Topics
Creating An Object
Objects can be creating through entering a Create Objects mode, or by drag-and-drop:
1) Enter the Create Objects mode by clicking and releasing on an object in the Library window. Click again in the 3D view to create an object.
Example
2) Alternatively, to enter the Create Objects mode, you may click on the 
button on the main toolbar. Then, click the object you wish to create in the Library and click again in the 3D view where you want the object to be created.
Example
3) Click and hold the left mouse button on the object in the Library, then drag it to the position you want to place it in the model and release the mouse button.
Example
Naming An Object
As objects are created, they will be given default names such as Source#, where # is the number of objects created since the FlexSim application was opened.
There are two methods to rename an object:
1) Click on the object in the 3D view to display the object's properties in the Quick Properties window. Then edit its name at the top of the Quick Properties window.
2) Double-click it to open its Properties window. Then edit its name at the top of the window and press Apply or OK.
Editing Objects
Moving Objects – To move an object around in the model, click on it with the left mouse button and drag it to the position you want. You can also move the object up and down in the z direction using the mouse wheel, or by holding both the left and right mouse buttons down on the object and then dragging the mouse forward and backward.
Example
Size and Rotation – To edit the object's size and rotation first click on the object. you should see three colored arrows along each axis of the object. To resize the object, left-click on the axis you want to resize on, and drag the mouse up or down. To edit the object's rotation, right-click on the arrow corresponding to the axis you want to rotate around, and drag the mouse forward or backward.
You may also scale an object up or down by 5% by holding the Ctrl key and pressing the K or L key.
Note: You can toggle Resizing and Rotating Objects to be on or off by selecting the main menu option Edit > resize and Rotate Objects.
Example
Properties – All FlexSim objects have a number of pages or tabs that present variables and information that the modeler can change based on the requirements of the model. See here for more details.
Destroying Objects – To destroy an object, click on that object and press the Delete key.
Connecting Objects
Ports are created and connected in one of two ways:
1) By clicking on one object and dragging to a second object while holding down different letters on the keyboard. If the letter "A" is held down while clicking-and-dragging, an output port will be created on the first object and an input port will be created on the second object. These two new ports will then be automatically connected. Holding down the "S" key will create a central port on both objects and connect the two new ports. Connections are broken and ports deleted by holding down the "Q" for input and output ports and the "W" key for central ports. The following table shows the keyboard letters used to make and break the two types of port connections:
| Output - Input | Center | |
|---|---|---|
| Disconnect | Q | W |
| Connect | A | S |
Example
2) By entering the Connection Mode, which can be entered by clicking the 
button in the main toolbar. Once in the Connection Mode, there are a couple of ways to make a connection between two objects. You can either click on one object, then click on another object, or you can click and drag from one object to the next as with method one. Either way, keep in mind that the flow direction of a connection is dependent on the order in which you make the connection. Flow goes from the first object to the second object.
Connections can be broken by clicking the 
button then clicking or dragging from one object to another in the same manner as when you connected them. Center port connections are not affected by the order in which the objects are connected.
Example
View Navigation
Basic Navigation – To move the model view point, click in an empty area of the view with the left mouse button, and drag the mouse around. To rotate the model view point, click in a blank area with the right mouse button and drag the mouse around. To zoom out or in, use the mouse wheel or hold both left and right mouse buttons down and drag the mouse.
Reset View – You can reset the view to the default view point by right clicking in empty grid space, and select the menu View > Reset View.
