Apart from these standard file operations, you can insert documents into a document parent. These documents may be already created (that is, a file already exists) or they can be created on the fly by Vortex® (that is, an empty component). The only restriction on these types of operations is which type of document is supported for a given parent (see Toolbox for details).

Creating a New Document

You can create a new document:

by following these steps:

1.  

   1. Do one of the following:

      • Open Vortex® Studio Editor, landing at the Home page.

      • Click

        Open

        

        to go to the Home page.

      • From any open document, press the Ctrl+N key combination to go to the Home page.

   2. Click the document type of your choice (for example, Mechanism).

A new tab opens for your selected document.

Note While a file is open in Vortex Studio Editor, that file locks on disk, meaning it cannot be deleted. You must close the file if you want to delete it. If an open file has any sub-components, those sub-components are also locked, even if they are then removed from the parent file. You would have to close the parent file in order to unlock the sub-component. For example, if you have an assembly in a mechanism, the assembly is locked on disk until the mechanism itself is closed, even if you removed the assembly first.

Naming Convention

A convention for file and object names should be defined and followed so that every user is on the same page.

This is our suggested naming convention to determine the names of objects inside the Editor.

Mechanism, Assembly, and Part

• Names should be reasonably descriptive and useful.

• Spaces are acceptable, using Title Capitalization.

• Names should not be so long that they run off the edge of the Editor Explorer windows.

Gallery Nodes

Gallery node names and part names should match. The galleries will generally be created with reasonable names that already follow these conventions, so parts can be created directly from these.

If there are any that need to be changed, the mechanical engineer can rename the nodes in the gallery.

Constraints

For most constraints, names should be composed of the connecting parts, using a code for the constraint type in between.

For example, the following name is a hinge connecting This Part and That Part:

This Part [H] That Part

The constraint codes are as follows:

• Hinge: H

• Prismatic: P

• Ball and Socket: B

• Universal: U

• Cylindrical: C

This convention doesn't make sense for constraints that are not the common two-part variety, so some other constraint names could be used.

Constraints that have a clear purpose that is more meaningful than the connected parts (such as actuators and winches) should be named to reflect their use. For example, a winch constraint might be called:

Forward Winch

Optionally, the connected parts could be added to the end of the name:

Forward Winch - Winch Drum [H] Boom

Attachment Points

Attachment point names should include the reference part, then [AP], then a description of the attachment point.

For example, and attachment point on the chassis of a vehicle that is used for the driver motion could be:

Chassis [AP] Driver Position

Collision Geometries

Collision geometries only appear inside parts and are rarely seen, so it's less critical to use a formal convention besides the default used in the Editor.

However, if there is anything slightly complicated, names should be descriptive, e.g., if certain bodies have fluid states, collision sensors, or composite geometries.

Folders

• Folders should be used to logically organize objects in the Explorer panel.

• Folders should be created for functional groups of objects since these are things that are likely to be worked on at the same time.

  • In an assembly, this would mean parts and constraints from one mechanical structure are grouped together.

  • In a mechanism, this could mean there is one folder for each particular actuator or subsystem, another folder for sounds, and another for lighting.

File Names

The following convention should be used to determine the names of the files on disk. The names here should reflect the Object Names in the previous section.

Mechanism and Assembly

File names should be determined by the name of the object (as the names appear inside the Editor), using the standard formatting done by the Editor.

• Mechanism: [mechanism name].vxmechanism

• Assembly: [mechanism name]_[assembly name].vxassembly

This is the default naming already created by the Editor, however, it only creates them if the objects are created and named in the right order:

1. From the mechanism, create a new assembly.

2. Rename the assembly.

3. Click Save.

If the assembly is created by creating a new document, it will not inherit the name from its parent.

If the assembly is not renamed before saving the document, it will be called "Assembly" instead of the proper name.