# Configuration and Environment | Top Previous Next

Nearly all aspects of the FluidFlow application can be configured and customized. The configuration settings that you change are saved, so that each time the application starts your own preferences are applied. Some of the configurations will be familiar, such as changing the position of tool bars, adding buttons, etc., because these customizations are commonly found in professional software. Some aspects of the environment are stored as a subset called an Environment Set. You can make as many environment sets as you need and change between them interactively. An environment set is closely associated with the default input data and units for every component (fluid equipment item) that is available from the component palette as well as how and what calculation results you wish to see. Each environment set stores the following information, and can be easily accessed via a function key: ▪F4 - Provides access to the default settings for each component available from within the program. ▪F5 - Provides access to the data columns you wish to export to Excel. ▪F6 - Allows you to set up Fly By Options. A 'fly by' is the window that appears as you move the mouse over a component on the active flowsheet. It is possible to set the fly by content for each component. ▪F7 - Provides access to the columns you wish to print in your report, or export to Word, HTML, or PDF. ▪F8 - Allows you to configure the contents of the table shown on the Results tab of the data palette. ▪F9 - Allows you to individually set the calculated result units and the number of decimal places you wish to use. After a new installation of FluidFlow there are 2 environment sets already made for you. "System International" and "US Basic". These should form the basis of changes you make. Rather than making the changes to any of the basic sets provided, it is a better idea to make a renamed copy and make the changes to the copy. As an example of how to do this. First change environment to that you wish to copy from, you can do this from the combo box on the main application toolbar. Then select from the menu 'Options | Environment | Save Environment' to a new name. Use the combo box in the main toolbar to change to the newly created environment and then customize by say pressing F9 to change the result units in this set. Here we have made the following changes from the original copy, we are displaying flow in l/min instead of kg/s and we are displaying both pressure and pressure drop in bar a and bar. The number of decimal places shown has also been increased to reflect this change. Load up an example such as "[FluidFlow3 Folder]\QA Incompressible Flow\Boosters\4 Pumps in Parallel 3 Operating" which has text on the flowsheet. Move to the Results tab on the data palette and then change environment set. You will see that the flowsheet results and the table results update immediately to show the new conditions.