Assembly Design > Using Assembly > Managing Views > Exploded Views > About the Explode Tool User Interface
About the Explode Tool User Interface
The Explode Tool tab consists of tabs, Feature Tab Commands, Shortcut menus, and the Explode tab in the View Manager dialog box.
Feature Tab Commands
The Explode Tool tab contains the following tools:
• Motion type buttons:
◦ —Translates along a selected axis
◦ —Rotates about a selected reference
◦ —Moves around the viewing plane
• Motion reference collector—Displays the selected motion reference. Select the check box to activate the collector.
• —Sets the view status to exploded or unexploded.
• —Creates offset lines.
Tabs
• References
This tab collects and displays motion references for exploded components.
◦ Components to Move—Shows the components that correspond to a selected motion reference.
◦ Movement Reference—Activates the motion reference collector and shows the selected motion reference.
• Options
Use the Options sub tab to apply a copied position to a component, define a motion increment, and move component children with the exploded component.
◦ Copy Position—Opens the Copy Position dialog box.
◦ Motion increment—Sets a motion increment value or specify Smooth motion.
◦ Move with Children—Moves an exploded component's children with the component when this box is selected.
• Explode Lines
Use the Explode Lines subtab to create, modify, and delete explode lines between components.
◦ —Creates cosmetic offset lines.
◦ —Edits an explode or offset line.
◦ —Deletes one or more selected explode or offset lines.
◦ Edit Line Styles—Opens the Line Style dialog box to change a selected explode or offset line's appearance.
◦ Default Line Style—Opens the Line Style dialog box to set a default appearance for explode or offset lines.
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The only feature tab command that you can Undo or Redo is the selection of the Move with Children check box.
Dialog Boxes
• Copy Position—Applies another component's position to a selected exploded component. The exploded component is defined under Components to Move and the position reference is defined under Copy Position From.
• Cosmetic Offset Line—Contains two reference collectors for creating offset lines representing exploded component trajectory. Click the corresponding Flip button next to each reference collector to switch the reference direction.
Shortcut Menus
When the Explode Tool tab is open, you can right-click in the graphics window to access the shortcut menu. The menu contains the following commands:
• Components to Move—Activates the component collector.
• Motion Reference—Activates the reference collector.
• Clear—Clears the selection.
When you move the pointer over a component, the shortcut menu contains the following additional commands:
• Next
• Previous
• Pick From List
The following commands are available when an offset line is selected:
• Add Jog
• Delete
• Remove Jog
• Modify Line Style
Model Display Group
The following commands are available on the Model tab Model Display group:
• —Opens the Explode Tool tab.
• —Sets the view status to exploded or unexploded.
View Manager Dialog Box Explode Tab
The Explode tab in the View Manager dialog box has two areas:
• List—Lists the saved exploded views. This area opens by default when you click the Explode tab.
• Properties—The following tools are at the top of the Properties area:
◦ or —Toggles between the unexploded view and the exploded view selected in the List area.
◦ —Opens the Explode tab.
◦ —Sets the exploded position of a component.
The Properties area also lists each exploded component in the Item column. In the Status column, next to the component name indicates an exploded component and indicates an unexploded component. You can click a component name in the Item column to highlight it on the model.
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