Interface Overview
AutoCalcs features a modern interface designed for efficient structural modeling. This guide covers the main areas and controls.
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Main Areas
Canvas (Center)
The main 3D viewport where you create and view your model.
| Pan | Hold right mouse button and move mouse |
| Rotate | Hold right mouse button and move mouse |
| Zoom | Mouse wheel |
| Select | Left click (Select mode) |
| Draw | Left click (Draw mode) - Right click to cancel drawing |
Top Toolbar (Ribbon)
The main command bar across the top of the screen.
- File Operations - Save/load projects, undo/redo
- Load Case Selector - Switch between load cases
- Data Dialogs - Nodes, Members, Sections, Materials, Loads
- Run Analysis - Linear or P-Delta analysis
- Snap Controls - Grid, node, and midpoint snapping
Left Sidebar
View controls, display options, and result toggles.
DISPLAY OPTIONS
RESULT TOGGLES
Right Sidebar (Properties)
Context-sensitive panel showing properties of selected items.
- Node Properties - Position (X, Y, Z), support type, DOF restraints
- Member Properties - Section, material, end releases, rotation
- Multi-select - Edit common properties across selection
Bottom Status Bar
Shows current tool mode, cursor coordinates, and contextual hints.
Render Modes
Switch between different rendering styles using the render button in the left sidebar:
Wireframe
Simple line representation. Fast and clean for complex models.
Outlined
Wireframe with cross-section outlines visible.
Rendered
Full 3D cross-sections with shading. Great for visualization.
Standard Views
Use the numpad keys to quickly switch to standard orthographic views:
Orthographic Views
1 | Front view (XY plane) |
3 | Right view (YZ plane) |
5 | Top view (XZ plane) |
7 | Left view |
9 | Back view |
Isometric Views
4 | Isometric (front-left) |
6 | Isometric (front-right) |
8 | Isometric (back) |
0 | Reset to default view |
. | Focus on selection |
Result Scaling
When viewing analysis results, hold a key and scroll to adjust diagram scales:
| Hotkey | Result Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
D + scroll | Displacement | Scale deformed shape visualization |
M + scroll | Moment | Scale bending moment diagrams |
S + scroll | Shear | Scale shear force diagrams |
R + scroll | Reactions | Scale reaction arrow sizes |
L + scroll | Distributed Loads | Scale distributed load arrows |
C + scroll | Concentrated Loads | Scale point load arrows |