as C, C++ or Fortran.
- Working with the Plugins Manager
  The Plugins Manager makes it possible to install and manage NetBeans modules for Simcenter STAR-CCM+.
- Simulation Assistants
  A Simulation Assistant provides a visual workflow within the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ user interface (UI).
- Wizard Guide
  This part of the documentation illustrates how Simcenter STAR-CCM+ is used for special application tools and projects.

Navigating the Workspace with the Keyboard

You can use the keyboard to navigate among open top-level components of the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ client workspace, including the simulation object tree, properties window, and scene and plot displays.

With the workspace active, press <Ctrl>+<Tab>, and continue to hold down the <Ctrl> key.
In the small pop-up window that appears, use the <Tab> and arrow keys to navigate among the components.

The contents of the window reflect the components of the workspace that are currently open. As you open other windows, the contents of the window change. The following example shows that a histogram plot was opened in the simulation Star 1.
To access the highlighted component, release the <Ctrl> key or press <Enter>.