2001 spline curve: z values have been reset to zero

Does your license say you have Pro/FEATURE? ('Help>Technical Support Info') As I've never seen a package of Pro/E without this 'option', I'd be very surprised if you turned up an installed items list without it. So, once again, a help message is not much help.

What I know about this is as follows: Two 'points' files come to mind. One, with a PTS extension, contains x and y coordinates, relative to a sketcher cs, of points on a section spline. The 'z' value is always 0 as the section is planar.

The other type of points file has an IBL extension. This one can be read to create a curve using 'Insert>Model datum>Curve>From file', specify the coordinate system and get the File>Open menu, listing the .ibl and any .igs files in the working directory. This will create whatever spline curves are documented in the file, with x, y, and z references for each point inthe curve entity.

David Janes

Yes, Pro/feature is listed in the info window and following let me to believe that using a 2D-spline can be used as a start for creating a

3D-curve:

----------quote------------

Three-Dimensional Sweeps

With Pro/FEATURE, sweeps can be created along a three-dimensional path with a three-dimensional spline for the sweep trajectory. That is, Pro/FEATURE allows you to modify the Z-coordinates of spline points. All other Sketcher entities must lie on a two-dimensional sketching plane.

In all other respects, three-dimensional sweeps are created in the same way as two-dimensional sweeps. For such applications as creating springs, you can also create an advanced feature helical sweep by sweeping a section along a helical trajectory.

--------unquote---------

And as the points list for a sketched spline is written with the Z-values it seemed logical that changes to it are accepted.

Dick

: > Does your license say you have Pro/FEATURE? ('Help>Technical Support Info') As : > I've never seen a package of Pro/E without this 'option', I'd be very surprised if : > you turned up an installed items list without it. So, once again, a help message : > is not much help. : >

: > What I know about this is as follows: Two 'points' files come to mind. One, with a : > PTS extension, contains x and y coordinates, relative to a sketcher cs, of points : > on a section spline. The 'z' value is always 0 as the section is planar. : >

: > The other type of points file has an IBL extension. This one can be read to create : > a curve using 'Insert>Model datum>Curve>From file', specify the coordinate system : > and get the File>Open menu, listing the .ibl and any .igs files in the working : > directory. This will create whatever spline curves are documented in the file, : > with x, y, and z references for each point inthe curve entity. : >

: > David Janes : : Yes, Pro/feature is listed in the info window and following let me to : believe that using a 2D-spline can be used as a start for creating a : 3D-curve: : : ----------quote------------ : : Three-Dimensional Sweeps : : With Pro/FEATURE, sweeps can be created along a three-dimensional path : with a three-dimensional spline for the sweep trajectory. That is, : Pro/FEATURE allows you to modify the Z-coordinates of spline points. : All other Sketcher entities must lie on a two-dimensional sketching : plane. : : In all other respects, three-dimensional sweeps are created in the : same way as two-dimensional sweeps. For such applications as creating : springs, you can also create an advanced feature helical sweep by : sweeping a section along a helical trajectory. : : --------unquote--------- : : And as the points list for a sketched spline is written with the : Z-values it seemed logical that changes to it are accepted. : Sure, granted, but if you're giving it a .pts file to create a 'Model Datum>Curve>From file', it is expecting the format of an .ibl file. So, give it either an .ibl file or a file inthat format. Did you get the example of the .ibl format file I sent you? Were you able to read that and create splines using 'Model Datum>Curve>From file'?

David Janes

: > Does your license say you have Pro/FEATURE? ('Help>Technical Support Info') As : > I've never seen a package of Pro/E without this 'option', I'd be very surprised if : > you turned up an installed items list without it. So, once again, a help message : > is not much help. : >

: > What I know about this is as follows: Two 'points' files come to mind. One, with a : > PTS extension, contains x and y coordinates, relative to a sketcher cs, of points : > on a section spline. The 'z' value is always 0 as the section is planar.

Corrrection: As of Wildfire, Pro/e seems not to recognize the .pts file extension for creating a curve from file or for a sketched curve created by 'Sketch>Data from file'. : >

: > The other type of points file has an IBL extension. This one can be read to create : > a curve using 'Insert>Model datum>Curve>From file', specify the coordinate system : > and get the File>Open menu, listing the .ibl and any .igs files in the working : > directory. This will create whatever spline curves are documented in the file, : > with x, y, and z references for each point inthe curve entity. : >

: > David Janes : : Yes, Pro/feature is listed in the info window and following let me to : believe that using a 2D-spline can be used as a start for creating a : 3D-curve: : : ----------quote------------ : : Three-Dimensional Sweeps : : With Pro/FEATURE, sweeps can be created along a three-dimensional path : with a three-dimensional spline for the sweep trajectory. That is, : Pro/FEATURE allows you to modify the Z-coordinates of spline points. : All other Sketcher entities must lie on a two-dimensional sketching : plane.

This claim by the help file is suggestive, certainly, informative, maybe but definitely uninstructive. What I would be expecting after this claim is a "How to..." or "Modifying the 2d curve to make it 3d". I have Pro/FEATURE and am unable to do as they suggest ~ not in sketcher with Modify and not out of sketcher with Edit. The little suckers refuse to lift off the sketch plane. You can grab and drag the end points which changes x,y dimensions, and you can adjust the interpolation points in between, but that's it. Sketcher Modify doesn't even provide z dimensions. So, at this point I'm skeptical it can even be done.

As to the substantive point you raised ~ creating a 3d sweep ~ this newsgroup has recorded two successful ways, one with a spline and one without. The first involves creating a curve from '2 projections', the second, used for pipe trajectories, is to make a curve 'thru points' and instead of the 'spline' option, to pick either the 'single' or 'multiple' radius. This creates a curve with straight segments between points and bend radiuses for the sweep. The '2 projections' curve uses two sketched curves, projectts them normal to the sketching plane and creates a resultant of the points of intersection between the projections. This type, while awkward to use, is the only kind of curve trajectory that can be a spline. A 'curve thru points' spline will not work. I'm not sure about a curve created from an .ibl file.

David Janes

This is new stuff for me and I don't know anything about it except what a little playing has yielded.

Help Global Search for "spline" turned up: Part Modeling

• Sketcher

** Modify a Section *** Modifying a Spline **** To Read in Spline Coordinates from a File

This is a fair start. It appears that the key to writing / reading *.pts files hinges on creating a local sketch coord systems (Sketch / Coord sys). To read a .pts you must first create a spline (two pts will do) and then read the file in while in modify spline mode.

I was gonna say that mod'g Z on a planar sketch makes no sense, but the note at the bottom of page...

• Sketcher

** Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry *** Dimensioning a Spline **** To Enter New Values for Spline Coords

... says different. I'm content to let 2d be 2d, but curiosity drove me to try a swept surface (Insert / Sweep...) and, by golly, you can. In spline mod mode, Points has a live Z coord input. It's like a few other input dialogs and it seems it's best to out of the field or things go goofy and the input is ignored.

Likewise a swept surface allowed the input of a *.pts file with non-zero Z values. Initiate the trajectory sketch, create a sketch coord sys, create a two point spline, modify, select the coord sys and read in the file.

It would be helpful if the Help file listed the specific creation functions that will allow this.

I didn't realize you could do that. Have always extruded surfs if a projected intersection was what I wanted. Just tried it and, in the process, get the 'this isn't going to be associative' warning. Is there a way to maintain associativity with the original curves?

I don't think I understand that. Could you elaborate?

Have a good one...

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David Janes