3D PLM Enterprise Architecture

Principe of the Graphical Properties

Before to go into all the details, a little example to set the subject. Suppose a cube feature [Fig.1 ] which is composed of two types of geometry: faces (6) and edges (12). On this feature, for the set of faces and for the set of edges, graphical properties are put. For faces, it is possible to set a color, a degree of opacity and for the lines, a color, a type and a thickness. 

Fig.1: Graphical Properties on the Cube Feature

The principe of the graphical properties lies on the fact that an element (a feature) contains one or several sub-types. A sub-type is sorted by type of geometry: point, line, surfacic etc.... and for each sub-type a set of graphical properties is associated. To integrate them in the visualization process, there is three main interfaces: CATIVisProperties, CATIProperty et CATIVisu. 

• CATIVisProperties enables to associate graphical properties to a feature,
• it uses the CATIProperty to perpetuate the data,
• it is used by the CATIVisu to update the graphical properties of the graphical representations.

Fig.2: Relationship Between the Three Interfaces

On this shema, you can see that:

• The feature implements the three interfaces 
• CATIVisProperties is the central interface.
• The feature doesn't implement the CATIVisu interface, but an interface which C++ derives from CATIVisu. But to generalize the subject, in this article, only the CATIVisu interface will be mentioned.

You can notice that if the componant is not a feature, it can't have graphical properties because the CATIProperty is to use AsIs.

The Graphical Properties are Graphical Attributes

The graphical properties are visual properties, it means that the properties can be directly use by the visualization processus. These attributs, classified by storage way, are the following:

1. The graphic attribute, the CATGraphicAttributeSet
• The color, 
• The type of the line (solid, dashed, ...),
• The thickness of the line,
• The degree of opacity, 
• The visibility state (show/no show)
• The selectionabilite state (pick/no pick)
• The flag for the lowint color

The "Using Graphic Attributes" [1] article enables to familiarize you with this class. 

2. The Graphic Primitive, a CATGraphicPrimitive

The marker of the point is set at the CAT3DMarkeGP or CAT2DMarkerGP construction class.

3. Other:

The number of the layer .

To specify the type of the graphical properties, there is the CATVisPropertyType enum.

• CATVPColor for the color 
• CATVPOpacite for the opacity
• CATVPWidth for the line width (thickness)
• CATVPLineType for the line type
• CATVPSymbol for the symbol of the marker
• CATVPShow for the show/no show flag
• CATVPPick for the pick/no pick flag 
• CATVPInheritance for the inheritance flag
• CATVPLowInt for the lowint color flag
• CATVPLayer for the layer

At these values, an another one which doesn't represent a property but a set of properties: CATVPAllProperties.  

The data for the graphical properties (the color, the flag) will be write (read) on a CATVisPropertiesValues. It's detailed in the "Using CATIVisProperties" section.

The Types of Geometry

The information stored on the CATIVisProperties is the type (s) of geometry supported by the feature.

CATIA V5 supplies some types of geometry, those in relationship with the dimension of the sub-type are:

• CATVPPoint (O D)
• CATVPLine for a wire and CATVPEdge for a line on a surface (1D)
• CATVPMesh for a surface (2D)

an another is for the assembling models:

• CATVPAsm 

At these five values, there is a last CATVPGlobalType. This type regroups together the graphical properties independant of the sub-types: the visibility state, the selectionnability state, the lowint color flag and the number of the layer. Actually in fact, it is not possible to set the points of a wire on a layer, and set its curves on an other layer. It is the globally the element which is on a layer. 

These six types, CATVPPoint, CATVPLine  ,CATVPEdge ,CATVPMesh, CATVPAsm  and CATVPGlobalType are CATVisGeomType

The Graphical Properties by Geometry Type

To associate graphical properties for a type of geometry, there is the CATVisPropertiesValues class. On an instance of this class, you set the color, the type of point and so on.

On the CATIProperty interface, a copy of this instance is stored. So, a priori, you can set any graphical properties for any type of geometry. But at last, only the graphic properties  interpretable by the process visualization are important. It means that you can set a degree of opacity for your lineic feature, but the visualization process could not translate that. The next section describes that.

