Deswik 1

Getting Started with Deswik.
CAD Page 1 of 94
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD
Getting started with Deswik.CAD
Before you begin with Deswik.CAD, it will help to familiarize yourself with the various components of the main interface, as well as navigating and
entering information.
Learn more about:
Main Menu
Toolbars
Layer Control window
External References window
Model Space
Properties window
Workflow window
Output Window
Tasks window
Move dock windows
Status bar

Prompts and user input
file:///C:/TEMP/~hhB017.htm 9/06/2017
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD Page 2 of 94
Main Menu
Deswik.CADs Main menu contains all the commands available to you to work within Deswik.CAD.
When you select any of the Main menu commands, a drop-down menu of multiple commands and sub-menus is displayed. If a menu option has an
associated shortcut icon, it will be displayed to the left of the menu item.
To select an item, hover your cursor over it in the menu drop-down list to highlight it, and then click.
In default view, the Main menu is located at the top left of the main screen.
Toolbars
Toolbars provide shortcuts to most Main menu commands.
With the release of new versions and patches of Deswik.CAD, your currently saved toolbar settings are often reset automatically to ensure the
new commands are visible.
In default mode, hovering your cursor over any of the buttons on a toolbar will display pop-up text (a.k.a. screen tips), which provides the buttons
associated command and a short explanation of what the command does. Clicking on any toolbar button will run the associated Main menu command.
Learn how to:
Move a toolbar
Change the toolbars displayed
Customize a toolbar
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Toolbars
Move a toolbar
Move a toolbar from its default position to a new location in the main screen.
Most Deswik.CAD toolbars are pinned in one section under the Main menu, with the exception of three toolbars; Snap Mode, Visual Styles and 3D
Views. These three toolbars are pinned vertically to the left and right of the Deswik.CAD main screen. You can un-pin any toolbar from its default,
pinned position and move it to a new location or leave it as a floating toolbar.
Move a pinned toolbar
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over the vertical, dashed line on the far left of the toolbar (each toolbar has one).
2 Your cursor arrow will become a move icon.
3 Click and hold the mouse button, and drag the toolbar to the new location.
4 Release the mouse button.
Move a floating toolbar
Instructions:
1 Click and hold anywhere on the Title bar of the toolbar.
2 Your cursor arrow will become a move icon.
3 Drag the toolbar to a new location.
4 Release the mouse button.
Change the toolbars displayed
Hide toolbars or make them visible in the main screen.
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over any toolbar and right-click.
2 A list of all available toolbars will be displayed. If there is a check mark to the left of the toolbar, then it is currently turned on (visible). If there is
no check mark, it is turned off (or hidden).
3 Click on the name of the toolbar you wish to hide (or make visible). The check mark will either be displayed or disappear.
If a toolbar has a check mark beside it, but is still not visible on your screen, try running the View | Reset Menus to Defaults command. This
command will restore all toolbars (as well as dock windows, etc.) to their default positions on the main screen.

Customize a toolbar
Customize toolbars and menus in the main screen.
You can reset your toolbars to the default view at any time by running the View | Reset Menus to Defaults command.
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over any toolbar and right-click.
2 A list of all available toolbars will be displayed. Select Customize
3 The CUSTOMIZATION dialog box will be displayed.
Toolbars tab
4 Click the Toolbars tab if it is not already displayed.
The Rename and Delete buttons on the Toolbars tab will be disabled for all system toolbars, as these functions are only applicable to
custom toolbars you have created. You cannot Rename or Delete any of the default Deswik.CAD toolbars. Once you have created and selected
your own toolbar(s), these buttons will be enabled.
COMMAND DESCRIPTION
Click to create a custom toolbar. The NEW TOOLBAR dialog box will be
displayed.
Enter a toolbar name and click OK. Deswik.CAD will create a new,
blank toolbar and place it in the toolbar section at the top of the main
screen.
Click on the toolbar you wish to rename in the Toolbars list to the left,
then click this button to rename it.

NOTE: You cannot rename system toolbars. The Rename button will be
Layer Control window

Move dock windows
Layer Control window shortcut menu
About layers
Layer tree
The states of a layer
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Layer Control window

About layers
Layers are the primary organizational tool in Deswik.CAD.
All layers created within a project are displayed in the Layer Control window.
An individual layer in Deswik.CAD is the equivalent of an overlay used in paper-based drafting. In drafting, multiple overlays might look something
like this:
In Deswik.CAD, entities contained on multiple layers might look something like this:
In Deswik.CAD, you can use layers to:
Group information by function e.g. keep entities with a similar purpose on the same layer
Enforce line type, color and other standards
Organize data/entities to make it easier to manage the information in your document
A layer can have entities of any type on them i.e. polyline, solids, points, polyhatches, etc. Each layer has several Properties, which include
everything from layer name to the color of entities contained on that layer. See Layer | Properties for an in-depth look at each of these Properties, as
well as how to access and edit each of them.
Deswik.CAD entities can also have Attributes applied to them by layer. This topic will also be covered in greater detail in Getting Started | Properties
Window | Attributes.
Layer tree
Deswik.CAD uses a hierarchical layer structure to organize layers.
The layer tree (i.e. layer structure) is displayed within the Layer Control window. It is a good idea to carefully structure any data used within a project
using layers so that it can be easily found later.
You can quickly change the visibility of the data grouped under layers by selecting or clearing the checkboxes to the left of the layer names in the layer
tree. Careful consideration should be given to the names of layers to aid you in finding data quickly and efficiently. See the Layer command for more
information on how to add, delete and manipulate layers.
Deswik.CAD differs from other CAD systems in that it uses a hierarchical layer structure instead of a list, meaning the layer tree is comprised of
parent layers and children layers. This structure affords considerable power in the ability to group similar layers together and then toggle their
visibility on and off, allowing you to quickly and easily isolate entities (contained on the different layers) in the Model Space.
To help you identify the type of entities (or settings) that may exist on a layer, Deswik.CAD will display an icon to the left the layer name.
ICON DESCRIPTION
A layer containing entities imported from another Deswik.CAD project.
A layer created within Deswik.CAD project OR a layer with entities imported from a file
type that is supported by Deswik.CAD but does not have icons for e.g. Minex,
MineScape, Minesight.
External reference layers.
A layer containing a layout in paper space.
A layer containing a viewport (usually a child layer of a layout layer).
A layer containing a viewport grid (usually a child layer of a viewport layer).
A layer containing a scale entity (usually a child layer of a viewport layer).
A layer containing a north arrow entity (usually a child layer of a viewport layer).
A layer containing annotation settings; this layer will always be a child layer to a
parent layer. The parent layer is the layer being annotated.
A layer containing an Unfolded Section.
A layer containing a Plane Definition.
A layer containing entities imported from a Surpac file type.
A layer containing entities imported from a Datamine file type.
A layer containing entities imported from an XPAC file type.
A layer containing entities imported from a Vulcan file type.
The states of a layer
A layer has three states: Visible, Selected or Active.
The following table outlines the three states of a layer, including instructions and basic facts.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Visible Select the checkbox to the left of the layer name to make a layer Visible. Entities on a
Visible layer are visible in the Model Space (unless a Filter has been applied; see Edit
| Filters for more information on using Filters in Deswik.CAD).
Clear the checkbox to the left of the layer name to make the layer invisible or Hidden.
Entities on a Hidden layer are not visible in the Model Space.
All entities that are visible in the Model Space can be selected and modified.
There can be an unlimited number of Visible layers at any given time.
Holding the <Ctrl> key and selecting a layer checkbox will change the visibility of
a parent layer as well as all of its children to the matching state. When
working in large projects with complex layer structures, use this little trick to change
the visibility of multiple layers quickly.
Active Double-click on a layer name to Activate the layer. The layer name will become
BOLD. See the Layer | Activate command for more information on activating a layer.
All new entities are created on the Active layer
By default, most commands, will write the output to the Active layer. However,
some commands will prompt you to specify a destination layer.
There can only be one Active layer at a time.

Selected Click once on a layer name to Select the layer. The background around the Selected
layer name will turn blue.
NOTE: To deselect all layers, click anywhere on white background below all of the
other layers.
Many commands will provide you with the option of writing the output to the
Selected layer instead of the Active layer (default).
There can only be one Selected layer at a time.
If the Layer Tips Display checkbox is selected on the Display tab in Tools | Options, hovering your cursor over any layer will display a tooltip that
will tell you which layer is Active and which is Selected.
External References window
Create a link in the active project to data stored/saved outside of the project; linked data can be viewed in the External References window in the active
project but does not store the data in the file as it would if the file was imported.
External Reference files are very similar to XREFs in AutoCAD.
External References are links to data/files that are stored outside of your active project. Once External References have been added to your active
project, the data from these files can be viewed in the current drawing and used as a reference point for drawing new entities e.g. snapping to points on
the reference data. However, this data cannot be modified, as it is not stored within the project itself.
The state of External References is saved upon exiting; each time a Deswik.CAD document with External References is opened, the References are
reloaded and you are shown the last view you were working with. This includes Visibility of individual layers within External Reference documents.
Using External Reference Files in your project provides you with the following advantages:
Reduced File Size: Because the Reference File data is not stored in your Deswik.CAD drawing file, the file size can be kept to a minimum. This
can be particularly useful when sharing the documents over email/internet.
Collaboration: Many users can work on different components of the same project at the same time. Every time a user reloads the Deswik.CAD
document/External References, the most recent version of external drawings is displayed.
Memory Management: The External References can be detached at runtime, meaning all memory allocations are freed but the Reference itself
remains within the document. This is very useful on underpowered machines or on large projects where memory consumption is an issue.
Additional Control: External References themselves can refer to other files as External References, effectively giving users more control over file
size, memory management and project structures.
Better Integration: External References cannot be modified or moved in space, resulting in project components that are better integrated without
fear of multiple users modifying the same drawing.
To work with External Reference files, the External References window should be displayed. By default, this window is docked as a tab with the
Layer Control window on the left of the main screen. If the tab is missing, simply go to View | Dock Windows and select External References; the tab
should appear in its default location.
Learn how to:
Add an External Reference
Display/hide External Reference data
Expand/collapse External Reference layers
Detach/reattach an External Reference
Remove an External Reference
Set Properties for an External Reference
Move data from an External Reference
Copy data from an External Reference
Toggle Selectable
Apply an Interactive Filter to an External Reference layer
Isolate an External Reference layer
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > External References window
Add an External Reference
Create a link in the active project to a file stored/saved outside of the project.
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over white/blank space to display the shortcut menu.
2 Click Add Reference | <Users choice of file type>.
3 The OPEN browser will be displayed, prompting you to select the file to reference.
4 Browse and select the desired file(s). Click Open.
Only one file may be selected at a time. Be sure to select the correct file type as specified in Step 2.
5 Deswik.CAD will add the file selected to the External References window. The name of the file selected will be the name of the layer added to the
layer tree. Data will be saved to this layer if the External Reference file added does not support layers. If the file being referenced supports layers,
all layers will be listed under the layer named for the Reference file (i.e. as children to the parent layer) as they listed are in the original
document. Icons specific to the file type will be displayed to the left of the file name (just as they would when importing the same file type).
Display/hide External Reference data
Display or hide the data in an External Reference file in the Model Space.
Once an External Reference has been added to your active project, you can manage the visibility of the file (or layers within the External Reference file)
in the Model Space the same way you would manage the visibility of layers within Deswik.CAD. It should be noted that if data is hidden, it is still
stored in your computers memory. To hide External Reference data and clear it from your computer memory, see Detach/Reattach an External
Reference.
Instructions:
1 To access the various Display commands in the External References window, right-click over the main External References layer
OR
Right-click over an individual Reference file layer.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed. Select the desired Display command.
The shortcut menus displayed and Display commands available differ slightly depending on where you right-click.
Refer to the Layer | Display Help topics for instructions on changing the visibility of External Reference files and/or External Reference layers
within a file. The one difference will be that all actions are performed in the External References window as opposed to the Layer Control window.
Expand/collapse External Reference layers
Expand or collapse children layers in an External Reference CAD file.
Once an External Reference has been added to your active project, you can manage the layer tree in the External References window the same way you
would manage layers in the Layer Control window within Deswik.CAD.
Instructions:
1 To access the various Expand commands in the External References window, right-click over the main External References layer
OR
Right-click over an individual Reference file layer.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed. Select the desired Expand command.
The shortcut menus displayed and Expand commands available differ slightly depending on where you right-click.
Refer to the Layer | Expand Help topics for instructions on changing the structure of the layer tree in the External References window. The one
difference will be that all actions are performed in the External References window as opposed to the Layer Control window.

Detach/reattach an External Reference
Detach an existing External Reference file to remove it from active memory or reattach a file once it has been detached.
While it is possible to display or hide data by selecting the associated checkbox to the left of it in the External Reference tree, this method leaves the
data footprint in your computer memory. If you do not need to see data and would like to free up some computer memory, use the Detach
command.
Detached External Reference files will remain in your active document as a node in the External Reference file layer tree; the moment you make the
file (or a layer within) visible again, the data will be reopened i.e. reloaded to memory.
Detach an External Reference
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the filename of the file you wish to detach.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click Detach.
3 Deswik.CAD will detach the selected External Reference file, but leave the filename visible (in red) in the External Reference window.
If the detached External Reference file contains layers, the layers will no longer be visible in the External Reference window; only the
filename will remain (in red).
Reattach an External Reference
1 To reattach an External Reference file that has been previously detached, simply select the checkbox to the left of the filename.
Remove an External Reference
Remove/delete an existing External Reference file from the active project.
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the filename of the file you wish to remove.
2 Deswik.CAD will remove the selected External Reference file.

Set Properties for an External Reference
Define the properties of the External Reference file, including the location of the base file.
Because other users will often use the files you have referenced, it is not unusual for a file to be renamed or even moved to a new folder/directory. If
you have opened an active project to find that your External Reference file cannot be found, it is a simple matter of relocating it and defining a new
path based on the new name or new location.
External References that can no longer be located by Deswik.CAD are indicated in red font.
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the filename of the file you wish to relocate.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click Properties.
3 The PROPERTIES dialog box will be displayed.
4 Use the table below to assist you with completing the various fields.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
File Path Deswik.CAD will automatically populate this field with the current
path/filename of the file. Enter a new path/filename if desired, or click to
browse and select the desired file. Click Open. You will be returned to the
PROPERTIES dialog box. The new path/filename will be displayed.
Relative Path Select this checkbox if the External Reference file is saved in the same
working directory or a child directory of the active project file. Clear the
checkbox if the file is in a directory that is not relative to the location of the
active project file.
This feature can be useful if you often are required to work from different
locations e.g. a field office or at home. You can simply copy the
Deswik.CAD file and the child folder that contains all External Reference
files. When the file is then opened at the new location, it will look for the
External Reference files in the child folder of the folder where you have
stored the Deswik.CAD document, wherever that might be!
Set Color and Select this checkbox to set the selected Color and Transparency of all of
Transparency the entities in the imported file.
of all Entities
NOTE: When you select the checkbox, you will be advised of the following:


Move data from an External Reference
Move data from a selected External Reference file to the active project.
When moving a layer from the External Reference window, it will automatically be added as a child layer to the current Selected layer in the
Layer Control window. Before running this command, consider how you want your data organized!
When moving layers from an External Reference, keep in mind that this is a simulated move only i.e. External Reference files cannot truly be
modified from within the active project. There is no danger of actually deleting a layer (or entities) from an External Reference. Three things will
happen once a layer is moved from an External Reference file, no matter which method is chosen below:
If the Reference layer(s) being moved were previously Visible in the External References window, they will be hidden.
If Toggle Selectable was enabled for the Reference layer(s) prior to being moved, it will automatically be disabled, and the entities on these
layers will no longer be selectable in the Model Space.
The new layer(s) in the active project will be made Visible.
Each of the steps above makes moving data (as opposed to copying) ideal when you wish to modify entities immediately (without having to manually
change these settings yourself to ensure you arent selecting the wrong data).
Use the Copy Data from an External Reference command if you need to track changes you make by comparing them to the original data.
Move a single layer from an External Reference file to the active project
When using this method, layer structure is automatically preserved i.e. the parent layer and all child layers will be copied/moved along with
the layer selected.
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the name of the layer you wish to move.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click To Current Document | Move.
3 Deswik.CAD will move the chosen layer and the data contained (as well as any child layers and its parent layer) from the External Reference
window and move it to the Layer Control window in the active project (as well as change the three settings mentioned above).
Move multiple layers from an External Reference file to the active project

Copy data from an External Reference
Copy the data from a selected External Reference file to the active project.
When copying a layer from the External Reference window, it will automatically be added as a child layer to the current Selected layer in the
Layer Control window. Before running this command, consider how you want your data organized!
Use the Copy function if you need to track changes you make by comparing them to the original data.
Copy a single layer from an External Reference file to the active project
When using this method, layer structure is automatically preserved i.e. the parent layer and all child layers will be copied along with the
layer selected.
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the name of the layer you wish to copy.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click To Current Document | Copy.
3 Deswik.CAD will copy the selected layer and the data contained (as well as any child layers and its parent layer) from the External Reference
window to the Layer Control window in the active project. The copied data will remain in the External References window as well.
Copy multiple layers from an External Reference file to the active project
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the layer name of the External Reference file that contains the layers you wish to copy.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click To Current Document | Copy.
Toggle Selectable
Enable the selection of External Reference file data.
Although it is possible to snap to data in an External Reference file, it is not possible to select entities in these files by clicking in them in the Model
Space. However, you may want the ability to use data from the file as input for a command to generate new entities. You can do this by enabling the
selection of data in this file (or on the layer)!
Instructions:
1 From the External References window, right-click over the filename (or layer) you wish to select data on.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click Toggle Selectable.
3 Deswik.CAD will enable selection of data; the layer name will be highlighted in yellow as an indicator.
Even though it is not possible to manually select entities by clicking on them the Model Space, it is possible to select all entities on an External
Reference layer without enabling selection. When External Reference files are present in a project, reference layers will automatically be displayed as
choices in the MULTIPLE LAYER SELECTION dialog box, which will be displayed if Specified Layers is selected.
Once you have enabled the selection of External Reference file data you can select (or deselect) entities.
Learn how to:
Select/Deselect Entities in an External Reference file
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > External References window > Toggle Selectable
Select/Deselect Entities in an External Reference file
Select or deselect single and/or multiple visible entities in the Model Space.
In order to select entities in an External Reference file, you must run first the Toggle Selectable command on the layer containing the entities to be
selected.
Instructions:
1 Once you have enabled the selection of data in an External Reference file, you can manage the selection (or deselection) of these entities in the
Model Space the same way you would manage this process with entities on layers in the Layer Control window. You can select these entities
manually in the Model Space or you can use the Select/Deselect Entities commands found in the shortcut menu displayed when you right-click over
the layer.
Refer to the Edit | Select Help topics for instructions on selecting or deselecting entities. The one difference will be that all actions are performed in
the External References window as opposed to the Layer Control window.
Apply an Interactive Filter to an External Reference layer
Run Interactive Filtering on an External Reference layer to quickly change the visibility of entities based on their Attribute (or Property) values.
You can manage the interactive filtering of entities in the Model Space the same way you would manage this process with entities on layers in the Layer
Control window.
Instructions:
1 Right-click over a layer in the External References window to display the shortcut menu.
2 Click Interactive Filter.
Refer to the Edit | Filters | Interactive Filter Help topic for detailed instructions on creating and applying Interactive Filters. The one difference
will be that all actions are performed in the External References window as opposed to the Layer Control window.
Isolate an External Reference layer
Make the Selected layer Visible, while hiding all other layers.
If entities on the Selected External Reference layer have been hidden from view using an Interactive Filter, this command will not remove that
Filter.
Instructions
1 Select the layer you wish to isolate in the External References window.
2 Right-click over the Selected layer name to display the shortcut menu. Select Isolate.
3 Deswik.CAD will make the Selected layer Visible, and hide all other layers.
Model Space
Graphical entities are displayed and edited within the Model Space.
You can easily work within multiple projects in Deswik.CAD simultaneously. Document names are displayed on tabs along the top left of the Model
Space. Click on any one of the tabs to make it the active document. The active document is always highlighted (the color will depend on the Look and
Feel colors used in your main screen), and the tab for that document will be displayed in front of the others.
The orientation of the current view is displayed using an XYZ axis guide at the bottom left of the Model Space. Scroll bars bottom and right allow
you to alter your view of the Model Space.
Some settings for the Model Space (e.g. background color) as well as how you view data within the Model Space (e.g. rotation speed) can be changed if
desired. See Tools | Options for instructions on changing these settings.

Properties window
All entities in a Deswik.CAD project have Properties associated with them. These Properties are displayed within the Properties window when an
entity is selected in the Model Space. Some of the Properties can be edited.
The Properties window will remain blank if there are no entities selected.
The Properties window is divided into three main sections:
SECTION DESCRIPTION
Fixed Properties The Properties of the selected entities that the user cannot change.
Attributes The common Attributes of the selected entities which can be edited by the
user.
Variable Properties The Properties of the selected entities that can be changed and managed by
the user.
As you might expect, Deswik.CAD projects can become extremely large in size. It takes time to load information about multiple selected entities in
the Properties window. Checkboxes for both Attributes and Properties can be found at the bottom of the Properties window. These checkboxes
allow you to turn the Attribute and Variable Properties sections off, so that when entities are selected, Deswik.CAD doesnt waste time updating the
Properties window with data you may not need to see. By default, the checkboxes are selected, and both sections are visible.
Often, text contained within fields in the Properties window is too long to be displayed in full. Although the Properties window itself is easily
expandable, Deswik.CAD has a pop-up text feature to make it quick and easy to view any hidden text. Simply hover your cursor over the field that
you cannot see, and Deswik.CAD will display that property in full in a pop-up for you.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Properties window

Fixed Properties
An entitys Fixed Properties cannot be changed; these properties are managed by Deswik.CAD.
When you select an entity in the Model Space, the Fixed Properties of that entity are automatically displayed in the Properties window. Fixed
Properties, by default, are grayed out as they properties that you cannot change. They are assigned and managed by Deswik.CAD when an entity is
created, imported, edited, etc.
The different Fixed Properties that are displayed are dependent on the type of entity selected in the Model Space. Although there are many types
Fixed Properties, only those Fixed Properties that apply to the selected entity will display. For example, if we look at the Fixed Properties displayed
for these two different entities a polyline and a circle you can see that GradientMin, GradientMax and GradientAve appear for the polyline, but
not for the circle. This is because a circle has no gradient.
When multiple entities are selected in the Model Space, only common Fixed Properties will display. For example, because a Handle is a unique
identifier, as soon as more than one entity is selected, Handle will not appear in the Fixed Properties section, because Deswik.CAD cannot display the
unique values for Handle for each entity. Another good example is the TypeName property; if you select two entities a polyline and a polyface
TypeName will no longer display in Fixed Properties.
Most of the numerical Fixed Properties are cumulative. For example, when multiple entities are selected, the total Area for the entities combined is
displayed. Min{x,y,z] works in a similar way; if multiple entities are selected, Deswik.CAD determines and displays the minimum coordinate values
for x, y and z out of all the entities.
The following table outlines each of the Fixed Properties that might be displayed in the Properties window:
FIXED DESCRIPTION
PROPERTY
TypeName Entity type e.g. circle, arc, polyline, solid, etc.
Layer The name of the layer on which the entity sits.
Handle A unique identifier assigned by Deswik.CAD.
Minimum{x,y,z} The minimum value of x, y and z (Cartesian coordinates) for the
bounding box surrounding the entity.
Maximum{x,y,z} The minimum value of x, y and z (Cartesian coordinates) for the
Delta{x,y,z} The difference between the min and max values of x, y and z for the
Area The area of a polyline(s) with reference to its extrusion vector. The
extrusion vector defines the direction to look at the polyline when
calculating the area (a 2D property).
NOTE: If the extrusion vector is not set correctly, the area could be
different than expected e.g. if the extrusion vector is pointing upwards
for a polygon representing a section in the XZ plane, the area would be
0.
Length The 3D length of a Polyline(s)


Attributes
Attributes are custom data which can be applied to a layer and the dataset on that layer. Attributes are one of the most important concepts in
Deswik.CAD.
Deswik.CAD allows an unlimited number of Attributes to be applied to a layer. All entities on the same layer share the same Attributes. However,
their Attribute values can and usually will differ. Attributes values can be strings (comprised of text and/or numbers) or they can be strictly
numeric values, useful for calculations.
When you create a layer and add entities to a layer using the Draw command, Attributes are not automatically assigned by Deswik.CAD. You can
add, edit and manage Attributes on layers manually (see Layer | Attributes). However, Deswik.CAD will often create and manage Attributes for you
as part of another process e.g. when importing a file from another program that supports Attributes, such as Datamine.
If multiple figures are selected, only common Attributes are visible. The number of common Attributes will be displayed in the header of the
Attributes section.
At the bottom of the Properties window, you will find a Sort Attributes checkbox. When this checkbox is selected (default), Attributes will be listed
in the Properties window in alphabetical order. When cleared, Attributes will be listed in the order they are defined in the Attributes setup on the layer
(see Layer | Attributes | Add an Attribute for detailed instructions on this process).
Despite the fact that Attributes are optional in Deswik.CAD, they are an important concept and a very powerful tool. One of the most powerful uses of
Attributes is filtering. Assigning Attributes to entities and then specific values for those Attributes can help you visually isolate entities in the
Model Space quickly and easily. See the Edit | Filters command for detailed information on creating and using Filters in your project. Deswik.CAD
can also create detailed reports, including specific Attributes as a field within a report.
Lets imagine weve assigned the following Attributes to several layers in a project:
We then use some of these Attributes Material, Block and Strip to create Filters that are then applied to several layers (Mining Blocks, Cut Dump
Solids and Strip Blocks). The following pictures illustrate how your view of the entities on these layers will change as the Filters are applied.

Variable Properties
An entitys Variable Properties can be changed.
The different Variable Properties that are displayed are dependent on the type of entity selected in the Model Space. Although there are many
Variable Properties, only those Variable Properties that apply to the selected entity will display. For example, Variable Properties displayed for a
circle would include Radius, which would not be included for a rectangle. Instead, a rectangle would have Height.
If multiple figures are selected, only the common Variable Properties will be displayed.
When you select an entity in the Model Space, the Variable Properties of that entity are automatically displayed in the Properties window. Variable
Properties are those properties that you can change.
Modify a Variable Property
Instructions:
1 Click in the desired Variable Property field.
2 Perform the necessary function for that field type e.g. type the value desired, select a valid value from the drop-down list (if available), select/clear
the checkbox as appropriate, etc.
There are an unlimited number of ways to manipulate data and change how entities are viewed in the Model Space. The following table outlines each
possible Variable Property, the entity Type(s) it applies to and how it is used:
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
AlignmentPoint Visible for Interactive Text entities; the coordinate point used to stretch the
object when Horizontal Justification is Fit or Aligned. Click to enter X,
Y and Z coordinates.
AligntoView Visible for Text, Block, Title Block, Point and Circle entities; select this
checkbox to align the entity to the current view at all times.
NOTE: Enabling this feature for large numbers of entities can slow down the
drawing speed.
AligntoViewSize Visible for Text, Block and Title Block, Point and Circle entities; the size to
draw the entity. As an entity is redrawn each time the view changes, the size
is defined by this property rather than the Height or Scale. If the value is zero
(0), the entity size will be set to a fixed number of drawing units (as set by
Height and Scale). If the value is greater than zero (>0), it will be resized
relative to the size of the screen and appear the same size regardless of the
zoom. Decimal values are valid, allowing for greater control.
ArrowSize Visible for Dimension entities; define the size of the arrowhead. The larger
the number, the bigger the arrowhead.
Block Visible for Block and Title Block entities; the name of the block inserted.
Click to change the Block entity.
NOTE: Default Block and Title Block entities are accessed from several

different folders. Only the Block entities in the Default folder (and the two
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Properties window > Variable Properties
Edit Vertex List
Edit the vertices of a selected entity.
Instructions:
1 Select the entity you wish to edit vertices for in the Model Space. Only a single entity may be selected; multiple entities cannot be edited with this
command.
The VertexList property will not be visible for some entity types such as circles, ellipses, rectangles, etc. It is most frequently used with
polyline entities.
2 From the Properties window, click to the right of the VertexList field.
3 The EDIT VERTICES FOR POLYLINE <HANDLE> dialog box will be displayed.
The point selected in the grid will also be indicated by a red dot on the associated point on the polyline in the Model Space.

4 Use the following table to assist you with editing the vertices of the selected entity.
Workflow window
Create customized flowcharts to guide you through a user-definable process.
The Workflow feature in Deswik.CAD is a way to customize any process that requires multiple steps and commands to be run. These steps are
essentially entered into a flowchart; the shapes and/or symbols that comprise the flowchart can then be programmed to run the associated command(s)
for you. It can be especially useful if this process is something that you must repeat a number of times. Save time and effort by having Deswik.CAD
remember this process for you and run it at the touch of a few buttons!
Workflows are created in the Workflow window, located on a tab under the Properties window (to the right of the Model Space) in the default view.
Workflows resemble a flowchart (e.g. Microsoft Visio) comprised of multiple boxes; each of the boxes in the flowchart equates to steps in a
process. By default, any Workflows you create are saved to C:\ProgramData\Deswik\Workflows with an *.edd extension. An *.edd file may also be
placed into the same folder as the current document. Once Workflows are created using the Deswik.Workflow Editor, you can choose which Workflow
to load (for use) in the Workflow window in any active document i.e. not just the document in which it was created. See Load an Existing Workflow for
more information on this process.
Before you create a Workflow, it is recommended you review the various topics regarding the Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Learn how to:
Move dock windows
Create and/or edit a Workflow
Load an existing Workflow
Run multiple Workflow Items
Delete a Workflow
Deswik.Workflow Editor
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window

Create and/or edit a Workflow
Launch the Deswik.Workflow Editor to create new and/or edit existing Workflows.
This process will create and save a Workflow to C:\ProgramData\Deswik\Workflows with an *.edd extension. To actually use the Workflow,
see Load an existing Workflow.
Instructions:
1 To create a new Workflow, click and select Default from the drop-down list in the Workflow window
OR
To edit an existing Workflow, click and select the Workflow name from the drop-down list.
Workflows prefixed by an asterisk (*) are simply Workflows that are saved to the same directory as the active project. Workflows prefixed
by a ^ character are Workflows that are saved to the shared directory (where applicable). Workflows with no prefix are saved to the Default
directory C:\ProgramData\Deswik\Workflows.
2 Once the appropriate Workflow name is loaded in the drop-down list, click the button to the right.
3 Deswik.CAD will launch the DESWIK.WORKFLOW EDITOR.
4 To add a node to your new/existing flowchart, drag and drop a shape or symbol from the Palette window
OR
Insert a node using any of the commands from the Draw tab.
Refer to the Deswik.Workflow Editor help topic for detailed instructions the various components and commands available.
5 Double-click on the added node to define an External Macro, Command, Plugin, Embedded Macro, Formulae or Select Layers to be
associated with the node.
Text boxes cannot be associated with these commands as they are not considered nodes.
6 The EDIT NODE dialog box will be displayed.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window > Create and/or edit a Workflow
Formulae
Modify the Attributes of a selected entity using a Rule comprised of one or more formulae. As part of the process, input Attribute values can
audited prior to the Rule being applied, and output Attribute values can be audited following processing.
The information to follow assumes you have selected a node in the Deswik.Workflow Editor and you have double-clicked on it to display the
EDIT NODE dialog box.
In this topic:
Run the Formulae command
Pre-Audit tab
Formula tab
Post-Audit tab
Sample Workflow with Formulae
Instructions:
1 The EDIT NODE dialog box will be displayed; click the Formulae tab.
2 The Formulae tab is comprised of three sub-tabs: Pre-Audit, Formula and Post-Audit. Click on the desired tab to display the options associated
with that tab. Each tab is pictured below, along with a table describing all applicable fields. Complete the fields necessary to generate the desired
Audit Rules or Formulae.
Pre-Audit tab
Use the Pre-Audit tab to audit input Attribute (or Properties) values before you run a process. For example, if you wanted to ensure that a process is
not run on solids with a volume less than 5 cubic meters, you could use this tab to check that all the *Volume (of all input solids) is > 5.
This tab is optional; if you do not wish to audit input Attribute values prior to processing, simply leave this grid blank.
3 Enter the rules to be used to audit input Attribute values.
Load an existing Workflow
Load an existing Workflow into the Workflow window.
If you have already created a Workflow and would like to use it in your active document, then it must first be loaded into the Workflow window.
Once a Workflow is loaded into your Deswik.CAD document and you save the document, the Workflow filename and path will be saved with it.
Whenever you open that particular Deswik.CAD document, the Workflow will load automatically, displaying in the Workflow window. If the
Workflow *.edd file is renamed, it will still be available for selection, but will not be loaded automatically. If it is moved from the default folder, as long
it is exists in the same folder location as the active project file, will be available for selection in the drop-down list. Note that when a Workflow file is
located in a folder other than the default location, the name will be preceded by an asterisk (*) in the drop-down menu.
The last Workflow loaded will automatically be loaded to each new Deswik.CAD document (as long as the *.edd file is saved to the default folder
location). If you do not want a Workflow associated with new Deswik.CAD documents, simply load Default from the drop-down list, which will clear
the Workflow window.
Instructions:
1 Click to select the desired Workflow from the drop-down list.
2 Once selected, click to load the Workflow flowchart diagram in the Workflow window.
3 Once loaded, click on a single node to run the associated command/macro, etc.
4 To edit a node, hold the <Shift> key and click on the node. The EDIT NODE dialog box will be displayed. Make the desired change(s) and click
OK. Any changes made will automatically be saved to the Workflow. See Create and/or edit a Workflow for detailed instructions on editing nodes.
Run multiple Workflow Items
Run multiple Workflow items consecutively.
To run a single Workflow item, you would simply click on the item once loaded into the Workflow window. However, as Workflows grow in size for
large processes, clicking on each item can be laborious. Use this command to run multiple Workflow items, one after the other, without having to click
on each item.
This command will run multiple Workflow items based on the Workflow that is currently loaded in the Workflow window. See Load an Existing
Workflow for details on this process.
Instructions:
1 Click to display the RUN MULTIPLE dialog box.
2 The Name and Text fields for all of the nodes in the Workflow will be listed.
If the Hidden checkbox was selected for any of the nodes in the EDIT NODE dialog box, that Workflow item will not be visible in this list.
3 Click on the row for the item you wish to run. Hold <Ctrl> and click to select multiple non-adjacent rows. Hold <Shift> and click to select multiple
adjacent rows.
4 Click OK.
5 Deswik.CAD will automatically run the first item in the list, followed by the next item once the first is completed, etc.
Delete a Workflow
Delete an existing Workflow file from the Workflow folder.
In order to delete a Workflow from the drop-down list of available Workflows, it must be manually deleted from the default Deswik Workflow folder.
Moving the file to another folder will also remove the Workflow from the drop-down list, but will provide you with the opportunity to restore the
Workflow to the list (by moving the file back to the Workflow folder) at a later time, if desired. Ensure that when moving it, you do not move it to the
folder location of the active project file, or it will still be visible in the drop-down list.
Instructions:
1 Open Windows Explorer.
2 Browse for and open the Workflow folder (found in C:\ProgramData\Deswik\Workflows).
3 Select the Workflow you wish to remove from the list and click the <Delete> key.
You must start a new document or restart Deswik.CAD in order to refresh the Workflow drop-down list.

