2.2.2. Home Tab

The Home tab displays by default when you open the application.

This tab contains the following Groups.

Outline

The Outline group provides options that enable you to make basic changes to Outline pane objects.

Options for this group include:

Option	Description
Duplicate and Duplicate Without Results	Duplicates a selected Outline object. This option is only available if an object supports being duplicated. A drop-down menu is also available from this option. Once you have solved your analysis, the additional option Duplicate Without Results becomes available in the drop-down. This option is only available when you select a result object. It duplicates your selected result object, including all subordinate objects. This is a faster option than duplicating a result that includes result data.
Cut/Copy/Paste	Cuts, copies, or pastes Outline objects.
Delete	Deletes a selected Outline object.
Find	Displays the Find in Tree dialog that enables you to search Outline objects, such as the name of an object or objects or a string of characters that are included in the name of objects.
Tree	Displays a drop-down menu of the following options: Expand All: Expands all Outline objects Collapse All: Collapses all Outline objects Collapse Environments: Collapses only the Environment objects.

Solve

The Solve group provides options that enable you to specify some basic solution configurations and to solve your analysis.

Options for this group include:

Option	Description
My Computer / My Computer, Background	Provides a drop-down menu to specify your desired selection only.
Distributed	Selected by default, this option enables and disables the ability for a distributed solution.
Cores	Specify the number of cores to use during the solution. The default is value is `4`. Entering `0` does not send any request to the Mechanical APDL solver related to the number of cores to use. For shared-memory solutions, if you specify a number greater than the number of cores in the node, the highest available number of cores is used.
Solve	Displays a drop-down menu for My Computer and My Computer, Background solution selections. Initiates the solution when selected.
Resource Prediction	Opens a window that enables you to select an available analysis and then generate an estimate of the computing resources needed to perform a solution for the environment.
Solve Process Settings	Launches the Solve Process Settings dialog. This dialog enables you to configure solution settings.

Note: The Solve drop-down menu and dialog options are also available on a number of Context tabs (Environment, Solution, etc.).

Insert

The Insert group provides a variety of regularly used options.

Options for this group include:

Option	Description
Analysis	Displays a drop-down menu of standalone analysis selections to add to your existing model. A corresponding analysis system, with the appropriate connections, is also included in the Project Schematic. The new analysis shares the Engineering Data, Geometry, and Model cells with the other analysis systems under the model.
Named Selection	For a supported parent object, inserts a Named Selection, and parent folder as needed, into the Outline.
Coordinate System	This option is available when the Coordinate Systems object is selected. It inserts a new Coordinate System object.
Remote Point	This option is available when the Model object is selected. It inserts a new Remote Point object and parent folder as needed.
Commands	For a supported parent object, inserts and specifies a new Commands object.
Comment	For a supported parent object, inserts and specifies a new Comment object.
Chart	Inserts and specifies a new Chart object.
Images	Displays a drop-down menu of the following options: Figure: Captures the current Geometry window content and places it under the currently selected object. You can manipulate Figure objects in the Geometry window as well as use other options on the object, such as adding an Annotation. Image: Captures a two-dimensional screen shot of the Geometry window content and places it under the currently selected object. Image from File: Imports an existing image and places it under the currently selected object. Image Plane from File: Imports an image into Mechanical and places it on or around your model based on the XY-plane of the selected coordinate system. This option is used primarily with the Construction Line feature to overlay and accurately sketch one or more line segments. However, it has many applications. For example, you can place logos on your model, specify a background, set up physical rulers to help measure deformations, incorporate image planes into custom ACT extensions, etc. Image to File: Saves an image of the active viewport of the Geometry window. When you select this option a dialog displays, as illustrated below. By default, the option Current Graphics Display is active. With this option selected, the application captures the content of the Geometry window using the application default settings. In order to make any changes on the dialog, you must first deselect the Current Graphics Display option. The expanded dialog, illustrated below, provides graphical resolution and image capture options that you can modify. If you change the settings, the application saves your selections for future use of the feature. In addition, the dialog includes the Append Graph option that enables you to add a graph of the Graph window data in the lower left-hand corner of the image. Deselecting the Show Preference Dialog instructs the application to not show the above dialog and immediately display the Save As window. Supported file formats for this feature include: PNG (.png), JPEG (.jpg), and BMP (.bmp). Note: You can change the default settings for these options using the properties of the Image Export group of the Graphics category of the Options dialog. Composite Image to File: This option is available when you have specified more than one viewport. This option acts the same as the Image to File option. It includes the same options as the above dialog, with additional options that are specific to saving viewport images, including the options Interior Borders and Exterior Borders under the Multiviewport Screenshot Settings title, as illustrated below. These options enable you to add borders around and in-between the viewports you capture. Image to Clipboard: Copies Geometry window content to the clipboard. The image may then be pasted into different applications. This feature is for the Windows platform only.
Section Plane	Displays the Section Planes window to specify a section cut-through on your model in order to view a cross section of your geometry, mesh, or of a result. See the Creating Section Planes section for additional information about this feature.
Annotation	Adds a text comment to a particular spot of your model. See the Graphics Annotations Window section for additional information about this feature.

Tools

The Tools group provides a variety of display-based options.

Options for this group include:

Option	Description
Units	Displays the Unit Systems drop-down menu. Modify unit system as desired. Note: The Celsius and Kelvin settings are not available if you select either of the U.S. Customary settings.
	For a supported objects, displays (or hides) the Worksheet window.
Keyframe Animation	Displays the Keyframe Animation window.
Tags	Displays the Tags window to apply meaningful labels to objects that can then be filtered. See the Tagging Objects section for additional information about this feature.
Wizard	Activates the Mechanical Wizard. This feature helps you construct your simulation.
Show Errors	Displays error messages, in the Messages window, for invalid Outline pane objects. Once you correct an invalid object, selecting this option removes the error message from the window. Note: Even though the application does not check for solution and mesh related errors with this feature, selecting the option may also clear those errors from the Messages window.
Manage Views	Displays the Manage Views window. This feature enables you to save a graphical view of your model.
Selection Information	Displays the Selection Information window.
Unit Converter	Displays a Unit Conversion tool. It is a built-in conversion calculator that enables you to perform conversions between consistent unit systems. The Units menu sets the active unit system. The status bar shows the current unit system. The units listed in the tool and in the Details pane are in the proper form (include no parenthesis).
Print Preview	Displays a printable image of the currently selected object. See the Print Preview section for more information about this feature.
Report Preview	Displays your analysis in the Report Preview view. See the Report Preview section for more information about this feature.
Key Assignments	Displays a dialog that lists all available hotkey and hotkey combinations that enable you to quickly perform certain actions. See the Key Assignments section for more information.

Layout

The Layout group provides options to manage the display of the interface.

Options for this group include:

Option	Description
Full Screen	Activates a full screen display. This display can also be turned on and off using the F11 key.
Manage	Provides a drop-down menu of interface display selections.
User Defined	Displays a drop-down menu of the following options: Store Layout: Saves an interface layout that you have created. For example, you may like to size the interface windows in a specific way or you like to display certain interface windows, such as Section Planes, or you may wish to hide certain interface windows. Once you have designed/configured an interface layout, you select the Store Layout option and then enter a name for the layout. This name then displays in the drop-down menu enabling you to select it and any time. Remove Layout: Becomes available once you have saved a layout. Selecting this option displays a small dialog that you use to delete existing layouts.
Reset Layout	Restores the interface layout to the default setting.