Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The translation has been made by Blaise Zapparata, Laurent Billy and Pascal Doux.
Pascal Doux, Xavier Durand, Mickael Gasrel, Maxime Rouca, Thomas Roussel.
Laurent Billy, Emmanuel Rémia, Thierry Duvignac, Olivier Gardinetti, Fabrice Sadaune.
Thanks
This manual would not have existed without the help and support of Philip Staiger and Blaise Zapparata.
We would like to express our gratitude for the active involvement that Pierre Bretagnolle and
Richard Enjalbert gave us in the formal and functional specifications of the program and for the graphical
user interface graphic design.
Pierre and Richard took part in the program validation phase and the design of the 3D objects supplied
with Amapi Pro.
Many thanks to Emmanuel Rémia who created the model for the cover.
Thanks also to all the beta-testers who helped us enthusiastically during the program validation phase
and particularly to Olivier Drion!
Table of Contents
Introduction
Ch 1 Welcome..............................................................................................................................3
Ch 3 Installation ........................................................................................................................7
PC..................................................................................................................................................7
• Minimum system requirements ...................................................................................7
• Recommended system requirements .......................................................................7
• Installation .............................................................................................................................8
Macintosh .................................................................................................................................9
• Minimum system requirements ...................................................................................9
• Recommended system requirements .......................................................................9
• Installation ............................................................................................................................9
Amapi ProT M i
Getting started
Ergonomics ............................................................................................................................. 13
Screen Layout ....................................................................................................................... 18
Rooms ........................................................................................................................................ 19
3D window, views and navigation ............................................................................ 20
Objects and 3D entities ................................................................................................... 22
Selections ................................................................................................................................ 24
Working plane and ruler ................................................................................................. 24
Using tools ............................................................................................................................... 26
Scene management .......................................................................................................... 27
Dynamic Geometry (DG)................................................................................................ 28
Entering values ..................................................................................................................... 29
Modeling room tools palette ......................................................................................... 29
Ch 6 Tutorials .............................................................................................................................. 37
A sphere, a 3D tube and a parallelepiped........................................................... 38
Creating an ashtray ........................................................................................................... 50
Creating a bottle .................................................................................................................. 59
Modeling a mouse .............................................................................................................. 68
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• Two interfaces ....................................................................................................................79
Using tools ...............................................................................................................................80
Ch 13 Selection............................................................................................................................. 147
The concept of selection ................................................................................................ 147
The selection accessories ............................................................................................. 148
• The selectable entities ..................................................................................................... 149
• The selection methods .................................................................................................... 150
• Default selection mode ................................................................................................... 157
Memo-Select .......................................................................................................................... 158
The selection cursors ....................................................................................................... 159
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Ch 15 The Control panel ....................................................................................................167
Manage the optional palettes display .....................................................................168
Working in the view plane ..............................................................................................169
Scene / orthonormal base toggling ..........................................................................171
• Restore the conventional orthonormal base ...........................................................172
• Toggle the orthonormal base ........................................................................................172
• Toggle the scene and the orthonormal base ..........................................................172
Orthonormal base origin .................................................................................................173
Snapping ...................................................................................................................................174
Alignment Guides ................................................................................................................175
Perspective ..............................................................................................................................176
Simplified display ...............................................................................................................177
Simple-view / Multi-view ..................................................................................................178
Enable/Disable the backface display ......................................................................179
Objects display ......................................................................................................................180
• The display modes ...........................................................................................................180
• Transparency of the selected object .........................................................................181
Polygonal / NURBS ............................................................................................................182
Working with or without Dynamic Geometry ......................................................183
Hide, Show ..............................................................................................................................184
• Hide .........................................................................................................................................184
• Show .......................................................................................................................................184
Isolate .........................................................................................................................................185
Group, Ungroup ....................................................................................................................186
• Group .....................................................................................................................................186
• Ungroup ................................................................................................................................186
Information ...............................................................................................................................187
• Information ...........................................................................................................................187
• Functions ..............................................................................................................................188
• Dynamic Geometry tree...................................................................................................189
Ch 16 The constraints...........................................................................................................191
Snapping ...................................................................................................................................192
• Snapping on ruler gradation .........................................................................................192
• Snapping on particular points ......................................................................................192
Axis toggling ...........................................................................................................................193
Advanced constraints .......................................................................................................194
Alignment guides .................................................................................................................196
Amapi ProT M v
Ch 17 Scene management .............................................................................................. 197
The Layers .............................................................................................................................. 198
• Select the receiving layer .............................................................................................. 199
• Add a layer .......................................................................................................................... 199
• Delete a layer of its contents ....................................................................................... 199
• Merge two layers .............................................................................................................. 199
• Show / Hide a layer .......................................................................................................... 199
• Lock / Unlock a layer ....................................................................................................... 200
• Move one object to another layer .............................................................................. 200
The Scene graph................................................................................................................. 201
• Browse the scene graph ................................................................................................ 201
• Selection using the scene graph ................................................................................ 202
• Operations on the scene graph selection ............................................................... 202
• Change the group, layer or material ......................................................................... 204
vi Reference Manual
Views ...........................................................................................................................................223
Tools ............................................................................................................................................225
• Advanced tools ...................................................................................................................225
• Peripherals ..........................................................................................................................226
Window ......................................................................................................................................227
Rooms ........................................................................................................................................228
Ch 21 3D Digitizing ...................................................................................................................233
MicroScribe .............................................................................................................................233
Calibration ................................................................................................................................234
The tools which allow you to digitize .......................................................................234
AutoPlot Mode and Scaling factor ............................................................................235
Modeling room
Move ............................................................................................................................................242
• The move tool .....................................................................................................................242
• Moving when no tool is selected ..................................................................................243
• Additional information ......................................................................................................243
Rotate .........................................................................................................................................244
• Methods of rotation ...........................................................................................................244
• Rotation axis orientation .................................................................................................245
• Rotation reference point repositioning .....................................................................245
• Global / Local options ......................................................................................................246
• Tuning the gradation accuracy ....................................................................................246
• Magnetizing the rotation circle gradations ..............................................................246
• Additional information ......................................................................................................247
Scale ............................................................................................................................................248
• Center / base reference point........................................................................................249
• Customizing the reference point .................................................................................249
• The constraints ....................................................................................................................250
• Global / Local options ......................................................................................................250
Amapi ProT M ix
• Radius local setting on polyhedral objects ............................................................. 349
• Range global setting on polyhedral objects ........................................................... 349
• Shape of the chamfer for NURBS edges ............................................................... 350
• Apply to all ........................................................................................................................... 350
• Additional Information ..................................................................................................... 350
Thickness/Offset .................................................................................................................. 351
• “Thickness/Offset” options ............................................................................................ 351
• Changing the position of the thickness .................................................................... 352
• Surface options .................................................................................................................. 353
• Additional information ..................................................................................................... 353
Cut ................................................................................................................................................ 354
• Cutting methods ................................................................................................................. 355
• Additional information....................................................................................................... 363
Delete ......................................................................................................................................... 364
• The current selection is a curve ................................................................................... 365
• The current selection is a surface ............................................................................... 366
• Additional information ..................................................................................................... 366
Tesselate .................................................................................................................................. 367
• Tesselate a polygonal volume or surface ............................................................... 367
• Tesselate a polygonal curve ........................................................................................ 369
• Tesselate a NURBS object ............................................................................................ 370
Deform ....................................................................................................................................... 374
• The options ........................................................................................................................... 375
• The meshed control box editing accessories ....................................................... 376
• Action orientation options .............................................................................................. 377
• Additional information ..................................................................................................... 378
Bend ............................................................................................................................................ 379
• Bending along an existing profile ............................................................................... 379
• Bending along a profile drawn with the tool ........................................................... 379
• Additional information .................................................................................................... 380
Mold ............................................................................................................................................. 382
• Selection to pull ................................................................................................................. 382
• Influence area .................................................................................................................... 383
• Inertia ...................................................................................................................................... 384
• Additional information ..................................................................................................... 384
Bump/Soften .......................................................................................................................... 385
• Bump ....................................................................................................................................... 385
• Soften-Stress “Relax” method ...................................................................................... 385
• Soften-Stress “Mid-mid” method ................................................................................. 385
x Reference Manual
• The methods .......................................................................................................................388
• Additional information ......................................................................................................397
Symmetry .................................................................................................................................398
• Symmetry from an orthogonal plane .........................................................................398
• From an orthogonal plane passing by a point to be selected .........................398
• Clone the generated objects ........................................................................................399
• Additional information ......................................................................................................399
Close ...........................................................................................................................................400
• Close a polygonal surface .............................................................................................400
• Edit the polylines closings .............................................................................................400
• Edit the joint and opening of a grid-structure object ...........................................401
• Additional information ....................................................................................................402
Weld .............................................................................................................................................403
• The options .........................................................................................................................403
• Weld objects .........................................................................................................................403
• Weld points onto an object .............................................................................................403
• Weld points close to each other ...................................................................................403
• Weld points of distant objects .......................................................................................404
• Point selection when using weld points ...................................................................404
• Weld NURBS objects ......................................................................................................404
• Additional information ......................................................................................................405
Snap/Align ................................................................................................................................406
• Use ..........................................................................................................................................406
• Align ........................................................................................................................................406
• Some illustrated examples ............................................................................................407
• Additional information ......................................................................................................407
Lay on .........................................................................................................................................408
Unfold ..........................................................................................................................................409
• Select the cutting edges .................................................................................................410
• Select the starting facet ..................................................................................................411
• Unfold .....................................................................................................................................412
• Additional Information .....................................................................................................412
Wrap ............................................................................................................................................413
• Options ..................................................................................................................................413
• Spread management .......................................................................................................414
• The Threshold accessory ..............................................................................................414
• Additional information ......................................................................................................414
Measurements.......................................................................................................................415
• The measurement tools ...................................................................................................416
• The dimensions-manipulating accessories ............................................................418
• Additional information ......................................................................................................419
Decimate ...................................................................................................................................420
Amapi ProT M xi
Rendering Room
Ch 27 Materials............................................................................................................................ 427
Material catalog .................................................................................................................... 428
• Open a directory ................................................................................................................ 429
• Browsing the pages of the catalog ............................................................................ 429
• Deleting a file from the catalog ................................................................................... 429
• Applying a material .......................................................................................................... 430
• Saving a new material in the catalog ....................................................................... 430
• Organizing the catalog ................................................................................................... 430
• Managing the favorites directory ................................................................................ 431
Material editor........................................................................................................................ 432
• The editable material ....................................................................................................... 432
• Editing ..................................................................................................................................... 433
Catalog room
Preferences
Ch 31 Preferences....................................................................................................................451
Preferences editor...............................................................................................................451
• User interface .......................................................................................................................452
• Graphic environment.........................................................................................................459
• Scene display .......................................................................................................................465
• Printing preferences ..........................................................................................................474
• Import / Export ....................................................................................................................474
• Units ........................................................................................................................................474
• NURBS preferences ..........................................................................................................476
Shortcuts Editor ....................................................................................................................478
Ch 32 Glossary.............................................................................................................................. 481
Amapi Pro is the creative tool par excellence for the design and realization of models and
3D scenes for Product Design, Architecture and the creation of advanced 3D models. Inte-
grating all the technologies of NURBS surface modeling, complete with an interface entirely
dedicated to creation yet preserving the legendary creativity of the Amapi product,
Amapi Pro is the first software package that offers such a high level of functionality, making
it a complete and unique tool in its category.
Amapi Pro is a complete modeler at the leading edge of current performances, offering
advanced functions such as the construction and editing of NURBS surfaces and volumes
(multiple profiles, constrained volumes, cutting, boolean operators, surface joints, chamfers,
thicknesses, etc.), and a full tools palette for polygonal modeling.
The second variation in the New Generation of the Amapi products, Amapi Pro is based on
the concepts and structures already implemented in Amapi Designer. Its resolutely creative
approach and exceptional ergonomics give it an unequalled short training time and flexibil-
ity of use. The perfect tool for Creative Designers, it is well suited for free-form research and
ideal for the precise execution and the finalization of projects.
All modeling can be realized with NURBS surfaces, the models created with Amapi Pro are
precise and directly manufacturable. Amapi Pro communicates easily with all CAD/CAM
tools, through native imports/exports such as DWG (AutoCAD), IGES and STL.
All other standard interchange formats are also supported: DXF, OBJ, VRML, EPS, etc.
You will be able to communicate directly with other tools for the creation of images and 3D
animations, such as Shade, as well as with all the other high-level rendering and animation
software.
Amapi ProT M 3
Previous Amapi users will reach an unequalled working capacity with Amapi Pro.
What is more, all your models can now be flawlessly exported to dedicated manufacturing
solutions.
If you are new to Amapi Pro, this powerful modeling product will let you discover how to
create exact high-end models while remaining highly intuitive and flexible, in short, a genu-
ine tool for creation.
For all of the above reasons, you can be pleased with your choice and Amapi Pro wishes you
a warm welcome into the world of creative modeling in 3 Dimensions.
Do not forget to register, by filling out and sending the Registration card included with this
manual, or by filling out our on-line registration form at the http://www.e-frontier.com/go/
support/registration ‘Registration’ section.
Lastly, do not hesitate to contact us for any suggestions you may have or to forward us
images of your achievements!
4 Reference Manual
2
How to use the Reference Manual?
It will not take you more than a few hours of training to become acquainted with the philos-
ophy of this new software and only a few days for you to become a proficient user.
Initially, it is recommended to consult the first chapters of the manual for a quick and effi-
cient start. You will find:
• The chapter #3 gives you detailed information to install and start the program (see
details on page 7).
• In chapter #4, an Amapi Pro quicktour is designed for a better understanding of the
spirit and the power of the software (see details on page 13).
• The chapter #5 presents a table summarizing the different modeling tools (see details
on page 31).
• The chapter #6 offers several exercises designed for progressive learning (see details on
page 37).
Once used to the program, you will be able to create your own models.
The following chapters will give you full details about each program function. The sequen-
tial reading of this manual will appear superfluous if the suggested training has been
respected. Indeed, you will already know what you can do with Amapi Designer and will
only have to refer to the reference manual corresponding to what you are trying to do.
Amapi ProT M 5
Each note is symbolized by a pictograph which allows you to quickly understand the kind of
information.
Additional information
Warning note
Restrictions
Note
Reminder
6 Reference Manual
3
Installation
3.1 PC
Amapi Pro works on any PC-compatible computer with at least the following configuration:
Amapi ProT M 7
3.1.3 Installation
When inserting the Amapi Pro CD-ROM into any PC running Windows, an Autorun
window automatically appears. You can choose to install your Amapi Pro software or to
explore the other files on the CD-ROM.
Alternatively, you can install Amapi Pro without using Autorun. Choose Start menu >
Control Panels. Then double-click Add/Remove Programs from the Control Panel and
follow the instructions.
To install Amapi Pro:
1) Start Windows.
2) No other application should be running during installation.
3) Insert the Amapi Pro CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive and click the Install button.
Windows locates the Amapi Pro installation program on the CD-ROM
4) Follow the instructions on the screen. Click Next to confirm each option and to move to
the next screen.
You have the option to run a Typical, Compact, or Custom installation. Typical will
install your software in a standard configuration appropriate for most users. Compact
installs a minimum configuration.
Choose Custom if you want to select individual files for installation.
The installer proposes an installation directory and Program Folder.
5) Once you’ve made these selections you’ll be able to confirm your installation settings.
Then click Start to install.
6) Once Amapi Pro has finished installing, click Finish.
Follow the instructions on screen for electronic registration.
8 Reference Manual
3.2 Macintosh
Amapi Pro works on any Power Macintosh with at least the following configuration.
3.2.3 Installation
1) Turn off any virus protection and compression programs and close any other applications
currently open.
2) Insert the Amapi Pro CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.
3) Double-click the Installer icon from the CD-ROM and follow the instructions on the
screen. The installer gives you the option of performing an Easy or Custom installation.
Easy Install will install your software in a standard configuration appropriate for most
users. Choose Custom if you want to select individual files for installation.
4) Choose the Install Location for the Amapi Pro folder and click Install.
5) Once Amapi Pro has finished installing, click Quit to quit the Installer.
6) Follow the instructions on the screen for electronic registration.
This documentation refers to the PC keyboard only.
Macintosh users must read “Command” each time “Control” (Ctrl) is called upon.
Amapi ProT M 9
10 Reference Manual
Getting started
4
Quick Tour
4.1 Ergonomics
Amapi Pro is a 3D NURBS and POLYHEDRAL modeling package. This tool allows you to
draw, build, and assemble scenes in 3 dimensions.
The ergonomics of Amapi Designer have been designed and tuned to give you the best
comfort and productivity while working on your projects.
The understanding of volumes in space, the manipulation of 3D graphic objects, the tools
options and accessory accessibility have been designed to reduce as much as possible the
number of manipulations and to maintain the consistency of the application.
You, undoubtedly, are accustomed to using many applications other than Amapi Pro and
you acquire specific ways of using these applications: window positions, keyboard
shortcuts, and user interface colors.
To allow you to integrate Amapi Pro into your working environment without having to
change your practices, we offer you an completely configurable environment.
You can easily choose the position of the palettes, the color of each element, the function of
a key, all the way through the application’s operating mode. But, if you so desire, you can
also use Amapi Pro in the traditional Amapi mode - the one that has created the product’s
reputation since its very first version.: an immersive framework where the tools palettes
change by means of sweeping the cursor out of edge of the principal window and back.
The configurations of the interfaces are accessible in the Amapi Pro preferences. You can
also use interface themes presets such as the "Pro" theme selected with first startup or the
"With color gradient" theme which is Amapi Designer’s default theme or the "Immersive"
theme which again uses specifics from the previous versions of Amapi.
These themes represent sets of preset preferences. You can easily modify the adjustments by
changing your desired preferences.
Amapi ProT M 13
(See “Preferences editor” on page 451).
14 Reference Manual
The Gradient theme is
similar to the Classic theme
but displays the icons on a
color gradient background.
Amapi ProT M 15
The Classic with tools pal-
ettes theme is the theme
which is closest to the well-
known and appreciated-by
former-users interface.
Like the “Immersive”
theme, this theme gives a
maximum of space to the
working window but dis-
plays only one tools palette
at once (“tool box” inter-
face). Switching from one
palette to another is done by
“sweeping” the cursor out
to the right hand side of the
window and back.
(See “Two interfaces” on Classic with tools palettes interface theme
page 79).
The various possible presentations for the tools and accessories make it possible to adapt
the use of Amapi Pro to your practices.
For example, Amapi Pro proposes two possible interfaces to display the tools of the
modeling room :
With the “tool box” type interface, you will easily find the tool that you need in one of the
four tools palettes but you will need make sure to click on the correct icon because of their
small size.
With the “tools palette” type interface, the tool icons are larger and only one of the three
palettes is displayed (the fourth, corresponding to the basic toolkit, is always visible). You
will pick up tools without losing sight of your 3D models. This mode is particularly
appropriate to users working with matter as a sculptor would.
You will quickly be able to customize your own working environment by moving or closing
the different panels.
For instance, the help windows or the viewing tools are generally used only during the
learning steps. When beginning, you will make the Viewing manipulations by using the
navigation palette. Then, you will prefer to use shortcuts (the keyboard arrow keys and
number pad keys).
16 Reference Manual
The keyboard is an essential component that gives direct access to the most commonly used
functions. It helps to save time and allows you to work more efficiently.
Amapi Pro uses (as much as possible) the most accessible keys: “Space bar”, “Escape”,
“Enter”, “+/-”, arrow keys, numerical pad, “Shift”, “Control”, “Alt”. Keyboard shortcuts can
be set for most tools to accelerate their launching when they are often used. You are
probably already familiar with other software products that have standard shortcuts on
common features like Cut, Paste, Undo and Open. Amapi Pro is set up by default to accept
these standard shortcuts.
Amapi ProT M 17
4.2 Screen Layout
Access to
Menu bar Assistant palette Rooms
Tools palettes
Control panel
We have seen that Amapi Pro proposes several different interface themes corresponding to
different user profiles. Testing and adopting one of them will save you invaluable time
through using the interface the most suited to your work.
It will always be possible to manually modify all the preferences by means of the
preferences editor.
The 3D graphic workspace appears in a large window. It can be split into two, three or four
views of the same scene. The different panels are located around this area.
The control panel is located under this graphic workspace. It contains some generic tools
and accessories that can be useful during the modeling steps. (see details on page 167). The
control panel can be hidden to have a larger workspace area.
18 Reference Manual
The tools palette window appears on the right-hand side of the screen. There are two
possible interfaces (See “The Tools palettes” on page 78).
On the left-hand side of the screen, a set of optional panels are displayed. There, you can
find the help panel, the viewing panel, Dynamic Geometry panel, the parameter panel and
the selection panel. A set of small icons located in the left-hand side of the control panel
allow you to show or hide these panels.
If you have selected the Pro or immersive Interface theme, these panels are floating panels.
They are displayed on top of the graphic workspace. If you have selected the Classic theme,
these panels are located in a window on the left-hand side of the graphic workspace. You
can choose to hide this window from the preference dialog in order to increase the size of the
graphic workspace (See “Preferences editor” on page 451).
When launching the application, the area located just above the graphic workspace. is
empty. When a tool is being used, this area will contain the current tool options (on the
right) and the current tool accessories (on the left) (see details on page 83).
The user can, on request, choose to display these options with a floating, mobile and
removable palette (See “Preferences editor” on page 451).
The Room icons are located at the top right-hand corner of the screen.
As in many other applications, the menu bar is located on the top left-hand side of the
screen.
4.3 Rooms
Amapi Pro splits the features into three rooms. This splitting helps to
reduce the number of tool icons displayed and to organize your
working process.
Click on the room icon to enter the room:
The Modeling room allows you to build, model, and assemble your objects (See
“Modeling room” on page 237).
The Rendering room contains the tools to set up your materials and to render objects
(See “Rendering Room” on page 421).
The Catalog room is useful to organize your files and save objects (See “The
Catalog” on page 443).
All rooms are built to the same layout but some areas are not displayed in all rooms. For
instance, some rooms have several tools palettes, but others have no tools palette at all.
Amapi ProT M 19
4.4 3D window, views and navigation
The graphic workspace displays the current scene. A scene is made up of objects created in
the same working space. Inside each view, the ground is symbolized by a grid. A small
trihedron displays the current orientation. The grid and the trihedron are useful for
localizing the objects in the 3D space. However, they can be turned off (See “The graphic
environment” on page 87).
The 3D window can contain up to four views of the same scene. A control panel icon allows
you to select one of the view layouts. When in multi-view mode, a view is activated by
clicking on it. Every action takes place in the active view.
20 Reference Manual
The navigation palette contains several icons allowing
you to manipulate the active view. Some predefined views
lock the navigation in the active view, allowing you to
stay in the left view for instance. (See “The Navigation”
on page 135)
Amapi Pro displays the objects in perspective projection by default. This type of projection
simulates human sight. It is possible to switch to orthographic projection by clicking on
one of the control panel icon. This type of projection does not deform objects far from the
point of view. (See “Perspective” on page 176).
Amapi ProT M 21
4.5 Objects and 3D entities
Amapi Pro is a 3D NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Spline) and polygonal modeler. This
implies that according to the mode you working in or according to the tool you use, you will
handle NURBS types or polyhedral entities. By default, Amapi Pro works in NURBS mode,
the mode best adapted to object design.
While modeling in polyhedral mode or when importing 3D object files, you will manipulate
basic entities that do not exist in real objects: the points, edges, lines, and facets. Amapi Pro
is a surface modeler. Every object is made up of a set of facets. This set can be opened or
closed. Each facet defines a planar surface delimited by a set of edges, each edge having one
3D point at each end.
Creating objects consists of creating points, lines and facets in the 3D space to define the
outlines of the final polyhedron.
It is also possible to create parametric surfaces called NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-
Spline) and to assemble them to obtain exact surfaces useful for advanced design projects.
NURBS are displayed as lines or surfaces, however their editable construction points are not
located on the surface but are a kind of magnet that attract the resulting surface.
22 Reference Manual
NURBS curve NURBS Surface
and its control shape and its control shape
Displaying 3D objects consists of selecting the combination of point, edge and facet entities
to be visualized as well as the specific parameters allowing to obtain a more or less realistic
visual effect.
The object display mode can be changed at any time The «Wireframe» mode
from the control panel. The wireframe mode allows
The «Lit Wireframe» mode
perfect manipulation of edges and points. The solid
The «Flat Solid» mode
facetted mode gives a more realistic aspect. Edges can
be added to this mode. Finally, the smoothed mode is The «WireShade Flat Solid» mode
the mode that gives the most realistic effect. Switching The «Smooth Solid» mode
from one mode to another allows the user to model in The «WireShade Smooth Solid» mode
wireframe mode and then to select the solid mode to
see the final result.
NURBS lines and surfaces are not displayed the same
way as polyhedral lines and surfaces. The points on NURBS lines are not displayed and the
edges on surfaces are limited to singular edges.
(See “The objects” on page 91).
Amapi ProT M 23
4.6 Selections
Amapi Pro allows you to precisely select the entities
you want to work on. The current selection mode lets
you work on points, edges, facets or objects. A set of
selection tools are available to make the selection
process easier. You can select entities one by one or
you can use the lasso or selection rectangle tool. You
can select according to an angular criteria and extend
the selection to neighboring entities. The current
selection can be saved to be used again later. The Shift
and Alt keys are used to add and suppress entities to/from the current selection. When
entities are selected, most tools restrict their action to that selection. You will then be able to
manipulate sub-selections of objects with tools like “Rotate” or “Stretch”.
It is also possible to change the current selection from within a tool without leaving that tool.
(see details on page 147).
24 Reference Manual
While using a tool, you will be able y working plane
to change the working plane by
turning around your model.
It is sometimes necessary to model in
a plane that is different from the
orthogonal planes. The control panel
contains an icon allowing to select a
new working plane. (See “Scene /
orthonormal base toggling” on
x
page 171). z
Finally, it may be useful to model in
the projection plane of the current working plane y
view. Although this method is less
accurate, it gives much versatility to
some complex positioning operations.
(See “Working in the view plane” on
page 169).
The origin of the rulers can be set
z
using a control panel tool. (See
“Orthonormal base origin” on
page 173). x
The ruler axis displayed in the
working plane allows you to
accurately align points and to set simple constraints. The ruler accuracy can be tuned using
the +/- keys. It is also possible to control the snap to the ruler grid from the control panel.
Finally the space bar allows you to constrain the mouse movements along the currently
displayed axis.
Amapi ProT M 25
4.8 Using tools
Tools are operators allowing you create, manipulate, assemble, objects but also to manage
views, import files,...etc. Although they are very different, they are all built to the same
common architecture. A tool is made up of a sequence of operations called steps.
Each step requires setting up one or several parameters (3D position, angle,...) in the
parameter palette or directly in the 3D window.
A set of current options and accessories can be viewed in a panel located just under the
menu bar. An option is, for example, the construction method for a sphere (From the base or
from the center). An accessory lets you perform a particular operation in the current tool
such as changing the rotation point of an object when using rotate tool. At each step, a help
message is displayed in the help window.
Tool accessory
Selection
accessory
palette
Navigation
palette
Help
palette
Parameters
palette
Graphic workspace
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The tool operation stops at the end of the last step or/and when the user clicks on the
assistant palette validation icon or/and presses the Enter key. The selection of another tool
will validate the current tool before initializing the new tool. It is always possible to stop a
tool execution by pressing on the cancel button in the assistant palette or by pressing the
Escape key.
Some accessories are in fact real tools. They contain several steps and achieve complex
operations but when they have completed, they restore the parent tool to the state it was
before launching the accessory. For instance, to punch a hole in a surface, one can use the
Cut tool and create a circle from within the Cut tool as an accessory. Once the circle is
created, the Cut tool automatically starts the cut action.
(See “Using tools” on page 80)
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4.10 Dynamic Geometry (DG)
Dynamic geometry is a concept that allows Amapi Pro to memorize the construction steps of
objects.
For instance, a curve extruded along a profile will create an object made up of two curves
and will have the extruded surface as the resulting shape.
Such objects can be edited afterwards. Manipulating their entities (points, edges or facets)
means manipulating the basic shapes they contain (called the control shapes). The resulting
shapes are automatically updated.
Stretched
Profile Point
Section
This concept allows a quick modification of the basic shapes without having to repeat the
intermediate construction steps. One will be able to create several versions of a same object
by modifying a single construction point.
The Dynamic Geometry palette helps to manage
Dynamic Geometry, to select and to suppress levels. 3. Smoothing 1
Its simplified presentation gives you a quick 2. Sweep 1
preview of the current selection as an object list.
1. Polyline 2
Most tools handle the dynamic geometry. However,
when using a tool that converts a model to
polygons, the dynamic geometry is not able to retain
the construction history of the model.
A global switch located in the control panel let you turn off dynamic geometry completely.
Work without dynamic geometry
Work with dynamic geometry
(see details on page 135)
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4.11 Entering values
At each step of object construction, it is important to be able
to enter exact values. Amapi Pro allows you to edit
numerical values by clicking on the parameter palette or by
hitting the Tab key.
(see details on page 161) Parameter palette
Amapi ProT M 29
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5
Modeling tools description
In the modeling room, Amapi Pro displays only the tools likely to be necessary to
each step of modeling.
Each tool is described in the following paragraphs. For detailed information, see the
Reference Manual.
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5.1 Toolkit
Above each main tools palette, a “Toolkit” is displayed. It contains tools which are always
available even while using a tool from the main palettes.
“Move” Use this tool to change the position of the current object. page 242
“Rotate” Use this tool to rotate the current object. page 244
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5.2 Construction palette
This tools palette contains the tools used to draw the shapes that will be the basis for your
models.
This tool creates curve(s) from points selected on the current object or
“Extract Lines” existing objects of the scene.
page 300
“Extract Facets” This tool creates an object made up of several facets. page 304
The basic use of this tool is to create sweeped shapes from curves.
“Sweep” However, it can also extrude facets, edges or points
page 307
“Double-Sweep” This tool creates a surface from a section and two profiles. page 321
This tool lets you create a “skin” tightened between two or more 2D or
“Ruled Surface” 3D curves.
page 324
This tool creates a volume from NURBS surfaces which will define the
“Manifold” future volume
page 336
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5.3 Modeling palette
This tools palette contains the tools used to model the objects.
This tool is used to control the number of facets defining a surface and the
“Smooth” number of points defining a curve and to give them a smoother aspect.
page 340
“Cut” Proposes several methods to cut one or several objects at the same time. page 354
This tool allows you to delete one or several elements (facet, edge or
“Delete” point) from the selected objects.
page 364
This tool lets you apply several kinds of deformations to the current
“Deform” selection proposed as options.
page 374
“Bend” This tool deforms the selection along a profile curve. page 379
This tool allows you to pull on the current selection so that to the points
“Mold” located in the influence area are moved with an inertia effect.
page 382
“Bump/Soften” This tool allows you to work on the surface bump of the current selection. page 385
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5.4 Assembly Palette
This tools palette contains the tools used to place and orient objects:
“Close” Lets you close the current selection, such as a curve or an opened surface. page 400
Use this tool to lay a facet of the selected object onto a facet of another
“Lay on” object (center on center). page 408
“Unfold” Use this tool to create a 2D flat unfolded version of a 3D model. page 409
Amapi ProT M 35
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6
Tutorials
These tutorials have been designed to quickly introduce the user to most of the navigation
and manipulation principles that apply to Amapi Pro. It is advised to do these exercises in
their chronological order.
Once familiar with the software, the user will be able to create his own models and will only
occasionally need to refer to the Reference Manual. This chapter explains in detail how each
tool operates.
Of course, these exercises represent only some of the main functions of Amapi. You will
find detailed illustrations of modeling techniques and case studies on the www.e-
frontier.com web site.
Amapi ProT M 37
6.1 A sphere, a 3D
tube and a
parallelepiped
Here you are, comfortably seated in front of the
screen. You are going to begin by familiarizing
yourself with the program interface. Let’s start by
building a sphere, a 3D tube and a parallelepiped.
These shapes will be often used as the basis for
future creations.
At the end of this exercise, you will know how to:
• Select a display mode,
• Change the construction mode (Polyhedral or
NURBS),
• Navigate in the scene,
• Change the working plane,
• Toggle from one Room to another,
• Change palettes,
• Pick up and release a tool,
• Edit a parameter in the graphic workspace and
in the parameter palette,
• Control the precision of an action,
• Apply a constraint to the cursor movement,
• Use the “Sphere”, “Cube”, “Polyline” and
“Thickness/Offset” tools.
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Building a sphere
Select the room:
In order to reduce the number of tools visible at
Modeling Rendering File Manager Room
the same time on the screen, Amapi Pro splits the Room Room (The Catalog)
main functions into three groups called “Rooms”.
These are represented by a group of icons at the
top right of the screen. To toggle from one to the
other, click on the icon showing the desired room.
As a general rule, you will usually start working
in the modeling room. To start this exercise,
“Basic toolkit”
make sure you are in the modeling room .
• “Construction Palette”,
• “Modeling palette”,
“Modeling
palette”
• “Assembly palette”
Amapi ProT M 39
Select the “Surface and volume primitives” in
the “Construction Palette” :
Click on the icon showing the “Surface and
volume primitives” tool in the “Construction
Palette” .
“Construction
Palette”
Select the “Sphere” tool in the “Surface and
volume primitives” palette:
The primitives construction palette is displayed; “Surface and volume primitives”
click on the “Sphere” tool . palette
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2) Click on the icon located in the control
panel at the bottom of the screen. This will set
the cursor free from snapping to the grid
gradations.
Control panel extract
3) Move the cursor again, the parameter palette
Free cursor movement.
displays the cursor position with an accuracy
of 1/1000. Cursor snapped to grid
Amapi ProT M 41
Release the “Surface and volume primitives”
tool:
The tool will be released by moving the cursor
out the right side of the screen. Work can then be
continued with another selection and/or another
tool.
The control panel (at the bottom of the screen) The “Lit Wireframe” mode
displays the icon showing the current display The “Flat Solid” mode
mode. Click on it to display the entire list of the The “WireShade Flat Solid” mode
proposed modes, then click on the suitable one.
The “Smooth Solid” mode
Try all of them, then choose the “WireShade Flat
The “WireShade Smooth Solid” mode
Solid” mode .
Navigation
The navigation palette:
Amapi Pro allows you to work on a model from
any viewpoint. The user will appreciate how easy
it is to move around, towards or away from a
viewpoint.
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For your first creations, it is probably better to
use the navigation palette icons.
To continue this exercise, use the keyboard
shortcuts in order to see just how efficient they
are.
Amapi ProT M 43
Drawing a 3D tube
With Amapi Pro, the construction of a tube is
done in two steps. We will first create the profile
of the tube and then add a thickness to it.
In this exercise, we will use the NURBS
construction mode. It allows you to draw exact
parametric surfaces ideal for exchanging data
with CAO/CFOAO software.
Construction
palette
Select the “Curve” sub-tool in the “Line
drawing” palette:
A construction primitives sub-tools palette is
displayed, click on the “Curve” . sub-tool. “Line drawing”
palette
This tool will be used to create the tube profile.
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Begin drawing the first segment of the profile:
1) Move the cursor; its position is interactively
displayed in the parameter palette.
2) Click when the position is suitable.
3) Move the cursor to draw the curve’s first
segment.
Amapi ProT M 45
turns to blue: now the x axis (red) and the z
axis (blue) are displayed. This indicates that
the working plane has changed.
5) Move the cursor; its position is interactively
displayed in the parameter palette. Only the x
and z coordinates are modified because the
cursor doesn’t move in y.
6) Click when the cursor position is suitable. The
second segment is now drawn in the (x,z)
plane.
7) Move to a side view (“6” key) to work on the
(y,z) plane. Now, only the y and z coordinates
are modified because the cursor doesn’t move
in x.
8) Click when the cursor position is suitable The
third segment is now drawn in the (y,z) plane.
9) Now, press the “2” key to see the entire scene
in the front view.
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6) Click to validate this sixth segment.
Instead of clicking on one of these three
constraint icons, it is faster to use the
“Space-Bar” shortcut to toggle from one
movement constraint to another. Press the
“Space-Bar” several times and move the cursor to
see the constrained movement.
“Modeling
palette”
2) This tool has several options. Click on the
“Thickness/Offset”
“Give a thickness” option. tool options
The curve is transformed into a tube.
Amapi ProT M 47
3) The tuner indicates that the + or - keys
can be used to quickly set the “Thickness”
parameter corresponding to the tube diameter.
4) Validate the operation and release the tool by
pressing on the “Enter” key.
Building a parallelepiped
Select the “Surface and volume primitives”
tool in the “Construction Palette”:
Click on the “Surface and volume primitives” “Construction
Palette”
icon in the “Construction Palette”.
Select the “Cube” subtool in the “Construction
Palette”:
“Surface and volume primitives”
Click on the “Cube” tool. palette
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Set the center of the cube:
1) Move the cursor in the graphic workspace.
The cursor position is interactively displayed
in the parameter palette at the bottom left side
of the screen. This time, the coordinates will
be entered from the keyboard.
2) Press the “Tab” key to activate the parameters
edit mode.
3) Enter a value for x, y and z (use the arrow
keys to move from one field to another).
4) Validate the operation by pressing the “Enter”
key.
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6.2 Creating an
ashtray
In this exercise, we will see that with only a few
clicks, everyday objects such as a ashtray can be
created.
This tutorial is designed to learn how to quickly
work with Amapi Pro and to demonstrate its
versatility. It is therefore possible to work in
single-view or multi-view.
We consider here that the previous exercise have
already been done. Basic explanations will
therefore be skipped.
At the end of this exercise, the user will know
how to:
• Work in single-view or multi-view.
• Use the “Cube”, “Chamfer”, “Cut”, “Rotate”,
“Move” tools.
• Save the current scene in the catalog.
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Disable Dynamic Geometry :
Dynamic Geometry” is a fundamental concept we
will see in the next exercise, but in this one we
will switch Dynamic Geometry off. Click on the
Control panel extract
toggle-icon located in the control panel to toggle
from one working mode to the other. The icon
must show that Dynamic Geometry is
Work without Dynamic Geometry
disabled
Work with Dynamic Geometry
Setting a strategy:
There are always several methods available to
make the same model when working with
Amapi Pro. Determine a strategy before
beginning the model. Some methods will be more
appropriate, depending on the work method or
the application domain. Very quickly, you will be
able to use your own experience to define a
strategy
The first modeling step generally consists of
drawing curves or volumes as a construction
basis.
When looking at an ashtray, we can see that the
shape is based on a parallelepiped. So, let’s start
by building a parallelepiped.
Building a parallelepiped
Select the “Cube” tool:
1) Select the “Surface and volume
primitives” in the construction palette.
Amapi ProT M 51
Set the base of the cube:
1) Move the cursor to set the base of the cube.
Enter the x, y, z values as (0,1,0).
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2) Click to validate the size.
3) The tuner indicates that you can refine the
visual appearance of the sphere (see the
preceding exercise). Since we are
manipulating NURBS objects, we don’t need
to be concerned with that step, since the result
of the cut operation will be perfectly smooth.
You can use, if you like, the « + » and « - »
keys to smooth the sphere.
4) Validate the operation by pressing the “Enter”
key.
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Switch to 4 views:
1) Click on the “single view” icon in the
control panel. The view palette appears.
2) Select the 4 views icon .
Note: only one view is a perspective view.
The others are planar views.
3) Click on the top view to activate it.
4) Use the keyboard numerical keys ’.’ or ’,’ to
zoom out a bit.
First groove
1) Click on the “Cylinder” tool in the
“Surface and volume primitives” palette.
2) Move the cursor to set the center of the base
of the cylinder near the front face of the
ashtray and click or enter the values directly
in the parameters palette (x=0 ; y=0 ; z=13) .
3) Click in order to place the base of the cylinder
and to begin construction.
4) Move the cursor to the right. A small cylinder
appears. The mouse position defines its
diameter.
5) When the diameter is close to 1 cm, click, or
hit Tab and enter 1 in the parameter palette
and hit return to validate.
6) Now that the diameter is defined, moving the
cursor sets the height of the cylinder. Move
the cursor upward. The cylinder grows.
7) Stretch the cylinder so that it completely
crosses the ashtray body and appears on the
other side. The height should be about 26 cm.
Click to validate. .
8) As soon as the height is set, the tuner
appears and the two sides of the cylinder are
highlighted. Since we want to close the
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cylinder, simply click on the accessory to
close the two sides.
9) Put aside the tool.
Amapi ProT M 55
2) Press and hold the « Ctrl » key while clicking
on the “Rotate” tool in the “Basic toolkit”
palette. A gradated circle appears around the
cylinder.
Remark: Holding the « Ctrl » key while
selecting one of the basic tools lets you, on
tools that accept this kind of operation, create
a copy of the selected object before applying
the tool’s action.
3) Click on the highest gradation on the circle.
4) Move the cursor to the right most gradation.
The new cylinder rotates as you move the
cursor.
• Click again when on the right most
gradation. (The new cylinder is
perpendicular to the original one)
Or
• If you prefer, hit Tab and enter 90°. Then
hit Enter to validate
• Hit enter again to leave the tool.
Switch to single-view :
1) Click on the «four-view» icon to open the
view palette.
2) Click on the «single-view» icon .
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1) Click on the “Cut” tool in the modeling
palette.
The cylinders must be the selected object.
2) Click on the ashtray to perform the cut
between the current object and the ashtray.
3) Check that the current cut option is in the
option palette: the resulting object is the
ashtray body minus the cylinders.
4) Validate by hitting the enter key.
Rendered display
Set the viewpoint:
1) Use the navigation keys to see the ashtray
from any angle.
2) Find the best viewpoint.
Amapi ProT M 57
Rendering:
Press the “Enter” key to display the rendered
object.
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6.3 Creating a bottle
This new exercise is primarily intended to
familiarize you with the manipulation of objects
using dynamic geometry. Dynamic geometry is
one of the points which contribute to the power
and flexibility of your program.
It works according to the following principles:
Each object of the scene keeps a trace of all the
steps of its construction. You can therefore ask to
rectify a curve or a volume resulting from a
previous step. Amapi Pro will reflect this
modification in all the steps separating it from the
finished model. Here, we will create a profile of
an extrusion and then manipulate this profile after
the surface creation. Each manipulation will be
reflected immediately on the result, thus enabling
us to precisely set the aspect of the bottle.
Amapi ProT M 59
Work with dynamic geometry:
In this exercise, we will work with Dynamic
Geometry. To work without Dynamic Geometry
Click on the toggle-icon integrated into the
control panel which enables you to switch from To work with Dynamic Geometry
one working method to another. The icon must
show that you are working with Dynamic
Geometry .
Defining a strategy:
Note that a bottle consists of concentric circular
sections more or less dilated. We thus will create
a profile and a circle to use as a section. Then, we
will use the “Sweep” tool to create the surface.
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Drawing the bottle profile
Changing the Viewpoint:
“Line drawing” palette
Remember that the default “working plane” is the
orthogonal plane to which the orientation is
closest to the plane of the screen. You will
therefore need to go to a face view to be able to
draw the profile (press on the key “2”).
Amapi ProT M 61
Draw the base of the circle
Changing the Viewpoint:
Remember that the default “working plane” is the
orthogonal plane to which the orientation is
closest to the plane of the screen. You will
therefore need to go to a top view in order to
draw the circle on the ground plane (press the key
“5”). The circle will be automatically located on
the plane where you created the last point, that is
to say on the top of the bottle. So that the circle
positions correctly compared to the profile, press
the “left arrow” key several times. The profile
can then be seen as a vertical line.
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7) End by putting down “Line drawing” tool.
8) Go to a face view (press on the key “2”).
Amapi ProT M 63
Retouching the bottle’s shape
The Dynamic Geometry palette:
Since we are working with the Dynamic
Geometry (DG), Amapi Pro has kept a track of all
the steps of the modeling. You will observe this
by consulting the DG palette located on the left of
the screen:
• Level 1 corresponds to the polylines of
control for the circle and for the NURBS
profile.
• Level 2 corresponds to the NURBS circle and
to the NURBS profile.
• Level 3 corresponds to the sweeping.
1) Click on the icon of the DG palette to
display the polylines of control associated to
this dynamic geometry level. See right.
2) Click on the icon of the DG palette to
display the NURBS curves of the profile and
the circle.
3) Click on the icon of the DG palette to
display the sweeping.
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deform it. You can see that Amapi Pro
reflects in real time the effects of this
deformation on the extruded final shape.
4) Click again to validate the new drawing.
5) Repeat these two last steps until you are
satisfied with the results obtained.
6) Release the “Stretch” tool.
Amapi ProT M 65
6) Release the “Tesselate” tool. The profile now
has enough points to be able to modify the
bottle’s neck.
7) Release the tool.
8) Click on the visibility icon on the line
corresponding to the extrusion in the dynamic
geometry palette . This lets you show the
surface.
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The selection accessories :
In the preceding action we did a multiple
selection by means of the Shift key in order to
select several of points. This action could have
been done differently by using one of the
selection accessories of the selection palette.
“Select” consists of pointing out the element(s)
concerned by the action you want to undertake.
These elements can be objects, facets, edges or
points.
The Amapi Pro tools act on all of the selected
elements (this is called the “current selection”).
The first line of icons in the selection palette lets
you to indicate the entity you want to select
(object, facet, edge or point).
The second line of icons allows you to indicate
the way in which you want to select: object by
object, with the assistance of the lasso or a
rectangle, 1 on N, by proximity or by angle.
Amapi ProT M 67
6.4 Modeling a
mouse
This exercise shows the power and the speed
when modeling complex models with Amapi Pro.
This mouse will be made only with NURBS
surfaces, with the assistance of NURBS curves
and the “Sweep”, “Manifold”, “Cut” and
“Chamfer” tools.
This exercise supposes that you are accustomed
to doing basic manipulations with Amapi Pro
such as moving, scaling up or down, or rotating.
At the end of this exercise you will know how to:
• “Sweep”,
• “Manifold”,
• “Cut”,
• “Chamfer”
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3) Click on the “Curve” tool.
4) Draw the two first curves, and be careful that Curve 4
they cross close to their ends.
Curve 3
5) Go to a face view (press on the key “2”).
6) Draw the curve 3.
7) Go to a side view (press on the key “6”). Curve 2
8) Draw the curve 4.
Curve 1
Amapi ProT M 69
2) Then click on the “Sweep” tool .
Rectification
1) Your mouse’s edges are a little sharp. We will
now soften them.
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2) Select the “Chamfer” tool .
3) Click on all the edges of your mouse, which
then appear highlighted in red. You also can
use the accessory which applies the
chamfer to all the edges.
4) With the + and - keys of the numeric keypad,
you can modify the radius of your chamfer.
5) When you are satisfied with the general
appearance of your mouse, validate with the
Enter key.
Adding a wheel
The wheel cavity
1) Select the “Surface and volume primitives”,
tool and create a little sphere.
2) Go to a face view (press on the key “2”).
3) With the “Scale” tool, flatten the sphere on
the x axe.
4) Go to a side view (press on the key “4”).
5) With the “Scale” tool, flatten the sphere on
the y axe.
6) With the “Rotate” tool, apply a light rotation
to it.
7) Place the flattened sphere on your mouse, so
that it intersects with the upper surface.
8) Click on the sphere to select it, then choose
the “Cut” (“Boolean”) tool.
9) Then click on the mouse, the sphere will
perforate the surface of the mouse.
10)With the assistance of the + and - keys, you
can alternatively review all the possible
operations between the two surfaces.
Amapi ProT M 71
11)When you get a result similar to the figure to
the right, validate with the Enter key.
12)Select the “Sweep” tool.
13)Click on the ellipse cut out in the surface of
the mouse: this is an edge, it appears in
yellow. In NURBS mode, the extrusion tool
Close up
can detect an edge and extrude it directly. view of the
This is what we will do. As soon as you click wheel
cavity
on this yellow ellipse, the surface is created.
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5) With this cylinder selected, pick up the “Cut”
(“Boolean”) tool and click on the body of the
mouse. You will get a cut out as on the right.
6) As you have previously done for the wheel
cavity, pick up the “Sweep” tool and click on Close up
the yellow cercle which appears at the edge of view of the
wire
this hole to create a small surface which goes connection
towards the interior of the mouse. Validate by
pressing the Enter key.
Amapi ProT M 73
create this part with seven small mouse clicks.
NURBS curves having a natural tendency to
be curved, to obtain sharper edges on this
part, you will need to click twice as many
points that are closer together.
4) The new piece is now in place.
5) A simple sphere is added to make the mouse
ball
Adding feet
To improve this mouse, you may add four little
feet and a spot to stick on the brand.
To do this, 4 small closed and stretched cylinders
will be placed on the mouse body.
This is not necessary to create 4 feet, but only one
and then copy it with the “Duplicate” tool.
1) Now you know how to do this part: drill the
holes of the four feet one by one and the hole
for the brand.
2) In the selection palette click on the edges
selection accessory icon.
3) Select the four yellow edges corresponding to
the holes for the feet.
4) Then pick up the “Sweep” tool and validate
with the enter key. You have created all 4 feet
at the same time.
5) Do the same for the cavity for the brand.
6) Your mouse is finished!
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Rooms common principles
7
The Rooms, Palettes and Tools
The Modeling room which allows you to build, model and assemble the objects (See
“Modeling room” on page 237).
The Rendering room to set the materials and the lights (See “Rendering Room” on
page 421).
The Catalog room where you can record the objects or the scenes (See “The
Catalog” on page 443).
Amapi ProT M 77
7.2 The Tools palettes
7.2.1 Three Tools palettes and a “Basic toolkit”
Each room offers different functions called “Tools”.
The tools of the modeling room have been dispatched in
specialized groups of tools called “Tools palettes”.
Amapi Pro will display only the tools needed for each
step of work. This is why they have been divided into
three different groups. Each group, called “Palette”, Construction
corresponds to a modeling step: palette
Modeling
palette
Assembly
palette
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7.2.2 Two interfaces
Amapi Pro proposes two possible interfaces to display the modeling room tools:
You will be able to change this preference in the “Preferences editor”> “User interface”>
“Palettes display”> “Toolbox” (see details on page 456).
By default, Amapi Pro displays the tools palettes on the right side of the screen. It’s also possible
to display them on the left side.
’“Preferences editor”> “User interface”> “Miscellaneous”> “Right-handed palettes display” (see
details on page 456).
Amapi ProT M 79
7.3 Using tools
When to pick up a tool?
A tool works on the current selection or on the selected objects (See “The concept of
selection” on page 147). It is often better to make the selection before picking the tool,
although it is possible to change the selection while using the tool.
To pick up a tool, just click once on the icon which depicts the tool.
You will be able to pick up a tool from a tools palette only if there is not another tool in use.
If a tool is in use, you will have to release this tool (see details on page 80) in order to be
allowed to pick up a new tool.
If you choose the “Toolbox” interface (See “Two interfaces” on page 79):
All the tools of the workshop are permanently at the disposal of the user, you will therefore
be able to pick up a new tool from any one of the four palettes (the three tools palettes and
the basic toolkit) at any moment.
If you choose the “Tools palette” interface (See “Two interfaces” on page 79):
You might have to change the tools palette before picking up a tool.
On the other hand, you will be able to pick up a tool from the basic toolkit at any moment. In
this case, the selection of a tool from the kit will automatically validate the tool in progress.
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• By releasing the tool
The tool will be released by hitting the right side of the screen with the cursor. The user will
be able to continue his work with another selection and another tool.
• By selecting another tool
When selecting another tool, the current tool action is automatically validated.
• By cancelling (“Escape” key)
It is possible to press the “Escape” key at anytime while using a tool. This action releases the
tool and cancels the tool action. The scene will remain the same as before picking up this
tool.
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8
The tools options and accessories
When a tool is selected, Amapi Pro proposes, in a reserved area, a series of icons showing
the available options and accessories.
These are:
This options and accessories area can be hidden to free up more space for the graphic
workspace.
See’“Preferences editor”> “User interface”> “Palettes display”> “Tools options and accessories
display support area” (see details on page 455).
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8.1 The tool options
8.1.1 What is a tool option?
Tools are organized as a sequence of steps. Some of these steps allow you to select between
several working methods or computing options. These methods or options are displayed on
the top right of the graphic workspace.
Some options can change the behavior and/or the number of steps:
In the following example, passing from one method-option to the other modifies the
behavior of the tool. The “Sphere” tool proposes two building methods:
Diameter
base point of the sphere, the diameter will then be set at the second
step.
base
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8.1.2 Selecting an option
For each tool step, there is always a default option. There are several methods for selecting
another option:
• It is possible to toggle quickly from one option to the other by pressing both the “Alt”
and “Space-Bar” keys. This operation can be made only when the options group is
highlighted as the current “options group”.
Apply to all
Several tools have an “Apply to all” accessory to apply the current operation to all
elements. You can therefore automatically generate an action to close all facets,
group all displayed entities or apply a chamfer to an entire current object in just one
operation. The shortcut is the “A” key.
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9
The graphic environment
The user will work on the orthonormal base visualized as three gradated axis (see details
on page 88).
The working plane, on which the modeling will be done, (see details on page 89) is defined
by the two axis the most parallels to the current view plane (see details on page 137).
To create points in 3D, the user only has the use of a 2D mouse (or equivalent). He or she
will therefore have to change the viewpoint to change the working plane (See “The
Navigation” on page 135).
The orthogonal planes visualization will help for the orientation in the 3D graphic
workspace (See “The orthogonal planes” on page 90).
y Working plane y
Working plane
x
z x
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9.1 The orthonormal base
Only the two axis of the orthonormal base defining the current working plane are displayed
while using the tools. They let you make precise alignments and simple constraints.
Their color code is as follows: X (red), Y (green) and Z (blue).
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While editing, Amapi Pro allows you to set movement constraints along one axis. A
constrained movement allows you to restrict the action of the current tool on one of the two
axis or set the action direction (See “Axis toggling” on page 193).
The toggling is set by clicking on one of the icon in the assistant palette (keyboard
shortcut: “Space-Bar”).
Amapi Pro proposes a series of “Advanced constraints” in a palette that the user can
choose to display or not by clicking on the toggle-icon integrated in the control panel.
(See “Advanced constraints” on page 194)
The “Alignment guides” tool allows you to create temporary alignment guides to
constrain the cursor while building 3D points. These guides are straight lines making
a singular angle (45 degrees, 90 degrees...) with the horizontal plane or a predefined
direction. These guides can be accumulated to allow singular line intersections. They can
also be oriented toward a specified axis. The control of these guides is entirely made with
the mouse. The guides disappear after each point created. The “Alignment guides” are
enabled by clicking on a toggle-icon in “The Control panel”. (See “Alignment guides” on
page 196)
Amapi ProT M 89
Sometimes, it could be necessary to work in a plane other than the standard planes. To do
this, click on the icon in the Control Panel to select a new working plane (See “Scene /
orthonormal base toggling” on page 171).
In some cases, it can be interesting to work on the projection plane of the current view. This
method might make it easier to arrange objects in complex operations. To reach this, click on
the icon in the Control Panel (See “Working in the view plane” on page 169).
Construction of an object from its image projected onto the orthogonal planes.
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10
The objects
10.1.1 Curves
A curve is an object made up of one or several lines. There are several kinds of lines.
Generally, they are defined by a set of points. But some of them may include one or several
parameters. Lines can be drawn in two or three dimensions. Circles, arcs, rectangles,
polylines, NURBS or interpolated curves are examples of lines (See “Line drawing” on
page 277).
Simple curve: Object made up of only one unique line.
Connected curves: Connected curves are several curves, where a curve has one end exactly
superimposed with one end of another curve.
Composite curve: A composite curve is an object made up of a series of several lines with a
connection linking the ending points.
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10.1.2 Surfaces / Volumes
A surface is made up of a set of facets. They can be drawn in two or three dimensions. Tubes
and grids are examples of surfaces. Volumes are closed surfaces. Spheres and cubes are
examples of volumes.
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Two cases can be defined:
The user works on the renamed object with a multi-operations tool. Some tools work on
several objects (i.e: “Sweep”, “Cut”...).
The generated object gets a default name.
See the following example:
The user works on the renamed object with a one operand tool (except with dynamic
geometry). This is a tool works on only one object at a time (i.e: “Smooth”, “Chamfer”...):
The renamed object transfers its name to the generated object.
See the following example:
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10.3 Open / closed objects
The difference between open objects and closed objects:
10.4 Entity
Amapi Pro can works on the following entities:
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10.5 Displaying the objects
Several display modes can be selected from the control panel.
For more details, see “Objects display” (see details on page 180).
The display mode of NURBS is different whether the application NURBS mode is set to
polyhedral or NURBS. “Polygonal or NURBS Models” (see details on page 96):
When NURBS mode is on, points and edges cannot be edited, thus they are not
displayed.
A NURBS curve will be represented as a continuous curve.
Isoparametric curves, contours and trimming curves will appear on NURBS surfaces.
When NURBS mode is off, points and edges are displayed on NURBS curves and
surfaces. They can be used as reference points or edges for building new objects.
However, they are not fully editable.
(See “The NURBS models” on page 98)
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10.6 Polygonal or NURBS Models
Amapi Pro allows you to build curves, surfaces or volumes with either a polygonal or a
NURBS method.
It is important to understand the fundamental difference between these two kinds of models
in order to select the construction mode which best fits the project.
Polygonal modeling is fast and well adapted to modeling low resolution organic shapes used
for illustration, video games, architecture.
NURBS modeling allows you to create mathematically exact curves or surfaces independent
of resolution. Although NURBS surfaces are more difficult to manipulate than polyhedral
shapes, NURBS provide the accuracy necessary to the CAD or even CAM process.
Most of Amapi Pro’s tools work in both modes almost transparently.
• “The Polyhedral models” (see details on page 97).
• “The NURBS models” (see details on page 98).
Amapi Pro allows you to transform models NURBS to Polygons and inversely (see details
on page 105).
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10.6.2 The Polyhedral models
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10.6.3 The NURBS models
NURBS curve and its control line NURBS surface and its control grid
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10.6.3.2 NURBS Curve
A NURBS curve is defined by its control points, a degree and a nodal sequence.
Control points are a set of 3D points created Control points (user defined)
by the curve creation tool. They act like mag- control polyline
nets on the curve, but the curve does not pass NURBS curve
though these points (except for the first and
last points and when the degree is 1). The
curve’s shape can be changed by moving the
control points.
Stretched Stretched
control control
point point
Stretching the same NURBS curve with different nodal knots gives different result.
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The NURBS curve display mode depends on the global operating mode “Polygonal or
NURBS Models” (see details on page 96).
When the global operating mode is
NURBS, a NURBS curve is represented by a
smoothed line. As opposed to polygonal lines,
points are not displayed on NURBS curves. In
fact, the NURBS curve can be «evaluated» by
every point of its curve.
Example of BREP.
The BREP display is not «crack free». Holes may appear near the intersection of NURBS
surfaces of a BREP. Representing a crack-free BREP requires adapting the tesselation to the
current view. This action is time consuming and will significantly impact overall display
performance.
BREPs with more than one face cannot be edited like simple NURBS surfaces. In fact,
editing the control points of the contained NURBS surfaces would require recomputing the
topological links. This process is very time consuming, so it cannot be made in real time. Editing
the control points of a BREP requires dissociating its faces first.
When applied to objects with many facets, this action can be very slow and create objects that
are difficult to manage.
The tools which generate grid-structure objects create a first DG level labeled Grid
Structure. (See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
The “Close” tool allows you to edit the connections and closures of the grid-structure
objects (see details on page 401).
The editor tools, which modify the object topology, destroy its grid-structure (See “Behavior
of the tools regarding the DG” on page 128).
Option The tool generates independent The tool generates objects which refer
description objects. Each object has its own to the same geometry.
geometry (even if they are identical).
Illustration
Stretched
Profile Point
Section
A toggle-icon from the Control Panel allows you to choose to work with or without
Dynamic Geometry:
Work without Dynamic Geometry
Work with Dynamic Geometry
Same example as above but, this time, without working with Dynamic Geometry:
Profile
Section
Stretched
Point
This short example shows how much DG can help to save time and improve quality and
efficiency, when applied to much more complex models.
