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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 Keyboard Shortcuts
Simcenter STAR-CCM+ accommodates keystrokes for a host of activities.
Accessing the Properties Window with the Keyboard
Once the Properties window has the focus, the following keys are supported:

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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.
  - 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.
    - Using the Keyboard to Navigate the Menu Bar
      The keyboard can be used to access the menu bar when you hold down the <Alt> key and simultaneously press the underscored character of the menu button of interest. You can also use the <Right> and <Left> arrow keys to move from one menu to the next.
    - Navigating the Table Editor with the Keyboard
      For navigating among the cells in the body of the table, the following keys are supported:
    - Accessing the Properties Window with the Keyboard
      Once the Properties window has the focus, the following keys are supported:
    - Using Keyboard Shortcuts in the Scene Display
      Keyboard shortcuts allow you to work with the scene display as follows:
  - 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.

Accessing the Properties Window with the Keyboard

Once the Properties window has the focus, the following keys are supported:

Navigating


Action	Keyboard Shortcut
Close an open category.	<Left> arrow
Open a closed category.	<Right> arrow
Move the focus to the previous property in the list, stopping at the category bar of the top list.	<Up> arrow
Move the focus to the next property in the list, stopping at the last item of an open category or the category bar of a closed category.	<Down> arrow
Move to the next property.	<Up> arrow or <Down> arrow
Put the property into edit mode if it is not read-only (with the text selected if the inline editor is a text box).	<Space bar>

In edit mode, the keys available depend on the type of inline editor.

Text Box


Action	Keyboard Shortcut
Accept the new value (subject to error checking) and go to view mode. If the error checking fails, the value reverts to the previous value.	<Enter>
Revert the property to the previous value, going to view mode, provided you have not typed <Enter>.	<Esc>

Drop-Down List


Action	Keyboard Shortcut
Open the list.	<Space bar>
Change the selection to the item above.	<Up> arrow
Change the selection to the item below.	<Down> arrow
Accept the list selection, reverting to view mode.	<Enter>
Go to view mode, not changing the value if you have changed it.	<Esc>

When you have a drop-down list open, you can type one or more letters to locate the appropriate item. The letters that you type are always interpreted as the first letters of the required item.

Mini-Dialog

There is no keyboard support for mini-dialogs.