Mechanical Modeler 

What You Will Learn With This Use Case

This use case illustrates the sub-section entitled "Creating a New Mechanical Feature" that you can see in the "Technical Articles" section of the Mechanical Modeler home page. Its main intent is to help you to make your first steps in creating a new geometrical feature. A geometrical feature being a mechanical feature with a geometrical result [1].  

You will learn to:

• Create a new geometrical feature.  

How to create a new StartUp, how to store it in a feature's catalog and how to instantiate it. For this part, you can you refer to the "Creating a New StartUp Deriving from a Mechanical StartUp" technical article [2] for details.

• Integrate it in the V5.

A feature is completely described by a set of behaviors, in other words interfaces. Some are inherited from the mechanical feature StartUp, but some need to be implemented. Among them, there are the mandatory interfaces (CATIBuild for example) and the Dassault Systèmes behavior interfaces to be fully integrated in the V5. The technical article entitled "Integrating a New Mechanical Feature in V5" give you an overview of these interfaces [3].

The Combined Curve use case forms a set of articles, each describing the creation or the integration. All of these articles illustrate how to integrate some components coming from various V5 frameworks, such as the Feature Modeler framework, the Geometric Modeler frameworks or the Dialog and DialogEngine frameworks. Their intent is to focus on the use of the three main V5 Mechanical Applications platform frameworks : MechanicalModeler, MechanicalModInterfaces and MechanicalModelerUI. A prerequisite knowledge of other frameworks may be required to fully understand this use case, some links with other CAA V5 use cases will help you navigate among them.

Before getting to the use case, it is important to get an understanding of what a Combined Curve is. This is the goal of the next section. You can skip it if you are already familiar with this concept.

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What Is a Combined Curve

A Combined Curve is a curve resulting of the intersection of two surfaces,  each of them being extruded from a curve along a direction.

Consequently, a Combined Curve has two input curves also named profiles and two input directions.

Fig.1:Combined Curve Inputs

The two extruded surfaces are only temporary hidden support objects.

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The Combined Curve Use Case

The Combined Curve is a use case of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework that illustrates MechanicalModeler, MecModInterfaces and MechanicalModelerUI framework capabilities.

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What Does the Combined Curve Use Case Do

The final intent of this use case is to create a wireframe feature of the Shape Design Workbench. It can be divided into several steps:

1. Creating the new Combined Curve StartUp and storing it in a catalog - Creating Combined Curve's Catalog

Here is an image of the "CAAMmrCombinedCurveCatalog" feature's catalog containing the CombinedCurve StartUp. You can note the input specifications: two curves and two directions, four features.

Fig.2: The CombinedCurve StartUp

The CombinedCurve is a mechanical feature and more precisely a geometrical feature, so the StartUp hierarchy is the following:

Fig.3: The StartUps Hierarchy 

2. Creating an interface to instantiate the new Combined Curve StartUp - Creating Combined Curve's Factory Interface

To create instances of the CombinedCurve StartUp, you should create and implement a factory interface on the specification container [8]. This interface creates a new instance but do not set the newly instance in a geometrical features set [7]. 

Fig.4: The CAAIMmrCombCrvFactory Interface

CATPrtCont is the container containing all the specifications of the Part document. This factory interface uses the "CAAMmrCombinedCurveCatalog" catalog file created in the first step.

3. Creating an interface to modify or retrieve the input specifications of the Combined Curve instances.- Creating Combined Curve's Interface of Type

In the CATIBuild implementation, or in the Combined Curve edition command, it is mandatory to have an access to the input specifications of the new feature. It is the role of the CAAIMmrCombinedCurve interface. 

Fig.5: The CAAIMmrCombinedCurve Interface

With this interface you can retrieve or modify the two curves and the two directions.

4. Integrating the Combined Curve in the V5  

The technical article [3] explains that for a feature deriving from the GeometricalElement3D StartUp - Fig.3 - the interfaces to take into account to integrate it in the V5 can be classified in three cases:

• The mandatory interfaces

  • CATIBuild - Building Combined Curve's Result

  This interface enables you to build the result of the feature. Reading this technical article [4] is strongly recommended before getting to the use case. 

