Existing geometry can be moved, copied, resized, rotated, mirrored, stretched, split, trimmed and extended. This section explains the modification commands in the 2D Geometry menu.
To move geometry elements,
Click the geometry and drag it to a new position.
If you are accustomed to our earlier versions, you can still use the original menu:
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Move. The Modify Geometry Position dialog box opens.
2. Click the geometry element to move, define a selection box, or use the Select tool.
The Two Points option (right-click to display options) is selected by default. The other options are described below.
3. Click the first move point.
4. Click the second move point to define a move distance and direction.
The selected geometry follows the cursor until you click the second point.
5. Click Copy to keep the original geometry.
6. Click when you are finished.
To copy geometry elements, enter the number of copies you want in the Repeat box. When you copy geometry, the copies are created equidistant to and in the same direction as the first copy defined by the given reference positions or offset.
The other move and copy options are the following:
• Dynamic causes the selected elements to become attached to the cursor. You can either click the destination point for the elements or enter coordinates in the user input line.
• Horizontal defines a horizontal move distance and direction. You can either click two points or enter a horizontal distance in the user input line.
• Vertical defines a vertical move distance and direction. You can either click two points or enter a vertical distance in the user input line.
Note than you can also enter coordinates in the user input line for move reference points.
Creo Elements/Direct Annotation shows a visual feedback that realistically changes when you drag geometry. The color of the feedback is same as the color of the cursor, by default. You can change the feedback color to match it with the geometry color by typing (docu-cmd "ua_feedback_color geometry_color") in the user input line. Type (docu-cmd "ua_feedback_color cursor_color") in the user input line to reset the feedback color back to the default value.
To resize and rotate geometry elements,
The Creo Elements/Direct Annotation Rotate command allows you to resize and rotate geometry elements in a single operation. You do this be specifying a reference point for the elements, and then a rotation angle or a resize factor, or both. You can also specify a repeat factor for the operation.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Rotate. The Resize Rot dialog box opens.
2. Click the geometry element to move, define a selection box, or use the Select tool.
Creo Elements/Direct Annotation selects a reference point automatically.
3. If necessary, click Ref Point and click a new reference point for the selected elements.
4. Click Angle and type an angle of rotation for the selected elements. The rotation is effected counterclockwise with respect to the reference point.
5. Click Factor and type a resizing factor for the selected elements. Resizing is done with respect to the reference point.
6. Click Keep Elem to keep the original geometry.
7. Click Apply to resize and rotate the geometry and retain the current selection. You can now continue modifying the selected geometry, or click Elements and select new geometry to resize and rotate.
8. Click when you are finished.
To resize and rotate the selected geometry a multiple number of times, enter a repeat factor in the Repeat box. The selected geometry is acted upon the given number of times using the specified Angle and Factor data, each instance with respect to the reference point.
To mirror geometry,
To help you when drawing symmetrical geometry, the Creo Elements/Direct Annotation Mirror command allows you to mirror geometry about a line or point of symmetry.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Mirror. The Mirror dialog box opens.
2. Click the geometry element to mirror, define a selection box, or use the Select tool.
3. Specify the line or point of symmetry with one of the following options:
Two Pts
Click two points to define a line of symmetry. This is the default option.
Line
Click an existing line.
Horizontal
Click one point to define a horizontal line.
Vertical
Click one point to define a vertical line.
Center
Click a point to indicate the center of rotational symmetry. The selected geometry is rotated 180 degrees about the given center point.
4. Click Keep Elem to keep the original geometry.
5. Click Apply to mirror the geometry and retain the current selection. You can now continue mirroring the selected geometry, or click Elements and select new geometry to mirror.
6. Click when you are finished.
Note that you can also enter coordinates in the user input line to define lines and points of symmetry.
To trim or extend geometry elements,
You can trim (remove) the overhanging segments of intersecting geometry. The Trim command contains options to trim the overhang from two selected elements or from only the first element.
Trim can also be used to extend (project) geometry. In this case, you can specify that both elements extend to meet at their intersection point, or that only one element extends to the projected line or arc of the other element. Note that splines cannot be extended, but they can be trimmed.
