Managing of Elements

Application provides great possibilities for developing of different kind of Optical System. You can design and analyze Optical Systems combined with a range of predefined Optical Element, from simple single Surfaces or Lenses to microlens arrays, Fresnel elements, light guides and so on. You can create Optical Element as a combination of Optical Surface and Optical Materials. You can also design your own Optical Element using any kind of CAD software and import it into your Optical Scheme as a triangular mesh.

Creating single Element

To create new Element you can either use Insert command of Main Menu or use context menu of Project docked window. In the first case, you will be able to create any Element you want, independently from currently selected type of Element.

To create new Element using Main Menu:

• Use Insert > Light source command of Main Menu to create new Light Source. It will be added to the end of Light sources list and placed in the same spatial position as last Light source.
• Use Insert > Element command of Main Menu to create new Optical Element. From the pop-up menu, choose desired type of Optical Element.

Note that position of newly created Optical Element within hierarchical tree graph depends on type of element that had been selected before creating procedure. Creating procedure with using Main Menu can be illustrated as below:

To create new Element using context menu of Project docked window:

• Choose Object item from the hierarchical tree graph and open context menu. You will be able to add either new Light Source or Optical Element in the same way as using Insert command of Main Menu. The single exception is newly created Element will be placed at the end of list of corresponding type of Elements.
• Choose Source Element item from the list of Sources within hierarchical tree graph. Open context menu and choose Add Light Source command. New Light Source will be added to the end of Sources list.
• Choose any Element item from the list of Element within hierarchical tree graph. Open context menu and choose Insert New Element command. From the pop-up menu, choose Element you want to add. Within hierarchical tree, newly created Element will be placed above Optical Element that had been selected before creating procedure.

Typical cases dealing with creating of new Element are shown below.

Creating combined Element

Although you can create quite complex Optical Elements using and editing set of predefined Element integrated with Application, sometimes it may be not enough for your purposes. That’s why you can create complex Optical Element as a combination of different single Elements. You can operate then with newly created complex element as usual: move it in arbitrary position, edit properties, create copies, and so on.

To create combined Optical Element:

• Within hierarchical tree graph, select Optical Elements you want to combine into single Element using your pointing device. To select group of Element, choose first Element, then press Ctrl key and select other Elements.
• Open context menu and choose Merge Selected command.

Typical case dealing with creating of new Element is shown below.

Note you will not be able to separate merged elements.

Copying Element

You can create copy of separate Optical Element or group of them within the current Optical System using Clipboard.To copy Optical Elements, select it using context menu of Project docked window, place its copy on the Clipboard, and paste it into Optical System where you want. Before inserting, you can either specify insertion point using hierarchical tree graph or add copied Elements to the end of Project. Note you cannot create a copy of Light Source.

To copy Optical Element:

• Within hierarchical tree graph, select Optical Elements you want to copy using your pointing device. To select group of Element, choose first Element, then press Ctrl key and select other Elements.
• Open context menu and choose Copy (in the case you chose single Element) or Copy selected command. After you put Element into Clipboard, context menu of Project docked window will be enlarged with Paste item.
• To add copies of selected Elements to the end of your Project hierarchical tree choose Object item from hierarchical tree graph. To insert copies of selected Element at the desired place of hierarchical structure choose Element that will be placed below inserted copies.
• Open context menu and choose Paste command.

If it need, you can later edit position of copied Element using corresponding tab in the Properties Docked window.

Typical cases dealing with creating of new Element are shown below.

Deleting Element

You can delete any Element from your project using context menu of Project docked window.

To delete Element:

From hierarchical tree graph, choose Element you want to delete. Open context menu and choose Delete Light Source or Delete Element command, depending from what type of Element you want to delete.

Note to delete element you can choose not only Element item itself but also any part of hierarchical structure belonging to those Element.

Typical cases dealing with deleting of Element from Project are shown below.

