Contextual-Help: Tool-tips, F1, '?'

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Contextual-Help: Tool-tips, F1, '?'

Help while you use MechDesigner.

Help is available from::

•Local Help - access with F1

•Tool-Tips (in the Feedback Area)

•Globe-www-24 http://mechdesigner.support  (you are here)

•Tutorial Videos - see Help menu

Local help

Reference Help:

It is always a good idea to download the latest reference help from our website.

You MUST run MechDesigner as an Administrator.

1.Right-click MechDesigner in the Start menu, taskbar, or desktop

2.Click Run as Administrator

After MechDesigner opens:

3.Click Help menu > Download Latest Help...

Click 'Download Now' to install the Local Help

Click 'Download Now' to install the Local Help

4.Click the Download Now button.

5.Check the Feedback-Area > Messages

•If the message is: “Failed to Create: C:\ProgramData\PSMotion\Help\MechDesigner.chm”, then see Permissions

•If the progress-bar under the Download Now button is making progress, then please wait until you see the message: “Download Successful”.

Command Help:

COMMAND HELP: Press the F1 key to open the local help at the 'Machine Settings' topic

Help for a command

Use the F1 key on your keyboard to open the local-help for a command:

1.Move your mouse-pointer above a command icon in a toolbar:

On a desktop:

2.Press the keyboard F1 function key.

Or, on a laptop:

2.Press the Fn+F1 keys together.

Dialog Help: 

Dialog Help: Click the ? at the top of each dialog to open the local help

To edit an element's parameters (e.g. change the value of a Dimension), you open the element's dialog (Dimension dialog).

Each type of element has the same dialog format. Only the parameters are different, of course.

There is a mini-toolbar with four icons at the top of each dialog.

Tick-24x34 - Apply the changes and close the dialog

Cross-24x34 - Cancel the changes and close the dialog

Cancel-24x34 - Cancel the changes, and do NOT close the dialog

Help-24x34 - Open the Dialog Help that is contextual to the type of element.

Parameter-Help:

PARAMETER HELP: Click when the parameter help '?' shows, to open help at the parameter topic

Help for a parameter

Dialogs have Parameters whose values control the element.

If there is an icon to the left of the parameter's data-box

1.Move your mouse-pointer over the Parameter icon

When a Help is over the Parameter icon, carefully, with a little skill:

2.Move your mouse-pointer down a little

When you see the Help icon AND your mouse-pointer is NOT above the Help icon (see image left)

3.Click your mouse-button

Tool-Tips

To Enable Tool-Tips:

Enable tool-tips :

1.Click Edit menu (or toolbar) > Application-Settings | Accessibility tab > Menus >

2.Select the Enable Hints and Tool-tips check-box

or

1.Click Help menu > Toggle Hints (maybe two times!)

To see a Tool-Tip:

Commands: move your mouse-pointer above a toolbar command, and pause a short time.

Dialogs: move your mouse-pointer above each parameter.

tog_minus        VIDEO: Contextual Help for Commands, Dialogs, and Parameters

Getting Help from within the Mechdesigner Application.

tog_minus        How to use the Local Help

Contents tab

Contents tab

Below the Quick access toolbar, there are four(4) tabs above the help topics.

Contents (default):

There is a Table of Contents

Navigate the topics to select a topic
Index tab

Index tab

Index:

You can search for topics with the keyword that the author of the help has manually entered as an index list.

If you cannot find the topic you want, try the Search tab.

Search tab

Search tab

Search:

Enter a term, and click List Topics.

Select a topic from the list and click Display or Double-click a topic in the list.

Red-14-1 Click the arrow to add a Boolean term to the search: AND, OR, NOT, NEAR.

Red-14-2 At the bottom of the Search tab, there are three check-boxes

☑Search previous results

☑Match similar words

☑Search titles

tog_minus        Path Permissions:

You may need to ask your I.T. department for these Windows© permissions on your computer.

A)Do you have permission to see <CommonAppData > \Help\

1.Go to Files Explorer > View tab > Show/Hide panel

☑Click Hidden items

B)Do you have permission to download the local-help file ?

Run MechDesigner as Administrator to download the Local Help.

1.Navigate to: <CommonAppData >\Help\

2.Right-Click the Help path-name

3.Click Properties at the bottom of the shortcut-menu, to open the

In the Help Properties dialog.

4.Click the Security tab

5.Click the Edit button, to open the Properties for Help dialog

6.In the Group or user-names box, click the Users group (usually)

7.In Properties for Help dialog, click the Allow check-box, for the Write option.

8.Click the Apply button, then the OK button to close the Properties for Help dialog.

9.Click the OK button to close the Help Properties dialog.

Now you should be able to automatically download the latest help file.