Main Menu¶
File¶
New¶
Cleans the canvas, code panel, and Python interpreter’s namespace.
Open¶
Brings up the open file dialog to open an existing model.
Rerun code¶
Runs the code in the interpreter. If you have added some custom code to the code editor, in some cases resetting from the VCR control cannot initialize the model completely. In these cases you may have to manually reset the system.
Save¶
Saves the current model. If the current model does not have a name, brings up the save as dialog.
Save As¶
Brings up the save as dialog and saves the current model with the provided name.
Quit¶
Exits the application.
Edit¶
Undo¶
Undoes the last action. Not available if there is no previous action.
Redo¶
Restores the last undo action. Not available if there is no previous undo.
Cut¶
Used for cutting and pasting text in the code editor.
Copy¶
If the model tab is active then used for copying selected elements in the canvas. If the code panel is active then used for copying text.
Paste¶
If the model tab is active then used for pasting copied elements in the canvas. If the code panel is active then used for pasting copied text.
Delete¶
If the model tab is active used for deleting elements in the canvas. If the code panel is active then used for deleting selected text.
Find¶
Brings up the find dialog. From the dialog you can search for text in the code editor.
Find Next¶
Searches for the next repetition of the search text.
Replace¶
Replaces the
Go To¶
Goes to the specified line in the code editor.
Select All¶
Selects all text in the code editor.
View¶
Box¶
Hides or shows the system box.
CG Indicators¶
Hides or shows the CG indicators.
Coordinate System¶
Hides or shows the coordinate system.
Transparency¶
Turns the transparency on or off.
Show¶
From this menu you can select the object type to show. All hidden objects with the selected type becomes visible again.
Hide¶
From this menu you can select the object type to hide. All objects with the selected type becomes hidden.
Zoom¶
Zoom in¶
Zooms in by the canvas.zoomFactor. Center point of the canvas stays in the same position.
Zoom out¶
Zooms out by canvas.zoomFactor. Center point of the canvas stays in the same position.
Fit to Screen¶
Changes the canvas scale factor so that all elements in the system can be viewed at the same time.
Original Size¶
Changes the canvas scale factor to 1.
Object¶
Assign Behavior¶
Brings up the behavior dialog. There needs to be only one selected object so that the specified behavior can be bound to it. Same dialog can be brought up by double-clicking on an object.
Set Sprite¶
Brings up a list of existing sprites in the system so that selected sprite can be assigned to the selected object in the canvas.
Set Texture¶
Brings up a list of existing textures in the system so that selected texture can be assigned to the selected object in the canvas.
Flip Sprite Left/Right¶
Changes the selected object’s horizontal sprite orientation.
Activate/Deactivate¶
Deactivates or activates the selected objects. Inactive objects are visible but do not move or interact with other objects while the solver is running.
Show/Hide¶
Makes the selected objects visible or hidden.
Show/Hide CG¶
Shows or hides the CG indicators of the selected rigid bodies.
Show/Hide accel. vector¶
Rigid bodies’ acceleration can be visualized while the solver is running. From this menu, acceleration arrows can be turned on or off.
Show/Hide velocity vector¶
Rigid bodies’ velocity can be visualized while the solver is running. From this menu, velocity arrows can be turned on or off.
Bring forward¶
When the objects overlap, the object created the latest is shown on top (Z order). From this menu, the selected object’s Z order is increased by one level.
Bring to front¶
When the objects overlap, the object created the latest is shown on top (Z order). From this menu, the selected object can be brought to the top of the Z order.
Send backward¶
When the objects overlap, the object created the latest is shown on top (Z order). From this menu, the selected object’s Z order is decreased by one level.
Send to back¶
When the objects overlap, the object created the latest is shown on top (Z order). From this menu, the selected object can be send to the bottom of the Z order.
Flip Left/Right¶
Flip Up/Down¶
Never collide¶
Assembly¶
Create¶
Creates an assembly from the selected elements. There needs to be at least two selected elements.
Delete¶
Deletes the selected assembly and its components
Output¶
Video Format¶
MPEG¶
When the MPEG video output option is selected Mekanimo records the video in MPEG format. To see how to record video please see Recording Video.
Animated GIF¶
When the Animated GIF video output option is selected Mekanimo records the video in animated GIF format. To see how to record video please see Recording Video.
Sequence of pics.¶
When the Sequence of Pictures video output option is selected Mekanimo saves each time step as a JPEG picture. To see how to record video please see Recording Video.
Examples¶
Mekanimo comes with several example models. You can open these examples and run them or study the code. Programming reference refers to these examples to clarify some subjects.
Settings¶
Background Color¶
Brings up a color picker dialog. The color you pick from this dialog becomes the canvas background color.
System-Box Color¶
Brings up a color picker dialog. The color you pick from this dialog becomes the System box color.
Snap to Grid¶
Turns snap to grid option on or off.
ID Help¶
Zero Gravity¶
Sets the zero gravity option True or False. When the system.zeroGravity is True then there is no gravity and consequently objects do not fall.
Random colored bodies¶
Sets the canvas.randomColors option True or False. When this option is True each new rigid body’s fill color is randomly picked.
Window¶
Object Tree¶
Displays or hides the object tree window.
Python Interpreter¶
Displays or hides the Python interpreter window.
Construction Tools¶
Displays or hides the construction tools window.
GUI Editor¶
Displays or hides the GUI editor window.
User Controls¶
Displays or hides the user controls window.