Integration of the Graphical Properties in the Visualization Process

Generalites

In the visualization process, there are two cases to distinguish, even though they join together at the end. The total and the partial revisualization of the model. But at first, it is important to give the methods of the CATExtIVisu adapter class of the CATIVisu interface in relationship with the properties:

• virtual CATRep * BuildRep()
• virtual void SetGraphicAttribut()
• virtual int ModifyRep(const CATNotification & iNotif)
• virtual void SetPointGraphicAttribute(CATRep * iRep, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisPropertiesValues & iPropertyValues)
• virtual void SetMeshGraphicAttribute(CATRep * iRep, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisPropertiesValues & iPropertyValues)
• virtual void SetLineGraphicAttribute(CATRep * iRep, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisPropertiesValues & iPropertyValues
• virtual void SetEdgeGraphicAttribute(CATRep * iRep, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisPropertiesValues & iPropertyValues)
• virtual void SetAsmGraphicAttribute(CATRep * iRep, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisPropertiesValues & iPropertyValues)

1. The total revisualization of the model

After the construction of the graphic representation (CATRep class), realized by the BuildRep method, the SetGraphicAttribut method is called. The default implementation of this method, those of the CATExtIVisu adapter class, calls successively (*) the following methods: 

1. Method not exposed to process the independent properties of the sub-elements : visibility, selectionability, layer and lowint (CATVPGlobalType)
2. SetPointGraphicAttribute (CATVPPoint)
3. SetLineGraphicAttribute  (CATVPLine)
4. SetMeshGraphicAttribute (CATVPMesh)
5. SetEdgeGraphicAttribute (CATVPEdge)
6. SetAsmGraphicAttribute (CATVPAsm)

(*) These methods are called only if the type of geometry,  set in bracket in the previous list, is defined by the feature. 

The SetGraphicAttribut method calls these methods with CATVPAllProperties as second argument. It means that all the graphical properties are set on the graphic representation for the given type of geometry.  

2. The partial revisualization of the model

After a CATModifyVisProperties notification, a partial revisualization of the model is done. In fact only the graphical properties are changed. This notification contains the type of the geometry and its new graphical properties. The ModifyRep analyzes the input's notification, and calls one of the six methods concerned by the type of geometry. The difference between the total revisualization is the second argument of these methods: it is not necessary CATVPAllProperties, but can be one of the CATVisPropertyType enumeration as CATVPColor for example. 

In the two cases, the process converges towards the same methods. Their goal is to modify the graphic representation (and their associated graphic attributes) in taken account of the graphic properties set on the CATVisPropertiesValues instance, the third argument of these methods. It is important to know what do they do in their default implementation, because if the default behavior doesn't fit your need, you will do reimplement those concerned by the type of geometry defined by your feature. See "Implementing CATIVisProperties". 

Before to detail them, we have described the second and the third argument of these six methods, there is still the first. It is a CATRep pointer which comes from the visualization process. Indeed, it is the graphic representation created in your BuildRep extension. 

Default Behaviors of the SetxxxGraphicAttribute methods

• SetPointGraphicAttribute

The graphical properties processed are the color and the symbol of the marker. The method takes care only the CAT3DPointRep or the CAT2DPointRep class. If your graphic representation is a CAT3DCustomRep, it will be necessary to reimplement it.

• SetLineGraphicAttribute

See SetEdgeGraphicAttribute

• SetMeshGraphicAttribute

The graphical properties processed are the color and the degree of opacity. If the graphic representation is a CATSurfacicRep, the graphic attributes of each faces will be modified, and also the graphic attributes associated to each level of detail [2]. Otherwise, the graphic attribute of the graphic representation is changed. 

• SetEdgeGraphicAttribute

The graphical properties processed are the color, the type and the thickness of the line. If the graphic representation is:

• a CATSurfacicRep, the graphic attributes of each edges will be modified,
• a CAT3DCustomRep or a CAT2DCustomRep, all the graphic attributes will be modified 
• otherwise, the graphic attribute of the graphic representation is changed
 
• SetAsmGraphicAttribute

The graphical properties processed are the color, the type of the line, the thickness, the degree of opacity and the inheritance.

In short the Standard Graphical Properties by Type of Geometry

This section describes in table form [Tab.1] for each type of geometry, the graphical properties taken account by the CATExtIVisu methods that we have detailed just above. 

Automation

In implementing the CATIVisProperties interface on your feature, you benefit automatically of the CATIAVisPropertySet automation interface . 

The interactive Commands

The Properties Command

If your feature implements CATIVisProperties, when you launch the Properties Commands, the Graphic tab page appears. Its contents depends on the type of geometry defined by the feature. There are three possible cases:

1. In the case where the type of  geometry is  CATVPPoint and/or CATVPLine and/or CATVPEdge and/or CATVPMesh (with or without CATVPGlobalType):

Fig.3: The Properties Dialog Box - Case 1

This is a sample with a feature which are the types CATVPGlobalType and CATVPPoint. This page contains two frames:

