## Grid3D Basics continued...

### Creating, loading and saving Domains

A new domain can be created by clicking on . In response a dialog will pop up and request information about the planned size of the domain. This is only an editing help and does not force you to stay within that dimensions. Clicking Ok will then open a domain editor.

Another way to create a new domain is to use the Create unit domain function . This function enables you to create a new rectangular domain which is already split up into a specified number of elements with predefined values for parallel- and macroblocks.

Loading domains is quite easy. Just click the button and a file chooser will appear. You can filter the file list by choosing one of the supported file formats from the combo box.

At the moment, the following file formats are supported:

- DeViSoR XML
- Feast format version 2 and 3
- PRM/TRI
- PRM3D/TRI3D
- Triangle format
- Matlab format (name.c4n.dat, name.db.dat, name.n4e.dat, name.nb.dat)
- Geo format
- a very small subset of the DXF format (loading only)
- EPS format (saving only)
- SVG format (saving only)

The DeViSoR XML format is the method of choice to save your domains, because it contains all items of the domain whereas the other formats only save a certain subset of items and of the information in the items. For example, all 2D formats only save the x- and y-coordinates of a point. So after loading the domain again all z-coordinates will be lost.

In the lower left corner of the main windows is a progressbar, which is moving while Grid is loading a domain. The loading can be stopped by clicking on the small button next to the progress bar.

You can quit the program anytime by clicking on or by choosing Quit from the Domain menu.

### Getting help

The help menu contains useful information about Grid:

- Help opens the FEATFLOW homepage.
- Message of the day shows information about the changes which were implemented for the version of Grid you are currently using.
- Manual opens this document.
- About shows an information box about Grid and the developers.
- Console and Browse logs... are tools, which the developers use to debug the program.

### Configuration

The display options of the views can be edited by clicking on the respective configuration button. To use the configuration of the currently active view as default, one has to choose Save defaults in the Domain menu.

The keyboard shortcuts are defined globally. You have to choose the Edit keybindings... in the same menu to edit them. The keybindings editor is described in detail later in the manual.