Deswik.Workflow Editor
Launch the Deswik.Workflow Editor to create new and/or edit existing Workflows.
The Deswik.Workflow Editor is a separate screen where you will create new or edit existing Workflows. Once Workflows are ready for use, you will
exit the Deswik.Workflow Editor and load it in the Workflow window.
Instructions:
1 From the Workflow window, click the button at the top right of the window.
2 The DESWIK.WORKFLOW EDITOR window will be displayed.
3 The Deswik.Workflow Editor has six (6) main components: A Start button, a Quick Access toolbar, a Ribbon with two tabs (Home and Draw), a
Palette window with two sections (Basic Shapes and Flowchart Symbols), the Workflow Design Space in the center of the screen and a
Workflow Properties window (similar to but not the same as the Properties window found in Deswik.CAD). Each of these components will be
reviewed in detail in the topic links found at the end of these instructions.
4 Make the desired additions/changes.
5 To save your changes, click the Save (or Save As) button at the top left of the Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window > Deswik.Workflow Editor
Start button
The Deswik.Workflow Editor Start button provides quick access to commonly used commands for getting started.
Clicking the Start button in Deswik.Workflow Editor will reveal the following commands: New, Open, Save, Save As and Exit. Detailed
instructions on each of these commands are provided below.
New
Instructions:
1 To start a new Workflow, click New.
2 Deswik.Workflow Editor will automatically start a new Workflow.
You will not be prompted to save any changes you have made in the Workflow document you are currently in. Be sure to save changes
before clicking New.
Open
Instructions:
1 To open an existing Workflow, click Open.
2 Deswik.Workflow Editor will open the selected Workflow.
You will not be prompted to save any changes you have made in the Workflow document you are currently in. Be sure to save changes
before clicking New.
Save
Instructions:
1 To save the Workflow you are currently working in, click Save.
2 Deswik.Workflow Editor will save the current Workflow.
If you are saving the Workflow for the first time, the SAVE AS browser will appear, prompting for a file name, file type and where to save
the file. Once saved, this browser will not appear again when using the Save command. It will only appear when choosing the Save As option.
Workflow Quick Access toolbar
The Quick Access toolbar allows you to pin commonly used commands to a single location for quick and easy access.
By default, the Quick Access toolbar is displayed across the top of the main screen above the Ribbon. Several commonly used commands such as Save,
Save As, Select, etc. have already been added to the toolbar for your use. If desired, you may add and/or remove buttons for specific commands, as well
as move the toolbar below the Ribbon.
More:
Change the location of the Quick Access toolbar
Customize the Quick Access toolbar
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window > Deswik.Workflow Editor > Workflow Quick Access toolbar
Change the location of the Quick Access toolbar
Display the Quick Access toolbar in the desired location.
In the default view, the Quick Access toolbar is located above the Ribbon. However, it can easily be moved to display below the Ribbon if that is your
preference.
Instructions:
1 To move the Quick Access toolbar below the Ribbon, click to the right of the toolbar
OR
Hover your cursor anywhere over the toolbar and right-click.
2 Click Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon from the pop-up menu displayed.
3 Deswik.Workflow Editor will automatically move the toolbar, displaying it below the Ribbon.
4 To return the toolbar to its default position, click to the right of the toolbar
OR
Hover your cursor anywhere over the toolbar and right-click.
5 Click Show Quick Access Toolbar Above the Ribbon from the pop-up menu displayed.
6 Deswik.Workflow Editor will return the toolbar to its default position.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window > Deswik.Workflow Editor > Workflow Quick Access toolbar
Customize the Quick Access toolbar
Change the options available on the Quick Access toolbar to meet your specific needs; remove buttons that arent used often and replace with
commands that you commonly use.
Add a button to the Quick Access toolbar
Instructions:
1 Right-click over the command (on the Ribbon) that you wish to add.
2 A menu will be displayed.
3 Click Add to Quick Access toolbar.
If the shortcut button for the command is already on the Quick Access toolbar, the Add to Quick Access toolbar option will not be provided in
the menu displayed.
4 Deswik.Workflow Editor will add the shortcut button associated with the selected command to the toolbar.
Remove a button from the Quick Access toolbar
Instructions:
1 Right-click over the button in the Quick Access toolbar you wish to remove
OR
Right-click over the button in the Ribbon you wish to remove.
2 A menu will be displayed.
3 Click Remove from Quick Access toolbar.
Workflow Ribbon
Access Workflow commands from the Workflow Editing Ribbon.
The information to follow assumes you are currently in the Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Instead of using menus and toolbars, Deswik.Workflow Editor displays all commands on a Ribbon across the top of the main screen. The Ribbon is
designed to help you quickly find the commands that you need to complete a task. Commands are organized in logical groups, which are collected
together under tabs.
More:
Home commands
Draw commands
Expand/minimize the Ribbon
Access hidden commands on the Ribbon
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Workflow window > Deswik.Workflow Editor > Workflow Ribbon
Home commands
Access Workflow commands from the Home tab on the Workflow Ribbon.
The information below assumes you are currently in the Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Instructions:
1 Use the table below for detailed instructions on the various commands that can be accessed from the Home tab.
COMMAND DESCRIPTION
Clipboard Copy: Click to copy selected objects from the Workflow Design Space to
the Clipboard.
Cut: Click to cut (remove) selected objects from the Workflow Design
Space and copy it to the Clipboard.
Paste: Click to paste objects previously copied to the Clipboard into the
Workflow Design Space.
Undo/Redo Undo: Click to undo the last action made.
Redo: Click to redo an action that was previously undone.

Font The following font formats apply to fonts used in textboxes and nodes
inserted into the Workflow Design Space. Select the object you want to
change the text for; then select the appropriate format below.
Font: Click to select the type of font e.g. Times New Roman.
Size: Enter the desired size for the selected font.
NOTE: The font size will not update until you have clicked anywhere
outside of the selected text box/node.
Bold: Click to bold selected font.
Italics: Click to italicize selected font.
Underline: Click to underline selected font.
Left-align: Click to left-align selected text.
Center: Click to center selected text.
Right-align: Click to right-align selected text.

Align/Size Align: Select the appropriate button to align flowchart components in the
Workflow Design Space as desired.
Draw commands
Access Workflow commands from the Draw tab on the Workflow Ribbon.
The information below assumes you are currently in the Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Instructions:
1 Refer to the table below for detailed instructions on the various commands that can be accessed from the Draw tab.
COMMAND DESCRIPTION
Select Click to enable Select mode (default mode).
NOTE: When in Select mode, your cursor will display as an arrow icon
.
Line Click to draw a straight line (single segment) in the Workflow Design
Space. Once clicked, your cursor will change to a crosshairs icon . Left-
click in the Workflow Design Space to select the start point of your line;
hold and drag your cursor to draw the line, then release to select the end
point.
When drawing the line, click on another object to link the line to the
object. This will ensure that when you move the parent object, the line will
also move.
Polyline Click to draw a line with multiple straight segments in the Workflow
Design Space. Once clicked, your cursor will change to a crosshairs icon
. Click in the Workflow Design Space to select the start point of your
line; continue to click to select new points. Right-click when you have
finished drawing your polyline.
Rectangle Click to draw a rectangle in the Workflow Design Space. Once clicked,
your cursor will change to a crosshairs icon . Left-click in the Workflow
Design Space to select the top left corner of your rectangle; hold and drag
your cursor to determine the rectangle dimensions, then release to select
the bottom right corner.
NOTE: By default, rectangles will be filled in yellow. Change this color by

changing the rectangles FillStyle in the Workflow Properties window.
Ellipse Click to draw an ellipse in the Workflow Design Space. Once clicked,
your cursor will change to a crosshairs icon . Left-click in the Workflow
Design Space to select a location for your ellipse; hold and drag your
cursor, then release when the ellipse is the desired size and shape.
NOTE: By default, ellipses will be filled in yellow. Change this color by

changing the ellipses FillStyle in the Workflow Properties window.
Curve Click to draw a line with multiple curved segments in the Workflow
Design Space. Once clicked, your cursor will change to a crosshairs icon
. Click in the Workflow Design Space to select the start point of your
line; continue to click to select new points. Deswik.Workflow Editor will
automatically curve the lines between selected points. Right-click when
you have finished drawing your curve.
Closed Curve Click to draw a closed curve with multiple curved segments in the
Workflow Design Space. Once clicked, your cursor will change to a
crosshairs icon . Click in the Workflow Design Space to select the start
point of your line; continue to click to select new points.
Deswik.Workflow Editor will automatically curve the lines between
selected points, as well as join the last selected point with the start point.
Right-click when you have finished drawing your curve.
Pen Click to draw a freehand line in the Workflow Design Space. Once
clicked, your cursor will change to a pen icon . Left-click in the
Workflow Design Space to select the start point of your line; then hold as
you continue to draw. Once you release the mouse button,
Deswik.Workflow Editor will assume you have completed your line.
Expand/minimize the Ribbon
Customize your view by minimizing or expanding the Ribbon.
By default, the Ribbon is displayed across the top of the main screen (in all Schedule views). However, if you would prefer to minimize the Ribbon,
providing more room on your screen, this is easily done.
Minimize the Ribbon
Instructions:
1 Click the Minimize button on far left of the Quick Access toolbar
OR
Click <Ctrl>+F1
OR
Double-click any one of the Ribbon tabs
OR
Right-click anywhere over the Ribbon to display a shortcut menu; click Minimize the Ribbon.
2 The Ribbon will automatically be minimized.
To use the Ribbon while it is minimized, click the tab you want to use, and then click the command you want to use. Once a command has been clicked
or if the tab is clicked a second time the Ribbon will minimize once more.
Expand the Ribbon
Instructions:
1 Click the Expand button on far left of the Quick Access toolbar
OR
Click <Ctrl>+F1
OR
Double-click any one of the Ribbon tabs
OR
Right-click over any of the Ribbon tabs to display a shortcut menu; click Minimize the Ribbon (which is currently selected) to toggle it off.
2 The Ribbon will automatically be expanded i.e. restored to the default view.
Access hidden commands on the Ribbon
Access hidden commands on the Ribbon.
If Deswik.Workflow Editor is not shown maximized i.e. shown full screen, it is possible that some of the commands in a given group will not be visible.
This is because Deswik.Workflow Editor will compress the groups to fit the Ribbon on your screen. However, it is an easy fix to display any hidden
commands.
Instructions:
1 Click the drop-down arrow under the group name.
2 Deswik.Workflow Editor will display all commands for the selected group.
Palette window
Drag and drop the various shapes and symbols provided in the Palette window into the Workflow Design Space.
Instructions:
1 The Palette window is comprised of two sections: Basic Shapes and Flowchart Symbols. To display (and select from) Basic Shapes, click on the
Basic Shapes header. To display (and select from) Flowchart Symbols, click on the Flowchart Symbols header.
The basic shapes and symbols available for designing a flowchart in Deswik.Workflow Editor are similar to those used in Microsoft
PowerPoint or Microsoft Visio; a working knowledge of these programs is assumed.
2 Left-click and hold on the desired node; drag it over to the Workflow Design Space, then release.
3 The selected node will appear in the Workflow Design Space. It will be selected; grips will appear along the boundary of the node. A rotation
handle will also be visible, along with the point of rotation (centered in the node by default).
4 Use the following table to modify the appearance of the node as required.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Rotate Hover your cursor over the rotation handle (the green circle) until your cursor
changes from an arrow to a rotation icon . Click and drag your cursor in
the direction you wish to rotate it.
Move the point of Rotation: By default, the point of rotation is centered within
the node. This can be changed, if desired. Simply hover your cursor over the
point of rotation until your cursor becomes crosshairs . Click, hold and drag
the point of rotation to a new location; then release.
Resize Select the node you wish to resize. Once selected, hover your cursor over the
desired grip to display the various modify arrows . Click, hold and
drag the grip in the direction desired to resize the node accordingly i.e. shrink,
expand, etc.
Workflow Design Space
Flowchart symbols and shapes are displayed and edited within the Workflow Design Space.
The Workflow Design Space located in the center of the main screen is where you will design your Workflow using shapes and symbols from the
Palette window or nodes/objects inserted using various commands from the Home and Draw tabs on the Ribbon. By default, a point grid will be visible
as the background of the Workflow Design Space.
You can hide this grid by disabling the Display Grid feature on the Home tab. See Getting Started | Workflow window | Deswik.Workflow Editor
| Workflow Ribbon | Home commands for detailed instruction on this feature, as well as all other available commands.
Workflow Properties window
View the Properties of an object selected in the Workflow Design Space.
Instructions:
1 Select an object in the Workflow Design Space.
2 The Workflow Properties window will automatically update with the information for the selected object.
3 Make changes if desired.
As you click on Properties in the window, a brief description of the selected Property will populate the Tooltip section at the bottom of the
window.
While you will often want to modify Appearance Properties such as FillStyle, LineStyle and ShadowStyle to change how your object looks,
most of the Properties listed will simply provide information about the object you have selected, and it is not recommended that you modify these.
For example, the Size of an object (found in the Bounds section ) simply describes the width and height in pixels of the
bounding box around the selected object. As you resize your object manually, these dimensions will automatically update. It is far easier to
manipulate the size of an object manually then to change the numbers here. There is one exception, however; if you would like to change the order
of layers listed in the Document Explorer, it can only be done from the Properties window (as illustrated below).
Workflow Document Explorer
Manage Workflow objects using layers within Deswik.Workflow Editor.
Layers created in the Document Explorer in Deswik.Workflow Editor are completely independent of layers generated in Deswik.CAD i.e. layers
created in one are not automatically created in the other. As well, they are managed quite differently, as you will see in the instructions below. In
particular, when using layers in the Deswik.Worfklow Editor, a single Workflow object can be associated with multiple layers, which is not the case
with Deswik.CAD layers. See the Layer field in Create and/or edit a Workflow for more information on this process.
Instructions:
1 As you add objects to a Workflow, the name of each object is automatically reflected in the Document Explorer found at the bottom right of the
Deswik.Workflow Editor.
2 When they are first added, they all exist on the same layer. However, it is possible to create additional layers and then associate objects with one
or more of them. This provides you with the ability to hide specific Workflow elements at any given time (by changing layer Visibility, see
below).
Create a new layer
Once a layer has been created, Workflow objects can be associated manually with these layers. See Layers in Create and/or edit a Workflow for
more information on this field.
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over Layers in the Document Explorer and right-click.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed; click Add Layer.
3 Deswik.CAD will add a layer. The first layer added will be named Layer, the second Layer1, the third Layer2, and so on.
Unlike Deswik.CAD, you cannot add layers as children to any other layer in the Document Explorer. All layers will exist on the same
level.

Output Window
Use the Output window to view a history of command prompts and user input, as well as access XYZ coordinate, working azimuth, dip and other
fields; lock these fields to assist with picking precise points in the Model Space.
In the default view, the Output window is located under the Model Space on a tab beside the Tasks tab. If desired, the Output window can easily be
moved to another location in the main screen. See Getting Started | Move Dock Windows for instructions.
If the Output window is moved, the Tasks window will automatically be moved with it.
A history of prompts, as well as user input, is recorded in the Output window. When running a command, if you close a pop-up prompt in error or it
is simply no longer visible, and you are uncertain of your next step, you can always refer to the Output window for the last prompt.
Copy history
To copy the history in the Output window, first select any lines you wish to copy. Click the button. The text is copied to your Clipboard and can
be pasted into any editing program.
Erase history
To erase the history in the Output window, click the button. You will be asked if you wish to clear the Output window. Click Yes if you do.
Deswik.CAD will clear the history memory.
Unlock all parameters
To unlock all locked parameters on the Output window tabs simultaneously, click the button. To unlock individual parameters, see Getting
Started | Output Window | Output Window Tabs | Lock/unlock individual parameters on tabs.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Output Window

Command Field
Display and run common commands from the Command field shortcut menu.
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over the Command field (in the Output window) and right-click.
2 A shortcut menu will be displayed.
COMMAND DESCRIPTION
Undo Click to undo the last action performed in the Command field.
NOTE: The Undo feature in this field pertains to editing done in this
window only e.g. cutting, pasting, and typing. It will not undo the last
command performed in the active document; to do this, you must run the
Undo command from the Main menu (Edit | Undo).
Cut Click to cut the selected text in the Command field.
NOTE: This command will remain disabled unless text is selected.

Copy Click to copy the selected text in the Command field.

Paste Click to paste text from the Clipboard into the Command field.
NOTE: This command will remain disabled unless text has already been
copied to the Clipboard.
Delete Click to delete the selected text in the Command field.

Select all Click to select all text in the Command field.
NOTE: This command will remain disabled if the field is blank.

Right to left Not applicable in Deswik.CAD.
Reading Order
Show Unicode Not applicable in Deswik.CAD.
Control
Characters
Insert Unicode Not applicable in Deswik.CAD.
Control
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Output Window

Output window tabs
The Output window is comprised of several tabs: Command, Rotation, Coordinate, Relative Rotation and Relative Coordinate.
Command Tab
The Command tab is the default tab. It displays only the Command field. When prompted for input by Main menu commands, as you type your
input it will be displayed here. Any typed shortcut commands will also be visible here. Once Deswik.CAD has acted on typed input, it is always
moved down from the Command field to the prompt history in the Output window.
Rotation Tab
To display the azimuth, dip, and distance of your cursors position in the Model Space, select the Rotation tab. These parameters work in the same
way as the coordinates (on the Coordinates tab), enabling you to enter entities at specific positions.
Coordinate
To display the X, Y and Z coordinates of your cursors position in the Model Space, select the Coordinate tab. This tab enables you to draw entities
at selected coordinates by entering the X, Y and/or Z position and locking them.
Relative Rotation Tab
To display the azimuth, dip, and distance of your cursors position relative to the last digitized point in the Model Space, select the Relative Rotation
tab. This tab works in the same way as Rotation tab, but using relative values.
Tasks window
Use the Tasks window to create a list of tasks, comments or to-do items relating to the active project.
In the default view, the Tasks window is located under the Model Space on a tab beside the Output tab. If desired, the Tasks window can easily be
moved to another location in the main screen. See Getting Started | Move Dock Windows for instructions.
If the Tasks window is moved, the Output window will automatically be moved with it.
Any Tasks added to the grid will be saved with the active project. The next time the project is opened, the grid will automatically populate with these
saved Tasks.
Instructions:
1 Click on the Tasks tab to display the Task window.
2 Add, modify and delete Tasks as required.
More:
Move dock windows
Move dock windows
Change the location and/or display of a window in the Deswik.CAD main screen.
The Layer Control, Properties and Output windows are all known as dock windows. By default, these windows are docked on the left, right and bottom
of the Deswik.CAD main screen. Control panels for various modules in Deswik.CAD (e.g. Deswik.Landform and Haulage Scheduler,
Deswik.Scheduler) are displayed as dock windows as well. All of these windows can easily be moved to a new location, or even hidden from view at
your discretion.
Dock windows can also be closed; simply click the button in the top right corner. To reveal a dock window that has been closed, go to View |
Dock Windows and select the appropriate dock window. It will be displayed in its last location. Note that this is not the same as unloading a dock
window for a plugin. Closing a plugin dock window simply hides the dock window, but the plugin itself remains loaded. To unload a plugin dock
window, see Tools | Plugin Manager.
When you restart Deswik.CAD, all dock windows will be restored to their default locations.
Learn how to:
Undock a window
Change a dock windows position
Hide (or unhide) a window
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Move dock windows
Undock a window
Undock a window in the Deswik.CAD main screen.
Instructions:
1 Click on the window's Title bar and hold, dragging the window away from its current position
OR
Double-click on the windows Title bar.
2 It will automatically detach itself and become a floating window.
To undock a tabbed dock window, instead of clicking on the Title bar, click on the tab for the window you wish to undock, hold and drag. See
Change a dock windows position for instructions on creating these tabs.

Change a dock windows position
Change the position of a dock window in the Deswik.CAD main screen.
Instructions:
1 Undock the window and drag slowly in any direction.
See Undock a window for detailed instructions.
2 Four small docking icons will appear on all four sides of the main screen
AND
One large docking icon will appear in the center of the window your mouse is currently hovering over.
The blue bars within each icon represent the location (top, bottom, left or right) where the dock window will be docked in either the main
interface, or the new selected window.
3 As you move your cursor, the small docking icons will remain in the same place; the large docking icon will move, according to the window your
mouse is currently hovering over. Drag the window over to any of these docking icons until your moving cursor touches the icon. Once your
cursor touches the icon, the corresponding area on the screen will be highlighted in blue. This highlighted area will visually indicate the new
position of your dock window, should you choose this location.
If a dock window is already docked in the location you select i.e. you wish to stack your windows, the large docking icon will change
slightly i.e. the center of the icon will now include a smaller, tabbed icon. If you release your mouse button while hovered over this icon, the dock
window will overlap with any other dock windows in this location, and each can be accessed by the tabs at the bottom. An example will follow
below.
4 Release your hold on the mouse button and the dock window will automatically be docked in the area you selected.
We have provided several different examples below, moving the Layer Control window from its default location on the left of the main interface.
Hide (or unhide) a window
Hide (or unhide) a dock window in the Deswik.CAD main screen.
It is often desirable to hide dock windows when they are not needed, giving you more room to view entities in the Model Space.
Instructions:
To hide your window
1 Click the pin icon to the right of the Title bar of the window you wish to hide.
2 Deswik.CAD will hide the window, creating a tab (with the name of the window) in the corner where that window was displayed.
3 When you hover over the tab, the window will be displayed. The moment you move your cursor away from that window, it will disappear again.
To unhide your window
1 Click the pin icon again.
2 Deswik.CAD will remove the tab, and display the window.
Status bar
The Status bar provides you with a real-time display of information about entities in the Model Space.
Instructions:
1 Use the Status bar (located at the bottom of the main interface) to do the following:
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Track the X, Y and Z coordinates of your cursor location in the Model Space. The
X, Y, Z values represent the location of the point on the Working Plane below the
mouse that would be used if digitizing; or, if grips are displayed for an entity and the
mouse is directly over the grip, the location of the grip.
View the azimuth and dip of your current Working Plane.
View the azimuth and dip of your current View Plane.
To force digitizing to be performed at 90 degree angles, enable/turn on the

