contour

[bill steer]

HI,

what is the best way to determine if a bunch of lines and arcs are a closed contour for cnc cutting purposes ? That is to say all end points must have mating end point from another object, and there can not be more than 2 objects with these end points.

Also, and open contour. Same as above, but the starting and ending end points dont' touch anything.

thanks,

bill

[Benson Shaw]

Here is a starting point (what version of Vectorworks are you using?):

?To safeguard your original data, duplicate the file, and work on the dupe (or duplicate the layer within the original file)

?Select the elements you want to test and not how many objects are shown in the OIP. From the menu bar Click Modify>Compose.

The Compose command will connect any objects which have coincident endpoints, and creates Polylines from them. If the OIP shows only one object, then they all connected as a single object. If a single object AND the Closed checkbox near bottom of OIP shows no checkmark, then the end points are not connected. Click the box to close the end segment.

If the OIP shows several objects, note the number.

Now you have a decision to make at each gap: Fill the gaps with new segments (Line or Arc tools)? Extend/Clip one of the objects to meet the other (Connect/Combine tool in dual object connect mode)? Move the endpoint of one or both objects to make the meet (Selection tool)? Or some combo method. Zoom in and move along the path to look at each vertex. You can change colors of the objects as you go to track where you are when zoomed out.

If the software demands a bunch of arcs and lines instead of a continuous contour, select your newly composed polyline, and from the menu choose Modify>Decompose. Resulting bunch of objects will have coincident endpoints, no gaps.

Some CNC software has an "ignore gap" feature and you can set the max size to ignore.

Sometimes it's easier to just trace a new object using the polyline tool and toggling btw line and arc as needed for each vertex ("u" key toggles the modes)

If that didn't help, post back with more specifics.

-B