Step 1: Starting Simile: what's on the screen

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Starting Simile

You start Simile by double-clicking on the desktop icon created during installation, or by clicking on the Simile icon in the Start Menu.

These are both shortcuts to the file <Simile Program Files>\System\bin\Simile.exe, where <Simile Program Files> is the directory you chose to install the program. By default, this is commonly "C:\Program Files\Simile50", though if you are using a network, it may be on a remote hard drive. If you would like to be able to start Simile from a different location, create a shortcut to this file.

Linux users can start Simile by typing the command 'simile' in a terminal. Also, a shortcut is added to the Science/Education submenu of the Applications menu, which can be dragged to the desktop or taskbar, depending on your desktop environment.

On a Mac, Simile will be added to the Applications folder, from which it can be dragged to the desktop or task bar.

Within a few seconds, the main window will be displayed.

The Main Window

When Simile starts, you see a single window. This contains:
 

• a menu bar (at the top of the screen on a Mac), containing a standard File menu, some menus specific to Simile, and a Help menu. Hold the mouse over the title for each menu to see the options it contains.
   
• a toolbar, extending over two rows. The top row has standard tools (e.g. for opening and closing files), plus some specific to Simile.

• a component bar, containing buttons corresponding to each type of model-diagram element: you will use these for building up your model diagram. The right-hand part contains buttons for editing the model diagram. Hold the mouse over each button to get a brief description of its function.

• an equation bar, for entering equations into the model. At the right-hand end of the equation bar are the tools to accept or reject changes to equations, and to help build equations.
   
• a big blank area (the "desktop canvas") with faint lines. This is where you will draw your model diagram. The grid can help you arrange your diagram neatly.

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