Orthogonal Drawing Mode by clicking the word ORTHO. Once enabled, it remains
enabled (and highlighted) until clicked a second time to disable it.
Prompts and user input
Read and respond to prompts for information from Deswik.CAD.
As commands are executed in Deswik.CAD, prompts for information (e.g. insertion points, angles) are displayed in semi-transparent pop-up text boxes
to the bottom right of your screen. These pop-ups usually remain there until the action is performed, or until the user ends the action.
When you input information
Instructions:
1 Typed input will first appear in the Command field.
Once you press <Enter>, it will move down to become part of the history in the Output window.
2 Input is not case sensitive i.e. a and A are the same to Deswik.CAD.
3 You must press <Enter> after you have typed the required letter(s) or number(s).
There are some exceptions to this rule; for those commands, instructions will be provided. For example, when running the Draw | Text |
Multiline Text command, pressing <Enter> starts a new line in the text entity.
4 Whenever a prompt provides words in square brackets, these are actually additional options. You can select any one of these options by typing the
appropriate capital letter(s). For example, for the prompt Specify Next Point [Arc, CEnter, Close, Undo], you might type a for Arc, ce for CEnter,
c for Close or u for Undo.
5 Press <Esc> to terminate input and abort a command at any time.
More:
Sample prompts and required input
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Prompts and user input
Sample prompts and required input
In the example below, we will run the Draw | Solids | Box command and review the prompts that Deswik.CAD will provide as well as the input that
you might provide.
PROMPT: Insertion Point
INPUT: Click in the appropriate location in the Model Space to indicate your Insertion Point.
PROMPT: Length
INPUT: Type in 2 as the desired length of your cube and press <Enter>. As you type, the number will appear in the Command field. When you press
<Enter>, the number will move down to the Output window, becoming a part of the prompt and input history.
PROMPT: Width
INPUT: Type in 2 as the desired width of your cube and press <Enter>.
PROMPT: Height
INPUT: Type in 2 as the desired height of your cube and press <Enter>.
PROMPT: Rotation
INPUT: Deswik.CAD will provide a leader line from the original insertion point to your cursor to assist you visually if you wish to click in the Model
Space to manually select a Rotation AngleORtype in 0 as the Rotation angle and press <Enter>.
RESULT: Deswik.CAD draws a solid box.
The history in the Output window would appear as follows:
Shortcut menus
Display and run common commands from shortcut menus in Deswik.CAD.
Deswik.CAD offers several different shortcut menus when you right-click; the shortcut menu that is displayed and the commands/options offered will
differ depending on where your cursor is when you right click.
Learn more about:
Model Space shortcut menu
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Shortcut menus
Model Space shortcut menu
Display and run common commands from the Model Space shortcut menu.
The shortcut menu displayed when you right-click in the Model Space differs slightly depending on if you have selected an entity in the Model Space.
Right-click; no entity selected
When you right-click without having first selected an entity, the shortcut menu displayed provides a historical list of commands recently executed in any
open project. Should you want to run any of these commands again, this menu provides a quick and easy method of accessing these commands without
having to locate them in the Main menu.
Right-click when an entity is already selected
If an entity is selected in the Model Space before you right-click, the shortcut menu displayed will differ slightly. In addition to the historical list of
commands recently executed, it will now also provide you with a list of commands common to the selected entity.
For example, if you have selected a polyline, the shortcut menu displayed will look something like this:
You can change the number of recent commands listed through the System tab in the Tools | Options command.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Shortcut menus

Display and run common commands from the Layer Control window shortcut menu.
The shortcut menu displayed when you right-click in the Layer Control window differs slightly depending on where you are right-clicking.
Right-click over white space
If you right-click over a blank, white area i.e. your cursor is not hovered over a layer name, the shortcut menu offers you only one option/command; to
Add a layer.
Right-click over a Visible or Hidden Layer
If you right-click over a layer that is Visible, Deswik.CAD will display a slightly different shortcut menu than the one displayed if you right-click over
a layer that is Hidden/Invisible. All commands/options listed are the same with one exception: the options to Select Entities or Deselect Entities are
not provided for Hidden layers. This is because you cannot select an entity unless it is visible in the Model Space.
Child Layers will only be available for selection if you have right-clicked on a layer that has children. Reload Datasource will only be available if
you have right-clicked on a layer that contains data originally imported from another project or program (Deswik.CAD, Vulcan, Datamine and
Surpac). The Zoom to Visible Entities command and the Reload Datasource command can only be accessed from this shortcut menu. All other
commands can be accessed from the Main menu. Click on the links below to the Help topic for each of the commands pictured above.
Occasionally, additional context menus will be made available in the Layer Control window when special layers types are created as a result of
a specific command. For example, generating annotation for polylines on a layer will create an annotation layer as a child layer to the polyline
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Shortcut menus > Layer Control window shortcut menu
Zoom to Visible Entities
Zoom to the data extents of visible entities on the selected layer.
Instructions:
1 From the Layer Control window, right-click on the layer that contains the entities you wish to zoom in on.
2 The Layer Control window shortcut menu will be displayed.
3 Click Zoom to Visible Entities.
4 Deswik.CAD will zoom to the data extents of those entities on the selected layer that are visible in the Model Space. Any entities visible in the
Model Space that are not saved to the selected layer will be ignored.
In the simple example we have provided below, the sphere and the surface exist on two different layers. We have right-clicked over the SURFACE
layer and run the command. Note how the sphere is no longer completely visible in the Model Space; it was not considered when determining the
data extents. Deswik.CAD zoomed in on the extents of the surface only.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Shortcut menus > Layer Control window shortcut menu
Reload Datasource
Delete all imported data from a layer, then re-import from the original source file.
This command can only be run on layers that contain imported data from programs that support this function e.g. Vulcan, Datamine or Surpac. If
the command cannot be run on a particular layer, it will not be available in the shortcut menu.
All data on this layer will be deleted when the Reload occurs.
Instructions:
1 From the Layer Control window, right-click on the layer you wish to reload.
2 The Layer Control window shortcut menu will be displayed.
3 Click Reload Datasource.
4 Deswik.CAD will locate the original file path (saved in Layer Properties) and re-import the file.
5 If the file has been moved, a message will be displayed Selected Layer datasource does not exist: C:\Original_File_Path_Information. Would
you like to browse for the file?
Click Yes to browse for the new file location.
Click No to abort the command.
More:
Reload All Datasources

Grips
Use grips to select and modify entities in the Model Space; alter the display of these grips if desired.
When you select an entity in the Model Space, grips are displayed at strategic points on these entities. These grips are usually small, blue, square
outlines, although some entities will display one solid blue square grip as well e.g. Multiline Text entities. You can alter the size of these grips on the
General tab in the Tools | Options command.
Some entities, such as polylines, have a direction associated with them that is dependent on the order that the points were drawn. If the Display
Polyline Start Grip feature has been enabled (on the General tab in Tools | Options), then the start points of polylines will be indicated by a blue
circle (outline or solid) to differentiate them visually from the other grips.
Illustrated below are a number of entity types, and their associated grips. We have enabled the Display Polyline Start Grip feature as well:
Because grips are only displayed when an entity is selected, grips are not displayed on entities that are on locked layers, as an entity cannot be
selected on a locked layer.
1 Click on grips to modify entities
Instructions:
1 Hover your cursor over a grip; the grip should turn yellow when your cursor is directly over it.
2 Click to select the grip.
3 Deswik.CAD will highlight the selected entity (using dashed lines) and display a leader line from the selected grips current location to your
cursor location. As you move your cursor, the entity will be altered.
4 Click a second time when you are satisfied with the new position for the grip.
5 Deswik.CAD will move the grip to the new location, modifying the entity.

Dialog boxes
Text size
Common buttons and associated commands
Add/insert/delete rows in a grid
Edit/delete contents of a grid cell
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Dialog boxes

Text size
Set your text size so that dialog boxes are displayed correctly within Deswik.CAD.
The display of the dialog boxes within Deswik.CAD will be affected by the text size you have selected in your personal settings. In order to display
dialog boxes correctly i.e. ensure that the buttons and fields within them are visible and lined up correctly, your text size must be set to Smaller
100%.
We have illustrated below an example of how a dialog box might be affected by a change in text size. Note how some the buttons move or
disappear completely when Medium125% is selected.
To check/change your text size, right-click anywhere on your Desktop to display the following shortcut menu. Click Screen Resolution.
Common buttons and associated commands
Perform specific commands by clicking various buttons within a dialog box.
Almost all dialog boxes within Deswik.CAD will display many of the same buttons. The action performed when each button is clicked is described in
the table below.
The instructions that follow for buttons/features that are present in multiple dialog boxes will not be repeated throughout this Help file; only those
buttons that are unique to the active command will be reviewed in the command topic. Always refer back to this topic for any questions you may have
regarding the purpose of these common buttons.
BUTTON DESCRIPTION
The functions of this button depend upon the location of the button in the dialog box.
Top left of the dialog box: Create a new save e.g. a Filter, a Legend, a Rule, a Rule
Set, etc.
Bottom right of a dialog box grid: Add a new row in the grid.
The functions of this button will depend upon the active command.
Rename: Rename an existing save.
Edit: Edit an existing save.

Insert a new row at the cursor position above the selected cell/row.
The functions of this button depend upon the location of the button in the dialog box.
Top left of the dialog box: Delete a save e.g. a Filter, a Legend, a Rule, a Rule Set,
etc.
Bottom right of a dialog box grid: Delete a row from the grid.
Neither of these actions can be undone once you click OK and accept your changes
in the dialog box. If you have deleted a save or a row in error, click Cancel to exit the
dialog box without accepting your changes.
Copy the selected row and add as a new row to the grid.
Move a selected row down in the grid.
Move a selected row up in the grid.
Display the Windows Explorer OPEN browser to browse for a file.
Save.
Refresh.
Click to enable the drop-down list view i.e. list all items/Fields/tables in a drop-down
box at the top left of the dialog box.
NOTE: This button will not be visible if the drop-down list view is currently displayed.
Click to enable the tree view i.e. display all items/Fields/tables in a tree to the left of the
dialog box.
NOTE: This button will not be visible if the tree view is currently displayed.
Click to browse for a file or to be brought to another dialog box. For example, clicking
this button in certain fields will open the FORMULA BUILDER dialog box or the LAYER
SELECTION dialog box.

Add/insert/delete rows in a grid
Add, insert or a delete a row in a grid.
In almost all dialog boxes, you will be prompted to add information to various grids. In order to do so, you must first add a row to the grid before you
can populate the grid columns. Sometimes, the order of rows in a grid affects the results of a command, so it is necessary to insert new rows at a
specific place in the grid. Finally, once added, rows can also easily be deleted.
All of the instructions below assume you have opened the desired dialog box which contains a grid.
Add a row in a grid
Instructions:
1 Click at the bottom right of the grid.
Often there will be an identical button at the top left of the dialog box. Take care not to click this button as this button will add entire
Fields, Tables, Calendars, etc. as opposed to individual fields (i.e. rows) within a grid. The Add button for grid rows is always to the bottom right
of the grid.
2 Deswik.CAD will add a row to the grid.
Insert a row in a grid
Instructions:
1 Select a row by clicking on any cell in that row.
3 Deswik.CAD will insert a row above the selected row in the grid.
Delete a row in a grid
Instructions:
1 Click in any cell on the row to be deleted.
2 The cell will be highlighted in dark blue.
Often there will be an identical button at the top left of the dialog box. Take care not to click this button as this button will delete
entire saves e.g. Rule Sets, etc. as opposed to individual rows within a grid. The Delete button for grid rows is always to the bottom right of the
grid.
4 Deswik.CAD will delete the selected row.
Edit/delete contents of a grid cell
Edit an existing field by changing or deleting a fields existing information.
In almost all dialog boxes, you will be prompted to add information to various grids by typing in values, choosing items from drop-down lists, etc. Once
you have entered this information, it is very easy for you to change it.
All of the instructions below assume you have opened the desired dialog box.
Modify grid cell contents
Instructions:
1 Click in the cell you wish to edit the contents of.
2 Type in a new value or select a new option from the cells drop-down list (or COLOR PICKER, etc.)
3 Press <Enter> or click anywhere in the dialog box to enter the new cell value.
4 Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
Delete cell contents
Instructions:
1 Double-click in the cell you wish to delete the contents of.
2 The cell contents will be highlighted in blue.
3 Press the <Delete> key. The cell contents will be deleted.
4 Press <Enter> or click anywhere in the dialog box to enter the new null value into the cell.
5 Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
Be careful to double-click and highlight only the contents of the cell. If you just left-click once in the cell and the entire cell becomes
highlighted in dark blue, then when you press <Delete>, you will delete the entire row associated with the field instead of just the cell contents.
Common dialog boxes

Select Entities
Layer Selection
Multiple Layer Selection
Color Picker
Color Fill
Formula Builder
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Common dialog boxes
Select Entities
Select entities to be modified using the active command.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to select entities.
Instructions:
1 The SELECT ENTITIES dialog box will be displayed.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
All Entities Select all entities on all layers in your project.
Visible Entities Select all visible entities in the Model Space.
Selected Select all entities already selected in the Model Space.
Entities
NOTE: If Selected Entities is chosen, but there are zero (0) entities
currently selected in the Model Space, you will be prompted to select
entities once you click OK. Right-click when you have made your
selection to run the command.
Selected Layer Select all entities on the Selected layer.
Active Layer Select all entities on the Active layer.
Specified Select all entities on a specific layer. To select a specific layer or multiple
Layers layers, click the 0 button to the right.
Click OK.
2 You will be returned to the active command.
Layer Selection
Select layers to be modified in the current command.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to select a layer.
Instructions:
1 The LAYER SELECTION dialog box will be displayed.
2 Select the desired layer by clicking on it. Once selected, the layer should be highlighted in blue.
You cannot select multiple layers in this dialog box.
3 Click OK.
Double-clicking on the desired layer will select it and close the dialog box automatically. You will not need to click OK.
4 You will be returned to the active command. The name of the selected layer will populate the layer field.

