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This topic will discuss how to navigate in this Process Flow view. NOTE: The directions in this topic assume that the process flow view is the active view. To make the process flow view active, simply click on the view.

Creating a New Process Flow

There are two ways to create a new process flow:

• Using the main toolbar
• Using the Toolbox

Both methods will be explained in this section.

Using the Main Toolbar

To create a new process flow using the main toolbar:

1. Create a new model, then click the ProcessFlow button on the main toolbar to open a menu.
2. Select the type of process flow you would like to add. There are four available process flow types:
   • General
   • Fixed Resource
   • Task Executer
   • Subflow

See Types of Process Flows for more information about these four options.

Using the Toolbox

Like other FlexSim Tools, a new Process Flow can be added from the Toolbox (which shares the left pane with the Library). To add a new process flow:

1. Open the Toolbox by clicking the Tools button on the main toolbar.
2. Click the Add button button at the top of the Toolbox to open the menu of available tools.
3. Point to Process Flow, then select the type of process flow you would like to add. There are four available process flow types:
   • General
   • Fixed Resource
   • Task Executer
   • Subflow

See Types of Process Flows for more information about these four options.

Navigating in a Process Flow

Navigating in a process flow is very similar to navigating inside model view. You can zoom in and out and also pan left and right or up and down as needed. However, since process flows only display in 2D, you won't be able to rotate the view.

There are two ways to pan left, right, up, or down:

• Using the mouse, click and drag on any white space in the process flow view.
• Use the scroll wheel to pan up and down. Hold the Shift key while scrolling to pan left and right.

There are two ways to zoom in and out:

• Using the mouse, click and drag using the left and right mouse buttons.
• Hold the Ctrl key and use the scroll wheel.

Rearranging the Process Flow Tabs

If needed, you can change the way that the process flow tab displays in the center pane. For example, you could possibly split the center pane with the model view and the process flow view, or tab them on top of each other so that each takes up the entire pane. To re-arrange the way windows or tabs are displayed or docked:

1. Click on the tab for the process flow you want to move and begin dragging it to another part of the screen.
2. Before you release the mouse button, you'll notice that the window becomes undocked and floats as an independent window outside of the main FlexSim window. If you release your mouse button at this point, the window will continue to be undocked as a separate window.
3. Also as you click on the tab or the window's title bar and drag it around the screen, notice that a Guide Diamond appears near the center of the main FlexSim window, as shown in the following image:

   

4. While still pressing the mouse button, drag the mouse to the Guide Diamond. Notice that the Guide Diamond has five different areas. Each area corresponds to a different way of displaying or docking the window, as explained in the following image:

   

5. As your mouse moves over different areas in the Guide Diamond, notice that the area turns gray to indicate it is selected. Release your mouse when your mouse is positioned over the desired screen position.