Use the Spline Tool

Introduction
Splines can be used for

• the path of a camera

• the path of a clip plane

• the input to a distance vs. variable query

Splines can be defined and edited as well as saved and restored from disk. Further, the splines have
such as visibility, line width, and color in order to more easily select and manipulate them.

The splines are defined as piece-wise cubic. The spline is therefore always guaranteed to pass through
the control points which you define. The definition of the control points can come from a part (such
as a particle trace perhaps), be picked in the graphics window, be input via x/y/z coordinates, or from
the position of the cursor tool.

Basic Operation
There are several ways to define a spline and its control points:

To create a spline via picking on surfaces:

1. Click the Pick button on the Tools Icon Bar.

2. Select Pick spline control point from the pop-up menu and select the required option.

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Use the Spline Tool

3. In the Graphics Window, place the mouse pointer on a part near a desired location and press the P key (or
whatever mouse button you have set for the Selected Pick Action in Edit → Preferences → Mouse and
Keyboard). A spline control point marker will appear where you pressed the P key (if you chose Using
surface pick or at the center of the part if you chose At center of picked part). If more than one control
point has been created you will also see the spline being constructed.

To create a spline via the Transformation editor dialog.

1. Open the Transformation Editor dialog from the Tools Icon Bar by selecting Transformation editor...
from the Transform icon pulldown.

2. Select Editor Function → Tools → Spline.

3. Select New to create a new spline and if you wish, rename it by editing the Description.

4. If you want to create control points from all of the coordinates of a 1D part, select the part in the part list
and then select Create from selected part(s).

OR

If you know the exact location for the control point select New (at cursor) then edit the X/Y/Z fields
to reflect the correct control point location.

OR

Select an existing control point in the Points list. Select the Copy button. Then select the line in
the Points list after which you want to insert a new point and select the Paste button.

To edit the control points of a spline:

1. Move the mouse pointer to a control point you wish to move in the Graphics Window. Click and drag the
control point.

OR

Select the point from the Points list and edit it via the XY/Z fields

OR

Select the point(s) you wish to edit and select the Offset... button.

2. In the resulting pop-up enter a delta x/y/z value to add to all of the selected points.

Control point(s) can be deleted by:

1. Select one or more points in the Points list.

2. Select the Delete button.

To edit the spline

1. The Visible toggle will turn the spline on/off in all viewports (there are no per-viewport controls).

2. You may choose to show the control points. If visible then the size of the control point glyph is controlled
here.

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 See Also

3. Adjust the Line Width and Color... here.

4. Invert the spline (to use it in reverse).

5. Load from file... (see Spline Control Point File Format).

Advanced Usage
The spline by definition starts at the first control point (spline value of 0.) and ends at the last control
point (spline value of 1). If the spline is used for camera, clip plane path, or distance vs. variable query
the direction along the spline is always in the positive direction. If you wish to use the spline in reverse
you simply Invert the spline.

See Also
Create Clip Splines.

Release 2020 R1 - © ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information
of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. 3
 Release 2020 R1 - © ANSYS, Inc. All rights reserved. - Contains proprietary and confidential information
4 of ANSYS, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates.