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The ContamW Graphical User Interface
The CONTAM graphical user interface (GUI) is what you use to create and view your airflow and contaminant dispersal analysis projects. It consists mainly of a drawing region referred to as the SketchPad, a set of drawing tools, a title bar, a set of menus, and a status bar. The following sections provide brief explanations of each of the features of the CONTAMW GUI. See the Using CONTAMW section for details on how to use these features.
SketchPad
The SketchPad is the region of the CONTAM screen where you draw the schematic representation of a building you wish to analyze. This representation is in the form of a set of simplified floor plans that represent the levels of a building. The SketchPad is used to establish the geometric relationships of the relevant building features and is not intended to produce a scale drawing of a building. It should be used to create a simplified model where the walls, zones, and airflow paths are topologically similar to the actual building.
Title Bar
The title bar is the typical rectangular region at the top of the main CONTAM window. The CONTAM project filename will be displayed within this region.
Menu
The menu is typical of a Windows program with differences that provide functionality specific to the CONTAM application. It is through this menu that most CONTAM operations can be performed including: saving and retrieving project files, selecting various modes of display, setting up and performing simulations, as well as accessing the on-line help system. Note that some of the menu items have shortcuts or hot-keys that enable quick access; for example, to save the current project file use the Ctrl+S key combination.
Toolbar
The toolbar, shown in the following figure, appears below the menu and provides convenient shortcuts to some of the menu items. Several of the toolbar buttons are similar to those found in other Windows applications. Other buttons provide a shortcut to functionality specific to CONTAM.
Status Bar
The status bar, shown in the following figures, is the region displayed below the SketchPad at the bottom of the main window. This region is broken up into three separate panes that display various information depending on the current mode of the SketchPad.
Status Bar during Normal Mode of operation
Status Bar displaying airflow path results during Results Viewing Mode of operation