“Smooth” Level #3
“Sweep” Level #2
“Polyline” Level #1
The default name of a shape depends directly on the tools it has been built with. It
corresponds to the name of its intermediate state followed by a number sequence. (See “The
different levels of completion” on page 126). Obviously the user will be able to rename
every shape (See “Renaming a shape” on page 116).
Level #4 Cut 1
Cut 1
Smoothing
Level #3
2
Smoothing 1 Smoothing 2
Thickness
Level #2
1
Sweeping 1 Thickness 1
Current
Level #1 Polyline 3 selection
Current path
Other paths
In order to simplify the DG palette, Amapi Pro displays only the path of the tree passing
through the current selection (See “The concept of selection” on page 147). It is called the
“Current Path”.
The shapes belonging to this path are called the “Current Shapes”.
In the above example, the current shape of level #2 is “Thickness 1”.
1. Polyline 3
The user can view the complete tree by opening the object information window by pressing on
the icon from the control panel (See “Dynamic Geometry tree” on page 189).
3. Smoothing 1
2. Sweeping 1
1. Polyline 2
Interactive display of the result.
If a real time display is selected, it should be noted that the fact of hiding one or more DG
levels can accelerate the display significantly.
If, for particularly complex objects, the user considers that the display time is still too long
he or she can change the display up to the tool validation stage (See “Displaying the result in
interactive / delayed mode” on page 125).
The user will indicate the level to collapse by clicking on the icon facing it.
2) A DG collapse from
level #2 (Sweeping) 3. Smoothing 1
has been requested. 2. Sweeping 1
Level #1 (Polyline) is
removed. 1. Polyline 2
The shape correspond-
ing to Sweeping loses Clic
We will use the example of a vase again. But this time, it will be made starting from a
section and a NURBS profile.
Note that, in this case, the control shapes of the NURBS curves are editable.
Sweeping 1 Level #3
Sweeping 1
(finished object)
NURBS
Level #2
Curve 2
Current
selection
Polyline 2 Level #1
Polyline 1 Polyline 2
(control shape) (control shape)
Current path
Other paths
The tree below represents the finished object (Sweeping 1) controlled by the control polygon
computed by Amapi Pro.
Sweeping 1
(finished object)
Grid Structure 1
(control shape)
The only way to control the object with the control polygon is to collapse the DG. The
icon shows this possibility.
2) A DG collapse from
level NURBS#3 has 3. Sweeping 1
been requested. Levels 2. NURBS Curve 2
#1 and #2 are removed
and replaced by a 1. Polyline 2
NURBS surface. This
Click
is the control shape of
the final object.
2. Sweeping 1
1. Grid-structure
3) Now, it is possible to
collapse the NURBS
surface by clicking on 2. Sweeping 1
the level corresponding
to NURBS surface 1. Grid-structure
(level #2).
Click
Amapi Pro removes
level #1 and the
NURBS Surface is
transformed into a
polyhedral Surface 1. Sweeping 1
(editable finished
object).
This second collapsing
deletes the NURBS
properties of the object.
2) A DG collapse from
4. Cut 1
level #4 (Cutting) has
been requested. The 3. Smoothing 2
level #1, #2 and #3 are
2. Thickness 1
removed. The shape
corresponding to 1. Polyline 3
Smoothing loses its Click
dynamic attributes and
then becomes an
editable finished object
(polyhedral Volume). 1. polyhedral Vol
2. Sweeping 1
1. Polyline 1
Clic
2. Sweeping 1
1. Polyline 2
Interactive
display of the
Delayed display
of the result
Text “Text”
Deformation box The objects being deformed with the “Bend”, “Twist” or “Taper” options
proposed in the “Deform” tool replace the DG of the object by a
Dynamic Geometry level corresponding to “The meshed control box
editing accessories” (see details on page 376)
Arc “Arc”
Sweeping Object being extruded using the “Sweep” tool (Extrusion or Sweeping
option).
Double Sweep Shapes obtained with the “Double Sweep” tool starting from a basic
section and two profiles.
Ruled Surfaces “Ruled Surface”
Manifold Volume Object obtained with the “Manifold” tool, starting from NURBS surfaces
which delimits the future volume.
Deformation Objects being deformed with the “Deform” tool.
Thickness Object thickened with the “Thickness/Offset” tool and the “Give a
thickness” option.
Multi-Selection If there are two selections not belonging to the same path, Amapi Pro is
not able to choose a complete "current path". In such a case the DG
palette will display "Multi-Selection" labels.
• The rare tools which collapse the DG (See “Collapsing the DG” on page 118).
“Decimate” and some functions proposed by the “Information” tool are DG collapsers.
Polyhedral “Cube”
polyhedral volume
Grid structure
“Sphere”
polyhedral volume
“Cone”
“Cylinder”
Grid structure
“Tetrahedron”
Polyhedral “Tetrahedron” polyhedral volume
polyhedral volume
“Octahedron”
polyhedral volume
“Icosahedron”
polyhedral volume
“Dodecahedron”
polyhedral volume
“Grid”
“Text” Text
“Line drawing”
“Rectangle / Square”
“Circle”
Polyline
“Arc” Arc
Parameter(s)
“Polyline” Polyline
“Helix” Polyline
“Extract Facets”
Grid structure
“Sweep” Sweeping
“Double-Sweep” Double sweeping
“Deform”
“Taper”
“Smooth” Smoothing*
“Chamfer” Chamfer*
“Thickness/Offset”
“Cut” Cut
“Delete”
“Bend” Bending
“Weld”
“Wrap” Projection
Amapi Pro allows you to work on a model from any viewpoint at any time. The user will
appreciate how easy it is to move around the scene: rotating around objects, zooming in and
out on specific details.
Amapi Pro offers several interfaces giving access to different navigational functions
• “The Navigation Palette” (see details on page 136)
• “The keyboard navigation” (see details on page 142) (keyboard only or keyboard+mouse
combination).
Some navigation functions are not available in both interfaces!
See the following table for details
“View All” (see details on page 139) (see details on page 142)
“View Detail” (see details on page 140) (see details on page 142)
“Zoom In / Out” (see details on page 140) (see details on page 145)
“Rotate around the scene” (see details on page 141) (see details on page 143)
“Pan the scene” (see details on page 141) (see details on page 144)
The Navigation Palette will allow you to see the scene from any viewpoint.
With a little experience the user will probably prefer using the keyboards shortcuts to
navigate with (See “The keyboard navigation” on page 142). This will also let you
free up space in the graphic workspace (See “Manage the optional palettes display” on
page 168). This icon allows you to hide the navigation palette.
• The eye position is the point that the scene is viewed from.
• The target point is the point the eye looks at. The Target Point is also the center of
rotation of the scene (when rotating the scene to change the viewpoint). It is also the
center point for zooming the scene in and out of the scene.
The “Viewpoint” tool allows you to set, record and recall a viewpoint.
œileye
observer’s de
l’observateur Object in scene
Objet composant
Out la
of the field of view
scène
Situé hors du champ
de vision
Target Point
P i t i é
Viewpoint definition
The setting of the viewpoint is a tool to position the eye and the target point. This is different
from navigating (see details on page 142) which moves them.
“View all” automatically sets the target point position (See “Viewpoint” on page 137) at the
geometrical center of the scene.
1) Click on the icon in the navigation palette, or click in the “1” key.
2) A rectangle is drawn around the cursor. Position it in the center of the area of interest,
then click.
3) Move the cursor to surround the intended area, then click.
View detail sets the target point position (See “Viewpoint” on page 137) at the geometrical
center of the detail.
The Target point (See “Viewpoint” on page 137) is scrolled with the scene.
Current selection: two edges from the The view after “View selection”
cube and one facet of the prism
The cursor shape will show the selectable entity type and the current selection accessory.
The selection feedback color can be customized from the “Preferences editor”(Alt-P)>
“Entities display”> “Color of the selected object” (see details on page 467).
You will be able to personalize the display of the entities detected when you roll over them
with the cursor:
’“Preferences editor”> “Scene display”> “Entity highlight display (facet, edge or point)” (see
details on page 469).
When a selection can be made?: a selection can be made before picking up a tool or from
inside the tool.
Cursors
Selecting a group of objects behaves in the same way as selecting several objects (See
“Group, Ungroup” on page 186).
(see details (see details (see details (see details (see details (see details (see details on
on page 151) on page 153) on page 153) on page 155) on page 155) on page 156) page 157)
In NURBS mode, (see details on page 98), the selection of points is only possible by using the
“Single object selection” method. Other selection methods do not apply.
In fact, all the points of a NURBS curve or surface are defined and a point of a NURBS object
can be evaluated anywhere. When the user wants to select a point on an object of this type,
this point will be computed at the time of selection (and not taken among the ones computed
for the display). It is not possible to search all the points of a curve or of a surface in a given
space (as made by the lasso or rectangular selection accessories) because they are at infinity.
For the same reason, search by proximity does not exists in NURBS mode.
In polyhedral mode, search by proximity allows you to click close to the point to be selected and
the tool will search and select the point of the object which is the nearest to the cursor. In this
way, the user is sure to select the point he wanted in one click.
In NURBS mode, the selected point will be exactly the one aimed at by the cursor.
The selection must be made precisely on the curve or on the surface to take effect. If this
condition is not respected, no point will be selected.
(See “Polygonal or NURBS Models” on page 96)
When there are no selection accessory selected and no tool used, there are two selection
modes available (See “Default selection mode” on page 157).
.
Select “by turns”: when several elements fill up the screen, it may be difficult to precisely select
one of them. In this case, when no tools are in use, use the “+” and “-” keys from the numeric
keypad. Each key press will select one entity according to their order of creation. Stop when you
have selected the element you want.
Edges selection
.
For lasso selection, validation only takes into account the points that are clicked; Amapi Pro
does not take into account the cursor position at the moment of validation.
Click
Shift Click
Alt Click
Shift
Alt
Click
The lasso selection selects the elements which are completely or partially within its
limits.
The “1 over n” selection deselects all the previous selections on the current object.
However, you may add new selections after a “1 over n” has been used
Select the angles less than or equal Select the angles strictly higher than
to the limit the limit
Option description Selects all the points whose adjacent Selects all the points whose adjacent
edges make a non oriented angle edges make a non oriented angle
inferior or equal to the limit set by the strictly higher than the limit set by the
user. user.
Illustration
Limit = 90°
Select the angles less than or equal Select the angles strictly higher than
to the limit the limit
Option description Selects all the edges whose adjacent Selects all the edges whose adjacent
facets make a non oriented angle facets make a non oriented angle strictly
inferior or equal to the limit set by the higher than the limit set by the user.
user.
Illustration
Limit = 90°
To Record the current selection, just click on an empty circle (which indicates it is
free).The icon changes too, so as to be found easily afterwards.
To Recall a previously saved selection, click its corresponding circle. It is marked as the
current selection and its name is displayed just above.
To Delete a saved selection, click its corresponding circle and click on the “Delete”
icon .
• The selection mode corresponding to the current selection accessory (see details on
page 148).
Basic selection
Entity: Object Facet Edge Point
Selection:
Basic
Reverse
Add
Subtract
Substitute
Lasso selection
Entity: Object Facet Edge Point
Selection:
Reverse
Add
Subtract
Substitute
It is possible to apply moving or positioning constraints to the cursor (See “The constraints”
on page 191).
“Tab” key:
This key allows you to access the first field of the parameter palette. It switches to edit
mode; the entire data field is automatically selected.
Click:
On the parameter palette:
• Directly in the data field to be edited: switches to edit mode.
• Outside from a data field: the first field of the parameter palette is switched to edit mode.
In both cases, the entire data field is automatically selected.
Fine tunings
• The tuning arrows
The tuning arrows, which are beside the field will allow you to fine-tune interactively the
parameter value:
• A click on the up arrow _ > Increases the value
• A click on the down arrow_ >Decreases the value
• The slider:
When displayed, it works as follows:
1) Click and hold the slider
2) Move the mouse toward the right or the left to increase or decrease the parameter
value.
3) Release the mouse button at your desired value.
• The “+” and “-” keys of the numeric keypad (the tuner)
You may use the + or - keys of the numeric keypad to quickly set the current parameter.
• “+” key _
> Increases the value
• “-” key _
> Decreases the value
“Tab” key
This key has the following functions:
1) Pre-validation of the entered value (the validation will be made when pressing the
“Enter” key (see details on page 165).
Validating
By pressing the “Enter” key you will get the following:
1) The validation of the values displayed in each data field.
2) The application of the new parameters to the current selection and the display of the
modified model.
3) The tool switches to the next step (the graphic workspace takes the focus).
Canceling
By pressing the “Cancel” key you will get the following:
1) The original values (before the parameter palette was set in edit mode) will be restored.
2) The application of these former parameters to the current selection and the display of
the model like it was before the operation was cancelled.
3) The cursor is set on the graphic workspace without changing the step.
KEYS ACTIONS
1) Resets the original values for each data field like they were before the
parameter palette was set in edit mode.
“Cancel” 2) Applies the old parameters to the current selection and displays the
model like it was before the cancelled operation.
3) Returns to the graphic workspace without changing the step.
In the graphic workspace, the “Tab” key gives the focus to the palette of
parameters; the first field is editable.
Once in the parameter palette, it does the following actions:
1) Pre-validation of the entered value (the validation will be made when
“Tab” pressing the “Enter” key.
2) Applies the new parameter to the current selection and displays the
modified model.
3) Moves to the next data field of the parameter palette.
When the last field is reached, moves on to the first field
The Control panel is displayed at the bottom of the screen. It is divided into two parts.
The optional palettes display management icons (see details on page 168).
The modeling help functions which help you to make the most of Amapi Pro’s
possibilities.
Some of these functions are accessible as keyboard shortcuts.
The Control panel can be hidden to give more space in the graphic workspace. This option can
be set in the “Preferences editor”> “User interface”> “Palettes display”> “Control panel display”
(see details on page 455).
Controls the display of the scene graph. It represents all the objects of the current
scene in the shape of a tree. You can carry out all the basic actions on each object
such as hiding, unhiding, locking or grouping,...
(See “The Scene graph” on page 202)
Controls the display of the Dynamic Geometry levels palette (See “Dynamic
Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
Controls the display of the navigation palette (See “The Navigation Palette” on
page 136). With some practice, the user might prefer the keyboard shortcuts (See
“The keyboard navigation” on page 142).
Toggle-icon controlling the display of the Layer palette (See “The Layers” on
page 198).
Controls the display of the Help palette (see details on page 207) and of the
assistant palette (see details on page 206). If this palette is not displayed, just slide
the cursor onto the icon to display a tooltip with a contextual help message.
The Information panel, onto which the optional palettes are displayed, can be hidden to
give a larger graphic workspace. This option can be set in the “Preferences editor”> “User
interface”> “Palettes display”> “Optional palettes display support area” (see details on page 455).
The scene y
The ground
x
For modeling needs, the user may have to change the default working plane for a new one.
He may want to work on the current view plane. The view plane will be reoriented
according to the movement of the viewpoint in the 3D space. In fact, the working plane will
always be on the same plane as the screen.
With these conditions, the cursor movement will modify its three coordinates.
The Control panel displays an icon corresponding to the current mode. Click on it to switch
from one mode to the other.
This tool is not the same as the “Scene / orthonormal base toggling” tool which allows you
to change the working plane by temporarily reorienting the orthonormal base or the scene (see
details on page 171).
The working plane becomes the orthogonal The working plane is in the current view plane
plane when the orientation is the closest to the With these conditions, the cursor movement will
current view plane. modify three coordinates.
In this mode, the cursor motion will modify only The view plane will be reoriented according to the
two of the coordinates. movement of the observer’s eye in the scene.
y y
y
x
x
x
z
z
Absolute orthonormal base
Relative orthonormal base
y y
y
x x
z z
The scene y
The ground
x
For modeling needs, the user may have to reorient the orthonormal base to change the
working plane. Amapi Pro proposes several ways to proceed:
y y
Selected facet Selected facet
x x
z z
y y y y
y z
z
x x
x
x x
z z
z
Absolute orthonormal base Absolute orthonormal base
Relative orthonormal base Relative orthonormal base
This tool is not the same as the “Working in the view plane” which allows you to orientate
the working plane according to the current view plane (see details on page 169).
It is possible to customize the gradation step at each display of the gradated axis. To increase
or decrease the gradation step, click on the icons of the assistant palette or use the
shortcut: “+/-” keys.
Customized Front view Left view Top view Right view Rear view
viewpoint
Perspective
view
Orthogra-
phic view
To toggle from one mode to the other, simply click on the icon showing the tool in the
Control panel.
• The navigation's versatility allows you to work with efficiency and comfort in the single-
view mode. The interface is specially designed to be as close to the movements of a
sculptor as possible while he or she is moving around his creation.
The “current view” corresponds to the view which the user works on.
Modifications are interactively shown in the other views.
The current view is surrounded by a white frame.
A click on a non-current view selects it as the current view.
The “Wireframe” mode displays only the edges of the objects. Because this mode
doesn’t display the facets, it has the advantage of showing the entire object without
having to navigate in the scene: it is possible to select the elements which would be
hidden in a non-wireframe mode.
The “Lit Wireframe” mode adds a lit effect to the “Wireframe” mode.
The “Flat Solid” mode adds a more realistic appearance to the objects by
displaying their facets.
The “Flat Solid and edges” display mode adds edges to the “Flat Solid” mode.
The “Smoothed Solid” mode corresponds to the “Flat Solid” mode to which
smoothing has been applied. This is the most realistic mode.
The “Smoothed Solid and edges” display mode adds edges to the “Smoothed
Solid” mode.
In any desired display mode, Amapi Pro will be able to select any entity (points, edges or
facets).
For example: when the “Flat Solid” mode is selected (displays only the facets of the objects) and
the user wants to select the “edges” entities “one by one”, Amapi Pro will highlight the closest
edge to the cursor while it is moved. The user can then select it or not.
The user can set the “Selection transparency level” (see details on page 466).
• When editing an object with several Dynamic Geometry levels
The transparency allows you to display the Dynamic Geometry level corresponding to
the finished object while an intermediate level is edited. This kind of display gives you
the advantage of being able to manipulate very efficiently (See “Dynamic Geometry
(DG)” on page 109).
The user can set the “Transparency level when editing DG” (see details on page 471).
This effect is only effective when a “solid” display mode has been selected (See “The
display modes” on page 180).
15.14.1 Hide
There are two cases:
• If several objects in the scene are selected, Amapi Pro hides them and automatically
releases the tool and modeling will immediately continue.
• If only one object is selected in the scene, the objects to be hidden must be selected. The
objects will be hidden upon validating or releasing the tool.
When clicking on the “Apply to all” accessory, Amapi Pro makes the operation on all the
displayed entities before automatically releasing the tool.
Shortcut: “A” key.
To temporarily hide the unused objects, use the “Isolate” tool (see details on page 185).
15.14.2 Show
When opening this tool, Amapi Pro displays all the hidden objects and temporarily
hides the non-hidden objects. Select the object(s) to be shown, knowing that
Amapi Pro will then show them once the tool is validated or released. All the non-hidden
objects of the scene will automatically reappear.
When clicking on the “Apply to all” accessory, Amapi Pro makes the operation on all the
displayed entities before automatically releasing the tool.
Shortcut: “A” key.
If the tool is activated, Amapi Pro automatically hides all the not selected objects
on the scene.
All the non-hidden objects (See “Hide, Show” on page 184) of the scene are
displayed when this mode is deactivated.
Do not confuse the “Isolate” which temporarily hides objects without hiding them using “Hide,
Show” (see details on page 184)
15.16.1 Group
There are two cases:
• If several objects are selected in the scene, Amapi Pro groups them, then automatically
releases the tool. The modeling will continue immediately.
• If only one object is selected in the scene, the objects to be grouped must be selected. The
objects will be grouped upon validating or releasing the tool.
When clicking on the “Apply to all” accessory, Amapi Pro makes the operation on all the
displayed entities before automatically releasing the tool.
Shortcut: “A” key.
15.16.2 Ungroup
Use this tool to ungroup all the objects belonging to the same group. When opening
the tool, Amapi Pro highlights all the groups and sub-groups of the scene and hides
temporarily hides the objects not belonging to any group. Select the object(s) to be
ungrouped. All the objects of the scene then automatically reappear upon validating or
releasing the tool.
15.17.1 Information
Convert to NURBS If the model is Polygonal, Amapi Pro gives you the possibility to convert it to
NURBS.
(See “Transform a Polyhedral model into a NURBS model /a NURBS model
into a Polygonal model” on page 105)
Triangulate non Amapi Pro proposes triangulating the non planar faces of the current object.
planar faces Click on this button to triangulate
(See “Non planar facets” on page 485)
Triangulate faces Amapi Pro proposes triangulating the faces with more than 4 points.
with more than 4 Click on this button to triangulate.
points *
Remove equal Amapi Pro proposes optimizing the model by removing overlapping points.
points * Click on this button to launch the action.
Remove coplanar Amapi Pro proposes optimizing the model by replacing the coplanar facets by
faces * a unique facet.
Click on the button to launch the action.
(See “Coplanar” on page 483).
Destroy Dynamic Amapi Pro gives you the possibility to completely collapse the Dynamic
Geometry Geometry of the object.
Click on the button to launch the action.
(See “Collapsing the DG” on page 118)
reorienting the Amapi Pro gives you the possibility to modify the orientation of the normals to
normals the facets.
Click on this button to activate the tool.
(See “Orient Normals” on page 190)
Create an object for This function is enabled if the current object is a BREP (See “BREP:
each NURBS face of «watertight» surfaces and volumes” on page 103).
the object It explodes the object in as many objects as it has faces.
This operation is a means to edit NURBS faces.
The user will be able to weld these faces by using the “Weld objects” (see
details on page 403) option of the “Weld” tool
Create an edge for Replaces the broken nodal lines into BREP edges.
each nodal break
* This function completely collapses the Dynamic Geometry (DG) (See “Collapsing the DG”
on page 118).
After this operation, the object will only keep one DG level.
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109)
Cut 1
Smoothing 1 Smoothing 2
Sweep 1 Thickness 1
Current
selection
By default, the cursor movement constraint is snapped on the ruler gradation grid. In some
cases, the cursor can be set free from any constraint or other kinds of constraints can be
applied to it.
The gradated rulers of the orthonormal base shows that the user can use the cursor movement
and position constraints
The cursor is free from any constraint and moves freely in the scene.
The cursor movements are snapped on the ruler gradations or on the rotation circle
gradations.
The longer the gradation step is, the more the cursor movement is jerky. It is possible to
customize the gradation step size (increasing or decreasing it) by clicking on the icons
of the assistant palette. Shortcut: “+/-” keys when the rulers are displayed.
Cursor
Cursor Cursor
No constraint
Horizontal constraint
Vertical constraint
To toggle from one to the other, use the icons of the “The assistant palette” (see details on
page 206), or press the “Space-Bar”.
The advanced constraints allow you to move or position the cursor following the constraint
lines desired by the user.
How to proceed:
1) Click on the icon corresponding to the desired constraint.
2) Select the entities to be used to draw the constraint lines (point, edge(s) or segment(s)).
3) Move the cursor (constraint movement) and click as it reaches the right location.
Cursor
Cancel all the constraints (free moving).
P
Moving along an axis passing through the
last drawn point and a point “P” to be Cursor
specified.
Cursor
Moving along an axis passing through the S
last drawn point and perpendicular to an
edge or a segment “S” to be specified.
P
Cursor
Moving along a horizontal axis passing
through a point “P” to be specified.
Cursor
S
Moving along a line passing through an edge
or a segment “S” to be specified
.
The selection of a constraint is valid for only one positioning, the cursor movement is set free
after each positioning.
The layers allow you to put sets of objects together, to lock them so that they can not be
modified and to make them invisible. The layer is a very useful way to manage large
quantities of objects.
The hide and show tools make it possible to quickly select the objects you want to work on.
(See “The Layers” on page 198)
The scene graph represents the current scene in the form of a tree, the objects associated
with each material and the objects included in each layer. All the basic actions can be done
to objects such as hide, show, lock, group...
Object Information makes it possible to know object characteristics such as the type or
number of points as well as to carry out geometry cleaning actions in order to delete
coplanar faces and overlapped points. This function is integrated into the Control panel
(See “Information” on page 188)
The catalog is a native file management system. It allows you to visualize directories of
objects as thumbnails. It is possible to read, write, delete and rename files. It is also possible
to create favorites directory. The catalog is a room accessible by an icon located on the top
right-hand side of the screen.
(See “The Catalog” on page 443)
The toggle-icon located in the scene manager controls the layers display.
This palette can be located anywhere in the graphic workspace and displayed horizontally
or vertically.
Invisible layer
This function is close to “Hide, Show” which allows you to select the objects to hide in the scene
without any layer concept. (See “Hide, Show” on page 184).
Hiding the receiving layer automatically selects the first visible not locked layer as the receiving
layer.
(See “Select the receiving layer” on page 199)
Locked layer
Locking the receiving layer automatically selects the first visible not locked layer as the receiving
layer.
(See “Select the receiving layer” on page 199)
It is possible to Lock/Unlock only one object of the scene without isolating it in a layer. This
operation will be made by using the scene graph.
(See “The Scene graph” on page 202)
• Move to a layer
(See “The Layers” on page 198)
• Delete a material
(See “Deleting a file from the catalog” on page 429)
• Rename a material
• Display the properties of the layer by displaying its preview thumbnail in the layers
palette.
• Move to a layer
(See “The Layers” on page 198)
Amapi Pro has several kinds of help for using the program. They were created to meet the
different users’s requirements depending on their habits, their working methods and on how
they use the program.
Three help methods are available:
The assistant palette is a functional help palette for beginners that appears in the center
above the graphic workspace; it aims at guiding the beginner by graphically highlighting the
fundamental actions he or she may perform.
The trained user might prefer to use the keyboard shortcuts and choose to free the space
taken by this palette to increase the graphic workspace (See “Manage the optional palettes
display” on page 168).
Increases the value of the current parameter.
Keyboard shortcut: “+” key.
Decreases the value of the current parameter.
Keyboard shortcut: “-” key
Constrains the cursor to move only on the horizontal axis.
(See “Axis toggling” on page 193)
Keyboard shortcut: press the “Space-Bar” once.
Constrains the cursor to move only on the vertical axis.
(See “Axis toggling” on page 193)
Keyboard shortcut: press the “Space-Bar” twice.
Frees the cursor from any movement constraint.
(See “Axis toggling” on page 193)
Cancels the last operation.
(see details on page 214).
Keyboard shortcut: “Ctrl Z”.
Redoes the last cancelled operation.
(see details on page 214).
Keyboard shortcut: “Ctrl R”.
Cancels all the operations performed within the current tool.
The tool is released; you may pick up another tool. Keyboard shortcut: “Escape”.
When the cursor is slid over this icon in the control panel, a tooltip displays a contextual
help text. With this mode, the help text can be accessible when needed, while saving space
in the graphic workspace.
Amapi Pro displays the help tooltips by default, but this option can be disactivated.
This option is accessible in the “Preferences”> “User interface”> “Palettes display”> “Tooltips
display” (see details on page 456).
The Tuner-cursor shows that a quick parameter setting can be done by using
the icons or the “+” or “-” keys.
The cursor can have a particular shape while using some tools to show the specifics
of the current operation.
The upper left hand part of the screen is dedicated to the menu bar.
Here you will find all the common classic functions included in most programs as well as
the functions specific to Amapi Pro.
As soon as you start manipulating, you might prefer accessing Amapi Pro’s functions by
using the Amapi Pro interface.
Open (Ctrl+O)
This command of the File Menu displays an opening file window.
The Open dialog window allows you to specify the file to open.
You may select a format in the proposed list (See “Import” on page 229). If the current
document is not empty, the scene corresponding to the file open will be displayed in another
document.
Merge (Ctrl+M)
This command of the File Menu allows you to open a file and merge the objects contained in
this file into the current scene.
Close (Ctrl+W )
This command of the File Menu closes the current document.
If your document contains unsaved modifications, Amapi Pro will ask you: “Would you like
to save the changes?”.
If so, click:
• “Yes”, if you want to save the latest changes.
With each request for saving a scene in the Amapi Designer format, the program will update the
associated file with the “.png” suffix. This file corresponds to a small thumbnail of the scene,
used by the Amapi Pro catalog (See “The Catalog” on page 443).
Save as (Ctrl+E)
This command of the File Menu opens a dialog box. You are then allowed to:
• Name the document
• Select an output format
• Specify the folder to save the file in.
You may save a file from the “Catalog” room, using Amapi Pro’s File management tool (See
“The Catalog” on page 443).
With each request for saving a scene in the Amapi Pro format, the program will update the
associated file with the “.png” suffix. This file corresponds to a small thumbnail of the scene,
used by the Amapi Pro catalog (See “The Catalog” on page 443).
Export
This function allows you to export the current document to the format you want to select.
You will find the complete list of formats in the “Export” paragraph (see details on
page 231).
You may save a file from the “Catalog” room, using Amapi Pro’s File management tool (See
“The Catalog” on page 443).
Import/Export preferences
Open the “Import / Export” preferences window (see details on page 474).
19.1.4 Printing
Print: (Ctrl+P)
Launches the wireframe printing of the entire scene or a part of it.
If you are printing for the first time, Amapi Pro requires that you define the printing format
(page feed, page format, margins, printer).
A dialog window from the Preferences /Printing menu, allows you to set the printing
parameters. You may choose to print the measurements, in hidden line mode or to give a scaling
factor (“Preferences”> “Printing preferences”)
Printing preferences
Opens the printing preferences window (see details on page 474).
• When you are not using a tool, it cancels all the operations carried out by the more
recently used tool.
• When you are using a tool, it cancels the last operation carried out with the tool in use.
Cancel no longer has any effect when all the operations have been cancelled with a
specific tool.
The number of possible successive cancellations is defined by the user in the preferences
menu. You can have access to this option in the “Preferences editor” (Alt-P)> “User interface”>
“Maximum undo levels” (see details on page 456).
Redo (Ctrl+R)
This command of the File Menu restores the last undone action.
Accessible from the “The assistant palette” (see details on page 206).
19.2.2 Copy
Cut (Ctrl+X)
This command in the File Menu deletes the selected elements from the current scene and
copies them into the clipboard where they are stored until they are pasted.
Copy (Ctrl+C)
This command in the File Menu places a copy of the selected elements from the current
scene into the clipboard without deleting them from the original scene.
Amapi Pro has a “Duplicate” tool (see details on page 388) which might be more suitable for
the kind manipulations you will do with this program.
Paste (Ctrl+V)
This command of the File Menu will paste a copy of the current clipboard content in the
graphic workspace.
Amapi Pro, pastes an object in the exact position (from the point of origin of the working space)
where it was cut from, even if you have opened another document. If you paste the copy into the
original document, keep in mind that your copy will be superimposed onto the original object.
This kind of copy never generates a clone (See “The clones” on page 107).
You could use it to take an object out of a group of clones:
• Cut the cloned object (Ctrl+X) (see details on page 215)
• Paste the object (Ctrl+V)
Duplicate (Ctrl+D)
Duplication creates a clone of the selection and locates it in the same place (See “The
clones” on page 107).
19.2.4 Selection
Select All (Ctrl+A)
This command in the File Menu selects all the objects of the current scene.
The “Lit Wireframe” mode adds a lit effect to the “wireframe” mode.
The “Flat solid” mode gives a more realistic aspect to the objects by displaying the
facets of the objects.
The “Flat solid and edges” display mode adds edges to the “Flat solid” mode.
The “Smoothed solid” mode correspond to the “Flat solid” mode on which an
operation of smoothing have been applied. This is the most realistic mode.
The “Smoothed solid and edges” display mode adds edges to the “Smoothed
solid” mode.
The edge display is different depending on the operating mode “Change the
construction mode” (see details on page 96):
In NURBS operating mode, edges are not editable and they will not be displayed.
Amapi Pro will display isoparametric curves, outlines and cutting curves instead of the
edges. (See “The NURBS models” on page 98).
Transparency
You can add a transparency effect to the “solid” display modes.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel.
To get more information about this, see “Transparency of the selected object” paragraph on
page 181.
Simplified display
It is possible to display the objects in a simplified way. In the case of complex scenes or
objects, a simplified display can be used in order to give a faster and clearer display. You
will be able to choose between a simplified display of the entire scene and a simplified
display of one or more objects indicated in the scene.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel.
To get more information about this, see the “Simplified display” paragraph on
page 177.
Ungroup (Ctrl+Shift+G)
Opens the function allowing you to indicate the groups to be ungrouped.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel. For more information,
refer to the “Ungroup”paragraph on page 186.
Layers
Opens the layer window. Classification by layer enables you to arrange your objects or
groups according to the criteria of your choice. You will be able to hide one or more layers.
You will also be able to lock one or more layers to allow modeling only on "active" layers.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel. For more information,
refer to “The Layers” paragraph on page 198.
Perspective
This mode-tool allows you to toggle on one of two scene display modes:
• The Conical Perspective is set by default.
• The Orthographic Perspective allows you to observe the scene without perspective.
This display mode can, in some cases, allow a clearer visualization of your work and to
make easier some manipulations.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel.
To get more information about this, see the “Perspective” paragraph on page 176.
19.3.4 Constraints
By default, the cursor movement is free from any constraint. For some manipulations, cursor
movement constraints or cursor positioning constraints can be set. See “The constraints” on
page 191.
Advanced Constraints
The advanced constraint tool permits moving or positioning the cursor according to con-
straints defined by the user. They are located in a palette which can be toggled on and off.
This function is accessible through the control panel.
(See “Advanced constraints” on page 194)
The magnetized cursor snaps to the grid intersection points, defined by the gradation
of the rulers.
Alignment Guides
The “Alignment guides” tool allows you to temporarily guide the cursor movement when
creating 3D points (See “Alignment guides” on page 462).
Zoom In (shortcut: 3)
(See “Zoom In / Out” on page 140)
Viewpoint
(See “Record the current viewpoint” on page 138)
(See “Delete a viewpoint” on page 139)
The Modeling room has many tools. For more clarity, Amapi Pro displays only the tools that
you will most likely need at each stage of your work.
That is why they were split in three palettes:
• The Construction palette
• The Modeling palette
• The Assembly palette
Each one of these main palettes has a “Basic toolkit” composed of the fundamental tools
you always have at hand, at every modeling step.
The "Tool" menu gives access to each tool existing in the modeling palette. For more details
on the use of each one of them, refer to the corresponding paragraph in “Modeling room” on
page 237.
19.5.2.1 MicroScribe
Setting the digitalization of the 3D MicroScribe device (See “3D Digitizing” on page 233).
Connect:
enables the MicroScribe device
Disconnect:
disables the MicroScribe device
Calibrate:
MicroScribe device working planes initialization sequence
Window
This function gives you the possibility of working in single-view or multi-view
window.
This function is also accessible through the Control Panel.
Documents
This part of the menu allows you to move from one open document to another. It lists the
open documents. A check mark precedes the name of the current document.
To move from the one to the other, click on the name of the document you wish to work on.
The combination of the “Ctrl-Tab” keys allows you to pass quickly from one document to
the other (in the order of appearance on the list).
• The Modeling Room allows you to build, model and assemble your model (See
“Modeling room” on page 237).
• The Rendering Room is where you will develop textures and lighting (See “Rendering
Room” on page 421).
• The Catalog Room in which you will insert objects or will save your creations (See “The
Catalog” on page 443).
You can also go from one Room to the other by clicking on the icon
corresponding to the desired Room (on the top right of the screen).
20.1 Import
List of import file formats supported by Amapi Pro:
3D Studio 3ds Autodesk file format.This format is becoming a standard for 3D files.
DWG dwg Autocad binary native format by Autodesk. Compact and complete, it is
very useful to communicate with Autocad.
DXF dxf The most well known PC and Mac graphic file type. Used by all the 3D
programs.
Open Inventor iv CAD format file (was used as a base for the VRML format).
Some imported files may have topology problems. The “Information” tool can help to solve
these problems.
(See “Information” on page 188).
Amapi Designer a3d Polyhedral BREPs and some dynamic geometries are reduced to
NURBS basic primitives before exportation.
DXF dxf Polyhedral The most well known PC and Mac graphic file type. Used
by all the 3D programs.
DWG dwg Polyhedral Binary Autocad format, very well known on PC and Mac
graphic stations
Open Inventor iv Polyhedral CAD format file (was used as a base for the VRML
NURBS format).
Amapi Pro allows you to model using the digitizing devices to create a numeric model from
a physic model. For example, you may use a 3D digitizer to create a car from a model. The
digitizing process is used to create lines or facets and assemble them to realize a complete
model.
21.1 MicroScribe
A MicroScribe 3D digitizing system is a precise
and easy to use device, commonly used for this
kind of work. It is built by Immersion Corp.
To use the MicroScribe in Amapi Pro, you just
have to connect it and calibrate it. After that all of
the functions that create 3d points (using the line
drawing tools) or facets will use the 3d digitizers
input. To come back to a classic modeling mode,
just disconnect it. Use the Tools/Peripherals
menu to connect, disconnect and calibrate it.
Amapi Pro automatically detects the MicroScribe
device when it is connected to a serial port or an
USB port. It is not necessary to install a driver. Amapi Pro includes the MicroScribe drivers.
Modeling
palette
Assembly
palette
Above each main tools palette, a “Toolkit” is displayed. It contains tools which are always
available even while using a tool from the main palettes.
“Move” Use this tool to change the position of the current object. page 242
“Rotate” Use this tool to rotate the current object. page 244
• By moving the object “by hand” in the graphic workspace. There are two possible
interfaces:
• A short click followed by a cursor motion moves the selection. A second click locks
its position.
• A long click allows you to move the selection. It will follow the cursor motion. Just
release the mouse button to lock its position.
You are allowed to give positioning or moving constraints to the cursor with “The
constraints” (see details on page 191).
• By entering new coordinates directly in the data window (see details on page 163).
• By using the “Remote Control” (“Ctrl”+“Shift”+Arrow): this edit mode allows a fine
and interactive tuning of the numerical parameters (see details on page 162).
Now, you may move the selection again or leave the tool by putting it beside or by pressing
the “Enter” key.
The cursor motion follows the working plane (see details on page 488)
The motion of the mouse will modify two out of three displayed values (x, y and z) only.
There are several possibilities to modify the third value:
• Change the point of view (See “The Navigation” on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
Automatic duplication:
If the “Ctrl” key is pressed while selecting the “Move” tool, Amapi Pro will automatically generate
a copy of the current object.
This tool must be distinguished from the “Stretch” tool (see details on page 252) which
moves the current selection while the “Move” tool moves the selected object(s).
1- click 2- Shift+click
• A point to be selected in the scene.
Click on the point to be aligned, then press
and hold the “Shift” key and click on the
desired point.
Option The complete selection rotates on a unique Each element of the selection rotates on its
description rotation point ( ). own rotation point ( ).
Illustration
When launching the tool, this option is initialized with the current magnetic value of the
grid, controlled by the toggle-icon integrated into the Control panel (See “Snapping” on
page 174).
Automatic duplication:
If the “Ctrl” key is pressed while picking up the tool, Amapi Pro will automatically duplicate the
entire objects selection. The tool action will then be made on this copy
The tool and the clones (See “The clones” on page 107):
• If the current selection is a part of a cloned object, it will be deformed. All its clones will get the same
transformation.
• If the current selection is a cloned object, it will not be deformed. None of the clones will be rotated
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
• “by hand”, using the object bounding box (click to start the action, move cursor, then
release the mouse button to validate).
• Using the “Remote Control” (“Ctrl”+“Shift”+Arrow): This edit mode allows a fine and
interactive tuning of the numerical parameters (see details on page 162).
Not proportional scaling: the “manual” scaling uses the constraints set by the user. A cursor
movement without any constraint makes a proportional scaling in the three dimensions. But a
cursor movement with constraint (see details on page 250) or values entered through the
keyboard allows a different scaling in the three dimensions.
It is also possible to select a point on the object to define the reference point (See
“Customizing the reference point” on page 249).
It is also possible to select a point on the object to define the reference point. To do this, use
the “Change the scale center” accessory, then select the point of the scene which will be the
new reference point.
Editable
parameters
in the graphic
workspace
Option The entire selection is scaled from a Each element selected is scaled
description common reference point. from its own reference point.
