About the Mechanism Tree
After you open a mechanism model or create a new one, click > 
Mechanism. The Mechanism Tree appears underneath the general Model Tree. All the rigid bodies, connections, motors, analyses, playbacks, and other simulation entities associated with the model appear on the tree. Right-click entities in the Mechanism Tree or on the model to access shortcut menus.
Mechanism. The Mechanism Tree appears underneath the general Model Tree. All the rigid bodies, connections, motors, analyses, playbacks, and other simulation entities associated with the model appear on the tree. Right-click entities in the Mechanism Tree or on the model to access shortcut menus.The Mechanism Tree displays your model's rigid bodies in a separate Rigid Bodies folder. When you expand the folder and right-click a rigid body, the > 
Details shortcut appears. Use this shortcut to determine to which rigid body a specific entity belongs.
Details shortcut appears. Use this shortcut to determine to which rigid body a specific entity belongs.Selecting Entities from the Mechanism Tree
When you make a selection in the Mechanism Tree, the selected entity is highlighted on your model. When you select Gravity, the ground body LCS is highlighted and an arrow points in the direction of the gravitational acceleration vector.
 | When working with large models with several connections or motors, you can often find a specific connection or motor in the Mechanism Tree more easily than on the model. |
Using Shortcut Menus from the Mechanism Tree
The table below shows the commands that appear on a shortcut menu when you right-click an entity in the Mechanism Tree. Similar menus are available when you right-click entities on your model. Starred items in the table are visible in the Mechanism Tree only if you have a Mechanism Dynamics license.
Entity | Shortcut Menu Command | Result |
|---|---|---|
MECHANISM | >  Summary > Details >  Mass PropertySettings | Browser window with short summary Browser window with detailed summary Browser window with mass property definitions Settings dialog box |
A rigid body name (under RIGID BODIES) | > Details | Browser window with detailed summary for selected rigid body |
*GRAVITY |  > Details | Gravity dialog box Browser window giving gravity and WCS direction |
CONNECTIONS JOINTS MOTORS | None | |
CAMS | New | Cam-Follower Connection Definition dialog box |
SLOTS | Convert slots | Confirmation box to convert slot to Assembly mode constraint (for mechanisms created in previous releases). |
GEARS SERVO (under MOTORS) FORCE (under MOTORS) SPRINGS DAMPERS FORCES/TORQUES INITIAL CONDITIONS ANALYSES | New | Definition dialog box for selected entity |
Cam_follower_connection_name |  Copy > Details | Definition dialog box for selected entity Browser window with detailed summary for selected entity |
Servo_motor_name * Force_motor_name *Spring_name *Damper_name * Force_torque_name * Initial_condition_name |  Delete Copy > Details | Definition dialog box for selected entity Browser window with detailed summary for selected entity |
Gear_name (under > ). | Delete > Details | Gear Pair Definition dialog box Browser window with detailed summary for selected gear pair connection |
Rotation Axis, Translation Axis (under > Joint_name). | Servo Motor Force Motor Spring Damper | Motion Axis dialog box Servo Motor Definition dialog box Force Motor Definition dialog box Spring feature tab Damper feature tab |
Rotation Axis, Translation Axis (under name of entity) | | Motion Axis dialog box |
Analysis_name | Delete Copy Run > Details | Analysis Definition dialog box Run dialog box: analysis begins Browser window with detailed summary of analysis definition |
PLAYBACKS | Play | Playback dialog box |
Playback_name | Play Save | Animate dialog box Save the playback file |