• The first is without title, but it contains the sub-frames:  Fill, Edges, Lines and Curves and Points. This frame appears if one of the following type of geometry is defined by the feature: CATVPPoint, CATVPLine, CATVPEdge or CATVPMesh. If the type is not supported by the feature, its options are disable. In this example, only the point properties (color and symbol) are available. 
• The second whose the title is Show Pick and Layers, appears only if the  CATVPGlobalType type is supported by the feature. 
2. In the case where the type of  geometry is CATVPAsm (with or without CATVPGlobalType):

Fig.4: The Properties Dialog Box - Case 2

This is an example where the feature defined the types CATVPAsm and CATVPGlobalType. This page contains two frames:

• The first has for title "Graphic Properties" 
• The second, Show Pick and Layers, appears only if the  CATVPGlobalType type is supported by the feature. 
3. In the case where the type of  geometry is only CATVPGlobalType

Fig.5: The Properties Dialog Box - Case 3

Only the "Show Pick and Layers" appears.

The Graphic Properties Toolbar

The Graphic Properties toolbar, [Fig. 6] is the following:

Fig.6: The Graphic Properties Toolbar

When a feature is selected, the toolbar is updated in taken account of the feature's properties. If several features are selected, the behavior is the following:

• If there are several possible values for a combo, the combo displays undefined (like the combo color in the previous picture [Fig. 6])
• If there are more than N features selected, all combos are undefined. The value N is customizable through the Tools/Options/Display/Navigation page, in the "Limit Display to Manipulators" option .

You can notice that in this toolbar, there is only one combo for each type of property. Assume that your feature defined the CATVPPoint and the CATVPLine types. These two types have in common the color property. So a choice must be done to define the type concerned by the color property. It is the goal of the GetSubTypefromPath method of the CATIVisProperties interface. This point will be detailed in the Implementing CATIVisProperties" section.

The Hide/Show Command

The Hide/Show command enables to hide or show the selected features. But to benefit of this functionality on your feature, it must implement the CATISelectShow  interface. It uses the CATIVisProperties to modify the visibility state of the feature.

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Using CATIVisProperties

If this section detailed the usage of the CATIVisProperties interface, the "Modifying Object Graphical Properties" article [3] exposes a concrete use case. 

This interface contains five main methods:

1. GetPropertiesAtt(CATVisPropertiesValues & oValues, CATVisPropertyType iPropType, CATVisGeomType iGeomType )
2. SetPropertiesAtt(CATVisPropertiesValues & iValues, CATVisPropertyType iPropType, CATVisGeomType iGeomType )

   The first retrieves the properties from the CATIProperty interface and the second modifies them on the CATIProperty interface

   These two methods function on the same principle: the property values are on the CATVisPropertiesValues instance and  two keys

   • iGeomType, precises the type of the geometry concerned by the property
   • iPropType, precises the type of the property valid on the CATVisPropertiesValues instance  

   Example: Lets change the color (CATVPColor for the property type)  of a line (CATVPLine for the geometry type) represented by the pLine pointer.

   ... CATIVisProperties * pIVisPropertiesOnLine = NULL; HRESULT rc = pLine ->QueryInterface(IID_CATIVisProperties, (void **) & pIVisPropertiesOnLine ); if ( SUCCEEDED(rc) ) { CATVisPropertiesValues MyPropertyOnLine ; MyPropertyOnPoint.SetColor(255,0,0); rc = pIVisPropertiesOnLine ->SetPropertiesAtt(MyPropertyOnLine, CATVPColor ,CATVPLine ); } ...

   At first, the CATVisPropertiesValues instance, MyPropertyOnLine, is valuated with the color thanks to the SetColor method. Next calling the SetPropertiesAtt method modifies on the CATIProperty interface only the color of the line geometry because the second argument is CATVPColor and the third is CATVPLine. 

3. ResetPropertiesAtt(CATVisPropertyType iPropType, CATVisGeomType iGeomType )

   This methods enables to invalidate the property set on the CATIProperty. It means that at the next GetPropertiesAtt calls, the returned properties values will be the standard values. The returned code of the GetPropertiesAtt method, S_AUTOMATIC, precises that the returned properties values is the standard. To set new specific properties, a new SetPropertiesAtt will be necessary.

   Example: Always with the line, pointed by  pIVisPropertiesOnLine, the color of the CATVPLine geometry type is reseted. 

   ... HRESULT rc = pIVisPropertiesOnLine ->ResetPropertiesAtt(CATVPColor ,CATVPLine); if ( SUCCEEDED(rc) ) { CATVisPropertiesValues MyPropertyOnLine ; rc = pIVisPropertiesOnLine ->GetPropertiesAtt(MyPropertyOnLine, CATVPColor ,CATVPLine ); if ( S_AUTOMATIC == rc ) { }else cout <<" error" << endl; } ...

   In this example, you can see that after the ResetPropertiesAtt call, for the same key CATVPColor and CATVPLine, the GetPropertiesAtt method returns the S_AUTOMATIC value. It means that the color sets on the MyPropertyOnLine instance, is the standard color, so the same value as those returned by the GetStandardProperties method with the same keys. 

   Note: if any SetPropertiesAtt call has been  done on the feature, it has standard values.

4. GetStandardProperties(CATVisPropertiesValues & oValues, CATVisPropertyType iPropType, CATVisGeomType iGeomType )

   This method retrieves the standard properties. These values are the values managed by the CATIVisProperties implementation [Tab. 2] and are not the standard of creation that you can manage with the "Standards..." command. 

   Tab.2: The standard values for each type of property 

   The type of the property The standard value Color white (255,255,255) Symbol  Cross Thickness of a line 1 Type of a line Solid Degree of opacity 0 Number of the layer 0

   Caution: The contents of this table can be different between two implementations of the CATIVisProperties interface. The DS features, implementing the GetStandardProperties methods, have perhaps another standard values. Here the standard values defined by the CATExtIVisProperties methods are exposed. 

5. IsGeomTypeDefined(CATVisGeomType iGeomType)

Tells if  a given type of geometry is recognized by the feature.

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Implementing CATIVisProperties 

If this section detailed the implementation of the CATIVisProperties interface, the "Implementing CATIVisProperties" article exposes a concrete use case. You will find this article in the Product Process Resouce (PPR) part of the CAA encyclopedie.

To implement this interface you use the CATExtVisProperties adapter class. There are two methods to overwrite:

• IsGeomTypeDefined

It is the method to define one or several type of geometry for the feature. Here is an example for a feature which defined the CATVPPoint and the CATVPGlobalType types. 

... HRESULT CAAEPstVisPropertiesPoint::IsGeomTypeDefined(CATVisGeomType & iGeomType) { HRESULT rc = E_FAIL ; if ( (CATVPPoint == iGeomType) || (CATVPGlobalType == iGeomType) ) rc = S_OK ; return rc ; } ...

This method returns S_OK when the type is valid otherwise E_FAIL.

Overwrite or not the methods of the CATExtIVisu adapter class of the CATIVisu interface

You have chosen one or several types among the following types: CATVPPoint, CATVPLine, CATVPEdge, CATVPAsm, CATVPMesh. But in studying the default behavior of the methods of the CATExtIVisu class, associated at each type you have chosen, you note that their process don't fit your need: the graphic representation of your feature will not be correctly modified. 

Take an example, the feature is a wire which contains lineic sub-elements (lines) and points. The type of geometry are CATVPPoint and CATVPLine. So the methods of the CATExtIVisu are SetPointGraphicAttribute to modify the points attributes and SetLineGraphicAttribute for those of the lines. The graphic representation of the feature is a CAT3DCustomRep with one CAT3DMarkerGP for all the points and one CAT3DLineGP for all the lines. It is necessary to overwrite these two methods because:

• The SetPointGraphicAttribute method doesn't process the CAT3DCustomRep as graphic representation.
• The SetLineGraphicAttribute method modifies all its graphic attributes, so the attribute for the point will be also changed.

• GetSubTypeFromPath

This method enables to define the type of geometry concerned by the graphic properties displayed in the Graphic Properties toolbar. See the section "The Graphic Properties Toolbar"

Here an example for the point feature:

... HRESULT CAAEPstVisPropertiesPoint::GetSubTypeFromPath(CATPathElement & iPathElement, CATVisPropertyType iPropertyType, CATVisGeomType & oGeomType, unsigned int & oPropertyNumber) HRESULT rc = E_FAIL ; switch ( iPropertyType ) { case CATVPColor: case CATVPSymbol: oGeomType = CATVPPoint ; rc = S_OK ; break; } oPropertyNumber = 0 ; return rc ; } ...

In the toolbar, the color and the symbol are associated to the CATVPPoint geometry.

You can note that oPropertyNumber should be always set to zero and that the graphic properties associated to the CATVPGlobalType type are not processed (CATVPShow, CATVPLayer, CATVPPick,CATVPLowint), it is by default done.

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In Short

This article describes how the graphic properties are integrated in the visualization process. The principle is that a feature can have a set of graphic properties for each of its component's geometry. Each component is defined as a geometry type. Three interface are essentials:

• CATIProperty

It stores permanently the data. A feature natively implements this interface. 

• CATIVisProperties

It kepts the type of geometry defined on the feature. Its implementation asks sometimes to overwrite some methods of the CATExtIVisu class adapter of the CATIVisu interface.

• CATIVisu

It uses the CATIVisProperties to know the properties to associate to the graphic representation. 

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References

History

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