Backstage Menu

The application menu ("Innovator button") contains commands for working with models; this can be found in the top left-hand corner of the program window.

Familiarizing Yourself with the Application Menu

The application menu opens if you click on the Innovator button. This is known as the so-called "backstage view".The ribbon contains commands for working in a model, whereas the application menu contains commands for working with a model.

Where is the application menu?

The application menu can be found in the top left-hand corner of the ribbon.

Note:

You can quickly exit the application menu of your model by clicking on the Start tab or pressing the [Esc] key on your keyboard.

Did the application menu exist in Innovator eXcellence or classiX?

No, this menu is new for Innovator X Generation.The Exit Innovator command used to be in the Element menu in the previous Innovator product generations.The other commands in this menu which aren't new to this version could be found in the Model menu.

The application menu contains various commands for models and tabs for various application areas.

Login

This command opens the dialog for selecting a model to login to this model.
Switch Role

This command opens the dialog for selecting the role.
Logout

This command logs the user out and the active model is closed. The Innovator client application is not closed.

Tab Diagram Overview

The Diagram Overview tab shows you previews of the diagrams of the active model once you have logged-in to a model.

The Diagram Overview is grouped according to the first letter of the diagram names. If you e.g. choose the "N" entry in the index then you will get an overview of all all diagrams with names that start with "N", irrelevant of the respective diagram type used.

Note:

A preview is only shown if the diagram was saved using Innovator 11 R4 or higher.The various diagrams will contain the information "Preview not available" for models which were transformed from Innovator 11 R3 or an earlier version until they are saved for the first time in the new version.

You can carry out the following actions in the Diagram Overview backstage once you have selected one of the preview images:

You can directly open the respective diagram by double-clicking or clicking on Open.
You can print the respective diagram on your standard printer by clicking on Quick Print.

Tab Information

This Information tab contains meta data about the model and various commands which can be executed depending on the status of the model user:

Change log

The change log which is grouped according to users shows the change sets of the respective user, i.e. all relevant changes made by a certain user in this model.

Note:

Change logs can only be (de)activated by the model administrator.

Version Management

Manage Versions

You can use these commands to create new versions of this model (baselines) and reactivate old versions.

Note:
Model versions can be created and reactivated by the model administrator and all users who are logged-in with the "Version" privilege.
Import & Export

You can use these commands to import and export version files

User Account

If you are logged-in to a model you can change the password for this model here.

Tab Recently Used

The Recently Used tab contains two lists of documents that were last edited in this model and the models last used.

You can carry out the following actions directly in the Recently Used tab:

Clicking on an entry in the Recently Edited in this Model list opens the respective document.

Clicking on the button adds the document to the recently-used documents.
Clicking on an entry in the Most Recently Used Models list means you can login to the respective model again.

Tab Create & Send Documentation

The Create & Send Documentation tab contains commands for publishing model contents, meaning non-Innovator users can also access the models.

Publish model documentation

You can create documentation which contains all or partial information from a model at a particular development state using Innovator. Documentation generation settings such as e.g. the output format you want, are available as so-called "documentation commands".

The following functions exist for generating a documentation:

Microsoft Office Word Document

The As Word Document function can be used if configuration of your model has at least one documentation command which can be used to create the "Word for Windows" output format.

Clicking on the As Word Document button starts the Documentation Generation Wizard.
XML File / HTML Pages

The As XML/HTML function can be used if configuration of your model has at least one documentation command which can be used to create the "XML" output format.

Clicking on the As XML/HTML button starts the Documentation Generation Wizard.
Document Preview

The Preview function can be used if configuration of your model has at least one documentation command which can be used to create the "Preview Window" output format.

Clicking on the Preview button starts the Documentation Generation Wizard.
Use Documentation Wizard

The Document Wizard function can be used if configuration of your model has at least one documentation command which can be used to create any output format.

Clicking on the Document Wizard button starts the Documentation Generation Wizard.

Redo most recent document generation

Click on the Redo Generation button to use the settings last used for the Documentation Creation Wizard to structure documentation for the model elements currently selected in the application's active window. The wizard doe not restart and the documentation is immediately created.

Send by e-mail

These commands create a new e-mail draft with files attached in a certain format. You can edit this draft before sending it to the desired recipient as an e-mail.

Note:

The functions for sending files in e-mails uses the Outlook Mail API; Microsoft Outlook 2003 (or newer) needs to be installed for it to work.

Portable Network Graphics (PNG) File

Click on the Send as PNG button to create a file in PNG format for each diagram which belongs to the current selection in the application's active window to add as an attachment in the e-mail.
Enhanced Metafile Format (EMF) File

Click on the Send as EMF button to create a file in EMF format for each diagram which belongs to the current selection in the application's active window to add as an attachment in the e-mail.
Version File

Click on the Send as Attachment button to create a file in Innovator's own AOB format and attach to an e-mail; the contents corresponds to the current selection in the application's active window.

TabAdministrative Tasks

The Administrative Tasks tab contains commands which can only be accessed by a model administrator or a user with special privileges:

Activate Administrator Mode

Standard users can temporarily activate Administrator Mode here.
Note:
- This mode is permanently activated for the Model Administrator role and cannot be deactivated.
- This mode is permanently deactivated for the Guest role and roles with read-only rights and cannot be activated.
Editing Model Configuration

Opens the configuration editor.

Note:
Changes to the configuration can be carried out by the model administrator and all users who are logged-in with the Config privilege.
Load and Save Model Templates
Creating a New Package

Different dialogs appear depending on the edition you are using:
- The Enterprise edition has a wizard to help you create a new model. You can enter required parameters, such as model template, repository etc.
- The Professional edition creates a new model using a dialog box and selecting a model template.
- The Personal edition creates a new model using a dialog box and a set model template.

Tab Help

The Help tab contains functions to make it easier to use Innovator.

Support

Click on the Innovator Help button to start your Internet browser and access the Help.
Click on the Visit the Online Service Area button to start your Internet browser and access the Service area on the MID homepage.
Click on the Contact Us button to create an e-mail with a question for the MID support team. You can edit this draft before sending it to MID support as an e-mail.

Tools for working with Innovator X

Click on the Options button to open the Options dialog and customize settings for various parts of the interface.

About Innovator X Generation

You can find information about your Innovator license here, including the precise version identification, serial number and host identification.

If you have multiple licenses for various editions of this Innovator version then you can use the button to jump to the edition you are currently using.

Note:

This button can only be seen if you are using various editions of this Innovator version on multiple licenses.

Additional Version and System Information

The About Innovator X Generation dialog contains information about the license, environment variables, operating system, hardware and assemblies. This information may help MID technical support to determine the reasons for errors. This information is not relevant when using Innovator.

It contains information about:

License

You can find information about the serial number, host identification etc. here
Environment Variables

Innovator environment variable values
System

Windows version, free RAM and rendering
Hardware

Graphics, CPU and RAM
Assemblies

Table of all program components with manufacturer, product version etc.

The Copy to Clipboard button allows you to copy the information into a document or an e-mail.

Options

This command opens the Options dialog where you can make settings for various areas of the interface to apply to your computer.
Exit Innovator

This command closes the application if no models are open or if the Always close Innovator option is set. Otherwise you can close the active model or exit Innovator and, in doing so, close all open models.

Note:
This command closes all Innovator programs in the Personal edition, i.e. the program interface and the repository server and license server processes running in the background.