I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 71

bold. You use project management functions (see chapter 6, Project Management) via the Project
menu or from a context menu (see chapter 4.1, Menus, context menus and the tool bar).

4.2.3 The Results window

The KISSsoft results window displays the results of the last calculation.

Figure 4.3: The KISSsoft results window

4.2.4 The Messages window

The messages window displays all information messages, warnings and errors. Generally, all
additional messages are not only displayed, but also appear in a message box. You can change the
way information and warnings are displayed in a message box by selecting Extras > Settings.

4.2.5 The info window

The Info window displays information that is displayed when you click on an Info button (see chapter
5.2.1, Value input fields) in the calculation module. You zoom and print the information via a context
menu (see chapter 4.1, Menus, context menus and the tool bar).

4.2.6 Manual and Search

The manual's Table of Contents and search function are also available as docking windows. When
you select an entry, by double-clicking on it, the Helptext viewer (see chapter 4.4.2, Helptext Viewer)
opens and the relevant section in the manual is displayed.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 72

4.3 Graphics window

In KISSsoft, you can open as many graphics windows as you need at the same time and arrange
them in the same way as the other docking windows (see chapter 4.2, Docking window). This means
you can see all the graphics and diagrams you require for your calculations at a glance. To make
working with graphics more effective, you can use the tool bar (see chapter 4.3.1, Tool bar and
context menu), the Comment field, the context menu (see chapter 4.3.3, Context menu) and the
Properties (see chapter 4.3.4, Properties).

Figure 4.4: Components of the graphics window

4.3.1 Tool bar and context menu

Use the selection list in the tool bar to switch from one graphic to another in a group. You will also
see various icons for saving, printing and locking a graphic, as well as functions for highlighting and
graying out its properties.

Save graphic as

This saves the graphic as a DXF, IGES or other image or text format, with the name you enter here.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 73

Saving diagrams in a DXF file usually creates a conflict between the diagram axis units and the unit
used in the DXF file. For this reason, when you save a diagram, the program opens a dialog in which
you can specify the drawing area to which the diagram is to be projected, in the file.

Print graphic

Prints the current section of the graphic. The information underneath the graphic is defined by the
graph*.rpt report templates (see chapter 8.5).

Lock

This is useful for comparing two calculation results. In this way, you can, for example, generate a
Specific sliding graphic for a toothing scenario, lock this graphic and then, after having changed the
gear parameters, open a new graphics window that shows the new calculation results. The locked
window will no longer be updated.

(a) Locked window (b) Window with new calculation results

4.1 table: Figure: Locking graphics windows

When you lock a graphics window, a dialog will open, in which you can enter a title for the window,
which will make it easier for you when you are comparing different graphics.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 74

Figure 4.5: Dialog window for inputting the window title

Properties

This opens a list with the Properties (see chapter 4.3.4, Properties) of the current graphic in the same
window.

Video recording

Starts recording a video of the 3D graphic. All of the graphic's animations and movements are
recorded when video recording is enabled. Click again to stop recording. You can then either save or
delete the video file.

The size of the graphic cannot be changed while video recording is active.

4.3.2 Comment field

In the Comment information is displayed about the graphic. You can change the Comment to suit
your needs and it is included in the print output.

4.3.3 Context menu

Here, use the left-hand mouse button to select, move, zoom and measure elements in a graphic. You
can permanently select which action is to be performed in the context menu. You can access this
more quickly by using these combinations: Move: Shift, Zoom: Ctrl and Measure: You can select
multiple single items by pressing the Alt key while holding down the left-hand mouse button.

Other actions in the context menu are: Zoom In (plus), Zoom out (minus) and Fit window (Pos1 or
Home). Use the direction keys to move the current section of the graphic.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 75

4.3.4 Properties
In Properties, you can display or hide elements in a graphic and change its colors and line styles.
You can make different modifications, depending on the graphic: for diagrams and such like, you can
modify the value ranges and units to match the axes, or, for a meshing, you can change the center
distance.

Figure 4.6: Graphic properties

If the properties are displayed, you will see three other icons in the tool bar. You use them to store
curves in a graphic as text, or in the graphic itself.

Save curve as text

Stores the coordinates of the curve selected in Properties in a text file. This makes it
easy to transfer curves to, for example, an Excel file.

Save curve

Stores the curve selected in Properties in the graphic. This function is ideal for
comparing the graphical outputs of a calculation while you change its parameters.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 76

Delete memory

Deletes the curve from the memory.

Figure 4.7: Graphics with saved and different curves

4.3.5 Toothing
If you select Toothing, additional icons are displayed for generating the gear pair and creating the
flanks when you open the Geometry graphics window.

Rotate to the left

Rotates the gear pair to the left.

Key combination: Ctrl + left direction key

Rotate to the right

Rotates the gear pair to the right.

Key combination: Ctrl + right direction key

I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 77

Rotates one gear independently to the left

One gear remains static while the other is rotated to the left. The profiles overlap.

Key combination: Alt + left direction key

Rotates one gear independently to the right

One gear remains static while the other is rotated to the right. The profiles overlap.

Key combination: Alt + right direction key

Make flank contact left

The gears are rotated until the flanks of both gears touch on the left.

Make flank contact right

The gears are rotated until the flanks of both gears touch on the right.

Note:

Hold down a rotate button to rotate the gears continuously (movie).

Note:

Click Properties (see chapter 4.3.4, Properties) to specify the number of rotation steps for the
rotation. The number of rotation steps here refers to the pitch.

4.4 Main input area

The main input area shows a calculation module's input window. In addition, it is used to display the
internal report viewer or the internal help viewer.
I Elements of the KISSsoft User Interface 78

4.4.1 Report Viewer

When you generate a report in KISSsoft, the report viewer opens in the main input area, the entries
in the Report menu are activated and the report viewer tool bar is displayed. The report viewer is a
text editor that supports the usual functions for saving and printing a text file. In KISSsoft, you can
save reports in portable document format (.pdf), in Microsoft Word format (.doc) or as ANSII text
(.txt).

The report viewer's other functions are Undo/Redo, Copy, Cut and Paste, and Search, with the usual
shortcuts. You can zoom in on the view and edit the report later on by changing the font size, bold,
italics and underlining style. To change the general appearance of the report, select Report >
Settings.

4.4.2 Helptext Viewer

The KISSsoft manual is displayed in the Helptext viewer in HTML format. To open the manual, select
something in the Table of Contents or the Search function. If you press function key F1, the system
displays more information about where the cursor is currently located in KISSsoft.

4.5 Tooltips and status bar

Whenever it is useful, tool tips are provided in KISSsoft, to give you additional information about
program elements. Tooltips appear automatically if you slowly move the mouse over a program
element.

If you position the mouse over a particular menu option, the system will display detailed information
on all actions available in that menu, in the left-hand area of the Status bar. If the mouse is
positioned over a selection list, the currently selected list entry will be displayed in the status bar.
This is especially helpful if the display is restricted by the width of the selection list.

In the right-hand area of the status bar, the system will display the current status of the calculation.
The flag is set to CONSISTENT if the results are current. INCONSISTENT shows that a new
calculation needs to be carried out.
I KISSsoft Calculation Modules 79

5 KISSsoft Calculation Modules

5.1 Standard and special tabs

The input window for most calculation modules is subdivided into different tabs. This ensures that
inputs are separated logically. The system does not automatically display all the existing tabs for
more complex calculations, such as for a cylindrical gear pair. When you open a new calculation, you
only see the tabs that contain the absolutely necessary inputs (e.g. for a cylindrical gear pair this
would be the Basic data, Reference profile, Manufacturing and Tolerances tabs). In the
Calculation menu, you can add more tabs if needed (e.g. for a cylindrical gear pair, you would need
to add the Modifications tab if you wanted to modify the gears).

KISSsoft calculation modules use two types of tabs: Standard tabs and special tabs (see Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1: Standard and special tabs

If a standard tab (e.g. Basic data) is active when the calculation is run, then the standard calculation
will be executed and the results of this standard calculation will be displayed in the Results window
(see chapter 4.2.3, The Results window). When a report is generated, the default report is created.

Special tabs are marked with the icon. If this type of special tab is active when the calculation is
run, then a special calculation will be executed in addition to the standard calculation, (e.g. for a
cylindrical gear pair, the calculation of the path of contact under load). The results of this additional
calculation will then be displayed in the Results window, and when you generate reports you will get
a report containing the results the additional calculation.

5.2 Input elements

All KISSsoft calculation modules use the same input elements for input. These input elements are
described in more detail in the sections that follow.
I KISSsoft Calculation Modules 80

5.2.1 Value input fields

In general, a value input field always includes the variable label, a formula character, the edit field
and a unit. If the edit field is grayed out, this variable cannot be predefined. Instead it will be
determined during the calculation. One or more of the following buttons can follow a value input field:

You can retain a value by selecting the Check button

You can set a radio button to specify which values in a group should be calculated and
which should be retained

Click the sizing button to calculate the value using calculation methods

Click the convert button to calculate the value using conversion formulae

Click the Plus button to display additional data for a value

Click the Info button to display information in the Info (see chapter 4.2.5, The info
window) window.

5.2.2 Formula entry and angle input

In some cases it is advisable to use a small auxiliary calculation to determine a value. Right-click in a
value input field's edit field (see chapter 5.2.1, Value input fields) to open a formula editor. In it, you
can enter a formula, which must be one of the four basic calculation types: +, -, * and /. Additionally,
you can use all the functions that are supported by the report generator (see Table 8.2). Confirm the
formula by pressing Enter. The system will evaluate the formula. The formula itself will be lost: if you
return to the formula entry dialog, the calculated value will be shown there instead of the formula.

In value input fields (see chapter 5.2.1, Value input fields) that display an angle, a dialog in which you
can input degrees, minutes and seconds will be displayed instead of the formula editor.