It is also possible to trim and extend a chain of geometry elements by clicking them in succession. Creo Elements/Direct Annotation interprets each operation with regard to the geometry selected and the order of selection, and trims or extends elements as appropriate.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Trim. The Trim dialog box opens.
2. Click the required mode of trimming and extending:
◦ Both elements (the default selection) trims both overhanging segments of two intersecting geometry elements; or extends two geometry elements to meet at their common projected intersection point.
◦ Chain continues to trim and extend selected geometry depending on the context of their selection. For each successive pair of elements in the chain, both are trimmed or extended (as with the Both elements option).
◦ Only first element trims the overhang from the first selected element only of intersecting geometry; or extends the first selected element to meet the projected line or arc implied by the second element.
3. Click the first geometry element.
4. Click the second element.
Creo Elements/Direct Annotation trims or extends the geometry as appropriate.
5. Continue clicking elements (for the Chain option) or pairs of elements (for the other two options), or click to complete the operation.
To stretch geometry elements,
You can stretch a geometry element by moving some of its vertices. By selecting a number of vertices, they are all moved together. The Stretch command applies to straight, circular, and splinar geometry, but works differently on each of the types. For example:
• Stretching an end vertex of a line allows you to change its length and orientation.
• Stretching the vertex of a circle changes its size.
• Stretching an end vertex of an arc changes its radius.
• Stretching a spline control point redefines its shape.
You can stretch a number of vertices of a polygon or other closed geometrical figure to change its shape. In general, multiple selection of vertices on a number of elements allows you to stretch a group of elements in the same direction and distance.
Splines can only be stretched by moving their control points. You need to click the Vertices check box in the Show dialog box (click File > Settings > Show to open Show dialog box.) to see the cyan plusses that denote spline control points.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Stretch. The Stretch dialog box opens.
2. Click a vertex on the geometry element to stretch, or define a selection box.
The Two Points option is selected by default. The other options are described below.
3. Click the first point of reference for the stretch.
4. Click the second point to indicate the stretch distance and direction.
The selected vertices, and their connected geometry, follow the cursor until you click the second point.
5. Click Keep Elem to keep the original geometry.
6. Click Apply to stretch the geometry but keep the menu open. You can now select new geometry to stretch.
7. Click when you are finished.
To stretch the selected geometry a multiple number of times, enter the number of stretch instances you want in the Repeat box. The target reference points for the individual stretches will be equidistant to and in the same direction as the first stretch defined by the given reference positions or offset.
The other stretch options are:
• Horizontal defines a horizontal stretch distance and direction. You can either click two points or enter a horizontal distance in the user input line.
• Vertical defines a vertical stretch distance and direction. You can either click two points or enter a vertical distance in the user input line.
In a stretch operation, you select vertex points, not entire geometry elements. A selection box can therefore enclose vertices from different parts, including control points from splines which are not themselves within the selection box. Click the Vertices check box in the Show dialog box (click File > Settings > Show to open Show dialog box.) to see more clearly what can be selected.
Note than you can also enter coordinates in the user input line for move reference points.
To split geometry elements,
You can split existing geometry into separate segments. This can be useful to delete or move only a part of a geometry element. A new vertex is inserted at the point of splitting.
All manually-added and view geometry can be split. Splitting view geometry can be useful to create reference points for tangential dimensioning. Note that split points in views are retained after updates.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Split.
2. Click the geometry element to split, define a selection box, or use the Select tool.
3. If you have specified one geometry element, click the position on the element where you want it to be split. If you have specified more than one element, the elements will split each other.
4. Continue splitting elements, or click to complete the operation.
To merge geometry elements,
If you have split elements, you can merge them back together.
1. Click Geometry and then, in the Modify group, click Merge.
2. Click the first geometry element to merge, define a selection box, or use the Select tool.
3. If you have specified one geometry element, click a second element to merge with the first. If you have selected more than one, those elements will be merged.
4. Continue merging elements, or click to complete the operation.
Move. The Modify Geometry Position dialog box opens.
when you are finished.
Rotate. The Resize Rot dialog box opens.
Mirror. The Mirror dialog box opens.
Trim. The Trim dialog box opens.
Stretch. The Stretch dialog box opens.
Split.
Merge.