Multiple Layer Selection
Select multiple layers to be used in the current command.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to select multiple layers.
Instructions:
1 The MULTIPLE LAYER SELECTION dialog box will be displayed.
2 Select the layer(s) to be used in the active command by selecting the checkbox to the left of the layer name. Clear the checkbox to deselect the
layer.
Hold the <Ctrl> key and select/clear the checkbox of a parent layer to automatically set the checkboxes of all children layers to the same
setting.
3 Use the following table to assist with the additional options to the right and at the bottom of the dialog box.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
External If External References exist in the active project, depending on the active
References command, there may be an additional section to select layers from these
External Reference files. Simply select (or clear) checkboxes for desired layers
in this section just as you would with layers in the active project.
Import This option will only be available for the File | Import | Entities from Open
Entire Layer Project command. It will not be visible for any other commands.
Structure
Select this checkbox to import the parent layer (but not the data on it) if a
child layer has been selected. Clear the checkbox to import only the layer
selected; layer structure will be ignored.
Select All Click to select all checkboxes to the left of the layers. This provides a fast way
to select a large number of layers contained in the document.
Deselect All Click to clear all checkboxes, clearing your current layer selection.

Color Picker
Select a color to be applied to a background or to selected entities.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to color selected entities e.g. polylines, points, etc.
or to apply to a background e.g. Viewport background, Model Space, etc.
Instructions:
1 Click the button to the right of the active color field
OR
Simply click anywhere in the color field.
2 The COLOR PICKER will be displayed. There are two (2) tabs in the COLOR PICKER. By default, the RGB tab will be selected.
3 Use the table below to assist you with selecting a color.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
RGB tab
The RGB tab allows you to select a color using the RGB color space or RGB
color system, which constructs all the colors from the combination of red, green
and blue. To use this method, enter an integer value from 0 to 255 in each of
the Red, Green and Blue fields to the right.
NOTE: Using these fields, you have 256*256*256=16,777,216 possible colors.
OR
Click anywhere inside the color wheel to select a color interactively.
Click to select black as the desired color.
Click to select white as the desired color.

Index tab

Color Fill
Generate a range of colors to be applied to Bins, entities, rows in a grid or rows in a table, depending on the active command.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to color entities, rows, Bins, cells, etc. Depending
on the active command, the Color Fill feature may be called Color Grid or Gradient Fill. No matter what the feature is called, the instructions
below will be the same. The following commands make use of this feature:
Draw | Table
Edit | Legends | Edit (a Legend)
Tools | Elevation Coloring
Edit | Date Ranges
Instructions:
5 Click the button to the right of the Color field
OR
Click or (depending on the active command)
OR
Click Gradient Fill if you are running the Draw | Table command.
6 When generating colors for Legends, the SELECT BINS TO COLOR FILL dialog box will be displayed, providing you with the option of selecting
specific Bins to be colored as opposed to all Bins. For all other commands, this dialog box will not be displayed. Proceed to Step 3.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Select All Select this checkbox to automatically all of the Bins/rows in the grid.
Deselect All Select this checkbox to clear the current selection of Bins/rows.
Click OK.
7 The GRADIENT FILL PICKER dialog box will be displayed.

Formula Builder
Create a formula comprised of Attribute and/or Property fields and functions using a Formula Builder.
The FORMULA BUILDER dialog box displayed in your active command may differ slightly in appearance from the one below. However, for the most
part, the Fields and Functions presented will be the same.
The instructions below assume you are running a command in Deswik.CAD that has prompted you to enter a formula in a field.
Instructions:
1 Click the button to the right of the Formula field.
2 The FORMULA BUILDER dialog box will be displayed.
3 Use the table below to create a formula.
Hard <Enter>s and tabs can be used when constructing formulas to improve readability. This becomes particularly important as formulas
become lengthier with multiple fields.
FIELD DESCRIPTION
Fields A list of all Attributes and/or Properties in the active project. Depending on the
active command, the list of Attributes may be restricted to a specified layer.
Double-click on the desired Attribute/Property to insert it into the formula at the
cursor position or manually type it into the formula.
Functions Double-click on any of the available functions to insert it into the formula at the
cursor position or manually type it into the formula. A full list of all Functions
is provided below.
Additional Depending on the active command, this section may or may not be visible.
options When visible, each of the tabs represents an element that can be inserted when
creating formulae: Parameters Tables, Global Constants, Curves and
Lookups.
If you cannot see all of the options, it may be that the current size of the
dialog box prevents all tabs from being displayed. Enlarge the dialog box to
display all tabs (as illustrated above), or simply use the Move left/right buttons
to advance to the next tab.
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Common dialog boxes > Formula Builder
Summary of Available Formula Functions
Use available functions to build formulas in various commands.
The following table reviews each function available for selection and a description of its result. We have also provided some examples for several of
the more complex functions. A link to these examples will be provided where applicable.
FUNCTION DESCRIPTION
+, -, *, /, ( ) Add, subtract, multiple, divide by, parentheses.
% Computes the remainder after dividing its first operand by
its second.
Examples:
! Returns TRUE if the number is zero (0); otherwise returns

FALSE.
!=, <> Not equal to.
, Separates arguments within a function.
^ Raises a number to a power.
< , <=, >, >=,<> Less than, less than or equal to, greater than, greater than or
equal to, less than or greater than.
ABS Returns the absolute value of a number.
ACOS Returns the arccosine of a number.
AND Returns TRUE if all conditions tested are TRUE. Returns
FALSE if any of the conditions tested are FALSE.
APPARENT_DIP_DEGREES Returns the apparent dip at a specified bearing (between
_BOTTOM 0 and 360) along the bottom surface of a solid. Note that
the returned value will be a weighted average based triangle
area.
NOTE: To determine the bottom surface, Deswik.CAD

will keep only those triangles (internally) comprising the
solid within <<DIPDEGREESRANGE>> of
<<DIPDEGREESPRIMARY>>. The bottom is the
resultant surface which sits at the lowest RL.
If an error occurs due to input data (e.g. the settings

provided result in all triangles being removed, leaving
nothing to base a calculation on), =99 will be returned.
To keep all triangles, set <<DIPDEGREERANGE>> to

-1 (or any negative number).
APPARENT_DIP_DEGREES Returns the apparent dip (in degrees) along a specified
_FROMGRID azimuth where a grid surface interfaces with a solid.
NOTE 1: <<GRID>> must be a grid. This can be a full

path or simply the name of a grid. If the grid cannot be
found at the current path, Deswik.CAD will automatically
search subdirectories of the current project location to find
the grid.
Essentially, Deswik.CAD will calculate the dip for any

portion of the solid which touches the grid surface.
Deswik.CAD will internally remove all faces (from the
solid) if face vertices are considered outside of a specified
minimum distance i.e. <<TOLERANCE>>.
APPARENT_DIP_DEGREES Returns the apparent dip at a specified bearing (between
_TOP 0 and 360) along the top surface of a solid. Note that the
returned value will be a weighted average based triangle
area.
NOTE: To determine the top surface, Deswik.CAD will

keep only those triangles (internally) comprising the solid
within <<DIPDEGREESRANGE>> of
<<DIPDEGREESPRIMARY>>. The top is the resultant
Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Common dialog boxes > Formula Builder > Summary of Available Formula Functions
COPYINGGROUP
Copy an Attribute value to the current entity from another entity within the same group based on a primary field trigger.
This function is useful when trying to set the horizon of waste blocks based on underlying coal.
Syntax
COPYINGROUP
(GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2,SORTFIELD,<<Ascending>>,PRIMARYFIELD",PRIMARYVALUE,COPYFIELD)
ARGUMENT DESCRIPTION
GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2 The field(s) used to group the data. Any number of grouping
fields can be used; separate each field with a pipe (|) character.
SORTFIELD The field used to sort the data in the group.
<<Ascending>> Enter True to sort the data in the group on the SORTFIELD in
ascending order; enter False to sort descending.
PRIMARYFIELD The field which Deswik.CAD will search within for the
PRIMARYVALUE.
NOTE: Deswik.CAD will always start at the bottom entity and

search in ascending order. How you have chosen to sort your
entities (using the <<Ascending>> field) prior to this search
will determine which entity the value is returned from.
PRIMARYVALUE The value to search for in the PRIMARYFIELD; when found,
the value in the COPYFIELD will be returned.
COPYFIELD Field to return the value of.
Example
Input:
The following entities are grouped on RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK.
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): HORIZON
Filter (applied to entities prior to running formula): <No Filtering>
Formula: COPYINGROUP(RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,BENCH,True,MATERIAL,CO,HORIZON)

COUNTOFGROUP
Returns the total number of entities within a group.
Syntax
COUNTOFGROUP("GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2)
Example
Input:
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): DL HORIZONS
Filter (applied to entities prior to running formula): MATERIAL = MD
Formula: COUNTOFGROUP(RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK)
Output:
INDEXINGROUP
Returns current entities index (1 based) within the group based on a sort field and direction.
Syntax
INDEXINGROUP(GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2,SORTFIELD,<<Ascending>>)
Example
Input:
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): DL HORIZON
Formula: INDEXINGROUP(PIT|RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,BENCH,False)
Output:
ISMAXIMUMOFGROUP
Returns TRUE if the entity is the maximum of another field within a group.
This function is useful for calculating the rehabilitation area by flagging blocks at the top of the column with a rehabilitation area.
Syntax
ISMAXIMUMOFGROUP(GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2,SORTFIELD)
SORTFIELD The field used to sort the data in the group. Items are sorted in
ascending order. The entities with the same SORTFIELD
value at the top of the list will all return True.
Example
Input:
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): ISMAXIMUMOFGROUP
Formula: ISMAXIMUMGROUP(RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,BENCH)
Output:
ISMINIMUMOFGROUP
Returns TRUE if the entity is the minimum of another field within a group.
Syntax
ISMINIMUMOFGROUP(GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2,SORTFIELD)
SORTFIELD The field used to sort the data in the group. Items are sorted in
ascending order. The entities with the same SORTFIELD
value at the bottom of the list will all return True.
Example
Input:
The following example is grouped on RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK.
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): ISMINIMUMOFGROUP
Formula: ISMINIMUMGROUP(RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,BENCH)
Output:
NUMERICFROMRIGHT
Returns all numbers to the right of a text string.
Useful when trying to extract strip numbers from a RAMP\STRIP combination field.
Syntax
NUMERICFROMRIGHT(<<Field or Text>>)
<<Field or Text>> The field or text to extract the numeric portion from.
Examples
NUMERICFROMRIGHT(R6S25) 25
NUMERICFROMRIGHT (1234) 1234
NUMERICFROMRIGHT (1234N) 0
In the example below, we have assigned a string Attribute to the blocks called BENCH. The Attribute value for each block is indicated on the block
itself. We then ran the following function: NUMERICFROMRIGHT ([BENCH]).
The Attribute name must be enclosed in square brackets in the formula.
NUMERICFROMLEFT
Returns all numbers to the left of a text string.
Syntax
NUMERICFROMLEFT(<<Field or Text>>)
<<Field or Text>> The field or text to extract the numeric portion from.
Examples
NUMERICFROMRIGHT(R6S25) 0
NUMERICFROMRIGHT (1234) 1234
NUMERICFROMRIGHT (1234N) 1234
PARSEPOSITION
Returns the value of a block at a specified number of steps (offset) from the current block within the group.
Syntax
PARSEPOSITION(<<Field or Text>>, <<Delimiter>>, <<Position>>)
<<Field or Text>> Enter the text to parse.
<<Delimiter>> Enter the text to use to break the Field or Text into bins.
<<Position>> Enter the bin to return; 0 is the first bin, 1 is the second, etc. If the
number entered is greater than the number of bins, it will return a
blank string.
Example
Let us imagine we have an Attribute called Filename and one of the values is BW-600-reh-s08_235.00t.
Formula: PARSEPOSITION([Filename],"-", 1)
Output: 600
PEEKOFFSET
Returns the value of a block at a specified number of steps (offset) from the current block within the group.
Syntax
PEEKOFFSET(GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2,SORTFIELD,<<Ascending>>,FIELDTOGET",<<Offset>>,<<Default Value>>)
FIELDTOGET The name of the field to return once the offset is performed.
NOTE: Offset calculations can only be performed on Integer

