Use the command center to search in your model or to launch tools.
The command center can be found at the top of the Qonic application window. Click it to activate it, or hit Ctrl + F. Once active you have several options:
- Start typing some text in the command center. Qonic will now search for matches within the model metadata; object attributes, relations and properties that match the current query will be displayed.
Click one of the search hits or use the arrow down key to cycle through the list, and press Enter to select. The objects in the model (or in the current scope, see the article about the Navigation Widget) that match the selected query will be selected. If there are multiple possible matches for the keywords you entered, multiple search results may be displayed.
- If you want to do a more specific search, use one of the tiles to specify what type of data you are looking for. This will ensure Qonic will only search for your keywords within that data type.
In the example below we are interested in finding the LoadBearing elements, so we specify to search only within Properties, and not within other data like location, material, type or code.
- The command center can also be used to launch any tool; click the Tool button or type a forward slash ( / ) to search for a tool. This is useful if you are not sure where the button for a specific tool is located or if you just want to save time. Tools that match the current query will be displayed. Click one of the search hits or use the arrow down key to cycle through the list, and press Enter to activate. You can also use it to create a section plane or (re)set your scope.
Hint: you don't need to click the command center or hit Ctrl + F if you want to launch a tool, you can directly hit the forward slash key to activate the command center.
For more advanced search options you can use the Browse Panel.
Tip: when searching for multiple keywords on large models, it is recommended to use the aforementioned tiles to specify what kind of data you are looking for, as this will limit the number of possible search results and improve performance.
The command center also acts as a guide for certain tools. For example, when starting the Move tool the command center will display as follows:
It consists of the following elements:
- Previous step: this button allows you to go back to the previous input option of the tool.
- Currently active tool: shows you which tool is currently active. Hover your cursor over the information icon for a tooltip.
- Currently active step: indicates what you need to do next to use the tool correctly. This element may contain an interactive toggle or dropdown depending on the active tool and step.
- Next step or execute tool.
In the example of the Move command, the first step is to place the manipulator on the object you wish to move. Once the manipulator is placed, the next step in the tool displays:
You can now either adjust the selection by clicking other entities to be moved, or start moving the selection by interacting with the manipulator. Once you have interacted with the manipulator, the next step in the tool displays:
You can now choose to interact with the 'Keep connected' toggle, or execute the move by clicking the Finish button or by pressing Enter.