Edge and Face Selection Toolbars

A number of geometry selection commands are available for selecting parts, check surfaces, drives, and so on. Please note that any hidden geometry selected using these commands is not taken into account in subsequent tool path computations. For more information, please refer to the rules described in Tool Path Computation when Hidden Geometry is Present.

Edge Selection Toolbar

The Edge Selection toolbar contains commands to help you select edges of contours when specifying geometry in machining operations. Please note that the commands in the toolbar varies according to the type of machining operation.

Display options panel allows you access to the following dialog box for specifying Link types, propagation domains, and propagation parameters.

Link types: You can apply a global link type for managing gaps during contour selection by choosing one of the following:

Automatic: contour selection is propagated up to a selected edge

No link: gaps are not filled

Line insert: a line segment is used to fill a gap

Linear extrapolation: two extrapolated line segments are used to fill a gap

Radial axial: for geometry in turning operations, a radial-axial transition is inserted

Axial radial: for geometry in turning operations, an axial-radial transition is inserted.

Reverse Propagation: During edge selection, you can click this button to reverse the direction in which the following edges are to be selected.

Propagation Domains: By default, only the edges included in the current Body (or OpenBody) can be selected. You can add other bodies by clicking the Add button and selecting new bodies in the 3D viewer. You can remove selected bodies by right-clicking the Propagation Domains area and selecting Reset.

During automatic propagation, if there are more that one possible edges for selection, the best candidate is selected according to the following criteria:

the gap between the last selected edge and the candidate edge must be less than the Maximum gap

the angle between the tangent of the candidate edge and the tangent to the last selected edges must be less than the Maximum angle. If there still more that one candidates, the one that makes the smallest angle is preferred.

Max Steps forward: When navigating on a belt of edges, propagation stops when the number of steps (or edges) forward is reached. In this case the label Next? appears at the end of the last selected edge to prompt a user action.

Steps Back: When resetting previous edge selections, this parameter specifies the number of edges (or steps) that will be reset.

Navigate on Belt of Edges allows you to select all edges that are tangent to the one you have selected.

Select an edge and then click the icon.

Navigate on Edges Until an Edge allows you to select all edges that are tangent between start edges and a stop edge.

Select two edges that are tangent (to give the direction of selection) and then click the icon.

Select a third edge where you want selection to end.

Close Contour with Line.

Select a contour or series of lines to form a contour and click on this icon. A straight line is inserted from the beginning of the contour to the end of it.

Insert Lines on Gaps allows you to create a line between two points.

Click the icon then select one point as the beginning of the line and then select a second point for the end of the line.

Reset Selection to Step Back resets the previous edge selections. The number of edges that are reset is determined by the number of Steps Back given in the Options dialog box.

Reset Selection to Stop Edge resets the last edge selections up to the last stop edge.

Reset All Selections resets all selections made with the Edge Selection toolbar.

Accept Geometry Selections allows you to accept selected geometry and exit the selection mode.

Cancel Geometry Selections allows you to refuse any selected geometry and exit selection mode.

Face Selection

The Face Selection toolbar and Tools Palette appear when face selection is necessary for machining operations.

Face Selection Toolbar

The Face Selection toolbar contains commands to help you select faces when specifying geometry in machining operations. Please note that the commands in the toolbar varies according to the type of machining operation.

Navigate on Belt of Faces allows you to select all faces that are adjacent to the one you have selected.

Select two adjacent faces and click the icon. All adjacent face are selected.

Navigate on Faces Until a Face allows you to select all faces that are adjacent between start faces and a stop face.

Select two faces that are adjacent (to give the direction of selection) and then click the icon.

Select a third face where you want selection to end.

Navigate on Faces allows you to select all faces which are tangent to a selected face.

Select a face and then click this icon.

Preview the Contour allows you to highlight the contour of selected faces.

Select Faces in a Polygon Trap allows you to select all faces that are situated entirely within a polygon.

Select the icon.

Click the places in the viewer where you want the corners of the polygon to be. Double-click to end corner definition.

Select Visible Faces in a Polygon Trap allows you to select all faces that are situated entirely within a polygon and that are visible on the screen.

Select the icon.

Click the places in the viewer where you want the corners of the polygon to be. Double-click to end corner definition.

Select Normal Faces lets you select faces that are:

normal to a main axis.

parallel or perpendicular to a face that you select as reference.

The Define Normal Faces dialog box appears when you click the icon.

The By Axis tab allows you to select all of the flat faces that are normal to a main axis.

The Reference body is No selection. Make sure it is selected (as in the image) and click on the part to machine in the viewer.

Choose an axis then click OK.
The faces normal to the axis you chose in the viewer are selected.

Click OK in the Face Selection toolbar to confirm your selection.

The By Face tab allows you to select flat faces with reference to a face that you choose.

Select a part as the Reference body.

Click in the Reference face box the select the face on the part that you want to use as reference.

Choose whether you want to select faces that are perpendicular or parallel to that face.

Click OK to select these faces.

Click OK in the Face Selection toolbar to confirm your selection.

Retrieve Faces of Same Color allows you to select all faces of a given color.

Select a face of a given color and then click the icon. All faces of that color are selected.

Note that you can define the color of a face via the Edit/Properties menu item when the face is selected.

Selection Sets allows you to select faces belonging to previously created selection sets. This action is a shortcut to the Selection Sets item in the Edit menu.

Click on the icon and select the selection set you want to use in the displayed dialog box.

Press Close.

Multi-selection of Face allows selecting a face more than once during drive element selection in Multi-axis Flank Contouring operations.

Reset All Selections.

Click the icon to reset all selections made with the Face Selection toolbar.

Accept Geometry Selections allows you to accept selected geometry and exit selection mode.

Cancel Geometry Selections allows you to refuse any already geometry and exit selection mode.

Tools Palette

The Tools Palette toolbar contains commands to help you multi-select face elements. See Using the Selection Traps for more information.

Selection Trap on Geometry allows you to start the trap on a specific element and not on an empty space as this is the case for the other selection trap modes.

Rectangle Selection Mode lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap. Drag using the left mouse button to define the rectangle until the objects you want to select are completely inside. Then, release the mouse: the objects are highlighted to indicate they have been selected.

Intersecting Rectangle Selection Mode lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap just like Rectangle Selection Mode but this time, any objects intersected by and inside the trap will be selected.

Polygon Selection Mode lets you select objects by drawing a closed polygon. Drag using the left mouse button to define the polygon around the object to be selected, then double-click to close the polygon.

Free Hand Selection Mode lets you select objects by simply drawing a paint stroke across them. Drag using the left mouse button to create the paint stroke: any objects crossed by the paint stroke will be selected.

Outside Rectangle Selection Mode lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap just like Rectangle Selection Mode but this time, any objects located strictly outside the trap will be selected.

Outside Intersecting Rectangle Selection Modeis different from the Intersecting Rectangle Selection Mode since it lets you select objects intersecting the rectangular trap as well as objects located outside the rectangular trap. Drag using the left mouse button: any objects out of the trap or intersecting the trap are selected.

Interruption Feedback

In some cases when automatic propagation is interrupted, a label appears at the extremity of the last selected edge. For example:

Next?
This means that the maximum number of steps forward has been reached.
Angle
This means that the maximum angle is not respected or there is an ambiguity.
Tolerance
This means that the maximum gap is not respected.
Closed Loop
This means that the contour is closed.

Faces in a Body Selection

Each face of a Body is linked to the container which is immediately above it in the specification tree. This container is either a PartBody or a Geometrical Set. It is highlighted in the specification tree when you pass the cursor over the face.

This can be important when a face linked to a body is selected in an operation. It is the container that is taken into account for machining and toolpath computation.

	`Navigate on Belt of Faces` allows you to select all faces that are adjacent to the one you have selected. Select two adjacent faces and click the icon. All adjacent face are selected.
	`Navigate on Faces Until a Face` allows you to select all faces that are adjacent between start faces and a stop face. Select two faces that are adjacent (to give the direction of selection) and then click the icon. Select a third face where you want selection to end.
	`Navigate on Faces` allows you to select all faces which are tangent to a selected face. Select a face and then click this icon.
	`Preview the Contour` allows you to highlight the contour of selected faces.
	`Select Faces in a Polygon Trap` allows you to select all faces that are situated entirely within a polygon. Select the icon. Click the places in the viewer where you want the corners of the polygon to be. Double-click to end corner definition.
	`Select Visible Faces in a Polygon Trap` allows you to select all faces that are situated entirely within a polygon and that are visible on the screen. Select the icon. Click the places in the viewer where you want the corners of the polygon to be. Double-click to end corner definition.
	`Select Normal Faces` lets you select faces that are: normal to a main axis. parallel or perpendicular to a face that you select as reference. The Define Normal Faces dialog box appears when you click the icon. The `By Axis` tab allows you to select all of the flat faces that are normal to a main axis. The Reference body is No selection. Make sure it is selected (as in the image) and click on the part to machine in the viewer. Choose an axis then click OK. The faces normal to the axis you chose in the viewer are selected. Click OK in the Face Selection toolbar to confirm your selection. The `By Face` tab allows you to select flat faces with reference to a face that you choose. Select a part as the Reference body. Click in the Reference face box the select the face on the part that you want to use as reference. Choose whether you want to select faces that are perpendicular or parallel to that face. Click OK to select these faces. Click OK in the Face Selection toolbar to confirm your selection.
	`Retrieve Faces of Same Color` allows you to select all faces of a given color. Select a face of a given color and then click the icon. All faces of that color are selected. Note that you can define the color of a face via the Edit/Properties menu item when the face is selected.
	`Selection Sets` allows you to select faces belonging to previously created selection sets. This action is a shortcut to the Selection Sets item in the Edit menu. Click on the icon and select the selection set you want to use in the displayed dialog box. Press Close.
	`Multi-selection of Face` allows selecting a face more than once during drive element selection in Multi-axis Flank Contouring operations.
	`Reset All Selections`. Click the icon to reset all selections made with the Face Selection toolbar.
	`Accept Geometry Selections` allows you to accept selected geometry and exit selection mode.
	`Cancel Geometry Selections` allows you to refuse any already geometry and exit selection mode.

	`Display options panel` allows you access to the following dialog box for specifying Link types, propagation domains, and propagation parameters. `Link types`: You can apply a global link type for managing gaps during contour selection by choosing one of the following: Automatic: contour selection is propagated up to a selected edge No link: gaps are not filled Line insert: a line segment is used to fill a gap Linear extrapolation: two extrapolated line segments are used to fill a gap Radial axial: for geometry in turning operations, a radial-axial transition is inserted Axial radial: for geometry in turning operations, an axial-radial transition is inserted. `Reverse Propagation`: During edge selection, you can click this button to reverse the direction in which the following edges are to be selected. `Propagation Domains`: By default, only the edges included in the current Body (or OpenBody) can be selected. You can add other bodies by clicking the Add button and selecting new bodies in the 3D viewer. You can remove selected bodies by right-clicking the Propagation Domains area and selecting `Reset`. During automatic propagation, if there are more that one possible edges for selection, the best candidate is selected according to the following criteria: the gap between the last selected edge and the candidate edge must be less than the `Maximum gap` the angle between the tangent of the candidate edge and the tangent to the last selected edges must be less than the `Maximum angle`. If there still more that one candidates, the one that makes the smallest angle is preferred. `Max Steps forward`: When navigating on a belt of edges, propagation stops when the number of steps (or edges) forward is reached. In this case the label `Next?` appears at the end of the last selected edge to prompt a user action. `Steps Back`: When resetting previous edge selections, this parameter specifies the number of edges (or steps) that will be reset.
	`Navigate on Belt of Edges` allows you to select all edges that are tangent to the one you have selected. Select an edge and then click the icon.
	`Navigate on Edges Until an Edge` allows you to select all edges that are tangent between start edges and a stop edge. Select two edges that are tangent (to give the direction of selection) and then click the icon. Select a third edge where you want selection to end.
	`Close Contour with Line`. Select a contour or series of lines to form a contour and click on this icon. A straight line is inserted from the beginning of the contour to the end of it.
	`Insert Lines on Gaps` allows you to create a line between two points. Click the icon then select one point as the beginning of the line and then select a second point for the end of the line.
	`Reset Selection to Step Back` resets the previous edge selections. The number of edges that are reset is determined by the number of `Steps Back` given in the Options dialog box.
	`Reset Selection to Stop Edge` resets the last edge selections up to the last stop edge.
	`Reset All Selections` resets all selections made with the Edge Selection toolbar.
	`Accept Geometry Selections` allows you to accept selected geometry and exit the selection mode.
	`Cancel Geometry Selections` allows you to refuse any selected geometry and exit selection mode.

	`Selection Trap on Geometry` allows you to start the trap on a specific element and not on an empty space as this is the case for the other selection trap modes.
	`Rectangle Selection Mode` lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap. Drag using the left mouse button to define the rectangle until the objects you want to select are completely inside. Then, release the mouse: the objects are highlighted to indicate they have been selected.
	`Intersecting Rectangle Selection Mode` lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap just like Rectangle Selection Mode but this time, any objects intersected by and inside the trap will be selected.
	`Polygon Selection Mode` lets you select objects by drawing a closed polygon. Drag using the left mouse button to define the polygon around the object to be selected, then double-click to close the polygon.
	`Free Hand Selection Mode` lets you select objects by simply drawing a paint stroke across them. Drag using the left mouse button to create the paint stroke: any objects crossed by the paint stroke will be selected.
	`Outside Rectangle Selection Mode` lets you select objects by drawing a rectangular trap just like Rectangle Selection Mode but this time, any objects located strictly outside the trap will be selected.
	`Outside Intersecting Rectangle Selection Mode`is different from the Intersecting Rectangle Selection Mode since it lets you select objects intersecting the rectangular trap as well as objects located outside the rectangular trap. Drag using the left mouse button: any objects out of the trap or intersecting the trap are selected.