# 2 Getting Started

If all goes well during installation you will notice upon starting Grasshopper (GH) that there is a new category called Karamba3D on the component panel. It consists of roughly ten subsections (see fig. 2.1). In case you do not see any icons select **“Draw All Components”** in Grasshopper's **“View”**-menu.

The installation can be tested by placing a Karamba3D **“License”**-component on the canvas: it should not issue a warning or error. If not, see section [4.1.3](https://manual-2.karamba3d.com/troubleshooting/4.3.-miscellaneous-problems/licensing) for how to solve that issue.

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On Apple machines make sure to have Microsoft's [.NET Framework 4.5](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653) in case of Rhino6 and [version 4.8](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-net-framework-4-8-offline-installer-for-windows-9d23f658-3b97-68ab-d013-aa3c3e7495e0) in case of Rhino7.
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![Fig. 2.1: Category “Karamba3D” on the component panel](https://442610158-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MCkDlhlZpqUmakSqOrp%2F-MgtTitBqE9U1jPDsbfy%2F-MgtXdSMCfSPJa280qCQ%2Fgrafik.png?alt=media\&token=5a2904e8-966a-4a6f-9645-30bc54027b78)

These are the subsections which show up in the Karamba3D category:

| Tab             | Function                                                                                                                                                |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| License         | The **“License”-**component contained in here delivers information regarding the current type of license and how to get a pro-version of Karamba3D |
| Params          | containers for Karamba3D objects like beams, loads, models, . .                                                                                         |
| 1.Model         | lets you create a basic models with default settings for cross sections and materials                                                                   |
| 2.Load          | components for defining external forces                                                                                                                 |
| 3.Cross Section | contains components to create and select cross sections for elements.                                                                                   |
| 4.Materials     | components for the definition and selection of materials                                                                                                |
| 5.Algorithms    | components for analyzing the structural model                                                                                                           |
| 6.Results       | for the retrieval of calculation results                                                                                                                |
| 7.Export🔷      | for exporting Karamba3D-models to RStab or Robot via DStV-file                                                                                          |
| 8.Utilities     | contains some extra geometric functionality that makes it easier to handle and optimize models                                                          |
| x1.ParamUI      | components for controlling the display of models via parameter-input only                                                                               |

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The colors of Karamba3D’s icons have a special meaning: black or white designates the entity or entities on which a component acts. Products of components get referenced by a blue symbol.
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