and Double Attribute Types.
<<Offset>> The value to return if the offset references a non-existent block.
<<Default Value>> The value to return when there is no block to get a field from (at
the top of bottom, depending on how data has been sorted).
Example
Input:
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): NEWBENCH
Filter (applied to entities prior to running formula): <No Filtering>
Formula: PEEKOFFSET(PIT|RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,BENCH,True,1,)
Output:
SUMOFGROUP
Returns the total summation of a field within a group.
Useful for returning total dragline horizon thickness.
Syntax
SUMOFGROUP("GROUPFIELD1|GROUPFIELD2","NUMERICFIELD")
NUMERICFIELD The field which will be added together within the group to
create the return value.
Example
Input:
Settings:
Attribute (to be generated): DLTHICK
Formula: SUMOFGROUP(RAMP|STRIP|BLOCK,THICKNESS)
Output:
SUMOFGROUPROLLING
Returns a rolling summation of a field within a group.
Syntax
SUMOFGROUPROLLING("GROUP1|GROUP2","SORTFIELD",<<Ascending>>,"SUMFIELD",<<Count>>)
SUMFIELD The field to be summed.
<<Count>> The number of entities to be included in the rolling sum.
NOTE 1: If <<Count>> is zero (0), then it is internally set to 1.
NOTE 2: If <<Count>> is less than zero, then it is internally set

to an absolute value i.e. this argument does not control the
direction of the rolling sum. To do a rolling sum in the reverse
direction, set <<Ascending>> to FALSE.
NOTE 3: If a decimal value is entered as the <<Count>>, it

will be internally set to an integer value e.g. 4.32 4.
Example
Input:
The following block entities are grouped by elevation (Z). An ORDER Attribute has been assigned (as annotated below). We will use this as our
SORTFIELD.

Settings:
XLVLOOKUP
Reference values directly from a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet without having to create a Parameters table or run the File | Import | Attributes
command.
Syntax
XLVLOOKUP
("FILE","SHEET","SEARCHCOLUMNINDEXES","SEARCHCOLUMNVALUES",<<ReturnColumnIndex>>,<<DefaultValue>>)
FILE Enter the file name of the Microsoft Excel file you want to
reference. If the file exists in same directory location as the active
Deswik.CAD project, simply enter the file name and extension e.g.
Sample.xlsx. Otherwise, you must enter the complete file path
and name. e.g. C:\\MyDocuments\FolderName\Sample.xlsx.
SHEET Enter the name of the worksheet tab that contains the data you want
to reference or the number of the tab e.g. enter 0 to reference the
first sheet in a file.
You can also use the results of the XLFINDSHEETINDEX

function.
SEARCHCOLUMNINDEXES Specify the numbers i.e. indexes of the columns in the worksheet to
be searched through by the lookup function. Any number of
columns can be searched; separate each field with a pipe (|)
character e.g. 0|1|2.
NOTE: Column A is considered as the number zero (0), B is 1, and

so on.
You can also use the results of the XLFINDCOLUMN

function.
SEARCHCOLUMNVALUES Enter the Attribute names assigned to the Deswik.CAD entities;
values of these Attributes will be matched against the field values
in the column indexes being searched. Any number of values can
be searched; when matching against multiple Attributes, square
brackets, plus signs and pipe (|) character should be used as
follows e.g. "[Pit]+"|"+[Ramp]+"|"+[Strip]".
<<ReturnColumnIndex>> Enter the index number of the column from which a value will be
returned.
NOTE: Column A is considered as the number zero (0), B is 1, and

so on.
<<DefaultValue>> Enter the value to be returned if a match is not made by the
search.
Enter a value such as 999 or N/A, to make it obvious that the

search was not successful.
Example
The spreadsheet pictured below is saved on Sheet1 (the first sheet) in a file called Sample.xlsx, which is saved to the same directory as the active
project in which the function is being performed.
XLFINDSHEETINDEX
Return the sheet tab reference number for a specified worksheet name in a file that has multiple worksheets.
Use this function to generate an Attribute to be used as a reference in the XLVLOOKUP function i.e. the results generated from this formula do not
need to be written to entities.
Syntax
XLFINDSHEETINDEX("FILE","SHEETNAME")
and name. e.g. C:\\MyDocuments\FolderName\Sample.
SHEETNAME Enter the name of the worksheet tab to return the index number of.
Wildcards can be used if the sheet name isnt known, but you
know the name contains a certain string. For example, if the sheet
name is SampleSheetR32, you could enter *R32 and
Deswik.CAD would return the correct index for
SampleSheetR32. Note that if there are multiple sheet names
containing the same string, Deswik.CAD will return the index
number of the first sheet found.
Example
Formula and Output:
Formula: XLFINDSHEETINDEX("Sample.xls","TestD")
Output: 3
XLFINDCOLUMN
Return the column index number for the column location containing a column header that is matched to a specified Attribute name.
Use this function to generate an Attribute to be used as a reference in the XLVLOOKUP function i.e. the results generated from this formula do
not need to be written to entities.
Syntax
XLFINDCOLUMN("FILE","SHEET",<<StartRow>>,<<FinishRow>>,<<SearchValue>>)
and name. e.g. C:\\MyDocuments\FolderName\Sample.
SHEET Enter the name of the worksheet tab that contains the data you want
to reference or the number of the tab e.g. enter 0 to reference the
first sheet in a file.
You can also use the results of the XLFINDSHEETINDEX

function.
Wildcards can be used if the sheet name isnt known, but you
know the name contains a certain string. For example, if the sheet
name is SampleSheetR32, you could enter *R32 and
Deswik.CAD would return the correct index for
SampleSheetR32. Note that if there are multiple sheet names
containing the same string, Deswik.CAD will return the index
number of the first sheet found.
<<StartRow>> Enter the row to start your search for column headers.
<<FinishRow>> Enter the row to end your search for column headers.
<<SearchValue>> Enter the name of the column header to be matched to the Attribute
name.
Example
Formula and Output:

Formula: XLFINDCOLUMN("Sample.xls","Sample",1,10,"Ramp")

Number Formatting
Apply formatting to a field.
You will be required to define formatting for a number of commands in Deswik.CAD. The number formatting used follows standard formatting
conventions.
Format Rules
1 Use the number /pound sign # for insignificant digits (not including zeros).
2 Use the zero 0 for significant digits i.e. to pad a number to align the same).
3 Use the comma , as the thousand separator e.g. using #,###, 9000 9,000
4 Use the period . as the decimal separator.
5 Use the percentage sign % to multiply the resultant number by 100 and display as a percentage.
6 Prefixes and suffixes (if desired) can be added to any format; no quotation marks are needed.
Spaces are considered text.
Format Rule Examples
The table below provides examples of numbers before and after the Format is applied.
FORMAT DESCRIPTION EXAMPLES

0.00 Leading zero; fixed number of decimal places. If a number 123.4567 123.46
has less decimal places, the remaining digits will be zeros. If
it has more decimal places, the number will be rounded. 123.0 123.00
.3 0.30
0.## Floating number of decimal places. No minimum set for 123.4567 123.46
digits after the decimal point; if it has more decimal places,
the number will be rounded. 123.4 123.4
123.0 123
00.0 Minimal number of digits before decimal point, fixed number 123.4567 123.5
of decimal places. A number must have at least two digits
before decimal point and one digit after that. 23.4567 23.5
3.4567 03.5
-3.4567 -03.5
0,0.0 Thousands separator, partnered with usual float formatting 2345.67 2,345.7
pattern. Number will use a thousands separator and must
have one decimal place.
0,0 Thousands separator, partnered with usual float formatting 2345.67 2,346
pattern. Number will use a thousands separator and no
decimal places.
0.# Number to have leading zero, one insignificant decimal place 2.0 2
(if a zero follows the decimal point, it is dropped).
.3 0.3
#.0 Leading zeros to be deleted; one fixed decimal place. 0.3 .3
2 2.0
#.# No leading zeros, one insignificant decimal place (if a zero 2.27 2.8
follows the decimal point, it is dropped).
03 3

Deswik 1

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Deswik 1

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Getting Started with Deswik.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD

Getting started with Deswik.CAD

Learn more about:

Layer Control window

External References window

Move dock windows

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD

Toolbars provide shortcuts to most Main menu commands.

Learn how to:

Change the toolbars displayed

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Toolbars

Move a pinned toolbar

2 Your cursor arrow will become a move icon.

4 Release the mouse button.

Move a floating toolbar

1 Click and hold anywhere on the Title bar of the toolbar.

2 Your cursor arrow will become a move icon.

3 Drag the toolbar to a new location.

4 Release the mouse button.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Toolbars

Change the toolbars displayed

Hide toolbars or make them visible in the main screen.

1 Hover your cursor over any toolbar and right-click.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Toolbars

Customize toolbars and menus in the main screen.

1 Hover your cursor over any toolbar and right-click.

2 A list of all available toolbars will be displayed. Select Customize

3 The CUSTOMIZATION dialog box will be displayed.

4 Click the Toolbars tab if it is not already displayed.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD

Layer Control window

Layer Control window shortcut menu

The states of a layer

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Layer Control window

Layers are the primary organizational tool in Deswik.CAD.

In Deswik.CAD, you can use layers to:

Enforce line type, color and other standards

Organize data/entities to make it easier to manage the information in your document

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Layer Control window

Deswik.CAD uses a hierarchical layer structure to organize layers.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD > Layer Control window

The states of a layer

A layer has three states: Visible, Selected or Active.

There can be an unlimited number of Visible layers at any given time.

All new entities are created on the Active layer

There can only be one Active layer at a time.

There can only be one Selected layer at a time.

Getting Started with Deswik.CAD

External References window

External Reference files are very similar to XREFs in AutoCAD.

Learn how to:

Add an External Reference

Display/hide External Reference data

Expand/collapse External Reference layers

Detach/reattach an External Reference

Remove an External Reference

Set Properties for an External Reference

Move data from an External Reference

Copy data from an External Reference

Apply an Interactive Filter to an External Reference layer

Isolate an External Reference layer