Partial Differential Equation Toolbox

Using the PDE Toolbox Graphical User Interface

The PDE Toolbox includes a complete graphical user interface (GUI), which covers all aspects of the PDE solution process. You start it by typing

• pdetool 
  

at the MATLAB command line. It may take a while the first time you launch pdetool during a MATLAB session. The figure below shows the pdetool GUI as it looks when you start it.

At the top, the GUI has a pull-down menu bar that you use to control the modeling. It conforms to common pull-down menu standards. Menu items followed by a right arrow lead to a submenu. Menu items followed by an ellipsis lead to a dialog box. Stand-alone menu items lead to direct action. Below the menu bar, a toolbar with icon buttons provide quick and easy access to some of the most important functions.

To the right of the toolbar is a pop-up menu that indicates the current application mode. You can also use it to change the application mode. The upper right part of the GUI also provides the x- and y-coordinates of the current cursor position. It is updated when you move the cursor inside the main axes area in the middle of the GUI. The edit box for the set formula contains the active set formula. In the main axes you draw the 2-D geometry, display the mesh, plot the solution, etc. At the bottom of the GUI, an information line provides information about the current activity. It can also display help information about the toolbar buttons.

Basics of the Finite Element Method

The Menus