Embed Doc
Copy Link
Readcast
Collections

CommentGo Back

Download

Chapter 2. Graphical User Interface (GUI)

The user interface to

FLUENT

consists of a graphical interface with pull-down menus,panels, and dialogs, as well as a textual command line interface (described in Chap-ter3:Text User Interface (TUI)).

•

Section2.1:GUI Components

•

Section2.2:Customizing the Graphical User Interface (UNIX Systems Only)

•

Section2.3:Using the GUI Help System

2.1 GUI Components

The graphical user interface (GUI) is made up of four main components: a consolewindow, control panels, dialog boxes, and graphics windows. When you use the GUI,you will be interacting with one of these components at all times. Figure2.1.1is a samplescreen shot showing all of the GUI components. The four GUI components are describedin detail in subsequent sections.On UNIX systems, the attributes of the GUI (including colors and text fonts) can be cus-tomized to better match your platform environment. This is described in Section2.2:Cus- tomizing the Graphical User Interface (UNIX Systems Only).

2.1.1 Console

The

FLUENT Console

is the main window that controls the execution of the program.When using the

Console

to interact with

FLUENT

, you have a choice between a text userinterface (TUI) and a graphical user interface (GUI). The

Console

contains a terminalemulator for the TUI and a menu bar for the GUI.

Terminal Emulator

The terminal emulator is similar in behavior to “xterm” or other UNIX command shelltools, or to the MS-DOS Command Prompt window on Windows systems. It allowsyou to interact with the TUI menu. More information on the TUI can be found inChapter3:Text User Interface (TUI).



Fluent Inc. January 11, 2005

2-1

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

onso eGraphics WIndowDialogPanel

Figure 2.1.1: Screen Shot Showing GUI ComponentsFigure 2.1.2: The Console

2-2



Fluent Inc. January 11, 2005

2.1 GUI Components

All textual output from the program (e.g., error messages) is printed in the terminalemulator, and all typing is displayed on the bottom line. As the number of text linesgrows, the lines will be scrolled oﬀ the top of the window. The scroll bar on the rightallows you to go back and look at the preceding text.The terminal emulator accepts

<Control-C>

to let you interrupt the program while itis working. It also lets you perform text copy and paste operations between the

Console

and other X Window (or Windows) applications (that support copy and paste). Thefollowing steps show you how to perform a copy and paste operation on a UNIX system:1. Move the pointer to the beginning of the text to be copied.2. Press and hold down the left mouse button.3. Move the pointer to the end of the text (text should be highlighted).4. Release the left mouse button.5. Move the pointer to the target window.6. Press the middle mouse button to “paste” the text.On a Windows system, you will follow the steps below to copy text to the clipboard:1. Move the pointer to the beginning of the text to be copied.2. Press and hold down the left mouse button.3. Move the pointer to the end of the text (text should be highlighted).4. Release the left mouse button.5. Press the

<Ctrl>

and

keys together.



Fluent Inc. January 11, 2005

2-3