D3PLOT 22.1

Controlling How Commands Apply to Windows

Controlling how commands apply to Windows

When there is only one graphics window current then there is no ambiguity about where commands issued in menu panels apply, but once two or more windows are current the situation becomes more complicated. For example you may want to contour X stress in window 1, but Y stress in window 2.

To handle this problem D3PLOT automatically adds "tabs" ( W1 , W2 , ...) for each graphics window to most menu panels when two or more graphics windows are present.


Commands in menu panels will only apply to those graphics windows for which the W n tab buttons are pressed. In the example above all four windows will be affected when commands are given in this panel. If a tab buttons is deselected then subsequent commands in this panel will not apply to that graphics window.

Some further rules apply:

  • Each top level menu panel tabs selection is independent. Deselecting a tab button in one panel will not affect any other top level panels on the display.

  • Selections propagate downwards to newly mapped children. For example if the Component panel is invoked from the Current Operations one it will initially inherit its parent's tab selection. However it is not limited to this and can subsequently be changed.

  • The current status of a menu panel is influenced by its tabs setting as follows:
    • Where only one status word is displayable (eg component, shell surface) the first active window's value is shown.
    • Where status button is mixed (eg ON in window 1, OFF in window 2) then "ON" will be shown, but on a grey rather than coloured background.
    • If no tabs are active then the whole panel will be de-activated

Propagating settings for a panel: the ==> button

Sometimes you may want to propagate settings from one window to others. This can be done in a limited way on a "per menu panel" basis using the ==> button, which:

  • Takes the settings for the first active window in that panel;
  • Copies them to all subsequent active windows.

This is mostly commonly used in the View Control panel to make all windows have the same view as W1.

Using the Wn buttons on graphics windows


Each graphics window has its number given in the W n button at its top left corner. which can be used to toggle on/off that window's tabs in all current menu panels.

When the W n button is toggled OFF:

  • The border round the graphics window changes from light blue to grey
  • The W n tab in all active menu panels is toggled off, and the panels updated.

When it is toggled on again the opposite occurs.

This is simply a quick way of changing the tab status of all active menu panels: the window is not de-activated in any way, it can still be drawn in, and the local tab for this window can still be changed on any menu panel.

Here the W1 button for window #1 is shown.


WINDOW > Select ... (De-)Selecting all windows


It is possible to select and deselect all windows.

This is equivalent of toggling the W n buttons on all graphics windows on ( ALL ) or off ( NONE ), and all menu panels will be affected.


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