Defining The Working Zone

This task shows you how to define an area on a mesh before performing a subdivision, an extrusion, an association, etc. Selected vertices, edges or faces are displayed in the 3D area. Therefore only these elements can be modified. The other elements are protected and cannot be modified.

Open the Chair2.CATPart document.

  1. Click Working Zone Definition .
    You can also access this command by pressing ALT+SHIFT+V.

  2. Click the surface.
    A Tools Palette is displayed:
    The following icons let you:
    • swap the selection

  3. Select one or more elements using the Ctrl or Shift key.

  4. Click Swap Selection to swap the selection of the selected elements.
    All protected elements become unprotected and vice-versa.

  5. Click Modification .
    Previously selected elements are displayed and protected ones are hidden so that they cannot be selected.
    You can now work within a limited zone.

  6. Deform the surface using the Transformation icons.

  7. Click Working Zone Activation/Deactivation in the Tools Palette to reset the protection of selected elements.
    All cells are displayed and can be modified.
    The Working Zone Activation/Deactivation icon only appears in the Tools Palette of the current command when the Working Zone Definition icon has been selected first. It is active by default. Click it to deactivate the working zone.

  • A protected face is a face with at least one protected vertex.
  • A protected edge is an edge with at least one protected vertex.
The working zone is only active during the session for each subdivision surface. Therefore, when you close a model and reopen it, all cells are visible again.