Using Control Points Support

When using the Control Points capability, you need to define manipulation options.
These options indicate the directions in which deformations will be applied to the selected control points.
The support represents the direction in which the points are translated: along a line or in a plane. The manipulators are automatically displayed according to this direction:
  • Normal to compass: control points are translated along the compass normal direction. Take care that the compass position can be redefined at any time. The compass normal is the w compass direction.
  • Mesh Lines: control points are translated along the directions defined by the mesh lines. A mesh line direction is defined by the vector between two consecutive control points.
  • Local Normals: control points are translated along the normal to the surface computed at each control points.
  • Compass Plane: control points are moved in the compass plane. Take care that the compass position can be redefined at any time. The compass plane is the plane represented by the x|u and y|v compass axes.
  • Local Tangents: control points are moved in the tangent plane to the surface computed at each control points.
    This option is P2-only.
  • Screen Plane: control points are moved in to the plane defined by the computer screen.
    This option is P2-only.
  PNurbs curves cannot be modified using the Normal to compass and Local Normals options. PNurbs curves can be modified in the plan where it has been created.
Open the FreeStyle_Part_38.CATPart document.

  1. Click the Control Points icon:
    The Control Points dialog box appears.

  2. Move the Compass onto Surface.1.

  3. Select Surface.1.

  4. Click the Points only icon if not already selected:

Normal to Compass Support

  1. Click the Normal to compass icon:
    The control point manipulator displays the direction line along which the control point will be translated.

  2. Select the control point and drag it.

    After translating the control point along the compass normal direction, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.

Mesh Lines Support

  1. Click the Mesh Lines icon:

    • You have to select the mesh line to select the control point.
    • According to the mesh line selection location, the closest control point to this location will be selected.

  2. Select the mesh line close to the control point to be moved and drag it.

    After translating the control point along the mesh lines directions, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.

Local Normals Support

  1. Click the Local Normals icon:

    • The control point manipulator displays the normal direction line along it the control point will be translated.
    • If you select several control points, they will be translated along their own mesh direction.
    • After you release the mouse button, the normal direction is recomputed.

  2. Select the control point and drag it.

    After translating the control point along the local normal directions, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.

Compass Plane Support

  1. Click the Compass Plane icon:
    • The control point manipulator displays direction lines along it the control point will be moved:
      • If you select the center of the control point manipulator, the control point will moved in a parallel plane to the compass plane.
      • If you select one of the two directions of the control point manipulator, the control point will translated along it.

  2. Select a control point manipulator direction and drag it.

    After moving the control point in the compass plane, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.

Local Tangents Support

  1. Click the Local Tangents icon from the Support frame:
    • Approaching the cursor close to a control point selects it.
    • The control point manipulator displays the tangent direction line along it the control point will be translated.

  2. Select the control point and drag it.

    After moving the control point in the tangent plane, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.

Screen Plane Support

  1. Click the Screen Plane icon from the Support frame:
    • Approaching the cursor close to a control point selects it.
    • The control point manipulator displays direction lines along it the control point will be moved:
      • If you select the center of the control point manipulator, the control point will moved in a parallel plane to the compass plane.
      • If you select one of the two directions of the control point manipulator, the control point will translated along it.

  2. Select a control point manipulator direction and drag it.

    After moving the control point in the computer screen plane, the surface looks like this:

  3. Click OK to validate the modifications and close the dialog box.