About the EDEM Creator

1. Options: Access the global options dialog containing settings for the following items:
   1. Additional Components
      1. RecurDyn Coupling
         When this checkbox is enabled, a new option called “Import Geometry from RecurDyn” will appear when you right click on Geometries in the Creator Tree. This allows you to read a *.wall file, produced by RecurDyn, allowing you to import a geometry from RecurDyn.
         Once the geometry is imported and the coupling interface is enabled, RecurDyn can control the geometry motion in EDEM. The forces experienced by these geometries are passed back to RecurDyn and any motions arising due to these forces are calculated in RecurDyn.
      2. Abaqus Coupling
         When this checkbox is enabled, a new option called “Abaqus Co-Simulation” will appear in the Analyst under the Tools Menu allowing you to couple EDEM with Abaqus FEA.
   2. Data Browser
      The data browser options are used to configure the color of the data browser text and background.
   3. Display Options
      1. Background Color: This option is used to change the fill color of the Viewer background. The background can be colored with a solid or gradient fill. The color change will affect the Creator, Simulator and Analyst.
      2. User Logo: This option can be used to apply a custom logo to the Viewer window. The logo can be positioned, scaled, faded as required.
   4. File Locations
      The file location options are used to determine the location of the following:
      1. Materials Database: The location of the users materials database, used to store and transfer materials to and from simulations.
      2. GEMM Database: The location of the Generic EDEM Material Model database, used to set the location of the database to import to EDEM.
      3. Contact Models: The location of custom (user-defined) contact models, see the EDEM Programming Guide for more information on user defined models.
      4. Particle Body Force: The location of custom (user-defined) particle body force models.
      5. Particles: The location of particles saved independently of the model for reuse in other projects.
      6. Factories: The location of any user-defined factories.
   5. Mouse Configuration
      Used to configure how the mouse is used to alter the display in the Viewer.
      1. Camera Actions: Change the mouse button and modifier key used to pan, track, zoom and rotate the camera. Modifier keys assign keyboard  buttons to press to perform the specified camera action. Choose any unique combination of three mouse buttons and three keys for each motion.
      2. Rotate on Axis: Change the mouse button and modifier key used to rotate on an axis. You can also set whether to rotate on the model axis or the screen axis for both the horizontal and vertical rotations.
      3. Bin Control: Bin tools and Sensor tools in the Analyst can be moved through mouse selection.  First select the bin and the color changes from blue to green. Then using the Bin Control Modifier (default CTRL) the bin can be moved through the Pan, Track, Axis Locked Rotation and Free Rotation options. The Bin Control Modifier can be set by the user to any of the options available in the drop-down box.
      4. Mouse Sensitivity: The mouse sensitivity can be altered independently for tracking and zooming. You can also specify modifier keys for each sensitivity setting.
   6. Rendering Options
      1. Use legacy particle display: This option is checked if EDEM cannot use the computer Graphics Card. Typically applied when using Remote Desktop or when using EDEM on computer with out-of-date graphics card drivers.
      2. Display Templates: 3D CAD files can be used as particle templates. Templates can be used as a guide (outline) to help define the shape of your particle in the Creator as well as providing, if desired, the shape for calculation of the center of gravity and mass moments of inertia, or as a display option in the Analyst.
         When a model containing a particle template is saved, an extra file (.ptf) is created.  If this file is deleted, the template information will no longer be stored within the model
   7. Section Options
      1. Creator
         1. Timestep on Switch: When switching to the Creator, it will it automatically load the last time step.
         2. Hide Electrostatics: This should be ticked unless using the electrostatics contact model, this option enables a series of options to appear in the interface which are specific to the electrostatic contact model.
      2. Simulator
         1. Compress Save Data: When checked EDEM will compress simulation data as it is saved to minimize file size. Turning this off will reduce the time taken to save but increase file size.
         2. Timestep on Switch: When checked the last time step will be displayed when switching to the simulator, otherwise the current time step will be displayed.
      3. Analyst
         1. Timestep on File Load: Models can be loaded into the Analyst with the first or last time step appearing first.
         2. Display:
            1. Auto Update Display: Toggles whether the display is automatically updated when changing display properties, or whether an Apply button is present and must be pressed first.
            2. Axis Key: Turn the display of the axis key in the Viewer on or off.
            3. Domain Box: Turn the display of the boundary box (marking the domain edges) in the Viewer on or off.
            4. Timestamp: Turn the display of the time stamp in the Viewer on or off.
      4. Data Export Defaults
         1. Notation: Specifies the default format when exporting data via the data export tool. Options are: Smart, Fixed-Point and Scientific.
         2. Precision: Specifies the corresponding default precision when exporting data via the data export tool.
   8. Simulator Engine
      Choose from the standard or GPU simulator engine. On creating a new simulation the Simulator Engine will default to the one set in the Tools Menu. When in the Simulator the user can change the engine used and this information is stored per simulation in the simulation_name.dfg file.  When opening existing simulations the displayed engine will be the last saved setting for the simulation.
      When starting a new simulation EDEM defaults to the Maximum Cores available on the local PC.  Users can set the default number of Cores via the Simulator Engine > Default Number of Cores menu.  This can be set once per user and then EDEM will default to the chosen setting.
      
      
   9. Units
      1. The units configuration dialog is used to set the measurement units used throughout EDEM.

1. Help: The help menu brings up the relevant information regarding the EDEM interface.
2. About EDEM: The about box provides information about the current version of EDEM. The EDEM Version and Revision number are useful information to provide EDEM technical support when discussing support cases.
3. About Altair Simulations Products: The About Altair Simulation Products gives access to the Copyright notices, Altair website, License Agreements and Customer Support.

The Data Browser is an .html page that displays detailed information about your model. The information displayed differs between the Creator, Simulator and Analyst. Right click in the Data Browser and choose Save to save the information in an .html file. There are five sections in the Data Browser within the Creator:

Description

The description as defined in the Project section of the Creator Tree.

General

1. Gravity: Details of the gravity acting in your model as specified in the Creator Tree.

2. Materials: A list of all materials used in the model and their properties, as specified in the Materials Editor.

3. Energy: The total energy in the model at the current time. It is the sum of the kinetic energy, potential energy and the energy in any contacts taking place.

Geometry

1. Domain: The dimensions of the domain as specified in the Creator Tree.

2. Sections: Each section is the model and its properties are listed.

3. Geometry Totals: Totals. Details of the number of elements that make up each section of geometry.

Particles

1. Particles: A list of each particle type used in the model and their properties. This contains either sphere data for Multi-Sphere, Sphero-Cylinder data or mesh data for polyhedral particles.

2. Factories: Details of each factory used in the model and their properties. Properties are as specified in the Creator Tree. The total number of particles created by each factory is also listed.

3. Particle Totals: The total number of particles in the model at the current time. Totals for each particle type are also listed.

Contacts

1. Interactions: A list of the interaction types taking place in the model as specified in the Materials Editor.

2. Contacts: Lists the total number of contacts in progress at the current time. The contacts are broken down into contact types: For example number of particle A - particle B contacts or number of particle B - surface A contacts. The total number of collisions that have taken place during the time step are also listed.

Bonds

1. Bond Totals: Lists the total number of bonds, total number of intact and broken bonds and number of bonds intact/broken between particle pairs.