  • CATIReplace - Modifying Combined's Curve Specifications

  This interface enables you to define the available elements for a replacement, and makes the replacement. The easiest way to implement it is to use its adaptor class, and to delegate to the CATIAttrBehavior interface the way to define the available elements. 

  • CATIMf3DBehavior - Defining Combined's Curve Type

  This interface enables you specify that the CombinedCurve StartUp is a surfacic feature. Without this implementation, you will have wrong behaviors for instances aggregated in a solid and surfacic features set.  

  • CATInputDescription - Integrating Combined's Curve inside Ordered Sets

  This interface enables you to aggregate the instances of the CombinedCurve StartUp into ordered sets: in other words: Ordered Geometrical Set features and Body features. 

• The Dassault Systèmes Behavior interfaces

  • CATIMechanicalProperties - Enabling Combined Curve's Result Deactivation

  This interface enables you to manage the build's activation status of the combined curve. The CATIBuild implementation takes the activation status of the combined curve into account before generating the result. Interactively you can propose to the end user to choose the state, if you insert a switch into the contextual menu; It will be explained in the Adding a Contextual Sub-Menu article. See Fig.7

  • CATIEdit - Editing Combined Curve

  This interface of the ApplicationFrame framework enables editing a Combined Curve instance. It launches  the CAAMmrCombCrvPanelStCmd state dialog command. This command can be used in the creation mode and in the edition mode. For this last mode, refer to the "Creating Interactively Instances" step. 

  The CAAMmrCombCrvPanelStCmd state dialog command uses a dialog box to help the end user enter/modify the input. 

  Fig.6: The Combined Curve Definition Dialog Box

  • CATIContextualSubMenu - Adding a Contextual Sub-Menu

  This interface of the ApplicationFrame framework enables you to add commands after the Definition command. This command is in the sub-menu of the contextual menu associated with the Combined Curve. 

  Fig.7: The Contextual Sub-Menu of the Combined Curve Object

  This use case explains how to implement this interface and how to retrieve Dassault Systèmes (or other) commands.

   

  • CATICatalogEnable, CATICatalogSynchronize, CATICatalogInstantiation - Integrating a New Type of Component

  These three interfaces enables you to integrate Combined Curves instances in a component catalog. Refer to the technical article [5] for details. 

  Fig.8: The Combined Curve Catalog Integration

• For specific case interfaces

  • CATIReplaceUI

  See the Modifying Combine's Curve Specifications article. 

  • CATIIcon

  The MechanicalFeature feature - Fig.1- already implements the CATIIcon interface. For a simple case as the Combined Curve, you have only to provide an icon whose name is : I_StartUpName.bmp where StartUpName is the name of the StartUp. In the CNext/Resources/graphic directory of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework, you will thus find the I_CombinedCurve.bmp file.

  Fig.9: The Combined Curve Icon

In short, the Combined Curve, deriving from a mechanical StartUp, benefits from mechanical behaviors, but it should or could implement other interfaces to be fully integrated in V5. The following interfaces are explained in this use case:

Fig.10: The Combined Curve Interfaces to Implement

The last three interfaces, CATICatalogEnable, CATICatalogSynchronize, CATICatalogInstantiation, being advanced interfaces, their implementations are not required for a first step.

5. Creating Interactively Instances

To create new instances of the Combined Curve, you will create an add-in of the Shape Design workbench into which you will add the Combined Curve Creation command. Creating an Add-in in the Shape Design Workbench

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Overview of the Combined Curve Use Case Articles

The documentation of the Combined Curve use case contains the following articles:

• Creating Combined Curve's Catalog. This article describes the creation of the catalog containing the new feature StartUp definition.

• Creating Combined Curve's Factory Interface. This article describes the creation and the implementation of the new feature factory interface.

• Creating Combined Curve's Interface of Type. This article describes the creation and the implementation of the interface which enables you to retrieve or modify the input specifications of the new feature.

• Building Combined Curve's Result. This article describes the implementation of the CATIBuild interface on the new feature.

• Enabling Combined Curve's Result Deactivation. This article describes the implementation of the CATIMechanicalProperties interface on the new feature.

• Integrating Combined's Curve inside Ordered Sets. This describes the implementation of the CATInputDescription interface on the new feature.

