How does Ares Electrical User Interface works?
Let's discover what ARES Electrical (AE) user interface has to offer with its set of electrical design tools and more.
📖INFO: Look at the arrows in the side palettes on the image above, these palettes tabs allows you to change between palettes already opened.
1 - Header
Where is informed the project name opened and ARES Electrical version.
2 - ARES Menu
File options such as New...,Open...,Print..., etc.
3 - Quick Access Toolbar
It is the toolbar in the upper left area of the software that displays few quick commands like save, open, and create new projects. We may also UNDO or REDO actions using the arrows. It's customizable.
4 - Tabs
The tabs separate the main buttons of the software. They are: Home, Pages, Project, Draw, Insert, View, Manage and Reports.
5 - Graphics Area
The Graphics Area is where the electrical drawing is made, components and wires are inserted and 2D layout is built. The window can be resized and the image can be enlarged or reduced.
6 - Project Tabs
Displays the open projects and allow the navigation between projects.
7 - Palettes
In ARES Electrical, most of the work is done using palettes, which are the side panels located at both sides of the drawing area. ARES Electrical has Project, Components, Wires, Connectors, Properties, Custom and Page Palettes. Each Palette has a specific function and tools. The Palettes allow a better management of components, wires, and pages.isplays the open projects and allow the navigation between projects.
8 - Command Window
The Command Window allows CAD commands to be typed, making easier to use the software. During command execution, the available options and next steps are presented in the command window.
Give a try: type "L" to draw a line.
💡TIP: During the project development phase, observe the information presented in the command window while using the software commands.
9 - Status Bar
The status bar is located at the bottom of the application window and is divided into two main areas: sketch settings and coordinate display.
The sketch settings show typical features of a CAD platform: Snap (Snap Grid); Grid (Grid View); Ortho (Ortho Mode); Polar (Polar Guides); ESnap (Entity Snaps); ETrack (ETrack Guides); WeightL (turns the display of line weights on and off).
What is the function of the Palettes?
Project (Custom)
Responsible for managing information of wires, cables, terminals and components within the project.
Components
Responsible for display AE components library. Each and every component registered in the database will be displayed in this Palette.
Wires/Cables
Similar to Components Palette, the Wires and Cables Palettes are responsible for display wires and cables library respectively.
⚠️WARNING: We must use only wires and cables vias to create electrical diagrams, do not use lines (CAD command Line "L") to connect components.
Pages
The Pages palette is where you manage pages within your project. Pages can be named individually serving as descriptions revealing the main function of each page of the project. We may also use this palette to facilitate navigation between project pages.
Properties
It is the palette responsible for modifying entities, attributes, notes, dimensions. Example: To change the font color of a text inside the project, just select the text you want in the project and, in the Properties Palette, change its color.
Is there only this interface?
No. Workspaces set how the Menu will look like, you either may choose to work with ElectricalMenu, for development of your electrical design, Drafting and Annotation or CAD tools for access ordinary CAD tools or even the Classic Workspace for those who prefer the Classic Command Menu with tabs, small icons and toolbars all around the software interface. You can switch to different workspaces that can be even customized and saved with your own preferences.
