User Interface

Layout

The GUI is organized into the following components:

Model Browser: Displays the components of the current process.
Process Modeling Window: Provides the working area where you assemble tasks and processes, and displays the process flow of tasks in the current process.
Task Browser: Displays the collection(s) of tasks in the current process.
Process Browser: Displays the collection of processes in the current process.
Toolbar: Contains a range of tools for creating and modifying processes.

The standard toolbar above the Process Modeling window contains the following tools and controls:

Tool	Description
	New Process opens a new Process Modeling window for you to create a new process.
	Open Existing Process loads a process file, .prs, from a specified directory.
	Import Process as Superblock loads a process file, .prs, from a specified directory and lets you add it to a current process as a superblock.
	Save Process Locally lets you save a current process as a .prs file to a specified directory.
	Save Process to Catalog lets you name and save a current process to a catalog for reuse.
	Pack and Go Current Process exports a process as a package for third-party users without access to the Automate environment.
	Preview Process as Wizard displays the components, such as the input, output and associated values, of a current task or process.
	Export Process as Wizard exports the current process for an end user to run without an Automate installation.
	Add New Task from File opens a task file from a specified directory for use in a current process.
	Create New Task for Catalog lets you define a new task, including inputs, outputs, data types and parameters, and add it to a new or existing catalog.
	Convert Tasks to Superblock bundles a group of selected tasks in a process into one block known as a superblock.
	Delete clears a specified task or process.
	Execute runs the current process according to the sequence and logic of the tasks.
	Reset sets back the execution of a task or process to the start position.
	Step Over Omits a specified task in a process during a simulation.

The outer part of the toolbar contains the following tools and controls:

Tool	Description
	Automate Preferences lets you define the preferences and their associated values for tasks.
	Examine Process lets you stop running a process at specific points in order to verify values and identify unexpected behavior in a process.
	Toggle Height enlarges the display of the Automate GUI. The option to return to the normal display is located on the right of the Automate toolbar at the top of the screen.
	Hide Automate Canvas hides the display of the Automate GUI. The option to return to the normal display is located on the left side of the screen above the Model Browser.

The Automate Preferences tool lets you set preferences for tasks. On the toolbar, click

to open a dialog with the following options:

Catalogs

Register Catalog File: Specifies a catalog file for registering a custom task into an Automate catalog.
Show Registered Catalog: Points to an existing registered catalog and lists the catalogs.
Show Altair Catalog: Box you can select to view the Altair catalog of predefined tasks.
Show Demo Catalog: Box you can select to view the demo catalog.
Register Text Editor: Points to the path of the registered text editor:; C:/Program Files/Altair/hwx/hwx.bat -o. The default text editor is Notepad.

Show

Port Labels, Port Labels Font Size, Task Labels Font Size, Error messages in Command Window, Edit as Dialog Box: Provides options to turn labels on or off, and modify the font size of labels.
Error messages in Dialog Box: Lets you route the display of error messages into a Command Window or into a pop-up dialog.

Working Directories

Displays the present working directory for a task. The .log file is also written to this location.

Note: The default location is the working directory for HyperWorks Desktop.

Favorites: This sets the favorites in the file selector dialog box.
Note: Modifying the registry also changes options in the system, therefore permission to change the registry is required.