Picking Boundaries/Contours

• Using the Sketcher to create contours

• Using the Selection Filter to select surfaces

• Using Sets to display surfaces

• Selecting geometry by criteria

• Creating geometry by switching to the CAD environment

A contour is an open or closed series of curves.

The dialog below is displayed when picking or editing boundaries or contours. When you pick contours, you are in Add mode; each picked contour is added to the list of contours. There are several ways to pick boundaries/contours, and each contour that is picked is assigned a number.

Click on any item in the menu below for an explanation.

Notes:

• In 5X Trimming, pick the contours along the edges of the selected part faces.

• The browse arrows must be used when modifying or unselecting contours. See Modifying Contours and Unpicking Contours for details.

Picking Boundaries/Contours

Once in contour selection mode, there are several ways to pick contours. Contours can be picked when the cursor has the following appearance:

Right-click to open the following contour selection popup menu:

• Trim / Extend: Continuously picked contours will be trimmed or extended to intersect with the previously picked contour. Example

• Automatic Chain (default): Select a contour on the XY plane and direction, and a chain will be automatically selected. If the chain reaches a point where it can continue in more than one direction, the chain will end. Example

You can also Choose a surface (manual option), and all outer surface edges will be selected as a closed contour. If you choose two or more adjoining surfaces, the contour that defines the outer boundary of all surfaces will be selected. Example

• Automatic Limited Chain: Pick a contour and a direction, and select the last contour in the chain. The shortest possible chain connecting the two contours will be selected. Example

• Along Open Edges: Pick a contour, and then pick another contour adjacent to it.

• Sketcher: Create a sketch entity (in the Sketcher) which can then be picked.

• Composite: Create a composite curve which can then be picked.

• Multi: Pick contours by dragging a box.

• By Criteria: Select geometry by criteria.

• Reset Criteria: Reset the criteria groups for the entity type.

Note: In 5X Trimming, the Criteria selection options are not available.

• Reset Selection: Cancel all picked contours and start picking them again..

• Unpick Contour: Unpick the contour from the list of selected contours. The desired contour must be highlighted by using the browse arrows in the Contour dialog.

• Finish Selection: Ends the selection mode and closes the dialog.

Modifying Contours

To modify parameters for a contour (i.e. Cutter Offset or Draft Angle), use the browse arrows in the Contour dialog to highlight the desired contour. (The contour number will appear in the Parameters for contour box.) Use the dialog to modify the desired parameters. To accept modifications, you can:

• close the Contour dialog

• use the browse arrows to highlight another contour

• select another contour. (Note that if you select a contour, it will be added to the list of contours.)

Unpicking Contours

To unpick a contour, use the browse arrows in the Contour dialog to highlight the desired contour. (The contour number will appear in the Parameters for contour box.) Right-click to open the popup menu, and choose Unpick Contour.