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Hi Dave,
I have some suggestions that you may (or may not!)
be interested in. These are ideas I have accumulated over time, using your
software. I mention them on this list because I think they are relatively simple
modifications that every user would enjoy. Some of these ideas have alreadybeen
mentioned, I realize.
***
When beginning a session in FEMMe, it is usually desirable to locate the origin of the drawing, at (0,0). Some automatic indication of the origin would be helpful. Perhaps this could be a grid point of a different color, or one intersected by a small cross. Can there be a command that sets the originto
something besides (0,0)? This would be useful when rotating or mirroring parts
that do not center on the origin; the reference variables wouldn't have to be
typed in each time. Perhaps, if a special symbol were chosen to indicate the
"origin" (about which things can mirror and rotate), this point could be
relocated using the mouse and a command or mode enabling the
action?
I've noticed that at different levels of Zoom, in
FEMMe, the grid changes its alignment against the sketch of what's to be
analyzed. In one level of Zoom, the grid 'lines' may intersect the origin (for
example), but then upon zooming in, the origin is somewhere else wrt the grid,
perhaps not even coincident with a grid line, perhaps in the middle or the
corner of a square. This is sort of disorienting.
FEMMe could use scales on the side of the drawing
grid, indicating the X or Y coordinates of nodes - that is, numbering the grid
like a ruler on two sides. Presently, in FEMMe there is no visual indication of
the viewing size or scale. It would be nice to have this option, to engage and
hide with the click of a button.
The present indicator of the cursor's X/Y position
(at the bottom left hand portion of the FEMMe's window) is printed in small
(Arial?) numerals. The resolution I use with this monitor is 1024x768 pixels.
This makes the value of the X/Y output in the corner very small, and the (-)
that precedes any negative value is almost invisible. I often squint at the
monitor at about a 4" distance to make sure I'm not missing something!
:)
Since the "select all" button (to the rightof the
node, line, arc and materials buttons) only seems to function with the "select"
button (bearing the dashed-line rectangle icon, in the Edit Tools category), it
would be more expedient if the "select all" mode automatically chose the
"select" button. Currently, use of this feature requires a redundant button
click. (In this case, the "zoom in" function, with the magnifying glass icon
would probably have to override the "select all" button, since it also
highlights a user defined rectangle).
Would it be easy, or warranted, to give two
"select" buttons - one being a "one-use" select (the same as the current one)
and the other being a "sticky" select that remains until it is pressed again?
Sometimes, selecting many nodes (for example) requires that I press the "select"
button quite a number of times. It would be great to have a "sticky"
button.
Sometimes, as when changing a material
specification, it is necessary to press "space" to enter the materials dialog
and do the rest of the work with a mouse. Is it possible to create a "spacebar"
button that doesn't require this extra, and sometimes repetitive action? Maybe
it could be tied in with a currently unused click area, perhaps like a right
click on any location outside the drawing grid area.
Sometimes, my own omission or some minor detail of
a drawing in FEMM results in a very tiny closed area which I didn't intend to
exist. Since I haven't defined a material for this errant region, Fkern won't
execute, leaving me to hunt for the area that is undefined. A few weeks ago,
during a relatively large and complex project I was trying to evaluate, I spent
about a half hour searching for the undefined region, which FEMMe had added
because of how it adds nodes where lines intersect. The region was practically
microscopic, and was difficult to see and zoom in on. I realize it is oftena
stupid error which leaves an region undefined. Still, it would be helpful if
FEMMe could highlight any area it is dissatisfied with, though I'm not sureif
this is easily implemented.
When "rotation" is selected in Copy or Move
functions, it is often desirable to rotate selections 90 or 180 degrees, when
drawing most things. It would be very helpful to have radio buttons (like those
presently given) near the "degrees" input field for the rotation angle in
addition to the keyboard input, which one can click using the mouse to specify
"90" or "180" degree rotations. The arc-drawing command could also use these
buttons, to specify (still using the mouse) the common arcs of 90, 180, and
perhaps 45 degrees. If these values seem arbitrary, then perhaps the input
values that the buttons trigger can be user definable (to handle common arcs
over an isometric grid, for example, or when designing a rotary device withan
odd number of pole projections). That way, the user is spared having to type the
same numbers many times.
The Mirror function was hard for me to understand,
as a new user. The "axis of symmetry" input was difficult to visualize, because
the labeling was not descriptive. I learned to use this function by trial and
error.
In some early FEMM analyses, I labeled drawing
components (like nodes and arcs) by group, hoping that I could select and modify
them by group. Am I missing something? I have yet found no way to select items
by group, and I haven't been able to use the "group" input to any
advantage.
Finally, with regard to FEMMe, is it possible to
provide more than one level of Undo? For instance, I use music software with 999
levels of "undo", which is helpful when you're trying new things. I personally
use FEMM in the same way, as a creative tool, where I test ideas. That's why
"more undo" would be helpful to me, as well as the other suggestions I am
mentioning here.
***
When "reloading" or even when opening a file in
FEMMview, it is often necessary to specify viewing parameters in lieu of the
default values. Over the course of a session in FEMM, or while manipulating
numerous views, re-entry of the viewing parameters is necessary dozens of
times.
There are two features which may help simplify
this part of the viewing process. First, a dialog which allows the user to
pre-set the initial values would be of great use. These variables can include
Zoom, bounds for contours and flux density, the number of flux lines, and
perhaps even the color scale of the flux density plot. (It would also help,both
in FEMMe and in FEMMview, if the four arrows which move the view were user
definable, in terms of whether the user wishes them to scroll 1/4, 1/2, or a
full screen up, down or sideways. The fixed step size makes these buttons
unusable for some work).
In addition to the ability to define the preset
values for these functions, it would also be helpful to have a "hold" checkbox
in the Zoom, and Bounds input fields which holds their value through successive
"reload" or "open" functions - again, so they do not have to be manually reset
if the user desires to maintain consistency between views.
Why is it recommended, when using FEMM, to enable
24-bit graphics on your computer? Femm doesn't use 24-bit graphics; in fact, it
uses fewer than 16 separate colors in the flux density plot.
Perhaps some would call this useless appeasement
of aesthetic senses, but it would nonetheless be a great thing to me if I could
get FEMMview to actually USE the 24-bit graphics, mapping fields with gentle,
rainbow-like gradients rather than the present arbitrary graduations in the
color scale. This, to me, is a loss of resolution compared to the vision I'd get
if I could "see" magnetic fields - which is what I'm using FEMM to
do.
If FEMMview were to use the 24-bit graphicsit
requires, it would be another great thing to be able to define the color
spectrum that FEMMview uses in the plot. Presently, FEMMView only uses red,blue
and mixes of these two colors. The use of green in the spectrum would increase
the visual resolution in the plot, much in the same way that using extra bits
increases the resolution of a stored binary number.
Once I close the Femmview Output window, I can't
get it back without relaunching FEMMview. Is there a function that restores
it?
In FEMMe, you can draw a line and an arc between
two nodes. In FEMMview, you are allowed to draw a line between two nodes, to
specify the contour for evaluation. Can there be the option for arc contours as
well? This would help evaluate just about any device with a round
part!
Lastly, FEMMview could use more options forimage
output! Using the "copy" feature and pasting into Windows Paint, for example in
an attempt to export the image, stretches the image to the size of the drawing
page in Paint. Using Alt+PrintScrn to capture the screen includes the buttons,
header and padding which don't pertain to the image being analyzed. IF there
were options for image output as bitmap and .gif, as two suggestions, I think
all FEMM users would appreciate it.
***
I use FEMM enough that I'd like to send youa
donation. I'm a very low-income person, I barely make the bills and the amount
can't be very much, but I'd like to send it anyway as a token of my sincere
appreciation. Can you give me a mailing address? My personal email is infinitenergy@xxxxxxxxxxx
Thank you!
Graham |