Setting Coordinate Systems   

Creating a Face Coordinate System

1. Select the object face upon which you want to create the face CS.

2. Click Modeler>Coordinate System>Create>Face CS.

3. Select the origin in one of the following ways:

• Click the point on the face.

• Type the point’s coordinates in the X, Y, and Z boxes of the editable fields in the status bar.

4. Specify the x-axis by selecting a point on the object face in one of the following ways:

• Click the point.

• Type the coordinates of a point that is relative to the previously selected point in the dX, dY, and dZ boxes, where d is the distance from the previously selected point.

You do not need to specify the y- or z-axes. The modeler assumes that the z-axis is normal to the object face and the y-axis is automatically calculated to be at a right angle to the z-axis.

The new face CS is listed in the history tree under Coordinate Systems. It automatically becomes the working CS; objects that you draw hereafter will be referenced to the coordinates of this face CS. Default planes are created on its xy, yz, and xz planes.

Only operations listed in the history tree before the face CS’s creation will affect the face CS, and in turn, affect objects dependent upon that face CS. A face CS, or objects created on it, is not affected by operations that occur after it is created. Also see the Move CS to End command.

For example, suppose you create a box, then a face CS on a face of the box, and then a cylinder on the face CS. If you then edit the box’s dimensions in the Properties dialog box, the cylinder will move accordingly. But if you rotate the box using the Edit>Arrange>Rotate command, the box will move, but the cylinder will not move because the operation occurs later in the history tree.

Related Topics

Automatically Creating Face Coordinate Systems

Setting the Working Coordinate System

Modifying Coordinate Systems

Setting Coordinate Systems

Move CS to End