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Home Toolbar
The Home ribbon toolbar (Windows) and the Model Toolbar (macOS and Linux) contains many of the common features and actions required to build and analyze a model.
For step-by-step instructions and general documentation descriptions, this is the Home toolbar.
Table 2-5: the Home Toolbar
Button or Menu
Name
Description or Options
Link to more Information
Application
Application Builder (Ctrl+Alt+A)
Toggle between the Application Builder and Model Builder windows.
 
Model
Component
Add and select from existing 3D, 2D, 2D Axisymmetric, 1D, 1D Axisymmetric, and 0D model components.
The Component Node
Definitions
Parameters
Add globally available Parameters to your model.
Global Definitions, Geometry, Mesh, and Materials and Parameters
Variables
Choose from Global Variables and Local Variables.
Global Definitions, Geometry, Mesh, and Materials, Predefined and Built-In Variables
Functions
Choose from a list of all available Functions
Functions
Parameter Case
Add a Parameter Case subnode to a Parameters node.
Parameter Cases
Geometry
Build All
Build all features in the current geometry.
Editing and Building Geometry Nodes
The Geometry Node
Import
Import the geometry from a COMSOL Multiphysics file or CAD file.
Import
LiveLink
Choose to connect to a CAD software using a LiveLink connection that is included in your license.
See the documentation for the CAD LiveLink products.
Materials
Add Material
Open the Add Material window to add materials to components or selections.
The Add Material Window
Physics
—
Various — the physics interface name
When physics interfaces are added, these are listed here and you can click to take you to the node in the Model Builder.
Physics Interface Guide
Select Physics Interface
For a blank model this is available.
Selecting Physics Interfaces
Add Physics
Open the Add Physics window to add physics interfaces to the current component.
The Add Physics Window
Mesh
Build Mesh
Build the current mesh.
Adding, Editing, and Building Meshing Sequences
Select Mesh1
Available for a blank model.
Mesh Elements for 1D, 2D, and 3D Geometries
Mesh1
When meshes are added, these are listed here and you can click to take you to the node in the Model Builder.
Creating a Mesh for Analysis
Study
Compute1
Compute the selected study.
Computing a Solution
Select Study1
Available for a blank model.
Open a New Window to Begin Modeling and The Add Study Window
Study1
When studies are added, these are listed here and you can click to take you to the node in the Model Builder.
Introduction to Solvers and Studies
Add Study1
Open the Add Study window to add a study to the current Component.
The Add Study Window
Results
Select Plot Group1
Available for a blank model.
About Plot Groups
—
Various —the name of the plot group1
Once results are available or plot groups are added, these are listed here and you can click to take you to the node in the Model Builder. It also opens a new Plot Group contextual toolbar for the plot group.
Plot Groups and Plots
Add Plot Group1
3D Plot Group, 2D Plot Group, 1D Plot Group, Polar Plot Group, or Smith Plot Group.
About Plot Groups
Layout
Reset Desktop2
Reset the COMSOL Desktop to its default settings and choose Widescreen Layout or Regular Screen Layout.
Customizing the Desktop Layout
Windows
Choose any of the available windows that you can add to the COMSOL Desktop. The Windows menu contains the windows on the following rows in this table.
 
Add Physics2
Open the Add Physics window to add physics interfaces to the current component.
Creating a New Model
Add Multiphysics2
Open the Add Multiphysics window to add multiphysics couplings to the current component.
The Add Multiphysics Window
Add Study2
Open the Add Study window to add a study to the current Component.
The Model Wizard
Add Material from Library2
Open the Add Material window to add materials to components or selections from the material libraries.
The Add Material Window
Material Browser2
Open the Material Browser where you can access and edit material libraries.
The Material Browser Window
Application Libraries2
Open the Application Libraries window.
The Application Libraries Window
Part Libraries2
Open the Part Libraries window where you can access collections of geometry parts.
Part Libraries
Selection List2
Choose objects, for example, while working with complex geometries and when you need to easily locate a geometric entity that is not easily viewed.
The Selection List Window
Properties2
The Properties window is accessed from the context menu and displays other node properties.
Settings and Properties Windows for Feature Nodes
Messages2
Contains information useful after an operation is performed.
The Messages Window
Table2
Displays the results from integral and variable evaluations defined in Derived Values nodes or by Probes and stored in Table nodes.
The Table Window and Tables Node
External Process2
Follow external processes (such as distributed batch jobs) that have been started. The window updates when you are attached to the external processes.
The External Process Window
Recovery Files2
Manage and open recovery files.
Saving and Opening Recovery Files
Comparison Results2
Comparison of Physics Builder files.
See the Physics Builder Manual.
Physics Builder Manager2
Manage testing, compilation, and comparison of your Physics Builder files.
See the Physics Builder Manual.
1 For cross-platform users (macOS and Linux), the combination of buttons that display is dependent on the toolbar setting. For example, some buttons may not be visible if the Tools>Toolbar Display Mode is set to Normal and the Tools>Toolbar Button Label is set to Show Icon and Text. It also depends on whether you are using a widescreen or regular screen layout.
2 For cross-platform users (macOS and Linux), these options are available from other menus or toolbars. See Cross Platform (macOS and Linux) Toolbars and Menus.