Illustration
Automatic duplication:
If the “Ctrl” key is pressed while picking up the tool, Amapi Pro will automatically duplicate the
entire objects selection. The tool action will then be made on this copy
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) to set a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The tool and the clones (See “The clones” on page 107):
• If the current selection is a part of a cloned object, it will be deformed. All its clones will get the same
transformation.
• If the current selection is a cloned object, it will not be deformed. None of its clones will be
transformed
• The elements have been selected (facets, edges and/or points) before picking up the
tool or the selection was changed inside the tool: a click in the graphic workspace will
start the stretch action.
• The elements have not been selected (facets, edges and/or points) on the current
object(s): before starting the action, a click in the graphic workspace will start the
selection of the closest elements corresponding to the selectable entity (See “The
selectable entities” on page 149).
Object cut with the The same object and The cut depth line while Object cut with
“Punch” tool. the line allowing you to setting it with the the“Punch” tool where
The object is drilled set the depth of the cut “Stretch” tool the depth has been
from a face through the in the “Stretch” tool reduced
other one
These tangents are temporary and will not be saved when leaving the tool.
Automatic duplication:
If the “Ctrl” key is pressed while picking up the tool, Amapi Pro will automatically duplicate the
entire objects selection. The tool action will then apply to this copy
The motion of the cursor follows the working plane (see details on page 488)
The motion of the mouse will modify two out of three displayed values (x, y and z) only.
There are several possibilities to modify the third value:
• Change the point of view (See “The Navigation” on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
While using this tool, the gradated axis of the orthonormal base (X is red, Y is green and Z is
blue) will be displayed. They will help to make accurate positioning and can work together with
the cursor movement and position constraints (See “The constraints” on page 191).
This tool must be distinguished from the “Move” tool (see details on page 242) which moves
the selected object(s) while the “Stretch” moves the current selection.
The tool and the clones (See “The clones” on page 107): If the current selection is a part of a
cloned object, it will be deformed. All its clones will undergo the same transformation.
This tools palette contains the tools used to draw the shapes that will be the modeling base.
Icon Tool name Description See
This tool creates curve(s) from points selected on the current object or
“Extract Lines” existing objects of the scene.
page 300
“Extract Facets” This tool creates an object made up of several facets. page 304
The basic use of this tool is to create sweeped shapes from curves.
“Sweep” however, it can also extrude facets, edges or points
page 307
“Double-Sweep” This tool creates a surface from a section and two profiles. page 321
This tool lets you create a “skin” tightened between two or more 2D or
“Ruled Surface” 3D curves.
page 324
This tool creates a volume from NURBS surfaces which will define the
“Manifold” future volume
page 336
Radius Y
Editable r r Radius X
parameters
in the r
graphic
workspace
Dimension y
Editable d
parameters
in the |d| |d| Dimension x
graphic
workspace
• A “NURBS cube” will generate a first DG level labeled polyhedral volume and a second level
labeled Poly-NURBS
• A “NURBS pole-cube” will generate a first DG level labeled Grid structure and a second level
labeled NURBS volume
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
At the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
Radius Y
Editable r
parameters
in the r r Radius X
graphic
workspace
Editable d
Diameter y
parameters
in the |d| Diameter x
|d|
graphic
workspace
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool generates a DG label depending on the type
of sphere:
• The polygonal spheres are labeled Polygonal volume.
• The NURBS pole-sphere generates a NURBS volume, controlled by a polygonal volume. Thus, it
adds two DG levels labeled NURBS volume and Polygonal volume.
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
At the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
Cone: made from 4 intermediate Truncated cone: made up of 2 The pyramid is a cone where the
sections where each section is made intermediate sections and where each sections are made up of 4 points
up of 8 points section is made up of 8 points
This tool builds ’grid structure’ objects (see details on page 106).
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
At the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The cursor is movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
At the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
23.1.6 Octahedron
The “Octahedron” is a platonic shape. All platonic
shapes are built following the same procedure. To learn
how to do it, see paragraph “Dodecahedron” paragraph (see
details on page 269).
23.1.7 Icosahedron
The “Icosahedron” is a platonic shape. All platonic
shapes are built following the same procedure. To learn
how to do it, see paragraph “Dodecahedron” paragraph (see
details on page 269).
Editable r
parameters r
in the Radius X
graphic r
workspace
Diameter y
Editable d
parameters Diameter X
in the
graphic d d
workspace
• A platonic NURBS shape will generate a first DG level labeled Polygonal volume and a second
level labeled Poly-NURB.
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
The cursor is movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
This tool builds ’grid structure’ objects (see details on page 106) (See “The objects with a grid-
structure (Quad mesh)” on page 106).
Width of a cell
Example of a grid with 3 cells in V and 4 cells in U
This tool builds ’grid structure’ objects (see details on page 106).
The cursor is movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
At the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Only complete grids are generated. If a cell (or facet) size is 10 X 10, the entire grid size will be
a multiple of 10, such as 180 X 50, but never 182 X 47.
Text
Enter the text in the text box
Text: Hello
Font
Select a font from the list of choices
Bold
Check this box to generate bold text
Italic
Check this box to generate italic text
Outline only
When checking this box, Amapi Pro
will only draw the text outline. This
option is the opposite of the filled text.
Specific case: A text without depth but Text outline only (without depth)
but only with an outline is a curve. (this object is a curve)
NURBS text
Scale
This parameter allows you to tune the
size of the text
Text size before the scale downsizing
Depth
Enter the text depth in this area.
A text with a zero depth is a flat text.
Depth at zero
Bevel
Choose to bevel or not the text letters.
Beveled text
Smoothing range = 2
Smoothing range = 8
Alignment
Check the icon corresponding to the
choice of alignment (on left, centered Left
or on right). The alignment will be alignment
made from where the text position's Centered
first point was set when entering the
tool. Right
alignment
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool adds a DG level labeled as Text (See
“Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
The letters of a text are automatically grouped. They can be ungrouped with the “Ungroup”
(see details on page 186) tool located in the control panel.
Attention! an ungrouped text is not be editable.
For most surfaces and volumes primitives, the creation can be done in polygonal
mode or in NURBS mode. This must be specified while creating the object (See
“Polygonal or NURBS Models” on page 96). Amapi Pro displays a toggle-icon allowing
you to switch from one drawing mode to another. Check that the button corresponding to the
desired mode is selected. If not, click on it or use the (Ctrl+B) shortcut.
Width
Height
Editable Width
Height
parameters
in the
graphic
workspace
The cursor is movement is done on the orthogonal plane which orientation is the most
perpendicular to the eye - target point axis (See “Viewpoint” on page 137)
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Radius Y
Editable
parameters r
in the Radius Radius X
graphic
workspace
Editable
Diameter y
parameters
Diameter
in the Diameter x
graphic
workspace
The cursor is movement is done on the orthogonal plane which orientation is the most
perpendicular to the eye - target point axis (See “Viewpoint” on page 137)
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
3 3
3 3
1 1 1
2 2 1 1
3
2 2
2
1
3
Possibility
to reverse the arc
The setting order is shown by the color code of the points in the icons:
• 1st point (or dimension) to be set: Red
• 2nd point (or dimension) to be set: Green
• 3rd point (or dimension) to be set: Blue
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
New polyline
First point
of the new
polyline
End
The validation ignores the last displayed segment attached to the cursor.
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
The validation ignores the last displayed segment attached to the cursor.
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool generates two DG levels:
• Level #1: The control polyline (labeled Polyline).
• Level #2: The curve ((labeled Interpolated curve)
• If a composite connection was made the tool adds a second DG level labeled Composite
connection.
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
• If a composite connection was made the tool adds a second DG level labeled Composite
connection.
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
The validation ignores the last displayed segment attached to the cursor.
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor’s positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The cursor movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
23.2.7.1 Use
Enter the following parameters for each step:
Step #3:
• Ending radius
• Helix total height
Step #4:
• Number of spirals
• Number of edges (+/- keys)
Step #5:
Press the “Enter” key or release the tool to validate.
New polyline
First point
of the new
polyline
End
Editable •x,y,z •x,y,z •x,y,z
parameters (point coordinates) (point coordinates) (point coordinates)
•Step (See ““Freehand” •Step (See ““Freehand” •Step (See ““Freehand”
drawing” on page 287) drawing” on page 287) drawing” on page 287)
Horizontal Vertical
Symmetry plan
Symmetry plan
Mirroring onto an
horizontal plan
Symmetry plan
The symmetry of a NURBS, a composite curve or an arc creates composite curve (the curve to
be mirrored and its mirrored image).
(See “Composite (curve)” on page 482).
If the current selection is a ’grid structure’, this option will propose the accessory “Extracting U
and V curves from objects with a grid structure” (see details on page 302).
If the current selection is a ’grid structure’, this option will propose the accessory “Extracting U
and V curves from objects with a grid structure” (see details on page 302).
For NURBS surfaces, this accessory allows you to extract any isoparametric curve in U or
in V.
1) Select the surface where you want to extract lines from.
2) Move the cursor above the surface to see the curve displayed.
3) Click to create the curve or enter a value between 0 and 1 in the parameters palette.
4) Click on the UV toggle option or press the “Space-Bar” to extract the lines in U or in
V.
To extract facets and remove the facets from the Object on which facets are
being extracted with the
object, use the tool “Cut” (see details on page 354). lasso
In "facet"
mode
(default), selected
facets are extracted
directly.
The tool creates a set
of facets.
Selection Generated facets
In "edge"
mode,
selected edges are
used to build a single
facet.
The cursor is movement is done on the “Working plan” (see details on page 488).
The mouse movement will modify only two values out of the three displayed (x, y and z).
There are two ways to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (see details on page 135)
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
The “Extract Facets” tool creates only one object per session.
It is possible to separate the facets afterwards by using the tool “Cut” (see details on page 354).
The generated facets create a new object. Use the tool “Weld” (see details on page 403) to
merge it with another object of the scene.
If used on NURBS objects, the “Extract Facets” tool will create only polygonal facets.
• You can choose between several intermediate section orientation options (see details
on page 317) and the possibility to increase or decrease progressively the size of the
sections using only one operation.
• To finish, it is possible to close or not to close the openings (see details on page 318)
when working from a closed curve.
An Extrusion A Sweeping
Tubular shape Tubular shape
the sections are concentric with a constant section
and parallel one another along a profile
Profile
Profile
base section
base section
•The Profile defines the position, the number and •The Profile shows the path to be followed by the
the size of each intermediate section. tube and the number of intermediate sections to
•The size of each section can be specified. be generated.
•Each intermediate profile section has a constant
size (default).
h h
Their quantity
It is possible to “Sweep” several sections along a same profile at the same time.
The base section is selected when the tool is picked up (See “Selection” on page 147).
This option allows you to clone or not the profiles of a sweeping of multiple sections
(several sections are selected). (See “The clones” on page 107).
Examples
... points ... edges ... facets
... a line on a surface on a surface on a surface
Extruded
sweep...
Profiled
sweep...
An Extrusion A Sweeping
Shapes the sections which are Shape with a constant section
concentric and parallel to each along a profile
other
Profile
(open curve)
base section
(open curve)
Profile
(open curve)
base section
(closed curve)
Profile
(closed curve)
base section
(open curve)
Profile
(closed curve)
base section
(closed curve)
23.5.2.1 Use
Before using the sweeping mode, an open or closed profile must be drawn with a “Line
drawing” sub-tool (see details on page 277).
The section(s) must be selected before entering the “Sweep” tool, then just click on the
profile curve. Amapi Pro has several sweeping options. Click on the icon corresponding to
the desired option or press both the “Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys to toggle from one option to
the other.
base section to The sections are The segments of The size of each All the intermediate
be swept along a concentric the obtained shape intermediate sections are
profile The profile defines are not regular. section is automatically set
the size of those automatically parallel.
sections modified to make a
regular shape.
The Profile defines the number of the intermediate sections.
Profile
Snap points
Section de
base Points de calage
section
Profile
• The profile and the section share a common point (snapping point):
The snapping will be at the geometric center of the profile.
Profile
Snap point
23.5.3.1 Use
With this kind of construction, which is much more intuitive, no profile need previously be
drawn. Each tube segment is displayed as soon as a new profile segment is created. With this
method, it is possible to mix extruded segments and swept segments.
Freehand sweeping
The validation ignores the last displayed segment attached to the cursor.
h h
•The “Ctrl” key: shortcut for the “Radial •The “Ctrl” key: controls the section size (l).
tubing” option (See “The constraints” on Press and hold the key before moving the
page 316). Press and hold the key before cursor. Release it only after tuning is
moving the cursor. Release it only after tuning completed.
is completed.
l
l
h h
Free extrusion
Free sweeping
Full display
Simplified display
Original surface
cut by a circle
Sweeping edge
based on the edge
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) to set a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Profiles
(open curves)
base section
(closed curve)
Profiles
(closed curves)
base section
(open curves)
base section
(closed curve)
Profiles
(closed curves)
Profiles
(closed curves)
base section
(closed curve)
Construction curves
before “Double-Sweep”
For a better quality, the two profiles should have the same number of segments. If not,
Amapi Pro will add more segments to the profile with less segments to do the operation in the
best conditions.
Amapi Pro allows you to pick up the tool only if there is at least one curve or an open volume in
the scene.
The tangential connections options are available only if the NURBS mode has been activated
(See “Change the construction mode” on page 96).
Border #2
Border #1
Non tangential connections between two borders Non tangential connections on the border #1
tangential on the left on the border #2
Border #2 Border #2
Border #1 Border #1
Connections Connections
non tangential on the border #1 tangential on the left on the border #1
tangential on the left on the border #2 tangential on the left on the border #2
Border #2
Border #1
Border #2 Border #2
Border #
Border #1
Connections Connections
tangential on the right on the border #1 tangential on the top on the border #1
non tangential on the border #2 tangential on the bottom on the border #2
A degree of 1 will produce a surface with sharp A degree of 2 will produce a smooth surface
angles
4 adjacent surfaces with one point Coons surface created from four adjacent edges
Amapi Pro allows you to pick up the tool only if there is at least one curve or an open volume in
the scene.
1) Create a set of curves under the following conditions before picking up the “Coons
Surface” tool.
• The curves must be connected (See “Connected curves: Connected curves are several
curves, where a curve has one end exactly superimposed with one end of another
curve.” on page 91).
• There are no limits for the number of curves.
2) Pick up the “Coons Surface” tool.
3) It must be specified if an object will be polygonal or NURBS while creating
it (See “Polygonal or NURBS Models” on page 96). Amapi Pro displays a
toggle-icon allowing to switch from one drawing mode to another. Check that the button
corresponding to the desired mode is selected. If not, click on it or use the (Ctrl+B)
shortcut.
4) Click on each curve (in any order).
5) The operation is finished when Amapi Pro detects the curve or the set of connected
curves is closed.
The Coons surface is displayed.
The selection of the surface-limits will be made either before or while using the tool.
To change the selection while using the tool is known as the “inverse” selection principle
(See “Single object selection” on page 151).
The volume will be created when the “Enter” key is pressed, thus validating the selection of
the surface-limits.
An option allows you to generate or not the internal surfaces of the resulting volume.
This tools palette contains the tools used to model the objects.
This tool is used to control the number of facets defining a surface and the
“Smooth” number of points defining a curve and to give them a smoother aspect.
page 340
This tool allows you to create internal or external bevels, depending on the
“Chamfer” orientation of the model edges
page 347
“Cut” Proposes several methods to cut one or several objects at the same time. page 354
This tool allows you to delete one or several elements (facet, edge or point)
“Delete” from the selected objects.
page 364
This tool lets you apply several kinds of deformations on the current
“Deform” selection proposed as options.
page 374
“Bend” This tool deforms the selection along a profile curve. page 379
This tool allows you to pull on the current selection so that the points
“Mold” located in the influence area are moved with an inertia effect.
page 382
“Bump/Soften” This tool allows you to work on the surface bump of the current selection. page 385
Degree
A NURBS curve is defined by control points, a nodal sequence and a degree.
The degree of a NURBS curve corresponds to the number of control points which influence
the curve at any given point. A degree of 1 gives a broken line which goes through the
control points. A degree of 3 gives a smoother curve moving away from the control points
The greater the degree, the lower the influence of the control points, with the curve
smoothing out the more as it moves away from the control points.
(See “NURBS Curve” on page 99)
The level
Concave facet
For a better quality and efficiency, we recommend to create your models with a small number
of facets and to smooth them at the end of the modeling.
Object to be chamfered Object on which some Object with all vertices Object fully edge-chamfered
edges have been chamfered chamfered in dice corner but with a sharpened vertex
Editable parameters •Range (Polyhedral •Range (Polyhedral
only) (see details on only) (see details on
page 349) page 349)
•Radius (see details on •Radius (see details on
page 349) page 349)
A suitcase corner is a corner on which all the adjacent edges have been edge
chamfered.
To create a suitcase corner quickly, just click on a vertex of the current object.
“C” curve that has not “C” curve on which a vertex has “C” curve of which all
been chamfered been chamfered vertices have been chamfered
Approximate Circular Section: Differs very slightly from the circular section
Interpolated Section: Uses the shape of the two surfaces to define an interpolation,
thus preserving the ideal contour.
On a 3D curve
On a surface object
Editable parameters •Thickness * •Thickness *
•Number of points **
(Polyhedral only)
Example of curve with a thickness of 4 points Example of curve with a thickness of 6 points
Options
Inside Outside
Object to be thickened Object thickened towards the Object thickened towards the
inside outside
Options
Ideal Angular Exploded
Option All the points belonging to The facets of the original The facets of the original
description the surface of the object are offset by the object are reproduced
thickened shape are at thickness value then identically and shifted of
equal distance from the dilated in order to obtain a the thickness value
original object. shape similar to the
original.
Surface to be
thickened
Available on Available with the
NURBS objects “Create an offset
only copy” option only
In the steps where the Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are available:
• “From the graphic workspace” with the “+” or “-” keys.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Using this tool, create a vase with variable thickness, modifying only the inside or the outside
surface (the original object and its offset).
The cutting methods are proposed as options. toggle from one to the other by using both the
“Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys or by clicking on the corresponding icon.
24.4.1.1 Boolean
This “Cut” tool option computes the intersections between two operands such as
curves, surfaces or volumes. Then, it displays all the solutions resulting from this
operation. Select the one to be kept. The two objects can be indifferently Polyhedral or
NURBS (See “Polygonal or NURBS Models” on page 96). .
If the two original objects are NURBS objects, cutting will make a NURBS object whatever the
operating mode. If one of the two objects is polyhedral, cutting will make a polyhedral object.
Boolean operations on open NURBS surfaces can give erroneous results. Use these
operations only on closed volumes.
Tool usage
1) Select the first operand of the operation (object or group)
2) Pick up the tool
3) Click on the object or group of objects which will be the second operand.
4) Amapi Pro displays a first object. Use both the “Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys (or use the +
- keys) to toggle from one option to the other to display all the possible solutions of the
operation.
5) As the expected result is displayed, release the tool or press the “Enter” key to validate
the operation and leave the tool.
An operand should not have intersection with itself. Objects of a group should therefore not
be intersected between them.
Options
“Boolean” tool example:
• The sphere is the operand #1 (the object selected Vol.1
before picking up the tool). It will be named Vol.1 if Surf.1
considered as a closed volume or Surf.1 if
considered as a surface.
• The cube is the operand #2 (the object selected after
picking up the tool). It will be named Vol.2 if
considered as a closed volume or Surf.2 if Vol.2
considered as a surface. Surf.2
Vol.2 minus Vol.1 Vol.1 or Vol.2 Vol.1 and Vol.2 Vol.1 minus Vol.2
Surf.1 and Vol.2 Surf.2 and Vol.1 Surf.1 minus Vol.2 Surf.2 minus Vol.1
The boolean computing time on complex models is longer than on simple models.
Cut object
If the two original objects are NURBS objects, cutting will make a NURBS object whatever the
operating mode. If one of the two objects is polyhedral, cutting will make a polyhedral object.
The curve used as a punch on a NURBS volume must be a closed curve. If not the result can be
erroneous.
Cutting options
• Punching a volume or surface object
Amapi Pro computes all the possible intersections
between the current object and the profile curve Profile
projection
following its projection path. path
Use both the “Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys (or use the Profile
+ - keys) to toggle from one option to the other to curve
display all the possible solutions of the operation. Object to
It is possible to control the cutting depth or the face be cut
to be cut (see details on page 359).
Press the “Enter” key to validate the operation and
leave the tool.
Object cut with the The same object and The cutting depth line Object cut with the
“Punch” tool. the line allowing you to while setting it with the “Punch”
The object is drilled set the depth of the “Stretch” tool tool where the depth
from a face through the cutting in the “Stretch” has been reduced.
other one tool
After having made the cut, you will release the “Cut” tool. You will then pick up the
“Stretch” tool. You will then see the curve appear used for the cutting and a green axis repre-
senting the cutting depth. Note that it slightly exceeds the cut out object. To reduce the cut-
ting depth, simply take one of the ends of this axis and move it. The cutting is recomputed in
real time and you can thus visualize its exact depth. In the same way, you can orient the cut-
ting axis or modify the curve.
• Punch a curve
After validation, the number of objects is equal to the number of intersections between the
curve to be cut and the profile, plus one.
Curve to be cut
Cutting profile Curve cut into several curves
Click
To extract facets without removing them from the current object (duplication), use the tool
“Extract Facets” (see details on page 304).
This “Cut” tool option can be used to separate different parts of an object after modeling in order
to apply different materials.
Click
Click
In the steps where the Position or Dimension must be set, several methods are available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• “Using the Remote Control” (see details on page 162)
• With the “+” or “-” keys.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Shortcuts: See the shortcut list available after starting the tool with any current option:
• Click on a surface or a volume; Amapi Pro will make a cut with a Boolean operation (see details on
page 355).
• Click on a curve: Amapi Pro will make a punch following an already drawn profile (see details on
page 357).
• Click on the current object: Amapi Pro will make a punch following a profile drawn in the tool (see
details on page 357).
• Click on the right mouse button: Amapi Pro will make a cut with the slice-cut option (see details on
page 362).
1) You can pick up this tool by having or not a current selection (Facets, Edges or
Points) (See “The concept of selection” on page 147).
2) You will begin or update the selection within the tool with the selection accessories (See
“The selection accessories” on page 148).
The deletion will be interactive.
3) Validate the action (“Enter” key) or release the tool to end the tool action.
With reconstruction
Without reconstruction
Amapi Pro will suggest options for the type of the current object and the entity to be deleted
(See “The current selection is a curve” on page 365) (See “The current selection is a
surface” on page 366).
.
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool doesn’t work on objects including several DG
levels. You must collapse the DG before deleting an element (See “Collapsing the DG” on
page 118).
In the case of NURBS objects, only the edge and facet modes will be accessible since the points
are not entities displayed on NURBS. The suppression of NURBS edges will allow you to remove
the trimming curves of the NURBS surfaces. A NURBS surface represents a single face and thus
the removal of NURBS faces will remove the complete face.
Edge to be
deleted I The deletion of only one edge “with
Inactive reconstruction” has no effect on the
curve.
Edges to be
deleted
Inactive
Illustration
on closed curve
Point to be deleted
Edge to be deleted
Edges to be
deleted
Inactive
Option description Keeps the “hole” made by the Creates a facet to close the “hole”
deletion of the element(s). made by the deletion of the
element(s).
Facets deletion
Edges deletion
Point deletion
The “Delete” tool doesn’t work on NURBS models. It is possible to transform a NURBS
model into a polygonal model. To do so, use the “Information” tool located in the Control panel
(See “Information” on page 188).
Attention! A polygonal model cannot be transformed into a NURBS model.
Use the most adapted selection accessory within the proposed ones (See “The selection
methods” on page 150)
Select each facet to be subdivided. The selection can be made facet by facet (click on the
facet) or with the “Lasso” (See “The Personalized Lasso Selection” on page 153) quickly
available by right clicking the mouse.
Validate the tool by pressing the “Enter” key.
Click 2 Click 2
Click 1 Click 1
Click 3 Click
Click 3
Click 4
Clicks Clicks
In the both cases, some settings can be made : “Adding nodes and breaks management” (see
details on page 372)
• For a NURBS curve, the tesselation range corresponds to the number of segments
generated between two nodal points.
• For a NURBS surface or volume, the tesselation range corresponds to the number of
intervals made by the intermediate lines generated between two nodal lines.
When creating a NURBS curve, surface or volume, Amapi Pro sets the tesselation range to 5
by default.
Tune the range with the + or - keys or by entering a value in the parameter palette.
Range U = 5 Range U = 2
Range V = 5 Range V = 3
Adaptive
Rang
Tesselation Rang
Work on U and V
Work on U
Work on V
Inversion of U
Inversion of V
Inversion of U and V
Original object Bent object Twisted object Tapered object Spherized object
Available
options
Option Allows you to allows you to allows you to allows you to allows you to
description stretch the bend the rotate the scale the spherize the
meshed control desired “Set the desired “Set the desired “Set the selection.
box (see details mesh of the mesh of the mesh of the Amapi Pro
on page 377). control box” control box” control box” displays a
Works face around the face. face. support-sphere
according to a selection (see details on (see details on on which the
similar principle geometric page 376) page 376) selection will be
to the tool center. (See “Action (See “Action projected.
“Stretch (See “Set the orientation orientation (see on
NURBS mesh of the options” on options” on page 376)
objects” (see control box” on page 377) page 377)
details on page 376)
page 254). (See “Action
orientation
options” on
page 377)
Editable • Move x •Angle •Angle •Ratio •Coefficient
parameter(s) • Move y between the defines the
control face projection
• Move z
size and the extension
original size •Radius
of the support-
sphere
Accessory (See “The •“Set the mesh •“Set the mesh •“Set the mesh
meshed control of the control of the control of the control
box editing box” box” box”
accessories” on (see details on (see details on (see details on
page 376) page 376) page 376) page 376)
The value of the range must be strictly higher than the value of the degree.
This tool works on selections relating to only one object: If the current selection is applied to
several objects, Amapi Pro will refuse access to the tool.
In the steps where the Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Dimension.
• With the “+” or “-” keys for setting a Number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
The rotations are made on the orthogonal plane which orientation is the most perpendicular to
the eye - target point axis (See “Viewpoint” on page 137).
To change the rotation plan, change the viewpoint (See “The Navigation” on page 135).
• “Bending along a profile drawn with the tool” (see details on page 379).
The bending is made following the projection of the selected profile on the working plane.
That is to say this tool works in two dimensions.
Thus, it is important to be exactly on the same plane as the profile curve.
So, it is possible to perform successive bendings in different planes (See “Scene / orthonormal
base toggling” on page 171).
Cylinder #1 to be Cylinder #2 to be
bent, made up of bent, made up of
several segments only one segment
• The current selection, before picking up the tool, is a part of the object.
In this case the user will select a point within the selected points. All the selection will be
moved without any inertia: it will not be deformed (See “Inertia” on page 384).
In both cases, the “Alt” “Page up” and “Alt” “Page down” keys will increase or decrease the
size of the influence area
Original object Mold object with a small Mold object with a greater
influence area influence area
(limited to the top half (limited to the top portion
portion of the cork) of the cork)
The “Alt” “Page up” and “Alt” “Page down” keys will increase or decrease the inertia
coefficient.
Original object Top portion of the cork Top portion of the cork Top portion of the cork
mold with a high mold with a low inertia mold with a very low
inertia coefficient coefficient inertia coefficient
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool is an editor-tool which can edit the first DG
level. The editor-tools carry out topological modifications. Their effects will be reflected at the
higher levels. (See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
Soften Stress
Option This option moves the points This option uses the This option uses the
description of a surface or a curve on “Relax” method to “Mid-mid” method to
both sides to give it some soften or stress the soften or stress the
random surface bump. The perturbations of a perturbations of a
amplitude of the deformation surface or a curve. surface or a curve.
will remain within the
specified range(see on
page 386).
Editable • Maximum amplitude •Level (number of times to iterate)
parameters •Minimum amplitude •Coefficient (algorithm weight)
A negative coefficient increases the surface
The +/- keys allow you to bump, whereas a positive coefficient softens it
set these two parameters
quickly. The +/- keys allow you to set these two
(see on page 386) parameters quickly
Accessories •New iteration • Freeze boundary vertices
Amapi Pro will If the current object is a surface, click on
launch a new this icon to leave out its edges of the
computing operation each softening process (it keeps them sharp).
time this icon is selected.
The surface appearance will
be modified each time.
Bumping a surface
Stressing/Softening a surface
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): the tool adds a DG level labeled height field (See
“Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
This tool works on a selection of only one object. If the current selection is on several objects,
Amapi Pro will not give access to the tool.
In the steps where the Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are available:
• “From the graphic workspace” with the “+” or “-” keys for setting a number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
This tools palette contains the tools used to place and orient the objects:
Icon Tool name Description See
Allows you to create one or several copies of the current selection. Amapi Pro
“Duplicate” offers several methods of duplication.
page 388
“Close” Lets you close the current selection, such as a curve or an opened surface. page 400
This tool offers several options to weld objects or points. If these options
“Weld” generate overlapping points, Amapi Pro keeps only one of them (other points page 403
are deleted).
This tool is used to apply a translation to the current selection along a vector,
“Snap/Align” the ends of which are defined by the user.
page 406
This tool is used to lay a facet of the selected object onto a facet of another
“Lay on” object (center on center). page 408
“Unfold” This tool is used to create a 2D flat unfolded version of a 3D model. page 409
This tool displays the dimensions of an object. Amapi Pro allows you to
“Measurements” display three types of dimensions: length, angle and volume/surface/ page 415
circumference.
“Decimate” This tool allows you to reduce the complexity of an object. page 420
The validation (by releasing the tool or pressing the “Enter” key) ignores the current copy (when
the bounding box position is not set).
Use
This “Duplicate” tool option allows you to make several copies of the selection with
a copy shift, rotation and/or a scaling ratio. This option works with parameters
settings along several steps:
1) Setting the Number of copies (data or “+ or -” keys) and validation.
2) Setting the Offset and validation.
3) Setting the Rotation and validation.
4) Setting the Scale ratio and validation.
The “Multiple copy” gives the accessory “Reference point” (see details on page 391).
If’ “n” copies are set in the “Multiple copy” option, “n” copies will be added to the selection.
Use
1) The duplication support can be either a curve, a surface or a volume.
• A curve support (or path) can be drawn with the “Line drawing” tool before selecting
the “Duplicate” tool or while using the “Duplicate” tool.
• A surface or a volume used as duplication support must be built before selecting the
“Duplicate” tool.
2) Select the elements to be copied (See “Selection” on page 147).
3) Pick up the “Duplicate” tool in the assembly palette.
4) Select the “Copy on support” option.
5) It is possible to draw a duplication support path with the tool by using the accessory
“Draw a path with the tool” (see details on page 396). Otherwise, go to the next step.
6) Click on the duplication support.
• If the support is a curve: the copies are created on the path so that their reference
points (see details on page 393) are located on each point defining the curve.
• If the support is a surface: the copies are placed on the support so that their reference
points (see details on page 394) are located on the center of each facet of the support.
7) If needed, change the proposed options:
“Orientation of the copies” (see details on page 393).
8) Eventually control:
• the size of the copies (see details on page 395)
• the rotation of the copies (see details on page 395)
9) Release the tool or press the “Enter” key to validate the operation and leave the tool.
The number of copies will be equal to the number of points of the path or to the number of
facets defining the support (surface or volume).
Support
Keeps the Rotates the copies Rotates the copies Rotates the copies Rotates the copies
orientation of the to position the x to position the y to position the z following the
original. axis of the original axis of the original axis of the original Frenet triangle
on the normal to on the normal to on the normal to
the curve. the curve. the curve.
•Size (see details •Size (see details •Size (see details •Size (see details •Size (see details
on page 395) on page 395) on page 395) on page 395) on page 395)
•Rotation (see •Rotation (see •Rotation (see •Rotation (see •Rotation (see
details on page 395) details on page 395) details on page 395) details on page 395) details on page 395)
Selection Support
to copy
Keeps the orientation of Rotates the copies to Rotates the copies to Rotates the copies to
the original. position the x axis of position the y axis of position the z axis of
the original on the the original on the the original on the
normal of each facet of normal to each facet of normal to each facet of
the support. the support. the support.
x y z
•Size (see details on •Size (see details on •Size (see details on •Size (see details on
page 395) page 395) page 395) page 395)
•Rotation (see details on •Rotation (see details on •Rotation (see details on •Rotation (see details on
page 395) page 395) page 395) page 395)
Reference point
The reference point, displayed with the ( ) sign, defines the position of the copies
onto the support. The default reference point is the center of the selected objects
bounding box.
• If the support is a curve: the copies will be positioned on the path so that their reference
points will be located on each point defining the curve.
• If the support is a surface: the copies will be positioned on the support so that their
reference points are located on the center of each facet of the support.
To change it, use the “Reference point” accessory and then select the point of the scene
which will be the new reference point.
The copies are automatically grouped. They can be ungrouped with the tool “Ungroup” in the
control panel (see details on page 186).
The orientation of the object on a support facet depends on the orientation of the normal of
this support facet (See “Information” tool, section “Functions” (see details on page 189)).
In the steps where the Position, Dimension or Number must be set, several methods are
available:
• “From the graphic workspace”
• “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162) for setting a Position or a Dimension.
In this case, set the cursor positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• With the “+” or “-” keys to set a number.
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
Do the operation following one of the proposed options. toggle from one to the other by
using both the “Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys or by clicking on the corresponding icon.
Validate the operation by pressing the “Enter” key or by releasing the tool.
The copies are automatically grouped. They can be ungrouped with the tool “Ungroup” (see
details on page 186) in the control panel.
The cursor is movement is done on the orthogonal plane which orientation is the most
perpendicular to the eye - target point axis (See “Viewpoint” on page 137)
When setting a point in the three dimensions, the mouse movement modifies only 2 out of 3
displayed values (x, y and z).
There are two possibilities to change the third value:
• Change the viewpoint (See “The Navigation” on page 135))
• “Editing the parameters” (see details on page 162)
In the steps where the Position must be set, several methods are available:
• “From the graphic workspace”: “Using the mouse” (see details on page 162)
In this case, set the cursor positioning or movement constraints (see details on page 191).
• By entering a value in the parameter palette (see details on page 163)
• “Edit the joint and opening of a grid-structure object” (see details on page 401)
• It is possible to close the upper and/or lower openings of a grid structured object joined
in U only.
• It is possible to close the left and/or right side(s) openings of a grid structured object
joined in V only.
Switch from one state to the other (open/close) by clicking on it then release the tool or press
the “Enter” key.
This tool is different from the tool “Extract Facets” with the option “Automatic creation of
facet closures” (see details on page 304).
• The “Extract Facets” tool creates a new object closure.
• The “Close” tool closes the current object.
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool is an editor-tool which can edit the first DG
level. The editor-tools carry out topological modifications. Their effects will be reflected at higher
levels. (See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
Option Replaces the selected objects by only Move the selected Move the closest
description one which is the sum of both. points toward the points toward their
There is no visible transformation geometric center of geometric center.
displayed. But the difference is the selection. The + and - keys
fundamental when a modeling operation The “One by one” allow you to quickly
is made (see illustration below). selection accessory tune the distance at
The “One by one” selection accessory is is the default option. which the two points
the default option. Other accessories Another accessory are considered to be
can be used (see details on page 150). can be selected (see close.
details on page 150).
Illustration Lasso
Editable •Distance:
parameter distance at which
two points are
considered to be
close.
This sphere and cube are welded Welding points belong to the Result obtained after welding.
to make only one object. object.
The “Weld” tool with “Weld objects” option must be distinguished from the “Group” tool
(see details on page 186).
• A group of objects:
• can have a hierarchy (sub-group notion)
• keeps all the points of each object.
• can be ungrouped at anytime with the Ungroup tool
• is recognized thanks to its entire bounding box.
• An object made from welded objects:
• doesn’t have overlapped points just after welding.
• cannot be ungrouped (but with Crtl-Z).
• is recognized thanks to its partial bounding box.
The “Weld” tool with “Weld points close to each other” option must be distinguished from
the “Decimate” tool (see details on page 420) which reduces the complexity of a surface
selection with respect to the general shape of the original object.
It is possible to click on the “Apply to all” accessory. This carries out the operation on all
the displayed entities, then automatically quits the tool.
This accessory shortcut is the “A” key.
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool has a different behavior depending on the
desired option.
• The “Weld points onto an object” and “Weld points close to each other” options are able to edit the
first DG level. They carry out topological modifications. Their effects will be reflected at higher
levels.
• The “Weld objects” option add or insert a DG level labeled Weld Objects
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
25.5.1 Use
The user will select in the following order:
A movement constraint can be applied to the translation (See “Align” on page 406).
After each translation, Amapi Pro will suggest a new translation. To validate the operation,
press the “Enter” key or release the tool.
25.5.2 Align
The Horizontal / Vertical constraints options allows you to proceed to precise alignments.
Press on the “Space-Bar” to toggle between Horizontal / Vertical.
Current
selection
Translation
vector
Moved
selection
Current
selection
Translation
vector
Moved
selection
Current
selection
Translation
vector
Moved
selection
Click
1- The deep dish is the current 2- Then click on the internal
object. Click on the external side bottom face of the flat dish.
of the bottom face of the deep
dish.
Two options allow you to toggle the direction of the action (normal direction / normal
reverse direction). Click on the icon showing the desired option or press the “Space-Bar” to
toggle from one option to the other.
The tool and Dynamic Geometry (DG): this tool can work at any DG level. The effects will be
reflected at higher levels
(See “Dynamic Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
25.7.3 Unfold
Before starting the unfolding operation, the cutting edges (see details on page 410) or
the starting facet (see details on page 411) might have been selected.
If not, Amapi Pro will select the cutting edges and the starting facet on its own.
The unfolding operation starts when the user clicks on the icon. The current object
remains intact, the unfolded version is displayed on the horizontal plane.
25.8.1 Options
Click on the desired option or press on both the “Alt” and “Space-Bar” keys to toggle from
one to the other.
Illustration
*The altitude is the distance between a point of the object and the mapped shape. The points located
onto the shape are considered to be at an altitude of zero and the most distant points are at a maximum
altitude. One can say that the maximum altitude corresponds to the thickness of the object.
At all the steps where values, such as “set size” or “set number”, must be set. Two methods
can be set:
• “From the graphic workspace” with the “+” or “-” keys for the “Spread” parameters.
• By entering a value in the Parameter palette (see details on page 163) for the other parameters
The dimensions are displayed only when the “Measurements” tool is in use. However, the
dimensions are automatically updated as soon as the object is modified.
If the object topology changes, Amapi Pro will not be able to keep this dimension and will delete
all the measures.
12.20 cm
87.5 °
21.70 cm
The measurements can be printed or not from the printing preferences “Preferences” (See
“Printing preferences” on page 474).
25.9.1.1 Distance
The “Distance” tool measures the distance between two points. They can be selected
by a simple click.
Amapi Pro proposes three distance measurement modes between two points:
• the absolute distance measurement between these two points,
• the distance measurement between the points projection on the horizontal axis,
• the distance measurement between the points projection on the vertical axis.
A shortcut can be used to toggle from one mode to another, either by using the switching
axis icons located in the “The assistant palette” (see details on page 206), or by pressing the
“Space-Bar”.
Once the measurement is made, move the cursor to position the dimension and click on the
mouse button.
It is possible to move a dimension by using the “repositioning the dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
It is possible to delete a dimension by using the “Deleting a dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
The Amapi Pro default display is the inner angle, but the outer angle can also be selected. A
shortcut can be used to toggle from one mode to another, either by using the switching axis
icons located in the “The assistant palette” (see details on page 206); or by pressing the
“Space-Bar”.
1s t click
225°
2n d click
135°
3r d click
Once the measurement is made, move the cursor to position the dimension and click the
mouse button.
It is possible to move a dimension by using the “repositioning the dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
It is possible to delete a dimension by using the “Deleting a dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
Once the measurement is made, move the cursor to position the dimension and click on the
mouse button.
It is possible to move a dimension by using the “repositioning the dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
It is possible to delete a dimension by using the “Deleting a dimension” (see details on
page 418) accessory.
Amapi Pro computes and displays the surface as a mesh made up of triangular facets.
The “Decimate range” parameter represents the percentage of remaining polygons from the
initial model. A range of 0.3 means that the simplified model will contain 30% of the
original number of polygons.
About Dynamic Geometry (DG): This tool collapses the DG of the object (See “Dynamic
Geometry (DG)” on page 109).
Because it uses a polygon simplifier, this tool works on polygonal surfaces only (See “Polygonal
or NURBS Models” on page 96).
The Rendering room is divided into specialized zones, that will allow you to work on:
• “Materials”: allows you to set and apply materials on objects (see details on page 453).
• “Lighting”: allows you to locate and set light sources (see details on page 461).
• “Rendering parameters”: allows you to set the parameters for rendering (see details on
page 465).
In rendering mode, the central graphic workspace will show the interactive preview of the
scene. You will appreciate the effect of a lighting or the way a material interacts on its
environment while setting it up.
A series of icons allows you to launch a preview or a rendering before saving an image. (See
“Previewing and rendering” on page 451).
• The material applied to each object (See “Material editor” on page 432).
Amapi Pro applies a default material to the objects, if not specified.
Amapi Pro allows you to work in simple-view or in multi-view mode (see details on
page 178)
The Control panel displays the icon corresponding to the current display mode.
Click on it to display the list of the possible configurations. Then, click on the icon
showing the desired display mode.(See “The display modes” on page 180).
The “Move” tool (see details on page 242) allows you to move the objects or the
light sources (see details on page 438).
The “Rotate” tool (see details on page 244) allows you to rotate the objects or the
light sources (see details on page 438).
Use the “Hide” tool to make some objects of the scene invisible and the “Show” tool
to make them visible again (see details on page 184).
The “Isolate” tool allows you to work with the current selection without having the
surrounding objects displayed (see details on page 185).
The “Material” editor allows you to make the scene more realistic by giving a "material"
appearance to the surface of objects.
A material defines the appearance of the surface with a simulated material.
A large graphic workspace is used for the interactive preview of the scene in rendering
mode. This allows you to appreciate the effect of lighting or the way a material interacts on
its environment while setting it up (See “Previewing and rendering” on page 425).
The editor is divided into two zones:
Open a directory
You can also open a favorites directory (See “Managing the favorites directory” on page 431).
This operation erases the file on the hard disk, it cannot be undone.
There is no reason to record a material in the catalog if you don’t plan on using it later.
The former versions of Amapi Pro, saved this list in a file named “CAT.LIST”; if it exists, it will not
be deleted but not updated either. Only “catalog.lst”will be updated.
Adding a favorite
It is possible to record the current directory as a favorite.
Open the directory to save it as favorite (See “Open a directory” on page 429) then click on
one of the free icons ( ). It will then be displayed as a filled space ( ).
Opening a favorite
A tooltip will indicate the corresponding favorites directory when sliding the cursor over the
icon. Open the directory with a simple click on the corresponding icon. Amapi Pro will
display the directory content in the catalog.
Deleting a favorite
To delete a favorite from the list, you will use the "Drag and Drop" method:
1) Click on and hold the thumbnail corresponding to the favorite to be deleted .
27.2.2.3 Shininess
The shininess is the capacity of an object to reflect the light. The shininess is defined by the
color, the intensity and the size of the halo of the reflected light.
For instance, a polished surface has a small and intense reflection, even though a matte
surface has a large and weak reflection.
27.2.2.4 Reflection
The surfaces can reflect surrounding colors. The reflection defines the ratio between the
reflected lighting and the incident lighting (when lighting a surface). The setting can be
made by using the slider or in the editable area (See “Preferences” on page 451).
It is time-consuming to compute reflections because ray-tracing is used in the
computation.
27.2.2.5 Transparency
Transparency is the ability of a material to let light shine through it. The more transparent a
surface is, the more the light that shines through it. A black color indicates that a material is
not transparent, while a white color indicates that a material is completely transparent.
The setting can be made by using the slider or in the editable area (See “Preferences” on
page 451).
27.2.2.6 Refraction
The propagation of a light beam through a translucent or transparent material is determined
by refraction. Light beams will be sent to a greater or lesser extent depending on the material
they go through, as each material has a different refractive index.
The setting can be made by using the slider or in the editable area (See “Preferences” on
page 451).
Note that these settings take effect only if the material contains transparency settings.
It is time-consuming to compute refractions because ray-tracing is used in the
computation.
27.2.2.7 Density
This parameter sets the number and the size of the patterns of a textured material.
For instance: as you increase the size parameter of a tiling texture applied to the floor of a
room, you will see the size of the tiles decrease and their number increase. The setting can
be made by using the slider or in the editable area.
28.1.2 Bulb
The bulb is a directional light. You can specify its orientation, the area where you want a
dim light or the color of the diffused light.
You can have the light produce a solid drop shadow if you wish (See “Set a light source” on
page 437).
28.1.3 Spot
The spot is a specific source of lighting which sends a direct light beam. You can specify the
beam direction, light cut-off and fall-off, the area where you want a dim light, and its color.
You can have the light produce a solid drop shadow if you wish (See “Set a light source” on
page 437).
Diffuse color x x x
Shadow x x x
beam radius x
attenuation x x
Repositioning x x x
orientation x x
The light source to be set must be the current light source (See “Select a light source” on
page 437).
28.4.2 Shadow
You can determine whether or not the light produces a solid drop shadow on the lit objects.
28.4.5 Repositioning
The “Move” tool, located at the bottom of the graphic workspace, allows you to
reposition the light source.
28.4.6 Orientation
The “Stretch” tool, located at the bottom of the graphic workspace, allows you to
change the “Sun”, “Bulb” or “Spot” orientation.
The user can set some parameters for the final rendering:
29.1 Anti-aliasing
This function to keep the object's colored outlines from being
“jagged”
Select the Anti-aliasing level (between 0 and 3).
Use of Anti-aliasing will increase the rendering time.
29.2 Shadows
Check this box to compute and the display the shadows (See
“Shadow” on page 437).
29.3 Background
Background color
The background color setting can be made either by clicking in the sampling circle, or by
using the slider and/or an editable area (See their using mode on page 451).
29.4 Environment
Check this box if you want to add an environment image to be reflected on an object in the
scene.
Clicking on the “Browse” button will open the dialog box where you can select the desired
background image.
Invisible in the modeling room, this image is displayed with the final rendering.
29.5 Fog
A slider allows you to set a coefficient which will define the density of the fog.
Each file can be previewed thanks to its associated thumbnail image which shows the model
and its name. A model in the catalog can be loaded in the current scene by pointing out its
thumbnail image. Conversely, you will be able to save the current scene in the catalog.
The file organization in the catalog is saved independently of the way it is organized in the
system directory. Files can thus be organized in a logical manner and automatically keep
their layout.
In most cases, using the catalog is more efficient than using the system file manager.
The catalog will be opened by clicking on this icon at the top right corner of the screen.
Trash
Pages Open a
scrolling directory
Rebuild the
Current file catalog
information
in the Import
directory
Export
This operation erases the file on the hard disk, it cannot be cancelled.
By deleting the scene, all the objects of the scene will be deleted, even hidden objects.
(See “Hide, Show” on page 184)
The former versions of Amapi Pro, saved this list in a file named “CAT.LIST”; if it exists, it will not
be deleted but not updated. Only “catalog.lst”will be updated.
Adding a favorite
It is possible to record the current directory as a favorite.
Open the directory to save it as favorite (See “Open a directory” on page 444) then click on
one of the free icons ( ). It will be displayed as a filled location ( ).
Opening a favorite
A tooltip will indicate the corresponding favorites directory when putting the cursor over the
icon. Open the directory with a simple click on the corresponding icon. Amapi Pro will
display the directory content in the catalog.
Deleting a favorite
To delete a favorite from the list, you will use the "Drag and Drop" method;
1) Click on and hold the thumbnail corresponding to the favorite to be deleted .
The catalog reconstruction updates the corresponding “catalog.lst” file which manages the
personalized organization of the catalog.
For more details, see paragraph “Organizing the catalog” (see details on page 446).
30.11 Import
An Import icon is available when the catalog is open. It is similar to the File Import
menu. (See “Import” on page 229).
30.12 Export
An Export icon is available when the catalog is open. It is similar to the File Export
menu (See “Export” on page 231).
• Check boxes:
Enabled option
Disabled option
• Sliders:
The setting can be made by moving the slider’s cursor or by entering a value in the data
window on the right-hand side of the slider.
Generic
Interface themes
Amapi Pro offers several interface themes corresponding to various users’ profiles. The user
will test them and select one which will work best for him.
• Pro (default)
• Default
• Gradient
• Immersive
• Classic with tools palettes
Each theme has its own preference presets which will replace the current values. After
changing theme, it will always be possible to manually set all the preferences through the
preferences editor.
See the “Ergonomics” (see details on page 13) paragraph to learn more about each of these
interfaces.
Full screen
Full screen display (default): Amapi Pro is displayed on the full screen. The system bar
menus are hidden.
Window display
Language
Amapi Pro is able to communicate in several languages. During its first use, it asks the user
to set the language he or she prefers using. However, it will be possible to change it, by
using the preference editor.
The following languages are available:
• English (default)
• French
• German
Views / Multi-views
The Control panel displays the icon corresponding to the current option. Click on it to
display the list of the possible configurations. Then, click on the icon showing the
desired configuration.
Palettes display
“Tools
Read the “Two interfaces” (see details on page 79) paragraph palette”
Interface
to learn more information about each interface.
“Toolbox”
Tooltips display Interface
Miscellaneous
Display time
Display time (default).
Do not display time.
Magnetism effect
Magnetized dialog boxes (default).
Not magnetized dialog boxes.
Editor’s colors
You will be able to personalize the colors of the editor's windows such as the preferences
editor, the shortcuts editor...
Orthogonal planes
Some preferences allow you to customize the display.
Checker plane
Enabled the plane is checkered (default).
Disabled.
Grid size
The dimensions of the plane(s) can be customized. The setting can be made by moving the
slider’s cursor or by entering a value in the data window on the right-hand side of the slider.
Image on XY plane
Select the image to display.
Image on XZ plane
Select the image to display.
Image on YZ plane
Select the image to display.
Grid color
Click on the color sampling circle to display the color setting palette.
Rulers
Local gradation
Amapi Pro propose two types of gradation for the rulers.
Gradation activated locally.
Gradation disactivated locally (default)
Coordinates display
Amapi Pro asks if you would like to display the cursor coordinates along the rulers.
Display the cursor coordinates.
Do not display the cursor coordinates (default).
Alignment guides
The “Alignment guides” tool allows you to temporarily constrain the cursor movement dur-
ing the construction of 3D points (See “Alignment guides” on page 196).
“Alignment guides”
Alignment angles
Allows you to assign particular values to the angles the alignments guides will be displayed
at. Attention, when modified, this modifies the values of the eight following angles.
Angles 1 to 8
Values of the angles that the alignment guides will be displayed at. These values can be set
manually. Attention, the use of the "Alignment Angles" field redefines these angles auto-
matically.
Snapping
This option allows you to specify whether the cursor should be snapped on the virtual grid
defined by the orthonormal base gradations.
Cursor-parameter display
If enabled, the parameters follow the cursor movement and are very easy to view. But,
unlike the parameter palette, the cursor-parameter doesn’t allow editing (See “To check the
parameters” on page 161).
Enables the cursor-parameter display (default).
Disables the cursor-parameter display.
Navigation Animation
(See “The Navigation” on page 135)
MicroScribe
AutoPlot
Allows you to continuously digitize by moving the point of the digitizer on the surface. In
this mode, when the stylus has covered the distance defined by the Distance AutoPlot
parameter, a point is automatically created.
Autoplot Distance
Defines the distance between two points created in AutoPlot mode.
Scale
Scale factor applied to all the points drawn by the Microscribe.
Entities display
Different entities are handled while modeling: points, edges, facets or objects (See “Entity”
on page 94).
Amapi Pro offers several display options that allow you to highlight one or another kind of
entity.
Depending on the manipulation to be made, select the display mode that best highlights the
entities you're working on. It can be changed at any time during the modeling. Most of them
are accessible through the Control panel (see details on page 167).
Default color
This preference will enable you to personalize the color of the objects. It will be taken into
account if you chose not to give a different color to each object (see above).
The “Lit Wireframe” mode adds a light effect to the “Wireframe” mode.
The “Smoothed Solid” mode corresponds to the “Flat Solid” mode on which a
smoothing has been applied. This is the most realistic mode.
The “Smoothed Solid and edges” mode adds the edges display to the “Smoothed
Solid” mode.
These options can also be accessible through the Control panel (See “The display modes” on
page 180).
Simplified display
This option allows you to limit the display simplification of the objects.
Perspective
This option allows you to toggle on one of the two display modes of the scene:
Edges color
This preference allows you to set the color of the edges.
Points color
This preference allows you to set the color of the points.
Point sizes
This preference allows you to set the size of a point.
Center display
The user can choose to display or not the geometrical center of a selected object.
Enable the display of the center
Disable the display of the center (default)
Point sizes
The user can personalize the size of the representation of the points of selected objects.
Display editing
Transparency effect
This preference lets you decide whether or not to give a transparency effect to the selected
objects.
If this option is activated, it will be effective in the following situations:
• When selecting edges or points
The transparency allows you to select the elements which would not be visible (and not
selectable) if the display was in solid mode (See “Objects display mode (Real time
rendering mode)” on page 465).
The selected object will be displayed with a transparency effect if:
• The “Transparency effect” option is enabled (see details on page 470).
This is effective when a “solid” display mode has been selected (See “Objects display mode
(Real time rendering mode)” on page 465).
This option can also be accessible through the Control panel (See “Transparency of the
selected object” on page 181).
Fast transparency
Fast transparency: enabled.
Buffer region
Buffer region:
Amapi Pro uses the previous object’s display computation to speed up the display in real-
time.
Do not use the previous display (default)
Clipping objects
Fast edges
Line display method which improves display times (depending on the type of graphics card)
Active.
Disable (default).
Refresh method
• Refresh method extended to all views (default).
• Refresh method limited to the current view.
Amapi Pro uses this option when the Muti-view mode is selected (See “Simple-view /
Multi-view” on page 178).
Hidden lines
Hidden lines enabled (default): uses a special filling mode based on a “stipple pattern”. It
can simulate the transparency on some graphic boards.
Hidden lines disabled.
Anti-aliasing
Anti-aliasing enabled (default).
Anti-aliasing disabled.
(See “Anti-aliasing” on page 481)
Lighting
The lighting corresponds to the propagation of luminous rays. It is directly related to the
effect obtained when rendering. By selecting the actual lighting, several parameters can be
customized.
Actual lighting
Actual lighting enabled (default)
If so, the following parameters can be customized.
Actual lighting disabled.
Global light
The default values of the two global lights can be configured by adjusting their associated
colors.
Scale
This parameter is a scale factor, it allows you to control the printing size.
The values must be within: ]0,1000].
Print measures
Print measures
Do not print measures
31.1.6 Units
Relative coordinates
By default, Amapi Pro works in relative mode (see details on page 486). The modeling
requirements can force the user to work in absolute mode (see details on page 481). To
toggle from one to the other, you can check the “Relative coordinates” option.
Relative coordinates (default)
Absolute coordinates
Angle unit
Amapi Pro allows you to change the angle unit at any time of the modeling. To do so, select
the unit from the following list:
• Degree
• Radian
Precision
Amapi Pro allows you to control the units precision. To do so, specify the number of digits
after the decimal point to be displayed.
The setting can be made by moving the slider’s cursor or by entering a value in the data
window on the right-hand side of the slider. The default precision is “2”.
Working scale
This preferences editor allows you to set a working scale. The setting can be made by
moving the slider’s cursor or by entering a value in the data window on the right-hand side
of the slider.
Tesselation
Absolute (mode) In absolute mode (in opposition to the relative mode) the
position of a point is computed by comparison with an
origin point. The default is fixed by convention at the center
of the plane (x,z).
(See “Relative (mode)” on page 486)
Camera The tool used to set the viewpoint, view direction, and
orientation.
Clone Clones are strictly identical objects which refer to only one
and unique geometry. A transformation done to one of them
will be automatically applied to all of its clones.
(See “The clones” on page 107).
Connected (curves) Connected curves are several curves, where each curve has
one end located at the same position in 3D space as the first
point of the next curve.
Different from composite curves (see details on page 482).
Deformation box The objects modified with the “Deform” tool replaces
Dynamic Geometry by a DG level corresponding to its “Set
the mesh of the control box” (see details on page 376).
Dialog Box Window that allows the user to answer questions or select
options.
Diffuse (Color…) What the object reflects when lighted by direct lighting
(daylight or artificial light)
Field of view The region of space that the eye can perceive when looking
at a target point.
Filter Controls the influence of the color of light on the color of its
reflection (defined by the specularity)
Format Structure of the data used to save a file on the hard drive.
There are numerous types of file formats.
Hidden facets Facets of a model that are hidden by other objects in the
current viewpoint.
Hidden lines Edges or lines of a model that are hidden by other objects in
the current viewpoint.
Incident light The way the light strikes an object. The resulting color of
the object depends on the incident light and the intrinsic
object color
Non planar facets A facet whose points do not lie on the same plane.
Phong (model of…) Phong Shading method using normal interpolation for each
point of a shape. It doesn't pick up into account indirect
lighting, such as the reflection of other objects.
Pulldown menu Menu appearing when the user presses a key or clicks on a
button and disappearing once the selection is made.
Room A room contains a set of tools used to make the similar kinds
of operations. Rooms include modeling, material editing,
and organizing the catalog.
Smoothing Allows the user to control the number and size of facets
defining a surface or the number of segments defining a
curve. The higher the smoothing value, the smoother the
object will look.
Amapi Pro proposes several smoothing modes.
Tool options “The tool options” are tool operating or computing methods
(See “The tool options” on page 84).
View plane The view plane is perpendicular to the eye - target point
axis.
The view plane of the current view is projected onto the
screen
Working plan The “working plane” is the plane on which the modeling
will be done. It is defined by the two axis the most parallel
to the current view plane
C
A
Cancel 215
Align 406
Catalog 197, 443
Alignment 196 • Browsing the Catalog 444
Alignment guides 196 • Browsing the pages 444
• Delete a file from the catalog 445
Ambient color 433 • Delete the entire scene 445
Angle 417 • Edit files information 445
• Export 448
Arc 284 • Import 448
Assembly 241 • Importing a file from the catalog into
the scene 446
AutoPlot 235
• Managing the favorites directory 447
Axis toggling 193 • Open a directory 444
• Organizing the catalog 446
• Rebuilding the catalog 448
• Saving a scene in the catalog 446
catalog.lst 430, 446, 447
E
Eccentricity 433
Edit
F
• 3D Digitizer 163 Face
• File information 445 • Back 179, 219
• Joint and opening of a grid structure • Front 179, 219
object 401
• Parameters 162 Facets
• Polylines closures 400 • Concave 345
• Convex surfaces 345
Editing 214
• Cancel 215 Falloff 433
• Copy 215 Favorites Directory 444
• Cut 215
• Delete 216 File
• Paste 215 • Close 210
• Redo 214 • Export 212
• Select All 216 • Import 212
• Undo 214 • Merge 210
• Validate 214 • Open 210
• Printing 212
Editor • Quit 213
• Material 427 • Save as 211
• Shortcuts 478
L
H Lasso
Helix 295 • Personalized 153
• Rectangular 153
Help 205
• Cursor 208 Lay on 408
• Tooltips 208 Layers 197, 198
• Delete 199
• Lock 200
• Merge 199
• Move an object toward... 200
• Receiver 199
I • Show/Hide 199
Light sources 436
Icosahedron 268 • Bulb 436
Import 212, 229, 448 • Spot 436
• Sun 436
Information 187
Lighting 435
Installation 7
• Macintosh 9 Line drawing 277
Q
Quad Mesh 106
Quick Tour 13
P Quit 213
Palette
• Construction 257, 339, 387
• Navigation 136
• Tool palettes 78
Panoramic view 141 R
Parameters 161
Record the current viewpoint 138
• Check the parameters 161
• Edit parameters Rectangle 279
3D Digitizer 163
Redo 214
• Editing the parameters 162
Remote control 162 Reflection 434
Using the mouse 162 Refraction 434
Validating or Canceling a data
input 165 Rendering 421
• Moving between parameters fields • Parameters 439
164 • Previewing 425
• Palette 161 • Save 426
• Rendering 439 Requirements 7, 9
Z
Zoom 140