Transform

Scale Figure

To scale a figure along a given segment by a given positive factor, proceed, alternatively, as follows:

  • Select Scale Figure from the Transform menu, or
  • click the button on the tool bar, or
  • select the segment or two points on it, right click and select Scale Figure from the popup menu.

A dialog will pop up. Fill in, if necessary, the points and a valid expression for the factor. Click OK. Select a notepad record ahead of time to have it automatically copied to the factor input box.

As a result of scaling, the previously measured distances, angles, areas and volumes will be recalculated and the assigned variables updated. See Variables for more details.

This action can be undone.

The solver cannot scale a figure that is part of the problem. However, the figures that have been created in the process of solving the problem may be scaled.

See also:

Shear Figure

Shearing refers to an affine transformation where planes parallel to a fixed reference plane slide along a fixed line contained in the reference plane. The term affine implies that the transformation preserves the collinearity of points.

If XY is the fixed line in the reference plane, the shearing transformation is uniquely identified by points X, Y and the image of any point Z such that XZ is perpendicular to the reference plane.

To shear a figure, proceed, alternatively, as follows:

  • Select Shear Figure from the Transform menu, or
  • click the button on the tool bar, or
  • select the reference segment XY and the image of point Z, right click and select Shear Figure from the popup menu.

A dialog will pop up. Fill in, if necessary, the reference points (X, Y at the bottom and the image of point Z at the top). Click OK.

As a result of shearing, the previously measured distances and angles will be recalculated and the assigned variables updated. See Variables for more details.

The solver cannot shear a figure that is part of the problem. However, the figures that have been created in the process of solving the problem may be sheared.

This action can be undone.

See also:

Cut Figure

To cut a figure with a plane, proceed, alternatively, as follows:

  • Select Cut Figure from the Transform menu, or
  • click the button on the tool bar, or
  • select the elements that reference the plane, such as 3 points, a point and a segment or two segments, right click and select Cut Figure from the popup menu.

The selected elements must uniquely identify a plane. The plane must pass through the figure's interior.

If a dialog pops up, fill in the points and click OK.

The two resulting halves will be displayed in separate views. The original figure will be kept intact in its own view.

This action can be undone.

See also:

Join Figures

Two figures can be joined by either selecting Join Figures from the Transform menu or by clicking the button on the tool bar.

A dialog will pop up. Select the figures to join and click OK. A figure can be joined with a copy of itself. Therefore the same figure can be selected in both lists.

If the figures can be joined in one way only, a new view will appear with the combined figure in it. The two original figures will be kept intact in their own views.

If, however, the figures can be joined in more than one way, another dialog will be displayed asking if the figures should be joined in any of the possible ways. Click No to proceed with a more accurate definition of the joining elements.

Click Yes to have the figures joined in one of the possible ways. A preview will be displayed along with another dialog asking if the result should be kept. Click Yes to keep the result and conclude the action. Click No to get a preview of the next possible way of joining the figures.

It is recommended that, prior to joining the figures, the corresponding points and/or faces be selected. That will reduce to a minimum the subsequent dialog input. Note that faces can only be selected in the opaque view mode.

The joining faces must have the same shape, that is have equal angles and proportional sides at corresponding vertices. The joining faces do not have to have the same size. If need be, one of the figures will be automatically scaled to fit the other.

The action will be cancelled if the joint figure is not convex.

This action can be undone.

See also: