Lines

A line represents a curve in space and is not attached to any surface or solid. A line is a one-dimensional geometric entity.

The color of a line is determined by the component collector to which it belongs.

A line can be composed of one or more line types. Each line type in a line is referred to as a segment. The end point of each line segment is connected to the first point of the next segment. A joint is the common point between two line segments. Line segments are maintained as a single line entity, so operations performed on the line affect each segment of the line. In general, Engineering Solutions automatically uses the appropriate number and type of line segments to represent the geometry.

All lines in Engineering Solutions are represented mathematically with the following formulations:
  • straight
  • elliptical
  • NURBS

Lines are different from surface edges and are sometimes handled differently for certain operations.

Create Lines

  • xyz - Create lines by specifying (x,y,z) coordinates (Lines panel).
  • linear nodes - Creates linear lines between nodes (Lines panel).
  • standard nodes - Creates standard lines between nodes (Lines panel).
  • smooth nodes - Creates smooth lines between nodes (Lines panel).
  • controlled nodes - Creates controlled lines between nodes (Lines panel).
  • drag along vector - Creates lines by dragging nodes a specified distance along a vector (Lines panel).
  • arc center and radius - Creates arcs by specifying the center and radius (Lines panel).
  • arc nodes and vector - Creates arcs by specifying two nodes and a vector (Lines panel).
  • arc three nodes - Creates arcs by specifying three nodes on the circumference (Lines panel).
  • circle center and radius - Creates circles by specifying the center and radius (Lines panel).
  • circle nodes and vector - Creates circles by specifying two nodes and a vector (Lines panel).
  • circle three nodes - Creates circles by specifying three nodes on the circumference (Lines panel).
  • conic - Creates conic lines by specifying the start, end and tangent locations (Lines panel).
  • extract edge - Creates lines as copies of surface edges (Lines panel).
  • extract parametric - Creates lines at parametric locations on surfaces (Lines panel).
  • intersect - Creates lines at the intersection of geometric entities: plane/lines, plane/surfaces, plane/elements, plane/plane and surfaces/surfaces (Lines panel).
  • manifold - Creates linear and smooth lines on surfaces using nodes (Lines panel).
  • offset - Creates lines by offsetting lines a uniform or variable distance (Lines panel).
  • midline - Creates lines by interpolating between existing lines (Lines panel).
  • fillet - Creates fillet lines between free lines (Lines panel).
  • tangent - Creates tangent lines between a line and a node list or line (Lines panel).
  • normal to geometry - Creates lines perpendicular to lines, surfaces and solids from node or point locations (Lines panel).
  • normal from geometry - Creates lines perpendicular from node or point locations on lines, surfaces and solids (Lines panel).
  • normal 2D on plane - Creates lines that lie on a plane, are perpendicular to a line, and are defined from node or point locations (Lines panel).
  • features - Creates lines from element features (Lines panel).
  • duplicate - Creates lines by duplicating existing lines. This is available in many panels when the "duplicate" advanced entity selector is available on a lines collector.
  • Misc. API commands that do not have an associated panel.
  • Additional capabilities are available in solidThinking and solidThinking Inspire.

Edit Lines

  • delete - Deletes lines (Delete panel, Lines panel).
  • combine - Combines two lines into one (Line Edit panel).
  • split at point - Splits lines at graphically selected locations (Line Edit panel).
  • split at joint - Splits lines at segment end points (Line Edit panel).
  • split at line - Splits lines by using a cut line (Line Edit panel).
  • split at plane - Splits lines at plane intersection locations (Line Edit panel).
  • smooth - Smooths segmented lines (Line Edit panel).
  • extend - Extends lines by either a specified distance, or to meet an existing node, point, line/surface edge or surface (Line Edit panel).
  • translate - Moves lines along a vector direction (Translate panel).
  • rotate - Rotates lines about a vector axis (Rotate panel).
  • scale - Scales the dimensions of lines either proportionally or uniformly (Scale panel).
  • reflect - Reflects lines about a plane to create a mirror image (Reflect panel).
  • project - Projects lines onto a plane, vector or surface (Project panel).
  • position - Translates and rotate lines into new positions (Position panel).
  • permute - Switches the coordinates of lines (Permute panel).
  • renumber - Renumbers lines (Renumber panel).
  • Misc. API commands that do not have an associated panel.
  • Additional capabilities are available in solidThinking and solidThinking Inspire.

Query Lines

  • shortest distance - Finds the shortest distance between entities (Shortest Distance dialog).
  • length - Finds the total length of selected lines/surface edges (Lines panel).
  • organize - Moves lines into different component collectors (Organize panel).
  • numbers - Displays the IDs of lines/surface edges (Numbers panel).
  • count - Counts the total or displayed line/surface edges (Count panel).
  • Misc. API commands that do not have an associated panel.