After each command that affects the geometry of the model (not, for example, display or file commands), DeskArtes makes a so-called backup file (called safe_system) which contains the modeling situation preceding the command. This is used for undoing commands with the UNDO command.
By clicking at BACKUP, you may prevent DeskArtes from making backups. You might want to do this with very large models, as it might take too long to write the backup file after each command. To allow making backups, click at BACKUP again.
However, there's an alternative to make the backups faster. Normally the backup files are stored in the current model directory. If the model directory is located somewhere else in the network than the workstation from which DeskArtes is used, it will be much faster to store the files on the machine's local disk. This behavior can be controlled with command SYSTEMÞBackup Control.
This command cancels the last commands, which has changed the geometry of the model.
If BACKUP has been disabled, UNDO reverts to the last backup file available.
If the commands is executed immediately after launching DeskArtes and selecting the last used directory, UNDO reads in the latest modeling situation (backup file) within the directory. This means that model geometry will not be lost in case of a program crash or power failure.
See command SYSTEMÞBackup Control on how to optimize the speed of UNDOing.
Note: File Window or visualization commands may not be canceled with UNDO.
If the same modeling commands need to be performed repeatedly, it is useful to make a command series of the commands, i.e. teach a lesson to the system.
The command TEACH writes the subsequent commands and editing functions into the specified command file, until the TEACH button is clicked again. The lesson may then be automatically repeated with the EXEC button (see below).
Note: During the time the command series is being recorded, you may not use the Object Window or the File Window commands. Target object selection must therefore be performed with the SELECT menu commands.
This command executes a command series, created with TEACH, a given number of times.
Before execution starts, you are asked whether new command parameters will be requested at every step of the execution, or whether the ones in the lesson will be used.
You can also determine whether the commands should be executed automatically, or if you want to confirm each step before executing.
Finally, there’s an option to have a brief delay between the commands, to make the execution look nicer. If you want to run the command series as fast as possible, just use zero delay.
Note: As you give EXEC, the commands are executed just as they were taught, with no intelligence added. In particular, be sure you have the right target object selected before you start, the program won't be able to decide it for you. Note also that graphic picking may be dangerous under TEACH: it could pick wrong objects if the viewing window or the objects change with EXEC.