The first set of three icons is for manipulating the display. The second set of icons is a group of module-specific tools that are used for creating and editing objects in the graphics window. The set of icons shown in this section of the tool palette are a function of the active module. A unique set of tools is provided for each module. The macros are a set of icons at the bottom of the tool palette.
Macros are shortcuts to frequently used menu commands.
The help strip at the bottom of the SMS windows is used to display context-sensitive help. As you move the cursor over an item in a dialog, a menu command, or one of tools or buttons in the main window, a help string describing the function of the item is displayed in the help strip. The help strip is also used to display the coordinates and other status information corresponding to the cursor location or selected objects. When constructing a model within SMS, the first step is often to import and register a scanned digital image or aerial photo. This makes it possible to perform on- screen digitizing and ensures that objects are created at the proper location.