This describes the Method Input section as it differs for the various Line Target Method buttons.
When the Datum Type is Line Target, the Line Target Method can be any one of the following. The contents of the subsequent Method Input section depends on the Line Target Method, too.
Line Target Method is Plane/Direction - A line target
datum whose method is Plane/Direction is a line segment that travels broadside
on a given plane from a given direction and is positioned where it “strikes”
the object. Position it by specifying a plane and a direction of travel.
Line
Target Method is Point (a method for advanced users) - A line
target datum whose method is Point is a line segment that travels broadside
from a given direction and “strikes” at a user-specified point.
When Line Target Method is Plane/Direction, the Method Input section is:
Instruction: “Specify plane and direction.”
Plane dropdown (XY, XZ, YZ, and existing datum planes) - specifies the plane on which the line datum “travels” to “strike” the object.
Offset field - a positive or negative distance to move the given plane from the “home” position that is specified in the Plane dropdown above.
Contact dropdown (X-direction, Y-direction, Z-direction, normals of defined plane datums, defined axes, or a user-defined vector) - specifies the direction of “travel” of this line target datum toward the object on the given Plane.
Flip Contact checkbox - specifies whether to reverse the direction of “travel” specified by Contact.
Width field - specifies a tolerance for the positioning of this line target datum.
Defined Length checkbox and decimal field - limits the length of the Line Target datum to avoid striking unintended parts of the object.
Apply button - generates an image of the datum in the Viewing Area.
Next button - stores the datum in the Current Datums list and the Model Manager and prepares the dialog for the creation of another datum.
When Line Target Method is Point, the Method Input section is:
Instruction: “Specify a point.”
Five buttons for point selection technique (surface, center, vertex, datum, curve)
X,Y,Z - indicates the position of a point that was selected on the object in the Viewing Area.
Line Vector field (default is the normal of the surface) - allows adjustment of the normal of this point target datum.
Contact Vector - specifies the direction of “travel” of this line target datum toward the object on the given Plane.
Width field - specifies a tolerance for the positioning of this line target datum.
Defined Length checkbox and decimal field - limits the length of the Line Target datum to avoid striking unintended parts of the object.
Apply button - generates an image of the datum in the Viewing Area.
Next button - stores the datum in the Current Datums list and the Model Manager.