The TopSolid'Pdm Explorer 7 screen consists of different zones allowing to manage projects and documents:

1 - TopSolid'Pdm Explorer button

This button, also called the Application icon allows you to access commands for file management, display, document visualization windows, PDM management and exiting the software.

2 - System toolbar

This icon bar groups frequently used TopSolid'Pdm Explorer commands: Save all documents, Print.

Contrary to the context icon bar, it is not customizable.

3 - Context tabs

This area displays the entire set of available commands. The contents of this menu depends on the type of document being opened, as well as installed add-in modules.

4 - Dialog window

This area displays when the name of a command ends in "..." (such as, for example, the Analyze geometry...command) It allows you to enter different information that performs the selected command.

By default, the dialog window displays in the upper-left area of the workspace, but it can also be displayed in the form of an anchored tool window with the TopSolid'Pdm Explorer > Display > Dialog command (click it to turn on the mode).

The top of the dialog window consists of an icon bar allowing you to perform basic commands:

5 - Document tabs

This area contains the list of open documents; each document is open in a window with a tab containing the name and icon of the type of document. It can also be followed by symbols that describe the status of the document:

When multiple documents are open, the tab of the current document has an orange background. Furthermore, in the right part of the window, the icons allow you to respectively display the list of open documents in order to select the new current document and close the current document.

6 - Context commands (work bar)

The command bar contains the most frequently used commands of the chosen context. Selecting a command generally triggers the display of command options in the Dialog Panel.

Commands are displayed in the left part of the context, whereas states (or modes) are displayed in the right part.

7 - Banner

The banner displays the name of the current document, as well as the name of the connection as well as the user name between brackets displays.

8 - Context states

States (or modes) allow you to set the options of the current context, select the mode when the icon is on an orange background (orange is the default active color and can be configured in the Window feature of the Window of the Tools > Options... command).

For example in the Home context, the display lateral faces mode allows you to display lateral faces of sheet metal parts.

9 - Projects window

When a project is created, its contents automatically displays in the project management window also called the project tree.

This window, similar to Windows Explorer, allows you to manage the set of documents in your project; most of the commands can be accessed from different displayed popup menus when you click a project item.

The most frequently used commands can be performed with the mouse:

• Double-click an item to open it.

• Select an item then click the selected item again to rename this item.(only for non TopSolid documents like texts, images, videos, ...).

Informations about states of documents are displayed in the projects tree.

10 - Documents preview

The preview area displays a preview of the selected document as long as this document was created by a TopSolid 7 application.

The preview of a document is calculated from shapes contained in the document with the Shadowed Rendering with Edges, Perspective Camera and Global Zoom settings. However, some types of documents, such as threading standards and unfolding rules, do not have a preview.

11 - Chat window

This window allows to chat with others connected TopSolid users (on the same Pdm). You can for example ask to check in a part.

12 - Dialog area

The dialog area displays messages that guide you through each command. The right part contains the coordinates of the cursor in relation to the absolute frame.

13 - Search, Changes, Requests and Approvals tabs

This area automatically opens when you slide your cursor over one of the tabs, in the same way that it automatically closes when your cursor remains outside the tab for a few seconds.

The Search tab allows you to search the document based on different criteria (see the Search command for details).

The Changes tab allows you to quickly view documents currently open by different users connected to the same PDM server (see the Changes page for details).

The Requests tab allows to visualize pending approvals requests (see the Requests page for details).

The Approvals tab allows to visualize and answer to the approvals requests (see the Approvals page for details).

14 - Compass

The default position (lower left) displays the orientation of the absolute frame.

15 - Work area

The workspace allows you to view the document being modified. The workspace allows you to view the document being modified. The management commands of this area (Zoom, Orientation, Multiple Windows, Rendering, etc.) are grouped in an icon bar called Visualization and Rendering Bar found to the right of this area.

The mouse buttons also allow you to quickly access certain commands:

Zoom: Turn the wheel of the mouse to zoom in or out of the view.

Rotation: Click and hold down the middle button to turn the view contents.

Furthermore, you can indicate a rotation axis by positioning the cursor on an item (edge, segment, etc.), and pressing the Alt key on your keyboard.

Translation (Panoramic): Click and hold down the right mouse button to move the view contents.

Furthermore, you can indicate a translation axis by positioning the cursor on an item (edge, segment, etc.), and pressing the Alt key on your keyboard.

16 - Visualization and Render bar

The visualization and rendering bar groups Visualization commands, these commands allow you to quickly act on the document being modified.