Changes

Glossary of EM.Cube's CAD Tools

2 bytes removed, 03:00, 16 January 2017
[[Image:Distance1_new.png|thumb|500px|Measuring the distance between two snap points.]]
</td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Explode Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:explode_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Explode'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Q'''
 
FUNCTION: Breaks up one or more selected objects selection into their constituent primitives
 
TO EXPLODE AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Explode Tool'''.
# Click on the objects you want to explode one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# The original object selection is replaced with a larger set of objects of lower dimensionality.
 
For example, a solid object explodes into a number of surface objects that formed its faces. A surface object explodes into a number of curve objects that formed its edges.
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: Composite (group) and Boolean objects explode into their original constituent objects. An array object explodes into the set of its individual elements. A polystrip or NURBS strip object explodes into its boundary polyline or NURBS curve, respectively.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: explode(object)
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-73_tn_new.png|thumb|600px|A pyramid object exploded into its constituent faces. One face has been selected and subsequently removed.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-44_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|Grouping several objects as a single composite object.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Intersect Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:intersect_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Intersect'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''I'''
 
FUNCTION: Forms an intersection of an object selection in the Boolean sense
 
TO INTERSECT AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Intersect Tool'''.
# Click on the objects you want to intersect one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# The original object selection is replaced with a new Boolean object with a new default name.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: intersect(label,object_1,object_2)
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-51_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|(Left) Two overlapping boxes and (Right) the result of their Boolean intersection.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
== Link Tool ==
 
ICON: [[File:link_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Link'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''K'''
 
FUNCTION: Links the local coordinate system (LCS) of an object to the LCS of another object
 
TO LINK AN OBJECT:
 
# Activate the '''Link Tool'''.
# Click on the object you want to link. A ghost of the selected object appears in the project workspace, which will float around as you drag the mouse.
# Next, hover your mouse over the second object to be linked to (the parent object) and highlight one of its snap points.
# Left-click to link the selected object. Depending on the type of the selected snap point of the second object, the orientation of the linked objects may change.
# The property dialog of the linked object opens up on the lower right corner of the screen. In the Link section of the property dialog, you will see the name of the second object as the '''Parent''' of the linked object.
 
The linkage relationship is one-way. The child object has a pointer to its parent and always follows it, but the opposite it not true. For example, if you move a child object, its link with its parent is broken, and it becomes an independent object.
 
 
PYTHON COMMANDs:
 
set_lcs_link(object,lcs_obj,x_off,y_off,z_off)
 
set_rot_link(object,lcs_obj,x_off_deg,y_off_deg,z_off_deg)
 
 
<b>General Linking Rules</b>
 
# When an object is linked, both the location and orientation of its LCS are tied to a control point of its parent object.
# The way an objects links to another object depends on the type of the parent object as well as the type of the linking control point. Objects link differently to solids, surfaces or curves.
# When an object is linked to another object's face, its local Z-axis is aligned along the normal to the plane of the parent object's face.
# When an object is linked to another object's edge, its local Y-axis is aligned along the parent object's edge, while its local X-axis is aligned along the normal to that edge. In addition, the LCS of the linked object is placed at an X-offset equal to half its X-dimension from the parent's edge. In other words, the link object is connected to the parent object from outside at the linking edge.
# When an object is linked to the nodes of a polyline or NURBS curve, the local Y-axis of the linked object is aligned with the tangent to the parent curve at the linking node.
 
 
<b>Link Properties</b>
 
The property dialog of all objects has a '''Link''' section that contains the '''Parent Name''' and three dropdown lists labeled '''Fc''', '''Ed''', and '''Nd''', standing for Face, Edge and Node, respectively. Normally, these dropdown lists are grayed out and show zero values. When an object is linked, it has to be linked to either a face, or an edge or a node (vertex) of another (patent) object. Theses primitives are ordered and indexed for each object. For example, each box has six faces. The bottom face is indexed 1, the top face is indexed 2, and so on. Each rectangular face of a box also has four edges, which are indexed from 1 to 4. The zero edge index denotes &quot;None&quot; or &quot;No Edge&quot; and corresponds to the center of that face. Each edge of a box has two nodes or vertices that are indexed as 1 or 2. In a similar fashion, the zero node index denotes &quot;None&quot; or &quot;No Vertex&quot; and corresponds to the center of that edge. In this way, the faces are indexed first, then the edges and finally the nodes or vertices. The indexing of faces, edges and nodes varies among the different object types.
 
