A profile consists of one or more hatches and/or contours. Hatches are simple lines. In a bar, hatches are expanded to two dimensional surfaces. You can combine any number of hatches to create any pattern.
Contours consist of several hatches which are connected at their end points. These endpoints thereby become corners.
To add hatches
- From the toolbar, click
Add Hatches.
- Click in the display to set the first end point of the hatch. Notice the preview of the hatch is shown as you move your mouse.
Note: If necessary, you can right-click to remove the first end point.
- Click in the display a second time to set the second end point of the hatch.
To add contours
- Click
Add Contours.
- Click in the display to set the first end point of the contour. Notice the preview of the contour is shown as you move your mouse.
Note: If necessary, you can right-click to remove the first end point.
- Click in the display as often as required to generate the desired shape of the contour.
- Right-click to finish the contour.
If the option Close Contours Automatically is enabled, the contour is automatically closed when you click on the first point or very close to it. The first and last point are merged and become a corner and the contour is finished. The area of closed contours is indicated in blue.
To create a standard geometry
Standard geometries are regularly shaped, closed contours with equally scaled hatches and equal angles of the corners.
- Click
Create Standard Geometry.
- Enter the X and Y coordinates for the center of the geometry.
- Enter the diameter of the geometry.
- Specify the number of corners for the geometry.
- Specify the rotation about the center of the geometry.
- Click Create.
To create hollow bars
Hollow bars can be created by moving a second, smaller closed contour inside the first closed contour. Only the outer area (outside the small contour and inside the large contour) is realized in the bar. The inner contour can have any shape, independent from the shape of the outer contour.