• Defining Combined's Curve Type. This describes the implementation of the CATIMf3DBehavior interface on the new feature.

• Verifying the Combined Curve's Sub-Element Selectability. This article describes how to create an Add-in of the Part workshop and how to use a mechanical command to verify that each cell of the topological result, built by the CATIBuild interface, is selectable.

• Modifying Combine's Curve Specifications. This article describes the implementation of the replace mechanism on the new feature.

• Editing Combined. This article describes editing the new feature through a dialog box and implementing the CATIEdit interface.

• Adding a Contextual Sub-Menu. This article describes the  CATIContextualSubMenu interface implementation 

• Creating an Add-in in the Shape Design Workbench. This article describes creating an Add-in of the Shape Design workbench to insert the new feature creation command.

• Integrating a New Type of Component. This article describes integrating a new feature in a component catalog. 

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How to Launch the Combined Curve Use Case

To launch the Combined Curve use case, you will need to set up the build time environment, then compile the following modules of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework along with their prerequisites:

• CAAMmrCombinedCurve.m,  
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveAddIn.m, 
• CAAMmrDebugPrtWksAddin.m,
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveReplace.m,
• CAAMmrCombinedSample.m, 
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveUI.m, 
• CAAMmrCreateCombCrvCatalog.m, 
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveSample.m, 

Next, execute the use case [6]. Several steps must be followed in order to completely execute the use case:

• By batch, launch the following command:

mkrun -c "CAAMmrCreateCombCrvCatalog CatalogPath"

where CatalogPath is the path of the directory in which the "CAAMmrCombinedCurveCatalog.CATFct" file will be created. It is recommended that the new catalog be stored in the CNext + resources + graphic directory of the current framework; then, by updating the runtime view, the catalog will be moved to the runtime directory and will be accessible by subsequent programs. 

• By batch, launch the following command:

mkrun -c "CAAMmrCombinedCurveSample FileName"

where FileName is the saved name (with or without the CATPart suffix) of the Part created by this command. The created Part document contains one Combined Curve. A "CAACombinedCurve.CATPart" file is stored in the InputData directory of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework.

• Launch CATIA. When the application is ready, follow scenarios described below:

The Creation scenario:

• In the Start menu choose Mechanical Design and click Wireframe and Surface Design
• In the Tools menu click Customize
• Click the Commands tab
• Click All Commands in the left list 
• Retrieve Combined Curve in the right list 
• Drag and Drop the command in a toolbar. 
• Close the Customize Dialog Box
• Create four points with the Point Command
• Create two lines with the Line Command
• Create two splines with the Spline Command
• Create a Combined Curve with the Combined Curve command

The Edition scenario

• Double click the Combined Curve instance

The Contextual-SubMenu scenario

• Right click the Combined Curve and select Parent/Children  
• Right click the Combined Curve and select Activate
• Right click the Combined Curve and select Deactivate

Once the Combined Curve is created, try the Replace scenario:

• In the File menu 
  • click Open
  • in the File Selection dialog box retrieve the CAACombinedCurveForReplace.CATPart (*) document and click Open
• Select Line.1 (second direction)
• Choose the Replace item in the contextual menu
  • Select Line.5
  • lick OK in the Replace Dialog box
• Select Line.3  (second curve)
• Choose the Replace item in the contextual menu
  • Select Line.6
  • Click OK in the Replace Dialog box
• Select Line.5  (new second direction)
• Choose the Replace item in the contextual menu
  • Select an edge of Pad.1
  • click OK in the Replace Dialog box
• Select Line.6 (new second curve)
• Choose the Replace item in the contextual menu
  • Select Line.3
  • Click on the green arrow to invert Line.3
  • click OK in the Replace Dialog box

For the Component Catalog Integration scenario:

• On the File menu click Open
• in the File Selection dialog box retrieve the CAACombinedCurve.CATPart (*) document and click Open
• On the File menu click New
• In the File New  Dialog box select CatalogDocument  and click OK
• Launch the Add Family command
• In the Component Family Definition dialog box, enter Family in the Name field and click OK
• Select Family in the specification tree 
• Launch the Keyword command 
• In the Keyword Definition dialog box
  • Enter Inputs number in the Name field
  • Select Integer as Type
  • Click OK
• Launch the Add Component command
• In the  Description  Definition dialog box
  • Push Select external feature 
  • select the CombineCrv in the Part document
  • Click OK 

(*) The file is located in the directory CAAMechanicalModeler.edu/InputData

• Unix : InstallRootDirectory/CAAMechanicalModeler.edu/InputData
• Windows : InstallRootDirectory\CAAMechanicalModeler.edu\InputData

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed.

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Where to Find the Combined Curve Code

The Combined Curve use case is made of a several modules of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework:

where InstallRootDirectory is the directory where the CAA CD-ROM is installed.

These modules are:

• CAAMmrCreateCombCrvCatalog.m - This module contains one main program, CAAMmrCreateCombCrvCatalog.cpp. It is an executable batch program that was used to create the file CAAMmrCombinedCurveCatalog.CATfct containing the StartUp definitions of the Combined Curve. The catalog itself can be found in the CNext/resources/graphic directory of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework.
• CAAMmrCombinedSample.m - This module contains one main program, CAAMmrCombinedSample.cpp. It is an executable batch program that was used to create a Part document containing a Combined Curve. After its creation, the  new Combined curve is updated. 
• CAAMmrCombinedCurve.m - This module contains the implementations of  the CATIBuild (manages the build operation called during the update of the Combined Curve), the definition and the implementation of the CAAIMmrCombinedCurveFactory (manages the Combined Curve StartUp instantiation), the CAAIMmrCombinedCurve (manages the access to the input specifications of the Combined Curve), the CATInputDescription, the CATIMechanicalProperties, and the CATIMf3DBehavior interface.
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveBuild.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombCrvFactory.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurve.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAIMmrCombCrvFactory.cpp, the header file is in the ProtectedInterfaces directory of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework:
  • CAAIMmrCombinedCurve.cpp, the header file is in the ProtectedInterfaces directory of the CAAMechanicalModeler.edu framework
  • CAAEMmrCombCrvInputDescription.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveMechProp.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombCrvMf3DBehavior.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveAddIn.m - This module contains the implementation of the CATIShapeDesignWorkshopAddin interface. In other words, it defines an Add-in to the Shape Design workbench.
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveAdn.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
• CAAMmrDebugPrtWksAddin.m - This module contains the implementation of the CATIPrtWksAddin interface. In other words, it defines an Add-in to the Part document workshop.
  • CAAMmrDebugAddin.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveReplace.m - This module contains the implementation of the CATIReplace, CATIAttrBehavior and CATIReplaceUI interfaces. It enables integrating the Combined Curve in the replace mechanism.
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveReplace.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveReplaceUI.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveAttrBehavior.cpp, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
• CAAMmrCombinedCurveUI.m - This module contains the implementation of the CATIContextualSubMenu and CATIEdit interfaces. The implementation of this last interface launches a state command with a Dialog box to create Combined Curve instances.
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveEdit, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAMmrCombCrvPanelStCmd, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveDlg, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCombinedCurveContSubMenu, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
• CAAMmrCatalogCombCrv.m - This module contains the implementation of the CATICatalogEnable, CATICatalogInstantiation and CATICatalogSynchronize interfaces. It enables Combined Curve instances integration in component catalogs.
  • CAAEMmrCatalogEnableForCombCrv, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCatalogInstantiationForCombCrv, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory
  • CAAEMmrCatalogSynchronizeForCombCrv, the header file is in the LocalInterfaces directory

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Step-by-Step

You can now successively get to:

• Creating Combined Curve's Catalog

• Creating Combined Curve's Factory Interface

• Creating Combined Curve's Interface of Type

• Building Combined Curve's Result

• Enabling Combined Curve's Result Deactivation

• Defining Combined's Curve Type

• Integrating Combined's Curve inside Ordered Sets

• Verifying the Combined Curve's Sub-Element Selectability

• Modifying Combine's Curve Specifications

• Editing Combined

• Adding a Contextual Sub-Menu

• Creating an Add-in in the Shape Design Workbench

• Integrating a New Type of Component

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In Short

The CAAMechanicalModeler.edu Combined Curve Sample shows how to create your own geometrical Feature.

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References

History

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