3. Use Vertex browsers

Exercise 3. Use Vertex browsers 

Version compatibility

This exercise was carried out with version 28.0 (Vertex 2028).

In this exercise you will learn to

• Use browsers to open and add objects.
• Understand the differences between the basic browser and the add-on browser.
• Add your favorites to your browsers.
• To lock the browser constantly visible.
• Not to use Windows Resource Manager to edit, delete, or add templates or drawings or projects in Vertex archives.

Functions to be used:

• B (= Open and close the basic browser). 
• Open functionality.
• Add functionality.
• Quick search.
• Filter browsing results.
• Pin the browser.
• Duplicate the browser = Open New Browser.
• Delete Archived.

Basic browser

Open basic browser ("B-browser")

• Press B to open the basicbrowser.

  

  
  
• A second press of the B key closes the basic browser.

The basic browser is divided as follows:

History

• Below this are directories, such as Recent, Today and Yesterday, which provide information about the models, drawings, and library components you are working on.

Favorites

• Below this you can create folders with the right-click function New Folder.
• You can "move" the Vertex files you want under the folder.

Projects

• Through this you will find quick links to projects.

Documents

• Divided into two main folders, Model and Drawing.
• Below Model and Drawing folders is the Picts folder and all the projects on the system that have files.

Libraries

• The libraries are divided into main folders as follows:
  • Components contains components (3D models) that can be added to assemblies. 
  • Profiles contains mainly profile cross-sections (3D models) that can be added to assemblies. 
  • Pipes includes pipe components (3D models) that can be added to assemblies. 
    
  • Features contains features (details) to be added in part models, which can be either boss or cutout or both (3D models). 
    
  • Sketches contains sketches to be added to the part model sketch (in-plane 3D models with line geometry) 
    
  • Symbols contains symbols or 2D components to be added to the drawings. 
    
  • Profile Trim Parts contains tools (3D models) that control the mutual trimming of profiles in assemblies.
    
• All of the above libraries are divided into two parts, Own and Standard, immediately after the customer has libraryed something to this library.

Use quick search

Type a string in the quick search box in the upper-left corner of your browser.

• The program starts searching for finds when you pause entering a string and lists the findings.

• 

  Targets search to IDs and description field contents and lists the findings. 

• 

  Targets the search to IDs only. The entire string or * (asterisks) must be used here.

• 

  Open a model or drawing if its ID is completely typed in the quick search box. 

• 

  Refreshes the browser. This may be necessary if objects have been libraryed since the program was started that do not yet appear in the browser. 

Adjust search settings, such as quick search speed

• Use the Edit settings button to adjust.

  

Quick search start speed

The default delay is one second. That is, if you take a longer pause when typing a string, the program will start searching and listing the findings.

• If you think this is too fast, adjust it with the slider.
• When the switch is on the right side, the delay is three seconds.
• You can also turn off Instant Quick Search by selecting the Not in use.
  • In this case, the search only starts with the buttons

    

    or

    

    
    

Use the search card to further refine your search

You can use the search card to enter strings on a field-by-field basis to find results that match the criteria.

You can access the search card by clicking items in the feature tree:

• Projects and (Projects >) Search projects.
• (Documents >) Model.
• (Documents >) Drawing.

Fill in the card as needed:

• Enter a string or string* in the field (the asterisk acts as a wildcard).
• In the Limit search fields, you can enter lower and/or upper limits, eg date limits (see the correct format of the preselection button).
• Button A in the Project field of the card adds the active project as a search criterion if any project is active.

Search:

• The Get button starts the search and lists the models/drawings that meet the criteria.
• The Open button directly opens the first model/drawing that meets the search criteria.
• The Back button removes the search tab and returns to the browser.

Adjust the desired view to the found objects

You can choose how the browser presents the findings.

• Click an object once.
• Right-click function: View.
  • From the menu, you can select the way you want to list the objects.

Next to two examples:

• On the left is selected: Large Tiles.
• On the right is selected: Small Icons.

Filter search results

Especially if the list of selectable objects becomes long, you can filter the search results by Code, Description, and Library or Project.

Two ways to filter:

• 1) Type a string below the title in the field and wait a moment (quick search delay), at which point the program will display only those objects where the string occurs.
• 2) Select the filter button (funnel), which lists all the strings that the listed objects have in the field.

See more information about the object

• Pause the cursor on the object for a moment.
• The program opens an additional information menu, which disappears when you move the cursor.

Models and drawings

• The additional information presents some of the information on the archive card and the image displayed in the browser.

Features and components

• The additional information presents an image created and stored separately for the object in question, which contains information related to the variation.
• Such a separate image has not been made for all library components, e.g. for those that do not need to be varied.

Context-sensitive functions when object is selected

Once an object is selected (one click), the content of right-click menu depends on which modeling mode is active and whether the selection was made from an archive or a library.

Examples of the image on the right (modeling mode - archive / library):

• Left upper corner: Assembly - Archive.
• Right upper corner: Assembly - Component library.
  
• Left down corner: Part - Feature library.
• Lower right corner: Part - Sketch library.

Open the object for editing with the basic browser

• Double-clicking opens the object in its own window.
• Note that double-clicking does not add a component to the assembly or a feature to the part model.

Add an object with the basic browser

Add an object to an object with the Basic browser (for example, a part to an assembly, a feature to a part, or a sketch to a part model sketch).

• Click the object and drag it a short distance (1 .. 2cm) and release the mouse selection button or 
  
• Right-click function: Add (a part to assembly) or
• Right-click function: Library feature > Boss/Cutout (a feature to part) or
• Right-click function: Read sketch > Replace/Add (a sketch to a part model sketch).
  

Special case in assembly: Add to origin.

• In some cases, parts or subassemblies are modeled so that they are in valid positions with respect to each other if they are placed at the origio of the assembly.

Duplicate the browser

• The 

  

  button opens a new browser at the same place.
• This is only useful if the browser is permanently pinned (Pin 

  

  down).
  • Browser pinning will be covered later in this exercise.
• Once the basic browsers have been duplicated, they will all obey the B key at once.

Browsers of Selection Mode

Browsers of selection mode start after Right-click function, such as:

• In to assemblies: Add > Model / Component / Profile etc. 
• In to parts: Library feature > Boss/Cutout.
• In to sketch: Open sketch > Add / Replace.
• In to drawings: Read symbol / Read Component.

Adding an object in selection mode

• When you double-click an object, the program moves to add the object.
• Click the object and drag it a short distance (1 .. 2cm) and release the mouse selection button.

Browser functionality

Make your browser visible at all times

Especially if you have two or more screens available, you can speed up your work in some cases by leaving your browser open.

• Leave the browser open with the pin button in the upper right corner.
• When the pin is down, the browser remains open after being added or opened.

Favorite folder management

You can collect your most frequently used objects as favorites, which makes adding them faster.

• You should create subfolders for favorites, at least if you want to add many objects to favorites.
  • Click Favorites in the browser.
    

  • Right-click function: New Folder.

  • Enter a name of folder.
• You can delete an unnecessary favorite folder without deleting the object added to it.
  • Click folder.
    
  • Right-click function: Delete Folder.

Add object to favorites

• Click a object.
• Right-click function: Add to Favorites.
• Select a folder or subfolder.

Drag the object to the favorite folder

• Click a object.
• Drag it (mouse button on the bottom) to your favorite folder or subfolder and release the mouse button over the folder.

Use a browser to delete the object

• Click a object.
• Right-click function: Delete Archived.
  • If you delete a model that has a drawing, you will be prompted for the confirmation "Delete archived and all related files".
• If you answer yes, then the drawings related to the model will also be deleted.

You can delete the drawing, leaving the model in the archive.

Using Windows Explorer