3d-path PIO: orientation of profile in createcustomObjectPath

[Pi_]

Hi all,

I want to create a 3d-path PIO that draws steel-profiles. The tools VW delivers are 2d tools with an 'incline' option. With this tools I can't snap in 3d to connect all the steel members.

This is the first time I am writing a 3d-path PIO and I can not get the 'orientation along the axis' in a proper way.

When I use createcustomObjectPath or ExtrudeAlongPath or CreateExtrudeAlongPath the 'orientation along the axis' depends on the orientation of the axis. I can change it by rotating the profile-curve but I don't know by what angles...

I tried to get the orientation of (the first segment) of my 3d-path PIO by 'Get3DOrientation' but this doesn't seem to work.

any suggestions?

[Hippocode]

You can calculate it all with vectors.

Create a directionvector from v1 to v2 and use the available vector functions to get the requested angles.

http://www.vectorlab.info/index.php?title=About_Math_in_Vectorscript

[Pi_]

thanks for the reply Wouter,

I tried everything, the vector functions give mostly 2d information or 1 angle to the x-vector. I didn't succeed in finding the wright angle to rotate the profile before extrusion.

Some commands in vectorscript use 3 angles (Set3DRot / GetWorkingPlane / SetWorkingPlane). I don't know what they stand for or how to use them.

For now I solved it by first rotating the axis parallel with the x-axis, then extruding, then rotating the extrusion back...

I would be nice if I was able to controle the extrude along path function so I can extrude a profile over multiple segments and keep the profile horizontal constrained

[Hippocode]

I see.

I've also got a 3d path object and sometimes the path is rotated around itself somehow, I think it also depends from what view the path is created, havn't found a solution for it yet.

[Miguel Barrera]

If the 3D object is straight why not just use a simple extrude?

The extrude along path will not behave as expected if you don't follow certain rules.

1. The profile must be a group object even for one profile

2. The path must be a nurbs curve and sometimes it does not like having only two points

All of which seems more complex when you only need a two point extrude. After it is created then you can rotate and move it where needed

[Pi_]

thanks for the answers,

making a straight extrude and then orient in 3d is a good idea, that is why I want to understand the XYZrot of the vectorscript commands (Set3DRot / GetWorkingPlane / SetWorkingPlane).

Set3DRot(h, xAngle, yAngle, zAngle, xDistance, yDistance, zDistance)

what is x/y/zAngle? A 3d-point is defined with 2 angles (spherical coordinates) so it is something else? is it a vector?

I know you can get the xyzAngle with Get3DOrientation but this doesn't work for a 3dpoly. How can I easily get the xyzAngle of my axis?

In my script I read all the points in a dynarray of point3d, I also make a dynarray of vector. Now I want to make a straight extrude (easy) and then orient the extrude along the first vector in my array.(no succes so far)

I could make arrays of spherical coordinates, but I have the feeling it is allready in the vectorscript commands, that I just don't understand it...

[Miguel Barrera]

PROCEDURE Set3DRot(

h :HANDLE;

xAngle :REAL;

yAngle :REAL;

zAngle :REAL;

xDistance :REAL)Coordinate); yDistance:REAL (Coordinate); zDistance:REAL (Coordinate));

The angles are rotations about the x,y,z axes at point (xDistance, yDistance, zDistance). Assuming that you create an I-beam vertical extrude at (0,0,0) on the x-y (top) plane and the web along the y-axis, and you want to rotate it so it is horizontal along the x-axis.

First, you need a 90 degree rotation about the z-axis, which is defined as the axis perpendicular to the x-y (top) plane, to align it along the x-axis. Second, you need a 90 degree rotation about y-axis to bring it down from vertical to a horizontal orientation. So in one step, the function will be written as:

Set3DRot(h,#0d,#90d,#90d,0,0,0);

[Pi_]

thanks Miguel,

I got the orientation controled now, chamfering works also (intersectsolid). Next is extruding a symbol containing the loftprofile and adding IFC label.