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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.
Working with the Plugins Manager
The Plugins Manager makes it possible to install and manage NetBeans modules for Simcenter STAR-CCM+.

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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.
- 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.

Working with the Plugins Manager

The Plugins Manager makes it possible to install and manage NetBeans modules for Simcenter STAR-CCM+.

The Plugins Manager is opened when you select Tools > Plugins from the top menus.

The NetBeans modules (.nbm files) can be thought of as plugins that permit you to extend the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ GUI dynamically. Modules range in complexity from a single Java class that executes a single operation to a group of classes to control the generation of application-specific models.

This section provides information on the following:

Installing a NetBeans Module file
Deactivating an Installed Plugin

Installing a NetBeans Module File

To install a plugin, it is necessary to modify the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ installation as follows:

Choose Tools > Plugins from the main menu and select the Settings tab.
If you want to make the plugin available for all users, activate Force install into shared directories, otherwise deactivate this function.
Select the Downloaded tab.
Click Add Plugins and browse to the location of your created or downloaded .nbm file.
Click Install and complete the installation.
Restart Simcenter STAR-CCM+ if prompted to do so.

When the installation is complete, the plugin appears in the Installed tab as activated.

Deactivating an Installed Plugin

Simcenter STAR-CCM+ allows you to deactivate installed plugins that you do not need to minimize startup time and save memory.

Note	Do not deactivate the Simcenter STAR-CCM+ plugin.

To deactivate a plugin:

Choose Tools > Plugins from the main menu and select the Installed tab.
Select the plugin.
Click Deactivate.
Restart Simcenter STAR-CCM+ if prompted to do so. If you require it later, the plugin can be reactivated using the Activate button.

Uninstalling a plugin follows a similar workflow to deactivating with the exceptions that you click the Uninstall button and the plugin cannot be reactivated. The Simcenter STAR-CCM+ plugin cannot be uninstalled.