Redefinition of Surfaces

Export/Import options

Application provides a great possibilities for investigation of different kind of Optical Schemes using finite-element model representation. You can design some special kind of Elements of Optical Scheme like reflectors or even whole Optical Scheme using any kind of CAD software with following importing of it into your Project. You can also use some library of CAD Objects distributed by third part.

In addition, you can use files created with previous versions of software (*.os format files).

Importing options are available through Main Menu of Application. To be able import objects universal CAD exchange file format (*.dxf) or file format of previous version of Application (*.os) should be used. During import procedure, you will be prompted to choose desired import option (insert Elements into currently used Optical System or replace current Project completely) with Import Objects import shown below:

While you are importing finite-element model represented using CAD format, you will be prompted to choose method of combination of Elements within you Project with window shown below:

The total number of imported Elements will be equal to number of layers or colors in finite-element model depending on your choice.

All surfaces within imported System will be defined as “Triangular Mesh” type. You can operate with imported Element as usual. The air considered as Optical Material between the surfaces. 

 You can export you current Project for further developing with any kind of CAD software using universal CAD exchange format (*.dxf). After redeveloping, you can import your results back into Application for following analysis. Exporting option is available through Main Menu. In addition, you can export your project to use it with previous version of Application.

While you are exporting your Project into CAD format (*.dxf), you will be prompted to set desired option for distribution of Elements between different layers:

Following options are available:

• By Element -- each Element will be saved on separate layer.
• By Surface -- Each Surface will be saved on separate layer.
• One Layer -- Whole System will be saved on single layer.

While you are exporting your Project to file format of previous version of Application you will be warned about possible incompability:

Import operation

To import new Element into Project:

1. Use Import button on Main Toolbar, or choose File > Import... command from Main Menu.
2. In the File of type: list, choose type of file you want to import: DXF or OS file, or choose Cancel to stop import procedure.
3. In the Look in list, choose the drive, folder, or FTP location that contains the file of Object (or set of Objects) you want to import, and then locate and double-click the folder that contains the object file.
4. Double-click the Element file you want to open, or choose object file and click Open.
5. In the Import Objects window, choose Merge object with current option. Choose OK.
6. Within DXF Objects window, choose desired deriving option. Choose OK. New Object will be added to the end of hierarchical structure of of your Project.
7. Set desired visibility options for each surface within imported Elements. See Visibility Option for reference
8. Set desired location and orientation of each surface within imported Elements. See Positioning Element  for reference.
9. Set desired optical and thermal properties for each surface of imported Elements, choose Optical Materials (if need) and other properties. See General Editing of Elements for reference

To import new Optical System:

1. Use Import button on Main Toolbar, or choose File > Import... command from Main Menu.
2. In the File of type: list, choose type of file you want to import: DXF or OS file, or choose Cancel to stop import procedure.
3. In the Look in list, choose the drive, folder, or FTP location that contains the file of new Scene you want to import, and then locate and double-click the folder that contains the scene file.
4. Double-click the System file you want to open, or select scene file and click Open.
5. In the Import Objects window, choose Completely replace current scene option. Choose OK.
6. Within DXF Objects window, choose desired deriving option. Choose OK. New Object will be added to the end of hierarchical structure of of your Project.
7. Set desired visibility options for each surface within imported Elements. See Visibility Option for reference
8. Set desired location and orientation of each surface within imported Elements. See Positioning Element  for reference.
9. Set desired optical and thermal properties for each surface of imported Elements, choose Optical Materials (if need) and other properties. See General Editing of Elements for reference

Export operation

To export Scene:

1. Choose File > Export... command from Main Menu.
2. In the File of type: list, choose type of file you want to import: DXF or OS file, or choose Cancel to stop import procedure.
3. In the Save in list, select the drive, folder, or FTP location and folder where you want to save your exported Scene, or choose Cancel to stop export procedure.
4. To save the exported Scene in a new folder, click Create New Folder.
5. In the File name box, type a name for the saved file. You can use long, descriptive file names.
6. Click Save.
7. Choose desired saving option (for CAD file format exporting). Choose OK.