Do I have to learn
Command Language in order to use SYNOPSYSTM?
The short answer is no. You can run most features just by
clicking menu and dialog items with the mouse. As you become
familiar with the program, however, you will learn a few commands that
let you get where you want to go in an instant, instead of drilling
down through a menu tree. You may not realize what a timesaver
this is, since your current program may not have any command language
at all and won't let you do this even if you want to.
Let me illustrate:
1. Suppose you want to see a diffraction point-spread function
for your lens. There are several ways to get it. If you
click on the top toolbar selection "EZ Menus", you get the following
choices (we have expanded the tree here, so you can see the options).
You could select "Menu Tree", then "Diffraction Image Analysis",
and then "MDI -- Diffraction Analysis".
The Menu Tree breaks things up in a natural way, and you can follow
those leads to any feature you want. A somewhat faster way is to
select the MLI -- List All Menus choice, which shows all menus in the
program. Then click "MDI" in the Diffraction Image Analysis
section.
Yet another way is to select the Main Menu Mode and then follow a tree
of dialogs that open. In any event, you wind up at the MDI dialog:
Now enter the parameters for the PSPRD analysis (the Multicolor option,
on
axis, for this example), and click the PSPRD button (or press the
<Enter> key) ...
... and there's your picture.
Okay, suppose you want to do this again, at a different field point.
You could of course drill down through the menu tree again
and get a new picture. That's what you would have to do with ZemaxTM
--
but here's where the Command Language is a great timesaver. See
what's on the Command Window?
Type <ENTER> to return to dialog.
Just press the <Enter> key -- and you're back at the MDI dialog!
Change the field point to 0.5, press the <Enter> key again,
and you're done. (The program remembers which button you used,
and that becomes the default) So -- three keystrokes to
get your new picture. Try that
with a mouse-only interface!
2. And there's more. Yes, it even gets easier. Now
that you've run the a command from the MDI dialog, click the top
toolbar button,
on "MACro".
Second line from the bottom executes the :LMM command. When you
use the mouse in this way, the program is creating commands for you. So
you don't have to remember them if you don't want to. Click
the LMM link, and a MACro editor opens up::
SYNOPSYS has created a MACro for you and has filled in the command
needed
to generate the picture you just created. You could type that
line yourself if you were going to do it in command mode. The LMM
function works for almost
every dialog in SYNOPSYS. That way you don't have to memorize any
of the command syntax yourself. (And the program automatically reminds you of the syntax if you
start typing a command like this. We have worked hard to make SYNOPSYS
the most user-friendly lens design program in the world.)
Now that the command is in the editor, you have lots of options:
1. Click the RUN MACro button (the leftmost). You get your
picture again.
2. Edit a parameter. The window you are looking at is a
text editor, so you can change anything you want. Change the
field point from 0.5 to 1.0, and then run the MACro to see the
full-field image.
3. Save the MACro by clicking on the Save As button (fifth from
left). The program asks for a name. How about PSPRD?
Now you can run this MACro anytime you want. You can load
the MACro into an editor at another time by clicking the Open MACro
button ...
... and selecting the name when prompted. Or you can open a
new editor by clicking one button to the left, and then go
to the
List MACro dialog with the button
,
which brings up a list of MACros where you can select the one you want.
Okay, we've shown you how to do lots of things without remembering or
entering any commands yourself.. But try these timesavers:
Type LMM to load the last dialog command sequence, without using the
mouse.
Type MDI to go directly to the MDI menu.
Type MIM to go directly to that one ...
... and so on.
Get the pattern? Every dialog has a name, and if you just type
that name, you go there in an instant. Mice everywhere are
jealous.
Type MLI to get to the dialog showing all menus in the program again.
No drilling
down. See, you don't have to use
the mouse to get there, unless you want to. SYNOPSYS gives you a
choice. Does your current program?
Type LM PSPRD to load the MACro you just saved into an editor.
(LM means 'Load MACro'.)
Type EM PSPRD to execute that MACro without loading the editor first.
The keyboard is a powerful resource, and it makes sense to use
it. Don't you agree?
So, no, you don't have to
remember or use any commands. But once you learn a few, you'll be
delighted at how much easier and faster you can work. Faster than
you are now, for sure.
Watch the video tutorial, if you are not
already convinced that SYNOPSYS is the
most powerful and friendly lens-design program in the world. The
button below links to a zip file.
And then download and install SYNOPSYS. When you run it the first
time, navigate in the Help file to the Tutorial Manual. You'll be
pleased at the friendly power you now have at your fingertips.
