The Sketch Mode

The sketch mode uses a canvas on which you can place form objects freely. However, COMSOL places the objects in a grid when creating the user interface for the running application. This grid does not allow for completely free positioning, which means that the layout you create in sketch mode will only be approximately what you get when running the application. Use the sketch mode as a starting point to quickly create a layout that is roughly what you want, then switch to grid mode for the fine tuning. A grid is then created based on where you have placed the form objects in the sketch mode.

Adding and Selecting Form Objects

To add a form object, select the object from the palette that opens when you click the Insert Object button on the Form ribbon toolbar (see The Form Objects for details about the available form objects). The form object of the selected type is then added to the canvas and you can drag it to where you want it.

When you add a form object, it becomes selected. To select another form object, click it. Using Ctrl-click or by clicking and dragging a box to surround some form objects, you can select multiple form objects.

To delete form objects, select them and then press Delete or click the Delete button () on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Showing Grid Lines and Snapping to the Grid

To display the grid lines for the grid that divides the form and to which you can snap the form objects, click the Show Grid Lines button () in the Sketch section of the Form ribbon toolbar. When you interactively resize a form object using its handles, the form object snaps to the grid. Click the Show Grid Lines button () again to turn off the display of the grid lines and the snap-to-grid behavior. You control the grid and snap settings in the Sketch Grid section of the Form node’s Settings window.

Arranging Form Objects

When dragging a form object, lines appear to help you align the objects relative to each other. There is also an Arrange menu () in the Sketch section of the Form ribbon toolbar with the following tools to align the form objects:

•	Select Align Left () to left align selected form objects to the leftmost object’s position.

•	Select Align Center () to horizontally center selected form objects.

•	Select Align Right () to right align selected form objects to the rightmost object’s position.

•	Select Align Top () to top align selected form objects to the topmost object’s position.

•	Select Align Middle () to vertically center selected form objects.

•	Select Align Bottom () to bottom align selected form objects to the bottommost object’s position.