About the Offset Curve User Interface
The Offset tab consists of commands, tabs, and shortcut menus. Click > to open the Offset tab.
Commands
• Type
◦ Curve—Offsets a curve.
• Offset Method
Methods for offsetting the selected curves. The
collector shows the reference quilt or surface for each method.
◦ Along Surface—Offsets the curve along the reference surface.
◦ Normal To Surface—Offsets the curve normal to the reference surface.
◦ Fan Curve—Offsets the given number of curves evenly between two reference curves on the reference surface.
| The option for the fan type curve is available only if you set the enable_offset_fan_curve configuration option to yes. By default, enable_offset_fan_curve is set to no. |
• Settings
◦ Along Surface ▪ Offset—Sets the offset value or graph scale values.
▪ —Flips the direction of the offset along the reference surface for
Along Surface.
◦ Normal To Surface ▪ Offset—Sets the offset value or graph scale values.
▪ —Flips the start point of the offset to the other side of the reference surface for
Normal To Surface.
◦ Fan Curve ▪ 2nd curve collector—Displays the second reference curve.
▪ Measurement plane—Displays the measurement plane.
▪ Number of curves box—Sets the number of curves.
Tabs
• References
◦ Offset curve collector—Displays the curve or curve chain to offset when
Along Surface or
Normal To Surface is selected.
◦ Details—Opens the
Chain dialog box when
Along Surface or
Fan Curve is selected.
◦ Reference quilt collector—Displays the reference quilt, plane, or surface.
◦ First reference curve collector—Displays the first reference curve when
Fan Curve is selected.
◦ Second reference curve collector—Displays the second reference curve when
Fan Curve is selected.
◦ Measurement plane collector—Displays the measurement plane when
Fan Curve is selected.
• Measurements
◦ This tab is available when
Along Surface is selected.
▪ Point—Lists the points used in the offset. Right-click and choose Add or Delete to add or delete a point.
▪ Distance—Specifies the offset distance. You can either drag the handle in the graphics window or click the Distance cell to enter a new value.
▪ Reference—Activates the reference collector for this point.
▪ Location—Specifies the length ratio of the point.
▪ —Measures the offset distance in the direction normal to the curve.
▪ —Measures the offset distance in the direction parallel to the selected datum plane.
▪ Datum plane collector—Displays the reference datum plane.
• Options
This tab is available when
Normal To Surface is selected.
◦ Graph—Displays the graph used as the offset reference.
▪ Flip—Reverses the offset direction.
◦ Scale—Sets an offset value.
• Properties
◦ Name box—Sets a name for a feature.
◦ —Displays detailed component information in a browser.
Shortcut Menus
Right-click the graphics window to access shortcut menu commands.
• Offset Curve—Activates the Offset curve collector to select the curve to offset.
• Reference Quilt—Activates the Reference quilt collector to select a reference quilt, plane, or surface.
• Measurement Point—Edits the distances and locations of reference points.
• Graph—Activates the
Graph collector when
Normal To Surface is selected.
• Second Offset Curve—Activates the curve collector to select a second curve when
Fan Curve is selected.
• Measurement Plane—Activates the surface collector to select a reference plane when
Fan Curve is selected.
• Clear—Clears the active collector.
• Flip—Flips the direction of the offset when there is more than one valid direction possible.