From a linked object's property dialog, you can change the link address and thus change the relative position of the linked object with respect to its parent object. Simply open one of the three Face, Edge or Node dropdown lists and change the index. The location of the link will change and the linked object is positioned on a new face, edge or vertex. [[EM.Cube]] allows offsets for linked objects. This means that the LCS of the child object can have X-, Y- and Z-offsets with respect to the parent's control point. [[EM.Cube]] also allows local rotation of linked objects. This means that the LCS of the child object can have X-, Y- and Z-rotation angles with respect to a local rotation coordinate system at the parent's control point. When an object is linked to another object, its LCS center coordinates and rotation angle values are replaced by a new set of '''LCS Offset''' and '''Local Rotation Angle''' values that are measured in a different coordinate system. We call this new coordinate system the local UVW coordinate system at the location of the parent object's control point. What you see as offsets are indeed the local U, V and W coordinates of the linked object's LCS center with respect to the parent object. Similarly, the rotation angles are measured locally at the LCS of the linked object with respect to the U, V and W axes of the parent object at the control point.
 
You can &quot;Un-link&quot; a linked object by removing its link. The simplest way to do this is to select the zero option from the '''Face''' dropdown list of the object's property dialog. Alternatively, you can also select a linked object in the project workspace and right click on its surface or right click on its name on the navigation tree and select '''Unlock LCS''' from the contextual menu to remove its link.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link3_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box.]] </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link5_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box with a nonzero offset along the local W direction.]] </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link7_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box with all nonzero offsets along the local U, V, W directions and rotated 45° about the local W axis.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Loft Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:loft_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Loft'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''L'''
 
FUNCTION: Lofts a surface object to a point and turns it into a solid object or lofts a curve object to a point and turns it into a surface object
 
TO LOFT AN OBJECT:
 
# Activate the '''Loft Tool'''.
# Click on the surface or curve object you want to loft to select it.
# Drag the mouse to lift the object and give the new dimension to it. When you reach the desired height, left-click to finalize the loft object.
# A dialog pops up on the lower right corner of the screen where you can fine-tune the height and the X- and Y-offsets of the apex of the loft object.
# Make sure to click the OK button of the loft object's property dialog to finalize the construction.
 
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS:
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: loft(label,object,loft_height,cap_base)
 
 
<table>
<tr>
<td>
[[Image:cad_manual-62_tn_new.png|thumb|left|720px|The process of lofting a face.]]
</td>
</tr>
</table>
 
Lofted objects are linked to the objects they were generated from. This means that transformations performed on the parent object will also affect its associated loft objects. The Loft To Point properties dialog provides a number of additional [[parameters]] that can be modified.
 
'''Loft Height''' establishes the elevation of the loft point.<br />'''Length Offset''' repositions the loft point along the X axis by the specified amount. The default value is 0. '''Width Offset''' repositions the loft point along the Y axis by the specified amount. The default value is 0. '''Cap Base''' renders a plane at the base of any loft derived from the face of another object. This option is enabled by default.
 
Example 1: Lofting To Snap Points
 
This example illustrates lofting from the edge of the lower box to a corner point on the center rectangle.
 
[[File:cad_manual-63_tn.jpg|Loft Example 1]]
 
Example 2: Using Lofts To Create A Four-Sided Pyramid
 
[[File:cad_manual-64_tn.jpg|Loft Example 2]]
 
==Mirror Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:scale_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Mirror'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''M'''
 
FUNCTION: Creates a mirror image of an object selection with respect to a specified mirror plane
 
TO MIRROR AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Mirror Tool'''.
# Click on the object(s) you want to mirror one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# Next, you have to establish the mirror plane. Left-click on a point in the project workspace to specify the anchor of the mirror plane. Then, drag the mouse to draw a ghost of the mirror plane.
# As you drag the mouse, the mirror plane will start to rotate around a vertical axis at the anchor point and perpendicular to the current work plane. You will also see a ghost of the image object rotating along with the mirror plane. If you hold the '''Shift Key''' down while dragging the mouse, the mirror plane rotates at increments of 15 degrees. Left-click once you get the desired mirror plane.
# A dialog pops up on the lower right corner of the screen where you can fine-tune or modify the coordinate of the anchor point and the rotation angles of the mirror plane.
 
