3D sketch - Contour

Contour

The Contour command automatically allows a succession of lines and arcs to be created with coincidence relations.

Creation Stages:

Click on the icon or choose the command 3D Sketch > Contour.... from the drop down menu.

Chose a creation mode of the segment, the Line mode is chosen by default.

Line	Creation of a line by two points. : The cursor can move freely in the sketch plane : The cursor can move horizontally or vertically. : The cursor can move horizontally only. : The cursor can move vertically only.
Arc	Creation of a circle arc by three points.
Tangent arc	Creation of an arc tangent to the last element of the contour.
Perpendicular arc	Creation of an arc perpendicular to the last element of the contour.
Plane	Creation of a segment from the last created point to the selected plane. Extended: The previous segment is extended up to the plane. Distance: The created segment will have the requested distance that corresponds to the start point and the destination plane point.

Enter the coordinates of the segment's passing points.

A Coordinates relative to button on end point allows to give coordinates relative to sketch origin or relative to last vertex.

	If you wish to create a closed contour, finish your contour by clicking the start point of the contour again or click the last segment of the contour. Otherwise, click the icon or press the Esc key to exit the command and create an open contour.
	The creation mode chosen is used just once, then it switches to the Line mode, except if Lock the mode option is checked.

You can use the "A" key to switch from a line to an arc and vice versa. It allows to quickly create an obround.

When creating a contour, if the cursor is placed on another linear segment, TopSolid draws a magnetic axis parallel to it, passing through the last point of the contour being created. A dimension is created automatically if you use this magnetic axis.

Available Options:

The Lock mode allows to lock the interactive mode to stay permuted. For example, when with the Interactive mode, you move the cursor on the last vertex of the contour, TopSolid automatically switches to tangent arc. When the arc is created, it automatically switches back to line. By checking this mode before creating the arc, it will be active after positioning the arc and another arc will be proposed.

Interactive mode allows to switch between different Line mode, Tangent Arc and Perpendicular Arc by moving cursor on the last edge of under construction contour.

By default, in the circle, tangent circle or perpendicular circle mode, the circle arc is created in the trigonometric direction (counter-clockwise), check the Additional Arc option to change to clockwise.

The Length mode allows you to enter a value that will be assigned to the length of the segment. The corresponding dimension will be automatically added.

Additional Information / Modifications:

When a contour vertex is re selected, the construction mode is automatically enabled.