Closed Polyline

[Bruce Kieffer]

I need closed polyline shapes to use for a CNC router. How can I easily tell if a polyline shape is closed or open?

[bcd]

Check the Closed box in the OIP

[Horst M.]

There is a Checkbox in the OIP.

If it isn't checked you can close the polyline by checking it.

It seems to work even in VW2011....

[Pat Stanford]

The checkbox is only there for polylines in VW2011. Polygons have had the box for many versions.

In another thread, Bruce said he is not willing to upgrade yet due to a fear of bugs.

The only other option would be a vectorscript.

[Kaare Baekgaard]

If it is too complex to inspect visually:

Decompose and compose again to make sure all elements are set to visible, then convert a copy to polygon. If the resulting polygon is closed - as can be inspected in the OIP, the polyline will be closed as well. If not, clicking on the center vertex button in the OIP will reveal the location of the hole.

[Horst M.]

Kaare, I tried what you describe with a sample Polyline.

It worked with a "slight" increase of verticies.

Before the conversion the Polyline had 7 after converting to a Polygon I got 1281 Verticies.

Seems to be the famous "Lehman Brothers Algorithm" behind that Process.

Edited November 20, 2010 by Horst M.

[bcd]

I think I remember if you extrude a polyline in VW 2010 and prior versions it will not render solid even with a solid fill unless it is closed.

[Bruce Kieffer]

All good suggestions. Thanks.

[Bruce Kieffer]

Pat,

To clarify, I am not afraid of the bugs, I am afraid of the extra time it will take me to deal with the bugs. That being said, the closed polyline check box in 2011 might have saved me some time! I don't want to keep complaining about the bugs in 2011, I just NV to them fixed so I can use the program.

[Bruce Kieffer]

I just opened the file in 2011 and looked at the polyline that my CNC friend said was open. It shows as closed in the VW 2011 OPI check box. I guess I will need to do more experimenting with the file and the DXF export.

[Kaare Baekgaard]

To Horst: Well you are not going to send the polygon to CNC - it is only meant for inspection.

To BCD: The extrution method may not be foolproof. It catches faults due to open polylines, but it does not catch potential faults due to invisible segments in the polyline, as they become visible in the extruded object.

The CNC software may not mind invisible segments, but then again it may. So to be sure, go with my method, Bruce.

[Bruce Kieffer]

Kaare. I will try your suggestion. I did get the one file he said was open fixed. I'm not sure what I did to correct that. I rebuilt the shape, and I was very careful to see that all the "connections" were closed.

[Rossford]

We discussed this recently. As I recall the same polyline will be closed if a solid but not closed if there is no background.

I don't know if you can close it by making it solid, and change it back to none and if it will stay closed. Either way, a time consuming work around.

[Bruce Kieffer]

We CNC routed the shapes today. All went well. I'm not sure what I did to make it work!

[CipesDesign]

How about some photos, and some PDF's?? For all the inquiring minds...

[Bruce Kieffer]

This is what the conference table looks like. PDF attached.

Conference_Table.pdf

Edited October 29, 2018 by Marissa Farrell
Attached file

[James Russell]

Slick looking Bruce, I like it