Construction Geometry
You can create several types of Construction geometry. You draw construction geometry normal to the screen or the working grid, if you turned it on.
Creating Points
To create a point:
2. In the settings container, specify the following:
♦Whether you want the point added to ground or to another part in your model.
♦Whether you want to attach nearby objects to the point. For information on attaching objects, see Parameterization.
3. If you selected to add the point to another part in your model, select the part.
4. Place the cursor where you want the point to be located and click the left mouse button.
Tip: | If you want to place the point at the location of another object, as you create the point, right-click near the object. Adams View displays a list of objects near the cursor. Select the object at whose location you want to place the point. Adams View creates the point at that location. If you want to specify precise coordinates, right-click away from the object. A dialog box for entering the location of the point appears. For information on using the dialog box, see Entering Precise Location Coordinates. |
Creating Markers
To create a marker:
2. In the settings container, specify the following:
■Whether you want the marker added to: (a) Ground (b) Another part in your model (including a flexible body); or (c) Curve (only available with Adams Solver (C++)) (Learn about switching solvers with Solver Settings - Executable dialog box help.)
■How you want to orient the marker. Set Orientation to the desired orientation method. When adding a marker to a curve, the orientation is prescribed implicitly.
3. Do one of the following:
■If you selected to add the marker to a part, select the part to which you want to add the marker.
■If you selected to add the marker to a curve, select the spline curve onto which you want to add the marker (splines and data-element curves are all considered curves).
4. Place the cursor where you want the marker to be located and click.
5. If you selected to orient the marker to anything other than the global or view coordinate system, select the directions along which you want to align the marker’s axes. Do this for each axis that you selected to specify.
Adams View draws the marker, aligning its axes as specified.
Tip: | To reorient the marker, use the Align & Rotate tool from the Move tool stack, select Align One Axis, and then follow the prompts: 1. Select the object to align (the first marker) 2. Select the axis on object to align (z-axis on first marker) 3. Select the direction for the axis: ■Select the center of the first marker ■Select the center of the second marker |
Creating Lines and Polylines
To draw a single line:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part composed of the geometry or add the geometry to an existing part or ground.
♦Set the type of line to be drawn to One Line.
♦If desired, set the length and angle of the line.
3. Position the cursor where you want the line to begin, and click the left mouse button.
4. Move the cursor in the direction you want to draw the line.
5. When the line is the desired length and orientation, click again to end the line.
To draw an open or closed polyline:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part composed of the geometry or add the geometry to an existing part or ground.
♦Set the type of line to be drawn to Polyline.
♦If desired, set the length of the line segments.
3. Select whether you want a closed polyline (polygon) by selecting Closed.
4. Position the cursor where you want the polyline to begin, and click the left mouse button.
5. To create the first line segment, drag the cursor and click to select its endpoint.
6. To add line segments to the polyline, continue dragging the cursor and clicking.
7. To stop drawing and create the open or closed polyline, right-click. If you selected to create a closed polyline, Adams View automatically draws a line segment between the last and first points to close the polyline. Note that clicking the right mouse button does not create another point.
Tip: | While creating the polyline, you can remove the last line segment that you created by clicking its endpoint. You can continue removing line segments in the reverse order that you created them. |
Creating Arcs and Circles
To draw an arc:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part composed of the geometry or add the geometry to an existing part or ground. By default, Adams View creates a new part.
♦If desired, set the radius of the arc.
♦Specify the starting and ending angles of the arc. The default is to create a 90-degree arc from a starting angle of 0 degrees.
3. Click where you want the center of the arc and then drag the mouse to define the radius of the arc and the orientation of the x-axis. Adams View displays a line on the screen to indicate the x-axis. If you specified the radius of the arc in the settings container, Adams View maintains that radius regardless of how you drag the mouse.
4. When the radius is the desired size, click.
To draw a circle:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part or add the geometry to an existing part. By default, Adams View creates a new part.
♦If desired, set the radius of the circle.
♦Select Circle.
3. Click where you want the center of the circle and then drag the mouse to define the radius of the circle. If you specified the radius of the circle in the settings container, Adams View maintains that radius regardless of how you drag the mouse.
4. When the radius is the desired size, click.
Creating Splines
To create a spline by selecting points on the screen:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part composed of the geometry or add the geometry to an existing part or ground.
♦Select whether you want the spline to be closed or open.
3. Set Create by Picking to Curve or Edge.
4. Place the cursor where you want to begin drawing the spline, and click.
5. Click the locations where you want the spline to pass through. You must specify at least eight locations for a closed spline and four locations for an open spline.
6. To stop drawing the spline, right-click.
Tip: | If you make a mistake, click the last location you defined. You can continue removing locations by clicking on each location in the reverse order that you defined them. |
To create a spline by selecting an existing curve or edge:
2. In the settings container, do the following:
♦Specify whether you want to create a new part composed of the geometry or add the geometry to an existing part or ground.
♦Select whether you want the spline to be closed or open.
3. Set Create by Picking to Curve or Edge.
4. In the # Points text box, set how many points you want used to define the curve or edge or clear the selection of Spread Points and let Adams View calculate the number of points needed.
5. Select the curve.