HyperBeam View Toolbar

Access additional tools from the HyperBeam View toolbar.

The toolbar, located at the topic of the HyperBeam View, contains the following functions:
Figure 1.


Grid Toggle Tool
Selecting and unselecting turns the background grid in the graphics area on and off. When the background grid is turned on, you are able to quickly resolve the relative size of each section.
Beamsection Orientation Tools
Control the orientation with respect to the local origin of a standard section in the HyperBeam standard section library. Standard sections within the solver libraries already have a set orientation that maps to the solver; therefore, the Beamsection Orient options are only available for the sections that are defined in the HyperBeam library.
Button Function Behavior
Orient 0.0 Sets the orientation to 0.0 degrees.
Orient 90.0 Sets the orientation to 90.0 degrees.
Orient 180.0 Sets the orientation to 1800.0 degrees.
Orient 270.0 Sets the orientation to 270.0 degrees.
View Controls
Controls the view. All these options are available through Ctrl + mouse and follow the HyperMesh mouse controls.
Button Function Behavior
Fit to Window Fits the model to the center of the graphics area.
Zoom In/Out Left-click: Zoom in

Right-click: Zoom out

Fit to Circle Draw a circle around the area you would like to zoom in on in the graphics area.
Move Center This is a panning tool that allows you to grab the graphics area and move it to a different location.
Editing and Sketching Tools
Create and edit shell and solid sections, as well as, modify section parameters.
Button Function Behavior
Create shell part or solid perimeter This tool is activated automatically when defining a new shell or solid section canvas, and has two distinct functions:
  • For shell sections, this tool will sketch one shell section part at a time. Left-click to create a connected vertex, and right-click to remove it. Once the cursor leaves the screen the section will be initialized.
  • For solid sections, this tool will outline the perimeter of one continuous solid section at a time. It can also be used to cut holes in previously defined solid sections. Left-click to create a connected vertex, right-click to remove it. Once the cursor leaves the screen the section will be initialized.
Join parts / Split part at vertex To join two parts that meet at a common point end, left-click on the first part, then left-click on the second part to merge it into the first part.

To split a part at a vertex, left-click on the part that you wish to split, then right-click on the vertex that you wish to split the part at. The part splits into two parts.

Move vertex / Edit dimension / Edit thickness This tool is active for standard, shell and solid sections, and has three distinct functions:
  • For standard sections, this tool allows you to edit any of the parameters displayed on the section. Left-click and hold a dimension or thickness on the screen, and then drag; the section value and corresponding graphics will change as it is dragged. Double-click on a dimension, which is represented in the graphics area as text, to create a box around the text you want to edit.
    Note: The only available options to edit the text are backspace to delete characters, the ten number keys, and the period. Exponential notation is not supported.
  • For shell sections, this tool allows you to quickly snap any vertex to the predefined grid. It can also be used to edit the thickness of a shell part by left-clicking and dragging the thickness value. Double-clicking on a thickness, which is represented in the graphics area as text, will create a box around the text want can edit it.
    Note: The only available options to edit the text are backspace to delete characters, the ten number keys, and the period. Exponential notation is not supported.
  • For solid sections, this tool allows you to quickly snap any vertex to the predefined grid.
Add vertex / Delete vertex Left-clicking on or near any part (for a shell) or perimeter (for a solid) will create a new vertex on the closest part or perimeter. The part or perimeter will be diverted to now run through the new vertex. If a clicked point is closer to the end of a part than a segment of it, the part will be extended.

To prevent a bend in the part during vertex creation, select points on the shell parts themselves. If your cursor is near snap tolerance lines that cross existing shell parts, a "+" will appear. A relatively small snap size may make it difficult to tell whether the cursor is over the shell part or beside it. Increase the snap size so that it is more clear when the cursor has snapped to the shell part; or look at the point coordinates, if either the y or z value is not an even multiple of the snap size then the cursor is over the shell part and not beside it.

Replace vertices / Detach a vertex To replace vertices, left-click on the vertex that you wish to replace, then left-click on the vertex that you wish to replace the first vertex with. The second vertex replaces the first vertex.

To split a vertex into two coincident vertices, right-click on a vertex.

Delete shell part or solid perimeter Left clicking on or near any part (for a shell) or perimeter (for a solid) will delete the nearest part or perimeter.
Undo/Redo Tools
Undo and redo changes you have applied to the currently displayed beam section (dimension changes, part additions, thickness changes, and so on). If you switch to a new beam, the undo/redo list will be cleared from the previous beam.
Button Function Behavior
Undo all changes Undo all of the changes applied to the currently displayed beam section.
Undo last change Undo the last change applied to the currently displayed beam section.
Redo last change Redo the last change applied to the currently displayed beam section.
Redo all changes Redo the all of the changes applied to the currently displayed beam section.
Measuring Tools
Querying beamsection.
Button Function Behavior
Find moments at mouse location Selecting this icon activates an interactive mode. When you click on a point in the graphics area, the Local moments of inertia dialog appears. From this dialog you can review the following information:
  • The Y and Z coordinates of the point selected.
  • The Y and Z offsets from the shear center and centroid.
  • The moments of inertia Iyy, Izz, and Iyz for the section relative to the selected point.

This tool is useful for determining beam element offsets or making custom beams. Click Exit to close the dialog select another point.

Measure section with ruler Selecting this icon activates an interactive mode. When you click two or more points in the graphics area, lines are created similar to the way a shell section is created. If two points are selected, the dy and dz distances between the points are displayed, as well as the total length of the line. If three or more points are selected, the total length of the line is displayed. Right-clicking removes the previously selected point.
Image Capture Tools
Take screen shots of various components in HyperBeam.
Button Function Behavior
Save image to file/clipboard Use the toggle to determine whether to save an image to a file, or to a clipboard. When the toggle is on (highlighted orange), an image is saved to a file. When the toggle is off (gray), an image is saved to a clipboard. Images will be saved as a .bmp.
Capture full image Captures and saves your entire application frame to your selected toggle setting.
Capture graphics area Captures and saves the graphics area to your selected toggle setting.
Capture results area Captures and saves the results area to your selected toggle setting.
Capture rectangular area Captures and saves a selected area to your selected toggle setting.
Save graphics to jpg Captures and saves the graphics area as .jpg to a location that you specify.