Graphic Editor

MIDAS Graphic Editor linked to MIDAS Family Program is a vector-based graphic editor, which is readily used to edit and print various types of Graphic files. Graphic Editor can freely add or edit all types of statements in BMP or EMF (enhanced metafile) files created by MIDAS/Gen. It enables the user to prepare refined presentation documents. In addition, Graphic Editor can be used analogous to the drawing functions of MS-PowerPoint and Word.

 

Drawing
Similar to the majority of graphic editors, MIDAS Graphic editor supports a variety of drawing functions.

- Straight line
- Polygon
- Rectangle
- Curve
- Closed curve
- Ellipse (Circle)
- Character
- Bitmap image
- Windows Enhanced Metafile (EMF) image

 
Editing
MIDAS Graphic editor provides a variety of editing functions to manipulate drawn images and figures.

- Select
- Move
- Rotate
- Change Size
- Point Edit
- Align
- Cut, Copy, Paste
- Grouping/ Ungrouping
- Stacking Order, Z-Order

From the Main Menu select Tools > Graphic Editor.

Shortcut key : [Ctrl]+[F6]

Windows Menu : Execute GEdit.exe in the MIDAS/Gen program folder.

Drawing

Function

Directions

Draw Straight Line

Click Draw Line. Then, left-click the start point and drag the mouse to the desired position.

Draw Continuous Poly Line

Click Draw Poly line. Then, click consecutively the points to draw connecting lines. Double-click the last point to finish. If the mouse is right-clicked along the way, the drawing will be cancelled.

Draw Polygon

Click Draw Polygon. Then, click the corners of the polygon and double-click the last point to finish. If the mouse is right-clicked along the way, the drawing will be cancelled.

Draw Rectangle

Click Draw Rectangle. Then, click the top-left corner of the rectangle and drag the mouse to the bottom-right corner.

Draw Continuous Poly Curve

Click Draw Poly Curve. Then, click the control points of the curve and double-click the last point. A single curve is formed by the end points, which passes through two intermediate control points. If the mouse is right-clicked along the way, the drawing will be cancelled.

Draw Closed Curve

Click Draw Closed Curve. Then, click the control points of the closed curve and double-click the last point. A single curve is formed by the end points, which passes through two intermediate control points. If the mouse is right-clicked along the way, the drawing will be cancelled. The surface of the closed curve can be filled in with a desired color.

Draw Ellipse

Click Draw Ellipse. Then, click the top-left corner of the rectangle on the circumference of the ellipse and drag the mouse to the bottom-right corner.

Insert Text

Click Insert Text. Then, click the desired position with the mouse. "TEXT" character appears. Double-click the character and type in the text. Right-click the mouse and select [Properties...] from the menu to setup the font and borders.

Insert Image

Click Insert Image. Then the Open File dialog box appears. Select the image file and click the insert position. Once the image is inserted, the size and position can be adjusted.

Note
When a particular element is to be drawn to the same proportion or orthogonally, hold down [Shift] and draw the element.

Editing

Select
Graphic Editor is basically in a Select mode. Click to switch to the Select mode if not already in the mode. In the Select mode, click the object to select. When several objects are to be selected, left-click and drag the mouse. Or, hold down [Ctrl] and click each object. The last selected object becomes the 'reference' object and is distinguished by gray selection handles. The 'reference' object is used as reference for the Align functions. If the 'reference' object is to be changed, hold down [Ctrl] and click the new reference object. If a particular object is not to be selected among several objects, press [Shift] and click the relevant object.

 

Move
If the cursor is moved to the center part of the object selected in the Select mode, the cursor switches to the Move mode . At this time, left-click and drag the mouse to move the object to a desired position. If the Grid Snap option is active, the motion follows the snapped grids.

If an object is to be moved precisely, it may be effective to use the motion icons. Clicking a relevant icon once moves the object by 1 unit. Clicking an icon while holding down [Shift] moves the object by 5 units.

 

Align
Objects can be easily arranged by the Align functions. If several objects are selected, the 'reference' object with gray handles becomes the aligning reference.

Align relative to top

Align relative to horizontal center

Align relative to bottom

Align relative to left

Align relative to vertical center

Align relative to right

 

The regular spacing icons arrange the selected objects at a regular spacing.

Equal horizontal spacing

Equal vertical spacing

  

The Size Align icons fit all the selected objects to identical dimensions. If several objects are selected, the 'reference' object with gray handles becomes the fitting reference.

Fit horizontal size

Fit vertical size

Fit horizontal / vertical sizes

 

Rotate
Click the Rotate icons to rotate selected object(s).

 

The Rotate icons feature "Free Rotation", "Rotate 90¡Æ to left", "Rotate 90¡Æ to right", "Horizontally Symmetric Rotation" and "Vertically Symmetric Rotation" functions. When "Free Rotation" is to be selected, move the cursor to the selected object then the cursor transforms into an icon. At this time, keep the mouse left-clicked and move the mouse to freely rotate the object(s).

 

Change Size
To find out if the size of the selected object can be changed, place the pointer on a handle of the object then the pointer will transform into a double-arrow signaling that the size of the object can be changed. The size can be changed left/rightward, vertically or left/right/vertically depending on the selected handle.

 

Grouping/Ungrouping
Select several objects and click (Grouping) to combine the selected objects into one object.

When the grouping is to be released, click (Ungrouping). Based on the order of Grouping, Ungrouping starts one-by-one from the last Grouping in a reverse order.

Grouping/Ungrouping can also be accessed from the Context Menu displayed by right-clicking the mouse on the object(s).

 

Stacking Order
Overlapping objects are displayed in a particular stacking order, called Z-order. The object with the highest order positions itself at the top of stack. Lower order objects are underlain by higher order objects. This order is basically established by the order in which the objects were created. To change the order, select the objects and click the Stacking Order icons.

 

The Stacking Order functions are "To the top", "To the bottom", "One-step forward" and "One-step backward". Stacking Order can also be accessed from the Context Menu displayed by right-clicking the mouse on the object.

 

Point Edit
Click Point Edit to switch to the Point Edit mode. Each handle moves to the points constituting the object.

Point Move
In the Point Edit mode, move the mouse to a handle then the cursor shape transforms to signal that motion is allowed. Left-click and drag the mouse to move the point constituting the object.

Point Insert
If [Ctrl] is pressed with the cursor between the points, the cursor transforms into the Insert state. Then, left-click the mouse to insert a point. This is applicable only for objects, which can be constituted by an unlimited number of points, such as a curve and a continuous line.

Point Delete
If [Ctrl] is pressed on a point, the cursor transforms into an 'X'-shape signaling the Delete state, then left-click the mouse to delete the point. This is applicable only for objects, which can be constituted by an unlimited number of points, such as a curve and a continuous line.

 

Change Component Properties
Select the object for which properties are to be changed and click (Change Component Properties). Or, right-click on the object and select [Properties...] in the context menu to display the Change Component Properties dialog box. Then, setup the detailed properties related to the object. The displayed properties (color and width of line, color of surface, etc.) can then be selected or changed.

 

Change Component Properties dialog box

 

Other Functions

Undo/Redo
Undo/Redo restores / re-executes one-by-one from the most recent change in Graphic Editor.

 

Grid View and Grid Snap

 

Click the Grid View icon to display or hide the grid. Click Grid Snap to snap all the created nodes to contiguous grid points.

 

Zoom, Fit to Window, Fit to Range

 

Zoom
Click Zoom to magnify a part of the window. When the cursor transforms into a magnifying glass, left-click to magnify the drawing by a certain proportion. If an area is assigned by left-clicking and dragging the mouse, the area is magnified to fit the window.

Fit to Window
Magnify/reduce all the current objects in the window so that they are viewed as large as possible without being cut.

Fit to Range
Magnify/reduce the currently selected objects so that they are viewed as large as possible without being cut.

 

Functions related to File

 New
Create a new blank drawing.

 Open
Open a drawing file. MGF (MIDAS Graphic Format), BMP and EMF formats can be opened.

 Save
Save the created drawing in a file. The formats that can be saved are MGF (MIDAS Graphic Format), BMP, EMF.

Printer Setup
Setup the printer, margins, type and direction of document etc.

Print Preview
Preview the printing form prior to hard-printing.

 Print
Hard-print the drawing.