Class Hierarchy
AcGeEntity3d AcGeSurface AcGeExternalBoundedSurface
C++
class AcGeExternalBoundedSurface : public AcGeSurface;
File
gexbndsf.h
Description
AcGeExternalBoundedSurface class is a representation of a bounded surface defined outside of the geometry library. A logical view of this class is as follows: An instance of AcGeExternalBoundedSurface consists of an instance of AcGeExternalSurface representing the unbounded surface geometry, together with a collection of instances of AcGeCurveBoundary, each representing a boundary on the unbounded surface.
It is important to realize that the representation is geometric. No topological information is represented in this class. This assertion is made explicit by deriving this class from AcGeSurface. A typical use of AcGeExternalBoundedSurface would be to represent an ACIS FACE (that is, faces on Designer and Autosurf models) as a bounded surface.
Clearly, an instance of AcGeExternalBoundedSurface can be used as any other AcGeSurface. Operations that are well defined on bounded surfaces can accommodate the boundaries within the algorithms (an example is closest point). Alternatively, a knowledge of the precise definition of the external entity allows direct access to the external entity in its native form. This access is more efficient because it avoids the level of indirection that is incurred when accessing the external entity through GeLib interface.
Remarks
The external entity is represented within AcGeExternalBoundedSurface as a pointer. The memory used by this pointer can either be under user control, or it can be made to be managed by the instance of this class. In the latter case, the class is said to "own" the definition data. Ownership of the definition data by the instance results in the destructor of the class deleting the memory occupied by the definition data pointer. In perusing the following method descriptions, pay special attention to those methods that may influence the ownership of the surface definition data.
Links
AcGeExternalBoundedSurface Constructor, AcGeExternalBoundedSurface Methods, AcGeExternalBoundedSurface Operators