Unit 1: How to Use Help

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Introduction: How to Use Help

Aim

To learn the many features of the MPI online help system

Why do it

The MPI online help provides a wealth of information on the use of MPI, from theoretical
information to how to interpret analysis results. This exercise will introduce you to the various
ways the help can be used.

Overview

In this exercise, you will practice accessing the many help features provided in MPI/Synergy,
including:
 Online Tutorials
 Help homepage
 Help contents
 Help index
 Help full-text search
 Dialog help
 Context-sensitive (What's this?) help
 Help preferences

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 Practice: How to Use Help

Preparing to access help

 To open a sample project and study

1. Open the project molding_window.mpi from the Moldflow training area on your PC.
2. Open the Phone MW Cent study by double-clicking on it in the Project View.

Using the help features provided in MPI/Synergy

 To review the online tutorials

 Select Help Tutorials.

A help window opens containing the Course Map topic, and the application is automatically
resized so that the tutorial and application windows are tiled side by side. Open a tutorial by
clicking on a button in the Course Map, and then use the navigation tools at the top and bottom
of the help window to explore the tutorial contents. You can return to the Course Map by clicking
the Map button in the top-left corner of the window.

When you have finished reviewing the tutorial contents, click the close button at the top right
corner of the window.

 To review the help homepage and help system functional tabs

1. Select Help Search Help…

A help window opens containing the help system homepage topic. Explore the featured topics by
clicking on the buttons on the homepage. To return to the homepage, either click the Back button
at the top left of the window one or as many times as required, or double-click the Plastics
Insight Home entry at the top of the help Contents tab.

2. Select the Contents tab at the top left of the help window.

Explore the books and topics in the help contents by double-clicking on the entry. The Glossary
and Troubleshooting and design advice books, for example, provide valuable general reference
material about terminology, part design, and flow analysis in general.

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 3. Now, select the Index tab at the top left of the help window.

The help index provides a large selection of search terms that can assist you with finding
information in the help system.
For example, use the Index tab to find information about:
a) switch-over options for a flow analysis
b) to set polymer valve gates
c) troubleshoot high volumetric shrinkage results
d) solving jetting problems

4. Now, select the Search tab at the top left of the help window.

If you have difficulty finding the information you are looking for using the Contents and Index
tabs, you can also use the Search tab to perform a full-text search of the entire online help system.

Tip: If searching on a single word shows too many topics, you can refine the search by entering
multiple words.
For example, use the Search tab to find information about:
a) the prerequisites for various types of flow analysis (prerequisites flow)
b) how to run and interpret mesh statistics
c) Styrene based materials and their applications
Tip: You can also search for an exact string of words in the help by using quotation marks.
For example, entering “hot runner” into the Search tab will locate every topic where the
string of words, hot runner, are found.

5. Close the help window by clicking the close button at the top right corner of the window.

 To access dialog specific help

1. Double-click the words Process Settings in the Study Tasks pane on the left of the
application window.
The Process Settings Wizard dialog opens.
2. Click the Help button at the bottom right of the dialog.
A help window opens containing the help topic for the current Wizard page.
3. Click on the hypertext links corresponding to the various controls on the dialog.
Each hypertext link brings up a pop-up topic explaining that dialog control and providing
useful tips and additional information, as well as links to further information.
4. Close the help window by clicking the close button at the top right corner of the window.
5. Click the What's This button at the top right corner of the Process Settings Wizard
dialog, and then click on one of the dialog controls. You can see that this provides a quick
method of accessing help about a particular dialog control.
6. Close the Process Settings Wizard dialog by clicking the Cancel button.

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 To access help about toolbar items

 Click the What's This tool , or select Help What's This and then click on a particular
toolbar item that you would like explained.

 To set help preferences

 Select File Preferences and then select the Help System tab. Experiment with the Help
Tiling options by changing the preference setting, and then using Help Search Help… or
Help Tutorials.

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Competency Check - How to Use Help

Use the online help to find the Keyboard shortcuts for:

1. Layers dialog
2. Move/Copy dialog
3. Query Entities dialog
4. Mesh Tools dialog
5. Show Diagnostics toggle
6. Merge (when focus is on the Mesh tools dialog)

What are 4 of the 5 topics listed on the Course Map for the
Tutorials in help

1. __________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

3. __________________________________________

4. __________________________________________

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Evaluation Sheet - How to Use Help

Use the online help to find the Keyboard shortcuts for:

1. Layers dialog 1. Ctrl + L
2. Move/Copy dialog 2. Ctrl + M
3. Ctrl + Q
3. Query Entities dialog
4. Ctrl + T
4. Mesh Tools dialog
5. Ctrl + D
5. Show Diagnostics toggle 6. F5
6. Merge (when focus is on the Mesh tools dialog)

Tip: You can select Help Keyboard Shortcuts to access

the shortcut for every menu item

What are 4 of the 5 topics listed on the Course Map for the
Tutorials in help
1. Getting Started

1. __________________________________________ 2. Basic Modeling

3. Mesh Editing
2. __________________________________________
4. Post Processing

3. __________________________________________ 5. Automating MPI

4. __________________________________________

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