Windows Toolbars and Menus
The available ribbon toolbar options are dynamic, based on where in the model you are working and what is logically available for a specific task. When a blank model is created, only the default tabs are included (Model, Definitions, Study, and Results). The Physics, Geometry, and Mesh tabs are added once a model and physics interface are added to the Model Wizard, as shown in Figure 2-10.
The top of the COMSOL Desktop includes a customizable Quick Access Toolbar. Underneath this are ribbon tabs and ribbon groups, which together, are referred to as toolbars. The Home toolbar is a collection of frequently used features from all the other toolbars. For documentation purposes, a toolbar uses the same name as the tab. For example, the Home toolbar, Physics toolbar, Geometry toolbar, or Study toolbar. See The Model Builder Toolbar and Features Available in Toolbars and From Menus for a detailed list of all the features available.
Figure 2-10: The Quick Access Toolbar can be positioned above (top) or below (bottom) the ribbons. You can also customize the toolbar to include or exclude a variety of buttons.
Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access Toolbar has several default buttons that can be displayed above or below the ribbon. Click the small arrow at the end of the toolbar to open the Customize the Quick Access Toolbar list. You can either edit which of the default buttons display directly from the list, or click More Commands to Add and Remove (or double-click to add or remove) the buttons as detailed in the section Features Available in Toolbars and From Menus. This can also be done in The Preferences Window, on the User Interface > Quick Access Toolbar page. You can select multiple buttons to add or remove in a single step.
Displaying the Quick Access Toolbar Above or Below the Ribbon
Right-click a ribbon to select Show Quick Access Toolbar Above the Ribbon or Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon. These options are also available from the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu as Show Above the Ribbon and Show Below the Ribbon. See Figure 2-10.
Minimizing (Hiding) the Ribbon
Right-click anywhere on a ribbon and choose Minimize the Ribbon to hide the ribbon on the Desktop. To access the ribbon features, click the ribbon tab name (for example, Model, Definitions, or Study). The ribbon features are then available. To restore the ribbon to the top of the Desktop, right-click in the tab name area and click to remove the check mark next to Minimize the Ribbon.
Keytips
You can use keytips (keyboard shortcuts) for all ribbon parts. Keytips appear for all buttons, menus, and items (including the Quick Access Toolbar and the File menu). To activate keytips, press the Alt key. The keytips appear next to the buttons. For numeric keytips, use the numbers above the characters on the keyboard and not the numeric keypad, which is used together with the Alt key to insert special ASCII characters.
Figure 2-11: Pressing the Alt key displays keytips.