You can also establish the mirror plane using the snap points of other objects in the project workspace. For example, once you select the object to be mirrored, hover your mouse on the face snap point of any object including the selected object itself, and the plane of the highlighted face will be selected as the mirror plane.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: mirror(object,x0,y0,z0,uX,uY,uZ)
 
 
<b>Mirroring Objects Locally Using Snap Points</b>
 
You can easily create an image of any object with respect to one of its flat faces. Hover your mouse over a face snap point of an object and type the keyboard shortcut '''M'''. The image object is formed immediately and will share the selected face with the original object.
<b>Example 1: Defining Object Edge Mirror Planes</b>
 
A. Edge snap point is defined as the mirror plane and anchor point.
B. Reflected object is created along the defined construction plane.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-41a_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|Image of an object in an edge mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
<b>Example 2: Defining Object Face Mirror Planes</b>
 
A. Face center is defined as the mirror plane anchored point.
B. Reflected object is created using the object face as a construction plane.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-41b_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|Image of an object in a face mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
<b>Example 3: Defining Arbitrary Mirror Planes</b>
 
In this example, an anchor point has been selected at an arbitrary location on the grid. Once an anchor point has been defined, you can freely rotate the construction plane about the anchor point. This allows you to create a mirrored object at an arbitrary radial location.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-42_tn_new.png|thumb|720px|Image of an object in an arbitrary mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:scale4_tn_new.png|thumb|320px|Constrained scaling of a box normal to an edge.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
== Link Tool ==
 
ICON: [[File:link_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Link'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''K'''
 
FUNCTION: Links the local coordinate system (LCS) of an object to the LCS of another object
 
TO LINKAN AN OBJECT:
 
# Activate the '''Link Tool'''.
# Click on the object you want to link. A ghost of the selected object appears in the project workspace, which will float around as you drag the mouse.
# Next, hover your mouse over the second object to be linked to (the parent object) and highlight one of its snap points.
# Left-click to link the selected object. Depending on the type of the selected snap point of the second object, the orientation of the linked objects may change.
# The property dialog of the linked object opens up on the lower right corner of the screen. In the Link section of the property dialog, you will see the name of the second object as the '''Parent''' of the linked object.
 
The linkage relationship is one-way. The child object has a pointer to its parent and always follows it, but the opposite it not true. For example, if you move a child object, its link with its parent is broken, and it becomes an independent object.
 
 
PYTHON COMMANDs:
 
set_lcs_link(object,lcs_obj,x_off,y_off,z_off)
 
set_rot_link(object,lcs_obj,x_off_deg,y_off_deg,z_off_deg)
 
 
<b>General Linking Rules</b>
 
# When an object is linked, both the location and orientation of its LCS are tied to a control point of its parent object.
# The way an objects links to another object depends on the type of the parent object as well as the type of the linking control point. Objects link differently to solids, surfaces or curves.
# When an object is linked to another object's face, its local Z-axis is aligned along the normal to the plane of the parent object's face.
# When an object is linked to another object's edge, its local Y-axis is aligned along the parent object's edge, while its local X-axis is aligned along the normal to that edge. In addition, the LCS of the linked object is placed at an X-offset equal to half its X-dimension from the parent's edge. In other words, the link object is connected to the parent object from outside at the linking edge.
# When an object is linked to the nodes of a polyline or NURBS curve, the local Y-axis of the linked object is aligned with the tangent to the parent curve at the linking node.
 
 
<b>Link Properties</b>
 
The property dialog of all objects has a '''Link''' section that contains the '''Parent Name''' and three dropdown lists labeled '''Fc''', '''Ed''', and '''Nd''', standing for Face, Edge and Node, respectively. Normally, these dropdown lists are grayed out and show zero values. When an object is linked, it has to be linked to either a face, or an edge or a node (vertex) of another (patent) object. Theses primitives are ordered and indexed for each object. For example, each box has six faces. The bottom face is indexed 1, the top face is indexed 2, and so on. Each rectangular face of a box also has four edges, which are indexed from 1 to 4. The zero edge index denotes &quot;None&quot; or &quot;No Edge&quot; and corresponds to the center of that face. Each edge of a box has two nodes or vertices that are indexed as 1 or 2. In a similar fashion, the zero node index denotes &quot;None&quot; or &quot;No Vertex&quot; and corresponds to the center of that edge. In this way, the faces are indexed first, then the edges and finally the nodes or vertices. The indexing of faces, edges and nodes varies among the different object types.
 
From a linked object's property dialog, you can change the link address and thus change the relative position of the linked object with respect to its parent object. Simply open one of the three Face, Edge or Node dropdown lists and change the index. The location of the link will change and the linked object is positioned on a new face, edge or vertex. [[EM.Cube]] allows offsets for linked objects. This means that the LCS of the child object can have X-, Y- and Z-offsets with respect to the parent's control point. [[EM.Cube]] also allows local rotation of linked objects. This means that the LCS of the child object can have X-, Y- and Z-rotation angles with respect to a local rotation coordinate system at the parent's control point. When an object is linked to another object, its LCS center coordinates and rotation angle values are replaced by a new set of '''LCS Offset''' and '''Local Rotation Angle''' values that are measured in a different coordinate system. We call this new coordinate system the local UVW coordinate system at the location of the parent object's control point. What you see as offsets are indeed the local U, V and W coordinates of the linked object's LCS center with respect to the parent object. Similarly, the rotation angles are measured locally at the LCS of the linked object with respect to the U, V and W axes of the parent object at the control point.
 
You can &quot;Un-link&quot; a linked object by removing its link. The simplest way to do this is to select the zero option from the '''Face''' dropdown list of the object's property dialog. Alternatively, you can also select a linked object in the project workspace and right click on its surface or right click on its name on the navigation tree and select '''Unlock LCS''' from the contextual menu to remove its link.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link3_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box.]] </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link5_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box with a nonzero offset along the local W direction.]] </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:link7_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|A box linked to the top face of another box with all nonzero offsets along the local U, V, W directions and rotated 45° about the local W axis.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Mirror Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:scale_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Mirror'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''M'''
 
FUNCTION: Creates a mirror image of an object selection with respect to a specified mirror plane
 
TO MIRROR AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Mirror Tool'''.
# Click on the object(s) you want to mirror one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# Next, you have to establish the mirror plane. Left-click on a point in the project workspace to specify the anchor of the mirror plane. Then, drag the mouse to draw a ghost of the mirror plane.
# As you drag the mouse, the mirror plane will start to rotate around a vertical axis at the anchor point and perpendicular to the current work plane. You will also see a ghost of the image object rotating along with the mirror plane. If you hold the '''Shift Key''' down while dragging the mouse, the mirror plane rotates at increments of 15 degrees. Left-click once you get the desired mirror plane.
# A dialog pops up on the lower right corner of the screen where you can fine-tune or modify the coordinate of the anchor point and the rotation angles of the mirror plane.
 
You can also establish the mirror plane using the snap points of other objects in the project workspace. For example, once you select the object to be mirrored, hover your mouse on the face snap point of any object including the selected object itself, and the plane of the highlighted face will be selected as the mirror plane.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: mirror(object,x0,y0,z0,uX,uY,uZ)
 
 
<b>Mirroring Objects Locally Using Snap Points</b>
 
You can easily create an image of any object with respect to one of its flat faces. Hover your mouse over a face snap point of an object and type the keyboard shortcut '''M'''. The image object is formed immediately and will share the selected face with the original object.
<b>Example 1: Defining Object Edge Mirror Planes</b>
 
