# Interface Overview

This page describes the main elements of the TunnelCAD window and where to find the tools you need.

## Title bar

The title bar shows the application name followed by the current project file name. If the project has unsaved changes, an asterisk (`*`) is appended to the name. When no project is open the title bar shows only "TunnelCAD".

## Menu bar

The menu bar provides access to all commands organized into the following menus:

**File**
: New Project, Open, Save, Save As, Convert TCM, Export/Import LandXML, Recent Files, Close, Settings, Exit.

**Tunnel**
: Add Tunnel, Delete Tunnel, Import Geometry (load an `.alm` alignment file).

**View**
: Toggle visibility of the Command Line panel and Properties panel.

**Section**
: Section-related commands (also accessible from the ribbon).

**Template**
: Edit Templates -- opens the template editor dialog.

**Volume**
: Volume definition and computation commands.

**Point Cloud**
: Import point cloud files (LAS/LAZ/E57), Attach pre-processed `.iqpc` files, Section Viewer.

**Test**
: Diagnostic tools including Volume Calc Test.

**Reports**
: Line Data, Line vs Theoretical, DR Trend / Stats. See {doc}`../reports/index`.

**Help**
: Manual (F1 — opens `TunnelCAD_Manual.pdf` from the executable directory), License Manager, About dialog.

```{tip}
Keyboard shortcuts are shown next to menu items. Common ones include **Ctrl+N** (New), **Ctrl+O** (Open), **Ctrl+S** (Save), **Ctrl+W** (Close), **Ctrl+Q** (Exit), and **F1** (Manual).
```

## Ribbon toolbar

The ribbon toolbar sits below the menu bar and provides quick access to the most frequently used operations. It is organized into tabs, each containing grouped buttons.

### Sections tab

The default ribbon tab, divided into four panes:

Navigation
: **Prev** / **Next** -- step through cross-sections one at a time.

Section
: **Add** -- add a new section (single station or range). **Delete** -- delete the current section. **Del Range** -- delete multiple sections by station range.

Template
: **Assign** -- open the template editor to define and assign design profiles. **Copy** -- copy template definitions between tunnels in the same project.

Section Edit
: **Sort** -- sort measured points within section lines. **Filter Elev** -- delete points above or below an elevation threshold. **Filter DR** -- delete points by deviation ratio. **Closed** -- batch toggle open/closed override on section lines. **Close to Lvl** -- extend line ends to a target elevation. **Close Invert** -- add invert closure points near the tunnel axis.

### Home tab

Always visible. Holds project-level and help commands:

Project
: **New** / **Open** / **Save** / **Save As** / **Close**.

Settings
: **Settings** -- opens the Application Settings dialog.

Help
: **Help** -- opens `TunnelCAD_Manual.pdf` from the executable directory (same as the Help menu entry, and F1). **License** -- opens the License Manager dialog where users can activate/deactivate a serial, edit the **Server URL** that points to the activation server, or use **Clear License** to remove the license file from this PC without a server round-trip (with confirmation). **About** -- shows the About dialog with the version, build date, copyright and licensed modules.

### Point Cloud tab

Contains a single pane:

Import
: **Load** -- import a point cloud file. **Clear** -- remove the loaded point cloud from memory.

### Analytics tab

Visible when the Analytics view is active. Contains:

Parameters
: **Mode** (Measured vs Template / Measured vs Measured), **Measured** and **Reference** combo boxes. These stay synchronised with the active tunnel (see {ref}`active-tunnel-sync`).

Station Range
: **From** and **To** text boxes accepting chainage values. Filled on activation with the tunnel's chainage range.

Analysis
: **Analyze** -- run the analytics pipeline. **Settings** -- open the Analytics Configuration dialog.

Export
: **XLSX** -- workbook with per-section metrics and grading criteria. **PDF** -- per-section PDF. **DXF** -- annotated section drawings.

Reports
: **Grade** -- Grade quality PDF report. **Clearance** -- Clearance PDF report (with the new clearance heatmap page and critical-only filter that now applies to the details table too). **Tolerance** -- Tolerance PDF report with methodology pages, tolerance heatmap and USL/LSL corridor sketches.

## Workspace area

The central area of the window is occupied by the project workspace. Each open project appears as a tab in a page control, allowing you to work with multiple projects simultaneously. Within each project tab, the workspace is divided into three canvas tabs along the bottom edge:

Sections
: Displays the current cross-section in local coordinates (offset vs. elevation relative to the alignment axis). Measured lines are overlaid on template lines so you can visually assess deviations.

Alignment
: Shows the tunnel alignment in world coordinates (Easting/Northing). Useful for viewing the overall geometry and section locations along the route.

Point Cloud
: Renders imported point cloud data using OpenGL. Requires a graphics card with OpenGL support.

```{note}
The Sections canvas is where most day-to-day monitoring work happens. Use **Prev**/**Next** on the ribbon or the section details grid to navigate between stations.
```

## Project tree

The left side of the workspace contains the project tree, which gives a hierarchical view of the tunnel project structure:

```
Project Name
  +-- Tunnel 1
  |     +-- Line Definitions
  |     +-- Template Lines
  |     +-- Templates
  |     +-- Sections
  |     +-- Volumes
  +-- Tunnel 2
        +-- ...
```

Line Definitions
: Named measured-data line types (e.g., "Excavation", "Final Lining", "Shotcrete").

Template Lines
: Named design-profile line types used in templates.

Templates
: Design profiles that define the theoretical tunnel shape at a given station.

Sections
: The list of measured cross-sections along the alignment.

Volumes
: Volume definitions that pair measured and template lines for overbreak/underbreak calculations.

Clicking an item in the tree navigates to that element and updates the canvas and detail panels.

## Right-side panel

The right side of the window contains a panel with two tabs, separated from the workspace by a draggable splitter:

Properties
: An object inspector that shows the properties of the currently selected entity on the canvas. You can edit values directly in this grid.

Section Details
: A read-only grid showing key data for the current cross-section, including station chainage, section name, bearing, assigned template, axis elevation, gradient, and lateral offsets.

```{tip}
You can toggle the right panel on or off via **View > Properties**. Drag the splitter to resize it.
```

## Command line panel

A resizable panel at the bottom of the window (below the canvas area) provides a command line interface. Toggle it via **View > Command Line**.

The command line displays feedback messages from operations (import results, computation summaries, errors) and accepts typed commands.

## Status bar

The status bar at the very bottom of the window has two sections:

- **Coordinate display** (left) -- shows the current cursor position in canvas coordinates as you move the mouse.
- **Status text** (right) -- shows "Ready" or contextual messages during operations.