Interface Walkthrough
Menu for file management and user management.
Project Browser allows entities and systems to be created in the model.
Canvas where the 2D CAD plan and a rendered 3D view can be viewed.
Inspector allows entities and systems to be programmed to receive additional data.
Active panel defines the state of the building shown
Command Palette where the following tools can be found:
Commands and Logs
Command Shortcuts
View Modes: Plan, Split, and 3D
Snapping
Video walkthrough of the user interface:
Dark Mode
To enable the 'dark' user interface theme, go to the Studio drop down menu, then toggle 'Dark Mode' on. Disable the toggle to return to the default 'Light' theme.
Mouse Controls in Canvas
2D Canvas View
Left Click + Hold: Drag select 
| Right Click + Hold: Pan
 | Middle Scroll Wheel: Zoom  |
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3D Canvas View
Left Click + Hold: Orbit  | Right Click + Hold: Pan  | Middle Scroll Wheel: Zoom 
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Canvas Display Modes
Vertical Screen Split - Viewing orientation with 2D and 3D canvases displayed side-by-side. Note: This is the default viewing orientation.
Horizontal Screen Split - Viewing orientation with 2D and 3D canvases displayed top-and-bottom.
Full Plan Canvas - Hides 3D and maximizes Plan canvas.
Full 3D Canvas - Hides Plan and maximizes 3D canvas.
Command Palette
The Command Palette shows a list of commands for creating entities in Studio. These can be viewed when the 2D view is selected in the Canvas. Command shortcuts are visible when the mouse hovers over the buttons.
Command Log a list view of recently prompted commands and any errors or information associated.
Command Line commands can be typed in here, as well as distances.
Tool Bar shows the selection of tools for editing rooms and edges & creating assemblies and entities.
View Mode can control whether the Canvas is viewed in 2D, 3D or split to show both.
Snap Settings control grid snapping in the Canvas, much like other drafting tools.
Project Browser
The Project Browser contains all of the entities, assemblies, settings and catalogs in the project. The Project Browser controls visibility in the Canvas. Entities can be created and grouped from here as well.
Explorer (active tab below ) - Lists the various Entities, Assemblies, Settings and Catalogs controlled and created in the Explorer. Levels are also created and controlled from here.
Views - Where views can be created and saved. Includes Plan, 3D and Elevation Views.
Options - Where you can create options, or variations, either individually or as Option Sets (ie contain multiple options) that can be conditioned.
Engine - Engine contains all Settings Sets that broadly control settings and catalogs within the model and can be referenced into other models.
Plans - Contains all sheets created for the Construction Document Sets.
Catalogs - Referenced from your Central Data Model, Catalogs can contain standard entities, such as doors, windows, lumber, etc. for use in Studio.
Materials - Contains all materials palettes loaded into the model.
Active Options (active tab below)- The Active Options tab can control Conditioned Options visible in the Canvas. Conditioned Options will be covered in depth in the Options Management section.
Option Presets - Saved views of custom Option Combinations.
Inspector
The inspector is where entities can receive more data. This can include, the name, type settings, size, location, color, etc. To edit entities, select them in the Explorer or in the Canvas.
Entities can be conditioned, meaning they can be hidden to create alternate options.For more information about Conditions, see the Options and Conditions section.
The ‘Breadcrumb’ Menu, located at the top of the Inspector, can be used to navigate Entities, down to their finest details.
For example: the breadcrumb menu starts at the home level, then a level (if multiple levels), then a room, then an edge or prop (depending on what is selected).
You can navigate backwards to any of the upper nested entities by clicking directly on the entity name within the breadcrumb menu.
Home Tab - Under the Home tab in the Inspector:
File access can be managed.
Previous File versions can be restored.
Document References can be added and managed.
Keyboard Shortcuts
As you get to modeling in Higharc, many of the commands have default keyboard shortcuts. You can see these shortcuts by clicking in the Command Line. When you start, the first command you’ll likely use is Rectangle, shortcut “R” to create a room. You can also see all the default shortcuts by navigating to the Studio Menu → File → Keyboard Shortcuts (or holding down both “Shift” and “?”.
Custom Keyboard Shortcuts
You may already have some habits built from previous software for certain commands. You can create custom keyboard shortcuts by accessing Studio drop-down → Keyboard Shortcuts (or by holding down Shift and ?). You can see all the default shortcuts listed, but can also click on any of them you’d like to change, enter the new keyboard shortcut key, click Save to re-assign. You can always reset it back to the default.
For a PDF of all the default Keyboard Shortcuts, download this file: