Creating and Modifying Layout Views

Layout views are objects that you can create with a specific configuration, and then modify that configuration as needed.

Use the following techniques:

Action Instructions

Create a layout view

Right-click the Layout Views node and select an item from the submenu of New Layout View:

  • 1 Left, 1 Right—generates a layout with two empty panes side by side.
  • N Left, M Right—opens a dialog in which you can specify the number of panes in each of two columns. Enter the values and click OK.
  • 1 Top, 1 Bottom—generates a layout with two empty panes, one above the other.
  • N Top, M Bottom—opens a dialog in which you can specify the number of panes in each of two rows. Enter the values and click OK.
  • Custom Grid—opens a dialog in which you can specify columns or rows, depending on the mode that you select. Enter the values and click OK.

Assign a scene or plot to a pane

Use one of the following techniques:

  • Drag and drop the scene or plot into the pane.
  • Double-click in the pane, or right-click in the pane and select Assign/Replace With. In the object selector, select the scene or plot.
NoteConsider the following when choosing scenes or plots to assign:
  • A scene or plot can appear only in one instance at a time. Therefore if you assign a scene or plot that is already open, it closes. If you assign a scene or plot that is assigned to another layout view, it disappears from that layout view.
  • You cannot assign a Surface Repair view to a layout view.

Remove a scene or plot from a pane

Right-click in the pane and select Layout > Unassign Scene/Plot.

Divide a layout pane into two

Use one of the following techniques:

  • If the pane is empty, right-click in the pane and choose between Split Left/Right and Split Top/Bottom.
  • If the pane contains a scene or plot, right-click in the pane and select one of the following options from the submenu of Layout:
    • Add Left
    • Add Right
    • Add Above
    • Add Below


Delete a pane

Right-click in the pane and select Remove. If the pane contains a scene or plot, you must first remove it using the Layout > Unassign Scene/Plot action.

Improve the distribution of space among the panes in the layout view

Right-click in one of the panes and select Layout > Redistribute Space Evenly. (If the pane is empty, the layout options are not in a submenu, but immediately available.)

Replace one scene or plot in a pane with another

Use one of the following techniques:

  • Drag and drop the replacement scene or plot into the pane. In the context menu that appears in the display, select the Replace '[scene/plot]' with '[scene/plot]' option.
  • Double-click in the pane, or right-click in the pane and select Layout > Assign/Replace With. In the object selector, select the replacement scene or plot.

Maximize and restore a pane in a layout view

  • To maximize the view of a scene or plot in a layout, hiding other panes, right-click in the pane and select Layout > Maximize View.




    Before Maximize View After Maximize View
  • To restore the layout view, right-click in the maximized scene or plot display and select Layout > Restore View.

Compare scenes or plots from different simulation files

  1. With the simulation file and layout view open, open the second simulation file.
  2. With the object tree of the second simulation file active, drag the scene or plot into an available pane of the layout view. That scene or plot from the second simulation file appears in the layout view of the first simulation file.

If you close the second simulation file, the pane that contained its scene or plot changes to indicate (with text) that the contents are unavailable. If you reopen that simulation file, the contents of the pane reappear.

NoteThe scenes, plots, and snapshots in a Design Manager project cannot be assigned to a layout view in another simulation file or Design Manager project.

Export the layout view to a graphics file

Use one of the following techniques:

  • Right-click the layout view node, and select Hardcopy Layout.
  • Right-click in one of the panes in the layout view, and select Layout > Hardcopy Layout.

Either action activates a dialog that is very similar to that for scenes (see Saving Scene Images to File), except it lacks the Magnification option found in the scene export dialog.

Copy a layout image to the clipboard

Use one of the following techniques:

  • Right-click the layout view node, and select Hardcopy to Clipboard.
  • Right-click in one of the panes in the layout view, and select Layout > Hardcopy to Clipboard.
  • Select the node (or make the layout display active) and press <Ctrl><Shift><C>.

The image is ready for you to paste into any other program that accepts images from the clipboard.
Customize how scenes and plots in the layout view are updated as the simulation iterates

Open the layout view node and the Update node, to access two sub-nodes:

For more information on selecting the trigger type and defining the update frequency, refer to Setting the Trigger for an Update.

NoteIf any scenes or plots in the layout view have updates activated, they update regardless whether the layout view's update is activated.