Part Modeling > Part Modeling > Edit Features > Offset > Offset Curve > About the Offset Curve User Interface
About the Offset Curve User Interface
The Offset tab consists of commands, tabs, and shortcut menus. Click Model > Offset 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.