A. Edge snap point is defined as the mirror plane and anchor point.
B. Reflected object is created along the defined construction plane.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-41a_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|Image of an object in an edge mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
<b>Example 2: Defining Object Face Mirror Planes</b>
 
A. Face center is defined as the mirror plane anchored point.
B. Reflected object is created using the object face as a construction plane.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-41b_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|Image of an object in a face mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
<b>Example 3: Defining Arbitrary Mirror Planes</b>
 
In this example, an anchor point has been selected at an arbitrary location on the grid. Once an anchor point has been defined, you can freely rotate the construction plane about the anchor point. This allows you to create a mirrored object at an arbitrary radial location.
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-42_tn_new.png|thumb|720px|Image of an object in an arbitrary mirror plane.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-50_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|(Left) Two overlapping boxes and (Right) the result of their Boolean union.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Intersect Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:intersect_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Intersect'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''I'''
 
FUNCTION: Forms an intersection of an object selection in the Boolean sense
 
TO INTERSECT AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Intersect Tool'''.
# Click on the objects you want to intersect one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# The original object selection is replaced with a new Boolean object with a new default name.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: intersect(label,object_1,object_2)
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-51_tn_new.png|thumb|540px|(Left) Two overlapping boxes and (Right) the result of their Boolean intersection.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Explode Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:explode_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Explode'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Q'''
 
FUNCTION: Breaks up one or more selected objects selection into their constituent primitives
 
TO EXPLODE AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Activate the '''Explode Tool'''.
# Click on the objects you want to explode one by one and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# The original object selection is replaced with a larger set of objects of lower dimensionality.
 
For example, a solid object explodes into a number of surface objects that formed its faces. A surface object explodes into a number of curve objects that formed its edges.
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: Composite (group) and Boolean objects explode into their original constituent objects. An array object explodes into the set of its individual elements. A polystrip or NURBS strip object explodes into its boundary polyline or NURBS curve, respectively.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: explode(object)
 
<table>
<tr>
<td> [[Image:cad_manual-73_tn_new.png|thumb|600px|A pyramid object exploded into its constituent faces. One face has been selected and subsequently removed.]] </td>
</tr>
</table>
</tr>
</table>
 
==Loft Tool==
 
ICON: [[File:loft_tool_tn.png]]
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Loft'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''L'''
 
FUNCTION: Lofts a surface object to a point and turns it into a solid object or lofts a curve object to a point and turns it into a surface object
 
TO LOFT AN OBJECT:
 
# Activate the '''Loft Tool'''.
# Click on the surface or curve object you want to loft to select it.
# Drag the mouse to lift the object and give the new dimension to it. When you reach the desired height, left-click to finalize the loft object.
# A dialog pops up on the lower right corner of the screen where you can fine-tune the height and the X- and Y-offsets of the apex of the loft object.
# Make sure to click the OK button of the loft object's property dialog to finalize the construction.
 
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS:
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: loft(label,object,loft_height,cap_base)
 
 
<table>
<tr>
<td>
[[Image:cad_manual-62_tn_new.png|thumb|left|720px|The process of lofting a face.]]
</td>
</tr>
</table>
 
Lofted objects are linked to the objects they were generated from. This means that transformations performed on the parent object will also affect its associated loft objects. The Loft To Point properties dialog provides a number of additional [[parameters]] that can be modified.
 
'''Loft Height''' establishes the elevation of the loft point.<br />'''Length Offset''' repositions the loft point along the X axis by the specified amount. The default value is 0. '''Width Offset''' repositions the loft point along the Y axis by the specified amount. The default value is 0. '''Cap Base''' renders a plane at the base of any loft derived from the face of another object. This option is enabled by default.
 
Example 1: Lofting To Snap Points
 
This example illustrates lofting from the edge of the lower box to a corner point on the center rectangle.
 
[[File:cad_manual-63_tn.jpg|Loft Example 1]]
 
Example 2: Using Lofts To Create A Four-Sided Pyramid
 
[[File:cad_manual-64_tn.jpg|Loft Example 2]]
==Revolve Tool==
Kazem Sabet
28,333
edits