Context-Specific Toolbar

The context-specific toolbar, located beneath the main toolbar, provides quick access to tools relevant to the selected item in the model tree. As you navigate the model tree, the toolbar updates to reflect operations for the currently selected component, acting as a dynamic shortcut system. This allows users to perform localized actions quickly without navigating through deeper menus.

For example, if you select a Moving Body, the toolbar updates to provide tools for adding child geometry, defining a rotation axis, moving the children geometry, and adding a moving surface variable, etc. If you select a Static Inlet Outlet in the model tree, the toolbar provides tools for modifying the boundary condition configuration, previewing the flow rates, flipping the flow direction, etc. If you select a Scalar Field in the model tree, the toolbar provides tools for adding child geometry, moving the child geometry, adding scalar injection regions, etc.

Each tool on the context-specific toolbar can be categorized as one of the following actions:

  • Docked Form: Opens a form docked in place of the property grid to edit the properties of the selected component. The form must be closed before continuing other edits.

  • Window: Opens a standalone window for tasks like importing geometry, previewing data, or visualizing derived results.

  • New Child: Creates a new child component under the currently selected item. Some tools may guide you through multi-step workflows, such as selecting geometry or specifying parameters.

  • Command: Executes an immediate action (without opening a form or window) such as resetting settings, flipping directions, or clearing derived data.

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Toolbar Selections

The table below lists each context-specific tool along with its corresponding action. For detailed instructions, refer to the linked description pages which explain each tool’s usage, workflow, and location.

Tool

Action

Description

su Add Conduction Surface BC

New Child

The Add Conduction Surface BC tool.

vo Add Conduction Volume BC

New Child

The Add Conduction Volume BC tool.

point Add Fill Point

New Child

The Add Fill Point tool selects which space will initially be 3D-filled with a liquid.

addG Add Geometry

New Child

The Add Geometry window adds child geometry by importing from external CAD files, extracting from external CAD assemblies, or defining internally using built-in parametric geometry.

inclu Add Inclusion Zone

New Child

The Add Inclusion Zone tool adds regions of the domain where the solver will explicitly place lattice points.

iso Add Isosurface Variable

New Child

The Add Isosurface Variable tool maps computed field values onto an isosurface based on local fluid properties.

mov Add Moving Body Variable

New Child

The Add Moving Body Variable tool defines per-triangle quantities on moving body meshes via UDFs, using interpolated fluid and particle data to analyze stresses, heat flux, or deposition.

inj Add Particle Injection

New Child

The Add Particle Injection tool adds an injection region to a particle parent.

partre Add Particle Reaction

New Child

The Add Particle Reaction tool applies user-defined kinetics to each particle based on its composition and surrounding fluid properties.

partsc Add Particle Scalar

New Child

The Add Particle Scalar tool assigns custom properties to individual particles which move with them and can be used to model intraparticle reactions.

partva Add Particle Variable

New Child

The Add Particle Variable tool defines per-particle quantities via UDFs, accessing particle properties and local fluid conditions.

patch Add Patch from Edges

New Child

The Add Patch from Edges tool.

refine Add Refinement Zone

New Child

The Add Refinement Zone tool adds areas where the local lattice resolution is finer than the baseline.

sca Add Scalar Injection

New Child

The Add Scalar Injection tool adds an injection region to a scalar parent.

sbr Add Static Body Reaction

New Child

The Add Static Body Reaction tool applies user-defined reaction kinetics to scalar fields along static body surfaces, computed voxel by voxel.

sbv Add Static Body Variable

New Child

The Add Static Body Variable tool defines voxel-based variables along static surfaces via UDFs, used to analyze near-wall fluid properties or deposition.

addv Add Variable

Window

The Add Variable window opens a selection of properties to add as a variable.

defax Define Axis

Docked Form

The Define Axis form specifies the motion axis mount point and motion vector.

cp Diagnostics

Window

The Diagnostics window reports the position, orientation, and moments of inertia associated with a static body.

table Edit Lookup Table

Window

The Edit Lookup Table.

edtme Edit Mesh

Docked Form

The Edit Mesh form modifies the resolution of the solid body surface mesh used in the simulation. This only exists on the parent geometry, and the children inherit the properties from the parents.

param Edit Parameter Sweep

Window

The Edit Parameter Sweep window.

table Edit Global Constants

Window

The Edit Global Constants window opens a spreadsheet to edit the global constants data in tabular form.

bomb Explode

New Child

The Explode tool decomposes a CAD geometry into its constituent solid surfaces.

mesh Fit Bounding Box

Command

The Fit Bounding Box defines the smallest bounding box that can fully contain the deforming geometry throughout its motion.

flip Flip

Command

The Flip command changes the direction of the fluid flow through the inlet or outlet.

help Help

Window

The Help tool launches the M-Star reference documentation in your web browser.

cog Inlet/Outlet Setup

Docked Form

The Inlet/Outlet Setup form defines where inlets and outlets exist along the boundary conditions.

mate Mate

Docked Form

The Mate form allows surface-to-surface mating and alignment.

move Move

Docked Form

The Move form enables three-dimensional rigid body transform of object through free drag or point-to-point snapping.

chart Preview Flow

Window

The Preview Flow window shows a preview of what the fluid will do at an inlet or outlet.

center Recenter

Command

The Recenter command snaps a plane to the center of the bounding box.

arrow Reset

Command

The Reset command moves the object back to its world origin or aligns the object to the world-aligned axis.

resetbox Reset Box

Command

The Reset Box command snaps the bounding box back to imported static geometry or mesh extents.

resize Resize

Docked Form

The Resize form adjusts the size of the parametric cuboid, cylinder, or sphere.

rotate Rotate

Docked Form

The Rotate form enables three-dimensional rotation of geometry.

scale Scale

Docked Form

The Scale form enables volumetric scaling of a geometry about a set anchor point.

trim Trim

New Child

The Trim tool cuts holes and segments from existing geometry.

can Volume Calculator

Docked Form

The Volume Calculator form calculates the fluid volume.