user_interface.md
User Interface
???+ quote If you find an element of your interface requires instructions, then you need to redesign it. ― Dan Rubin
Preface
The User Interface chapter is your key to unlocking the full potential of IGMAS+. In these pages, we'll guide you through the intuitive layout and powerful tools that make navigating the software a breeze.
Get ready to:
- Master the workspace: understand the menus, toolbars, and customizable elements that shape your IGMAS+ experience.
- Discover shortcuts: streamline your workflow with time-saving keyboard shortcuts and efficient navigation techniques.
- Visualize your ideas: learn how to customize displays, manipulate views, and use visual tools to gain insights into your models.
Let's dive in and make IGMAS+ your intuitive modeling companion!
Interface layout
Here are general IGMAS+ interface layouts in light and dark themes:
Check out how to set up the interface theme.
The main elements of the layout are:
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:fontawesome-solid-arrow-up-wide-short:{ .lg .middle } Menu Bar
Most functions are called using the menu entries in the Menu Bar at the top left of the interface window.
Information panel contains information about the IGMAS+ version, as well as a current project name and a timeline version tag.
Search panel can be used for quick access to the search functionality on this website.
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:fontawesome-solid-toolbox:{ .lg .middle } Tool Bar
Left side of the Tool bar below the Menu bar is used for quick access to typical project manager functions
Icons on the right side of the Tool bar are used for quick access to typical functionality, model views and plugins
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:fontawesome-solid-folder-tree:{ .lg .middle } Object Tree
The Object Tree at the left side represents the workspace with all model objects listed in a hierarchical order. Visualization for each object can be toggled using the checkboxes, and right mouse button is used to access options specific for each object.
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:fontawesome-solid-cube:{ .lg .middle } Views Window
The Views Window at the right side contains one or more various views of the model
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:fontawesome-solid-list:{ .lg .middle } Property Editor Tab
The Property Editor Tab at the bottom left is used to view or change the properties of individual elements selected in the Object Tree
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:fontawesome-solid-table-list:{ .lg .middle } Body Manager Tab
The Body Manager Tab at the bottom left contains a table to manage model bodies, as well as to view, add and modify the physical properties of the bodies. It is possible to export the table using the icon on the top right side.
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:fontawesome-solid-circle-info:{ .lg .middle } Information Tab
The Information Tab at the bottom left contains information on numerical data at cursor position in different views
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:fontawesome-solid-bars-progress:{ .lg .middle } Status Bar
The Status Bar at the bottom of the interface contains information on the current session:
- Memory status: place the cursor above the memory status bar to get more information about actual and maximum available memory. The bar turns red, if the allocated memory reaches a critical level
- Progress status: visualizes the activity status. The progress in not necessarily linear
- Model status: traffic light shows the model status
Menu Bar
In the Menu Bar of the interface one can find menu entries:
There is also an information panel showing the IGMAS+ version number (e.g. 1.4.8837), the name of the loaded project (model, e.g., salt.model) and its timeline version tag (e.g., V_2023-09-29_10_53).
The timeline version tag shows the date and time when the model was saved last time and is given in the format: V_YYYY_MM_DD_HH_mm, where
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Vstands for version -
YYYYis the year -
MMis the month -
DDis the day -
HHare hours -
mmare minutes
The search panel can be used for quick access to the search functionality on this website:
A search request is constructed in the following format:
https://igmas.git-pages.gfz-potsdam.de/igmas-docs/?q=request
where request is what you search for.
File
++"File"++ menu entry consists of the following sub-entries:
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- ++"New Project"++ is used to create a new project
- ++"Open Project"++ is used to load an already existing project
- ++"Save Project"++ and ++"Save as"++ are used to save the current modified project.
- ++"Close Project"++ is used to close the current project.
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- ++"Import"++ is used to import data
- ++"Export"++ is used to export data
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++"Exit"++ is used to quit
Project-related menu entries
The typical file load/save functionality is implemented in ++"Open Project"++ and ++"Save Project"++ menu entries. Both ++"Save Project"++ and ++"Save as"++ allow you to save the project within a folder. In both cases IGMAS+ will ask after a directory name and a new directory (global folder) and subdirectory (timeline folder) will be created. This directory structure keeps the valuable information about project changes over time. In this way the user can always recover old and current models.
Import / Export menu entries
++"Import"++ and ++"Export"++ entrees can be used for data exchange with other software products.
It is possible to import the following data to IGMAS+:
- Borehole
- Model
- Stations
- Interfaces
- PointSet (set of points)
- Lines
- Image
- VoxelCube
- Project (XML)
It is possible to export the following data from IGMAS+:
- Body Parameter Table
- Boreholes
- Model
- Stations
- Interfaces
- VoxelCube
- Border-VoxelCube
- StressMap
Exit
Menu entry ++"Exit"++ is used to quit IGMAS+. Before closing, IGMAS+ will check for changes in the project and a corresponding dialogue will pop up: