Environment - Display
Date Entry Fields
Display date using long format
In the Windows Control Panel, in Regional Settings, you can configure a format for both Short Date and Long Date. This option determines which of these two is used.
Font Combo Boxes
These options control the appearance of font pulldown lists.
TrueType Bitmaps
Switch this option on if you want Impact to show an icon representing whether the font is a Windows TrueType font (TTF) or a built-in line font.
Draw using TrueType fonts
Use the actual font when displaying the font name.
Drawing Canvases
Scrollbars
This option determines whether horizontal and vertical scrollbars are displayed on every drawing, to aid panning.
Rulers
This option determines whether horizontal and vertical rulers are displayed on every drawing, to aid measurement.
Anti-flicker
This version of Impact uses powerful new techniques for visualising and displaying your drawing canvases on modern hardware. Anti-flicker uses multiple buffers to eliminate flashing of the canvas as you move the cursor across it. In combination with Auto-repaint, your entire display is kept up-to-date, always crisp and clear, whenever you interact with it. These options vastly improve your experience and the performance of your system overall.
Preferred viewing for layers
There is an entry on the Layer Properties - General page called Preferred Face. This allows you to specify a preferred face for each layer. Whenever the current layer is changed, if this option is switched on, then the viewed face could be automatically changed to match the preferred face, if necessary.
Auto-repaint
If, for example, Impact deletes an entity that is on top of another entity, the hidden entity will not be visible. With this option switched on, Impact will automatically redraw the screen in such situations.
Layer Tabs
Enables a tab at the bottom of the drawing for each of the layers allowing quicker layer changing.
Scroll Width
Determines how much of the scroll bar area is to be used for the Layer Tabs (as a percentage).
Direction and status indicators
Use this option to control the display of the indicator buttons below the drawing. These are the Constraint Manager, Grid Coordinates, Grid Type, Machine Direction, Flute/Grain Direction and Visible Face buttons. In fact, these buttons are not just indicators, as you can click them to toggle the values of the settings.
Animation controls
Use this option to control the display of the animation controls on a 3D layer.
Highlighters
Highlighters
Switch this option on if you want to use the Highlighter feature.
Tool Selection Markers
You can use this option to switch off the tool selection markers in tools such as Trim > Break, Trim > Chamfer, Line > Bisect angle and some Stripping knife modes.
Size
Use the slider bar to configure the size of the highlighters.
Status Bar Panels
Determines the contents of the Status Bar at the bottom of the Impact window.
Help messages
Shows help messages from each tool (it is recommended that you have this switched on).
User login name
Shows the database connection name and the user identification.
Drawing save status
Shows an icon (of a diskette) if the current drawing has been modified, and so requires saving.
Memory and DB usage
Shows the amount of memory currently in use and the number of database connections.
Snap messages
Some snap tools (ones which require multiple clicks) display additional messages. Switch this option on to display them. Again, this is a recommended setting.
Current block name
Shows the name of the block you are in (the Current Block) or the name of the layer if you are not in a sub-block.
Position coordinates
Shows the position of the cursor as you move it over the drawing, using the current block coordinate system.