About the Pattern User Interface
The
Pattern tab consists of commands, tabs, and shortcut menus. Select a feature to pattern and then click
Model >
Pattern to open the
Pattern tab.
Commands
Select one of the pattern types from the box on the Pattern tab. The options available are context sensitive to the type of pattern selected.
• Dimension
◦ 1 box—Sets the number of pattern members in the first direction, including the pattern leader. The default is 2.
◦ Dimensions collector—Displays the number of dimensions for patterning in the first direction.
◦ 2 box—Sets the number of pattern members in the second direction.
◦ Dimensions collector—Displays the number of dimensions for patterning in the second direction.
• Direction
◦ 1—Sets the method of pattern creation in the first direction.
▪ 
—Creates a pattern using translation.
▪ Spacing box—Sets the spacing between pattern members in the first direction.
▪ 
—Creates a pattern using rotation.
▪ Spacing box—Sets the spacing between pattern members in the first direction.
▪ 
—Creates a pattern using offset from a coordinate system.
▪ X, Y, and Z—Sets the offset from each coordinate system axis.
◦ First direction reference collector—Displays a direction reference for the first direction.
▪ 
—Flips the first direction.
▪ Number of members box—Sets the number of pattern members in the first direction.
◦ 2—Sets the method of pattern creation in the second direction. Contains the same options as the first direction.
• Axis
◦ 1—Sets an axis to be the center of the pattern.
◦ —Flips the angular direction of the pattern.
◦ Number of members box—Sets the number of pattern members including the pattern leader in the first direction.
◦ Angle increment box—Sets the angle increment between pattern members in the first direction.
◦ 
—Sets the angular extent of the pattern, spacing the pattern members equally within this angle.
◦ 2—Sets the number of pattern members in the second direction.
◦ ◦ Radial distance box—Sets the radial distance between pattern members in the second direction.
• Fill
◦ 
collector—Displays the sketch that defines the area to fill.
◦ Template options:
▪ 
—Square
▪ 
—Diamond
▪ 
—Hexagon
▪ 
—Concentric circles
▪ 
—Spiral
▪ 
—Along a sketched curve.
◦ 
—Sets the spacing between pattern member centers.
◦ 
—Sets the minimum distance between the pattern member centers and the sketch boundary. A negative value allows centers to lie outside the sketch.
◦ —Sets the rotation of the grid about the origin.
◦ 
—Sets the radial spacing for circular and spiral grids.
• Table
◦ Table dimensions collector—Displays dimensions to include in the pattern table.
◦ Active table list—Shows the active table that drives the pattern.
◦ Edit—Opens a table editor window to edit the active table.
• Reference
◦ Reference type collector—References the feature pattern, the group pattern, or both.
|  This list is not available if the reference pattern has references to more than one pattern or group. |
• Curve
◦ collector—Displays the sketch that defines the pattern shape. It can contain only one sketch.
◦ 
—Sets the distance between the pattern member centers along the curve.
◦ 
—Sets the number of pattern members along the curve.
• Point
◦ —Uses points from an internal or external sketch.
◦ 
—Uses points from a datum point feature, import feature, or analysis feature.
◦ Reference collector—Displays the sketch, sketch feature, or point feature that defines the pattern member location.
◦ Use alternate origin collector—Collects an origin to align the pattern members with the leader, that is different from the default origin. The default origin is located at the center of an imaginary
bounding box around the pattern leader geometry.
Tabs
• Dimensions
Available for Dimension, Direction, and Axis patterns.
◦ Direction 1 collector—Displays dimensions that specify the increment to create a pattern. Select at least one dimension, or use the following to control dimension increments:
▪ Define increment by relation check box—Sets the increment using a relation.
▪ Edit—Opens the Relations dialog box where you edit the relation driving the increment of the selected dimension. This button is available only if the Define increment by relation check box is selected.
◦ Direction 2 collector—Displays dimensions that specify the increment to create the second direction in a bidirectional pattern. Select at least one dimension, or use the following to control dimension increments:
▪ Define increment by relation check box—Sets the increment using a relation.
▪ Edit—Opens the Relations dialog box where you edit the relation driving the increment of the selected dimension. This button is available only if the Define increment by relation check box is selected.
