Transformations and repeat

You will move geometric elements such as shapes or curves by applying transformations (translation rotation, symmetry...) to them. When you copy an object several times and you apply a different transformation to each instance of this object, we say we repeat it. The different transformations you can use in this operation are called propagations.

Transformations are used in functions such as Edit | Duplicate or Shape | Other operations | Transform and they are modifiable in two ways:

• You can edit the transformed element in the symbolic three.

• You can use the Edit | Modify function and TopSolid will propose you to modify the used transformation.

The positioning transformations

There are specific transformations used in components positioning. They are positioning coordinate system on coordinate system and constraint positioning.

The coordinate system on coordinate system positioning computes a transformation that allows you to choose an origin coordinate system that corresponds with a destination coordinate system.

The constraint positioning computes a transformation by solving a certain number of constraints such as mate, alignment, orientation, etc...

You can access these transformations with the Edit | Modify function on the component and the choosing the  POSITIONING button. You can either add or re-define the transformation of positioning.

Propagations

When you define, in one time, different transformations, it is a propagation.

Propagations are usually defined by a simple transformation used several times or by a combination of several transformations.

It is possible to modify a propagation by changing one of its parameters in the symbolic tree after editing the element that uses the propagation. It's also possible to directly modify a propagation by using the Edit | Modify function on an element which uses an operation like pattern, a repetition, or a component.

Transformation methods

There are several methods to transform or duplicate elements. It's important to understand each of these functions in order to be able to use the one that is the most appropriate to your current problem. We will first take a look at each function to  then understand how to choose the right one, depending on what you have to do.

 Transformation of parents Edit | Transform parents

This function allows you to modify the parent elements of the selected element (its driving elements). If you select a line by two points, the two points will be transformed and the line will be recomputed in function of the new position of the points. This function allows you to transform an element and all its parents. The power of this function might also be  problem. If one of the driving points of the line was also used to be the center of a circle center/radius , the circle will also be recomputed in function of the new point position.

Dynamic move Edit | Move parents

Dynamic rotation Edit | Rotate parents

This function allows you to move (translation/rotation) the parents of an element dynamically. The driving elements of the element are moved by translation/rotation. Then the element is recomputed like all elements dependant on the moved parents and this each time you move the mouse. The update of the elements will be done dynamically depending on whether the update mode is dynamic or not. Usually, the wireframe entities are dynamically updated and the shapes have a different update mode.

Example: if you move a line from a contour and the contour is the base for an extrusion shape, the contour will be dynamically updated when moving the mouse and the shape will only be updated when you indicate the destination position of the line.

Associative copy of a shape or a curve Edit | Duplicate

These functions are similar. In the case of a curve, it applies a transformation to the curve after having duplicated it. Then, we have a duplicated curve that will support or not the subsequent operations made on the origin curve. The duplicated curve is linked to the transformation applied to it. You can edit the parameters of this transformation.

When using this function, TopSolid allows you to create several copies at the same time. Each copy is like the origin part transformed several times. The number of copies or number of duplicated shapes or curves cannot be modified further. The number of duplicates or copies is not associated. Each copy or duplicate is independent from the other ones. You can delete one or several of them with no problems.

Repeat associatively elements Edit | Repeat

The Edit | Repeat function allows you to copy an element (point, shape, curve, coordinate system, component, etc...) several times and get n copies of the origin element. These n copies are dependant on the original element and on the propagation used in the repeat operation. You can modify the propagation or modify the number of instances.

Like in the duplicate case, you can choose to follow or not the subsequent operations that may be applied to the original element.

The generated elements by the repeat function are linked because they can follow the operations made on the original part, but there are also distinct. If the origin element is a shape, you can add a drilling to the third copy and only this one if you want to. For more information, please take a look at the Operations, components and repeat functions.

Duplicate the associative tree Edit | Repeat copy option

You can use the Edit | Repeat function with the special option of making copies of the existing operations. This option allows you to get n copies of the history tree. These copies will be totally independent. If you modify one of them the other ones will not be modified. This function can be used when you have several curves with similar shape but without any link between them and you don't want to create them twice.

Transform a shape Shape | Other operations | Transform

This function allows you to apply a transformation to a shape as a part of its design process. Example: if a shape is created by using a contour on sketch entities, you cannot use the Edit | Transform parents function without modifying the contour. Then you can use the Shape | Other operations | Transform function to modify its size and/or position without modifying the original contour position. .

Creating shapes with patterns Shape | Other operations | Pattern

This function allows you to transform a shape by creating several copies of it using a propagation and then uniting all resulting shapes into one part.

This function has several standard uses. The typical example is a part for which you need to create only a half or a quarter because it is totally symmetrical.

You can also imagine parts having an axial symmetry and a circular propagation.

Follow or not the subsequent operations

Some functions have an option "follow or not the subsequent operations". Lets take a look at an example: you create a part made of an extruded shape having a drilling feature in it You create a duplicated shape (Edit | Duplicate) of this base part.

If you choose the "follow the subsequent operations" mode, a fillet added on the base part is reported on the duplicated part.

If you choose the "do not follow or not the subsequent operations", mode, a fillet added on the base part is not reported on the duplicated part.

However, you must mote that the duplicated part is not independent. If you modify an operation existing before the duplication, the duplicated part will be modified as well.

In order to get an independent copy of the base part, you need to duplicate the shape and to break associativity on it. Then it becomes a simple body without any history. If you want to get a totally independent part with an independent history, you will use the Edit | Copy function.

How to choose the right function...