Select an option from the Curves menu to create Bézier curves, composite curves, ellipses, spirals, helices or planar sections.
- Bézier curves — Click to create a Bézier curve. The curves are defined either interactively or by entering coordinates.
This creates a curve by joining user-specified points.
Bézier curves are parametric cubic curves. The portion of the curve between points is a span. Each span is defined by a start and end point, start and end tangent, and start and end magnitude. On creation, there is tangency continuity between spans.
Selecting the curve and then a point on the curve displays the point, tangent, and magnitude.
Editing the curve enables you to:
Move the start/end point:
Change the tangent direction:
Change the tangent magnitude:
For more information, see Creating Bézier curves example and Editing a Bézier curve.
- Composite curve creator — Click to display the Create Composite Curve toolbar. Use to create a composite curve from existing curves and surfaces.
- Ellipse — Click to create an ellipse by specifying its centre, major axis length and minor axis length.
- Spiral — Click to create a spiral by specifying the start radius, end radius and number of turns.
- Helix — Click to create a spiral by specifying the height, pitch, turns, and radius.
- Planar Section — Click to create a curve from a planar section.
- Spun Profile — Click to create a profile curve from a revolved surface.