File >> Preferences

• File >> Preferences command enables a user to configure rapidform's working environment

• Options configured by a user are saved in the registry and remain even after rapidform is closed.

 

General Tab Window

Enable Undo configures whether to enable or disable the Undo operation when rapidform is launched or File > New menu is selected.

Undo depth configures the size of the command stack. If the value of this item is too high, overall performance may drop. A number between 5 and 10 is recommended. ( See Undo )

Default MDL file includes all the Preferences settings and material colors you defined. It originally locates in the rapidform's root directory as a default model file (rfDefaultModel.mdl) and a user can change it to another folder. When you launch rapidform, the parameters of the default model file are automatically loaded. You can save your own default model file to a desired directory by executing File >> Save as Default MDL command. (Note: You can use this default model file when you execute New and Import commands, but if you execute Open command, you are using the parameters in the model.)

Check Auto save every ... minutes box to automatically save the current work at regular intervals, and set the appropriate interval time in Minute field. ( See Auto Save )

Cache Directory is where the automatically saved file( MDLAutoSave1.mdl ) and all the temporary files locate.

Number of recent MDL files is the number of recently worked file list shown beneath File >> Recent Files.

Function of middle mouse button enables you to allocate Pause or Done function to the middle mouse button.

External Data Unit is the unit of external model imported through File >> Import command. It is used as the basic unit of numerical input while executing commands such as Transform, Delete Spikes, etc.

Internal Measure Unit is the unit used internally within rapidform. It is used as the basic unit for showing information while executing commands such as Measure, Information, etc.

Significant Position of the decimal adjust position of a significant figure of decimal

 

Display Tab Window

  

Offset factor and Offset unit are parameters used when displaying shells with Shaded with Edges or Hidden Line rendering modes. ( See View >> Display Mode >> Shaded with Edges / Hidden Line ) In case that edges do not look clear, modify these parameters with values ranging from -1.0 to 1.0. The phenomenon arises from incompatible graphic drivers.

Light is the light source used when displaying shells with Shaded or Transparent rendering mode. ( See View >> Display Mode ) Check the number to turn on the corresponding light source. The positions of each light source are shown in the following figure.

Picking window size is the size of rectangle in pixel unit. It affects the accuracy of  picking result. Turn on the Vertex snap option to pick a vertex when you pick a position close to it.

Elements decides whether or not to show the bounding box, axis, and grid on the screen and to apply perspective viewing to model when a new workspace window is opened. ( See View >> Bounding Box / Axis / Grid ). Check Perspect View option to apply perspective viewing to model when a new workspace window is opened. This can also be toggled on/off by clicking the perspective icon ( ) on the View toolbar. 

Select is used to select only the visible faces. This will drop the performance of Select >> Entities >> Face. When this item is unchecked, faces which are obscured by the front faces are also selected.

To increase the performance of virtual trackball, check Dynamic Draw option. Then, only a portion of the model is drawn when a user apply virtual trackball.

Gradient Background option sets the default background color of workspace window to gradient gray color.

Check 2 Side Shading to shade both side of polygons.

High Quality Normal option enables objects to be shaded smoothly by considering the connection relationship among faces with original normal vectors of faces on polygonal model.

Render Ref. Geometry decides whether to render reference point, plane, sphere, and cylinder or not.

Check Depth-Test Ref. Geometry option to make reference geometries hidden partially while shells are hiding its part.

Point Drawing Size configures the size of vertices when point shading is active; Node Pt. Drawing Size configures the size of the node points of a curve; Ctrl. Pt. Drawing Size configures the size of the control points of a curve or surface; Section Line Width configures step of section. so, you can adjust thickness of section during section deviation of inspection

Color & Material is used to change the colors of default shell, rendered surface, reference geometries, background, grid, dimension, bounding box, showing boundary and all other entities.

Click a specific item and select any color in the Color box.

Select a surface color to change its default color in the Surface Material box.

To set a material for solid, select one from the Solid Material box.

Select a shell color in the Default Shell Material box to change its default color when it is imported.

There are several options in the Back Face Type box. When . If Complement is selected, a complementary color of the front face color will be used for the back faces. If As is is selected, the color of the front face will be used for the back faces. If User Defined is selected, you have to select User Defined Back Face string in the topmost box and specify a color in the Color box. Then it will be used for the back faces.

 

File I/O Tab Window

Shell Merge Options configures whether or not to preserve the original shell structure of a model.

IGES Import Options: Tolerance configures the tolerance used when reading IGES format files. Use Unit Information determines whether to use the unit of the imported IGES file or not. Surface Healing remedies the normals of surface patches and repairs small gaps and other flaws when an IGES file is opened. Merge Boundary curves merges G1 tangent curves in a connected loop when import IGES curves.

XYZ Import Options determines the default in both of XYZ file formats. The current default format is Opton's XYZ format.

CDM / NRF Import Options configures the number of sampling points when reading VIVID or NEC format files.

Import Material Information determines whether to include material information such as texture or vertex color when a file is imported.

Check Integrity Error configures whether or not to clean non-manifold faces, coincident vertices and zero area faces when a file is imported.

Executable File Formats by Double-Click determines whether it is possible to open a specific file format by double-clicking it on an explorer window. (Note: This setting is saved into the registry of Windows system, not the default MDL file)

 

Curve/Surface Tab Window

Tolerance configures the tolerances used for curve merging, surface intersection, surface area and all trim operations. If more accuracy needed, the tolerance should be reduced.

Shell-Curve distance tolerance on creation sets tolerance between a shell and curves when curves are created.