• Table Dimensions
Available only for Table patterns.
◦ Dimensions collector—Displays dimensions to include in the pattern table.
• References
Available only for Fill, Point, and Curve patterns.
◦ Sketch collector—Displays the sketch reference for the feature.
▪ Define—Opens the Sketcher to define an internal sketch.
▪ Edit—Opens the Sketcher to edit the sketch.
• Tables
Available only for Table patterns.
◦ Table list—Each line contains a table index entry, starting with 1, and an associated table name. You can change the table name by typing a new one. If you right-click a table index entry in the collector, the shortcut menu contains the following commands:
▪ Add—Edits another table for the pattern. When you exit the editor, the new table is added at the bottom of the collector list.
▪ Remove—Removes the selected table from the collector.
▪ Apply—Activates the selected table. The active table is the table that drives the pattern.
▪ Edit—Edits the selected table. While you are editing the table, you can save it in a .ptb file, or read a previously saved .ptb file into it, by using the appropriate options under File. When you are done editing the table, click File > Exit. The table is then saved in the pattern.
▪ Read—Reads in a saved pattern table (a .ptb file).
▪ Write—Saves the selected pattern table. The table is saved in the current working directory in a file named <TableName.ptb>, where <TableName> is the name of the pattern table.
• Options
This tab is context-sensitive depending on the pattern type selected.
◦ Regeneration option list
▪ Identical—All the pattern members are identical in size, are placed on the same surface, and do not intersect each other or part boundaries. Common to all pattern types.
▪ Variable—The pattern members can vary in size, or be placed on different surfaces, but they cannot intersect each other or part boundaries. Common to all pattern types.
▪ General—There are no pattern member restrictions. Common to all pattern types.
◦ Follow axis rotation check box—Rotates pattern members in the rotation plane to follow the axis rotation. Available for Axis patterns.
◦ Use alternate origin check box—Uses an origin that is different from the default origin located at the center of the pattern leader geometry, to align the pattern members with the leader. Available for Fill and Curve patterns.
▪ Use alternate origin collector—Displays the alternate origin.
◦ Follow leader location check box—Offsets all pattern members from the sketch plane using the same distance as the pattern leader's offset. Available for Fill and Point patterns.
◦ Follow surface shape check box—Positions pattern members to follow the shape of the selected surface.
▪ Follow surface shape collector—Displays the surface for the pattern to follow.
▪ Follow surface direction check box—Orients pattern members to follow the surface direction.
▪ Spacing
▪ As projected—Projects pattern members straight onto the surface.
▪ Map to Surface Space—Projects the pattern leader straight onto the surface, and places the remaining pattern members according to the uv-lines that pass through the pattern leader. This spacing option works best for pattern members situated near the pattern leader. It is available only for solid surfaces.
▪ Map to Surface UV Space—Projects the pattern leader straight onto the surface. The remaining pattern members are mapped to the uv-space of the surface based on their relative xy-coordinates to the first member in the sketching plane.
◦ Follow template rotation check box—Rotates pattern members around an origin in addition to being rotated around the template path. This option is available for circle and spiral templates.
◦ Follow curve direction check box—Places pattern members in the sketch plane to follow the curve.
• Properties
◦ Name box—Sets a name for a feature.
◦ 
—Displays detailed component information in a browser.
Shortcut Menus
The Pattern shortcut menus contain commands that are context sensitive to the type of pattern selected. Right-click the graphics window to access shortcut menu commands:
• Direction 1 Dimensions—Activates the Direction 1 dimension collector.
• Direction 2 Dimensions—Activates the Direction 2 dimension collector.
• Show Dimensions—Displays dimension.
• Direction 1 Reference—Activates the Direction 1 reference collector.
• Direction 2 Reference—Activates the Direction 2 reference collector.
• Axis Reference—Activates the 1 collector, which displays the axis that is the pattern center.
• Selected Sketch—Activates the Sketch collector.
• Define Internal Sketch—Opens Sketcher to define a sketch.
• Fill Pattern Alternative Origin—Activates the Use alternate origin collector.
• Fill Pattern Reference Surface—Activates the Follow surface shape collector.
• Point Reference—Activates the Datum point collector for Point patterns.