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This task shows you how to
- check the orientation of faces by colors, based on a dynamic graphic
analysis
(Face Orientation Display dialog box).
- invert the orientation of unsatisfactory faces
(Face Invert Orientation dialog box).
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- The orientation of the faces is computed with respect to the normal to
the screen.
- Faces that are oriented in the wrong direction can then be
re-oriented, to be used in the Join action.
- More Reference Information is available in the
Face Orientation Parameters chapter.
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- The model with faces to re-orient should be geometrically and
topologically correct.
- Automatic re-orientation is not possible on models with Multiple
connection.

- Should this case occur, use the Surface
Connection Checker to isolate the faulty locations.
- Use also the Surface Connection Checker
to define the Search and
the Connection distance so that there is only one connex domain.
Use the same values for the automatic face orientation.
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Open file
PanHandleForFaceSmooth.CATPart in the samples directory.
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Click Face Orientation
in the Check Topology toolbar and drag-select all the faces.
-
The Face Orientation Display dialog box
appears.
The number of faces and the direction of the view is given under
Information.
The number of facets used to display the faces selected is given under
Statistics.
They are displayed in the
color of
their orientation.
-
Select the
While
Moving check box
and move the model.
The display of the orientation of the faces is updated dynamically.
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Clear the While Moving check box and
select the
Direction
Locked check box.
Move the model, the display of the orientation of the faces is locked.
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Select the
Fly
Analysis check box and
move the pointer over the model.
An arrow appears under the pointer, identifying the normal to the face at
the pointer location
while you move the pointer over the face.
Furthermore, circles are displayed indicating the plane tangent to the
face at this point.

-
Click Invert. The Face Invert Orientation
dialog box appears.

-
Select an Invert mode: Manual or
Automatic.
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If you select Manual
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Select
a face you want to invert

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Click Apply. The face is re-oriented, the
Faces list is emptied.

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If you select Automatic
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Select a reference element that will set the reference
orientation for all faces:
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The name of the reference element appears in the
Reference box.
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The names of the faces to be re-oriented are listed
in the Faces box and
the faces are highlighted in the graphic area.
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Click Apply. The faces are re-oriented, the
Faces list is emptied.
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When you click Apply to start the
re-orientation:
- an Inverse.x
element is created for each face to re-orient,
- all Inverse.x elements are put into the
Inverse.1 Geometrical Set,
- the initial faces are sent to the No Show,
- the list of faces to re-orient is emptied (another selection can
be started).
When a large enough number of faces is to be re-oriented, a
progress bar appears: |
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If necessary, click Cancel to stop the
re-orientation. |
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- Re-orienting an Inverse.x element reverts to the initial
face.
- If the Inverse.x element of a re-oriented face already
exists, it is not created again.
- The output of the inversion of a face of a multi-faces object is the
inverted object.
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Click OK in the Face Invert Orientation
dialog box to revert to the Face Orientation Display dialog box.
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Click OK in the Face Orientation Display
dialog box to validate the re-orientation and exit the action.
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