Using Tool Windows

Tool windows are windows which exist only once for each model you are logged-in to. A tool window provides you with specific information about the model and model elements.

What are tool windows?

There is precisely one tool window of a certain type for each model. A tool window is either shown or not. You cannot explicitly close a tool window. A tool window is implicitly closed if you log-out of the model.

If you close a tool window, it is only hidden. If you show it again, it looks the same as when you closed it.

If you log-out of the model, some tool windows save the data on the hard drive and this information is available in the same model when you log-in again. This is how the result region stores e.g. how wide the individual columns are set to.

Typical tool windows include Model Contents and Properties.

Tool Window Options

Tool windows can also be shown using the following options:

Float
The tool window floats as its own window and is not in a fixed position
Dock
Fixed display of the tool window in the tool window area; this option also allows for Auto Hide
Dock as Document
Embedded display of tool window in document area

You can reach tool window options as follows:

Using the icon in the tool window title and in the Float and Dock views via the context menu.
Using the tab's context menu in the Dock as Document view

If you move the tool window, an icon appears to help you with positioning; if you do not position it, the tool window can be docked in the document or tool window area again.

Showing Tool Windows

Context

You can show a tool window if it is hidden. If you show it again, it looks the same as when you closed it. This depends on whether the tool window's contents is influenced by the selection or other things which could have changed in the meantime.

Some tool windows can be called via commands other than View>Windows>Tool Windows:

Info tool window with > Info (Shift+F1)
Model Element List tool window in the Model Structure with Show Model Element List and with Location in Model Element List (Ctrl+Shift+M)
Beamer tool window with Extras>Beamer>Beamer
Tool window for Activity-Based Costing with Extras>Activity-Based Costing

How to proceed

Select the desired tool window in the View>Windows>Tool Windows submenu.

The tool window is shown.