Home Toolbar

	For step-by-step instructions and general documentation descriptions, this is the Home toolbar.

Table 2-6: the Home Toolbar
Button or Menu	Name	Description or Options	Links to more Information
Workspace
	Application Builder (Ctrl+Shift+A)	Toggle between the Application Builder and Model Builder workspaces.
	Model Manager (Ctrl+Shift+J)	Toggle between the Model Manager and Model Builder workspaces.
Model
	Component	Select any existing model component to move to that component. The name and icon indicates the current component and can therefore vary.	The Component Node
	Add Component	Add 3D, 2D, 2D Axisymmetric, 1D, 1D Axisymmetric, and 0D model components, and insert 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 Operations and Attributes
	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.	Meshing Overview
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
	Debug Log	Displays debug information for debugging code in methods.	See the Application Builder Reference Manual.
	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.	Keeping 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.

Table 2-6: the Home Toolbar

Button or Menu

Name

Description or Options

Links to more Information

Workspace

Application Builder (Ctrl+Shift+A)

Toggle between the Application Builder and Model Builder workspaces.

Model Manager (Ctrl+Shift+J)

Toggle between the Model Manager and Model Builder workspaces.

Model

Component

Select any existing model component to move to that component. The name and icon indicates the current component and can therefore vary.

The Component Node

Add Component

Add 3D, 2D, 2D Axisymmetric, 1D, 1D Axisymmetric, and 0D model components, and insert 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 Operations and Attributes

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.

Meshing Overview

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

Debug Log

Displays debug information for debugging code in methods.

See the Application Builder Reference Manual.

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.

Keeping 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.