Mechanical Design

What You Will Learn With This Use Case

This use case is intended to show you how to initialize CATIA session, create a new product, get the root product and create the structure plates and members under the root, and save the created design document.

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The CAAStrCreateObjects Use Case

CAAStrRetrieveObjectData is a use case of the CAAStructureInterfaces.edu framework that illustrates StructureInterfaces framework capabilities.

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What Does CAAStrCreateObjects Do

The goal of  CAAStrCreateObjects is to show you how to use the StructureInterfaces methods to create the structure plate and member objects.

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How to Launch CAAStrCreateObjects

To launch CAAStrCreateObjects, you will need to set up the build time environment, then compile CAAStrCreateObjects along with its prerequisites, set up the run time environment, and then execute the sample. This is fully described in the referenced article [1]. When launching the use case, you must pass the following arguments:

• StructureObjectsTarget.CATProduct - the entire pathname, name and extension (.CATProduct) of the output drawing.  This batch generated simple structure design document contains two structure plates and three members, including one curved plate and one curved member object. 

• L8x6x1.CATPart - the section profile which defines the member. It needs  entire pathname, name and extension (.CATPart) of the input drawing. Normally, it should be stored in the CNext/resources/graphic/SectionPath directory of the CAAStructureInterfaces.edu framework.
• StructureMaterials.CATMaterial - the material catalog which has a list of material can be selected and used in the design project. Normally, it should be stored in the CNext/resources/graphic/Material directory of the CAAStructureInterfaces.edu framework.

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Where to Find the CAAStrCreateObjects Code

CAAStrCreateObjects code is located in the CAAStrCreateObjects.m use case module of the CAAStructureInterfaces.edu framework:

where InstallRootDirectory is the root directory of your CAA V5 installation. It is made of  one unique source files named CAAStrCreateStructureObjects.cpp.

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Step-by-Step

There are seven logical steps in CAAStrCreateObjects :

1. Prolog
2. Initializing the Environment
3. Retrieving the Project Resource Information
4. Browse the Material Catalog and Retrieving Material Information
5. Creating the Structure Plate Object
6. Creating the Structure Member Object from Two Points
7. Creating the Structure Member Object from a Support
8. Save the Open Document and Delete the CATIA Session

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Prolog

In this use case, we create an new document to hold the newly created structure plate and member objects. 

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Initializing the Environment

The CAAStrCreateObjectsMain is a standalone batch program . The initialization of the CATIA session and retrieving pointer of the root product involves the following code

CATSession *pSession = NULL;
	rc = ::Create_Session("CAA2_Sample_Session", pSession );

CATDocument *pDoc = NULL;
	rc = CATDocumentServices::New("Product", pDoc);

CATIDocRoots *piDocRootsOnDoc = NULL;
	rc = pDoc->QueryInterface(IID_CATIDocRoots,
		                 (void**) &piDocRootsOnDoc);
 

This code performs the following functions:

• Creating a session, named "CAA2_Sample_Session".
• Creating the document to hold the structure objects.
• Retrieving the pointer to the root product.

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Retrieving the Project Resource Information

Retrieving the default or customized project resource setting from the XML file.

  // GetRootContainer from the document in the current session
  CATInit_var spInit = pDoc;
  CATIContainer *piRootCont = NULL;
  if (!! spInit)
  {
     piRootCont = (CATIContainer *)spInit->GetRootContainer(CATIContainer::ClassName());
  }

  CATIPspResource *piResource = NULL;
  CATObject *piObj = new CATObject("CATStructureDesign");
  if ( NULL != piObj )
  {
    // initialize the application 
    CATIPspApplication *piApplication = NULL;
    rc = piObj->QueryInterface(IID_CATIPspApplication,(void **)&piApplication);
    if (piApplication)
    {
      piApplication->Initialization(piRootCont);
      piApplication->Release();
      piApplication = NULL;	
    }

    //  Get CATIPspResource interface pointer for your application
    rc = piObj->QueryInterface(IID_CATIPspResource,(void **)&piResource);
    if ( FAILED(rc) ){
      cout << "ERROR in getting CATIPspResource pointer" << endl << flush;
      return 3;
    }

    piObj->Release();
    piObj = NULL;
  }

  if (NULL != piResource)
  {
    // retrieve the Structure Materials Catalog path from Project Resource (XML) File
    CATUnicodeString StructureMaterials = "StructureMaterialsCatalog";
    rc = piResource->GetResourcePath(StructureMaterials, MaterialFilePath);
    if ( FAILED(rc) ){
      cout << "ERROR in getting material catalog path" << endl << flush;
      return 3;
    }
  }

  if (NULL != piRootCont)
  {
    piRootCont->Release();
    piRootCont = NULL;
  }

This code performs the following functions:

• Get the root container from the document pointer in the current session.
• Retrieving the application pointer and initializing the application - CATStructureDesign.
• Retrieving the resource pointer from the same application.
• Get the project resource from the XML file.

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Browse the Material Catalog and Retrieving Material Information

Retrieving the material information from a give material catalog path. The detail about how to browse the catalog please refer to the catalog modeler documentation under the document modeler. 

  // Get material feature from catalog
  CATIMaterialFeature *piMaterialFeature = NULL;
  CATDocument *pMaterialDocument = NULL ;
  rc = CATDocumentServices::Open(MaterialFilePath, pMaterialDocument);

  if (pMaterialDocument)
  {
    CATIMaterialDocument *pIMaterialDoc = NULL ;
    rc = pMaterialDocument->QueryInterface(IID_CATIMaterialDocument,(void **) &pIMaterialDoc);
	
    if (pIMaterialDoc)
    {
      CATILibraryFeature  *pILibraryFeature = NULL ;
      rc = pIMaterialDoc->GetMaterialLibrary(&pILibraryFeature);

      if (pILibraryFeature)
      {
	int NbFamily = pILibraryFeature->GetFamilyCount();

	// Get the first family feature
	CATIFamilyFeature * pIFamilyFeature = NULL ;
	if (NbFamily >= 1)
	  pIFamilyFeature = pILibraryFeature->GetFamily(1);
	if (pIFamilyFeature)
	{
 	  // Get the first material of the first family feature
	  piMaterialFeature = pIFamilyFeature->GetMaterial(1);

	  pIFamilyFeature->Release();
	  pIFamilyFeature = NULL;
        }
	pILibraryFeature->Release();
	pILibraryFeature = NULL;
      }
      pIMaterialDoc->Release();
      pIMaterialDoc = NULL;
    }
  }

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Creating the Structure Plate Object

Creating the structure plate with thickness, orientation and material attributes. The same SetSupport, SetThickness, SetInternalOffset and SetMaterial methods can be used to edit an existing plate also, and the compute method does not needed to use when editing the plate. The compute method is only useful when creating an empty plate.

   // --------------------------------------------------------- //
   //  Get factory pointer from the root product		//
   // --------------------------------------------------------- //
  CATIStructureFactory *piFactory = NULL;
  piProductOnRoot->QueryInterface(IID_CATIStructureFactory, (void**) &piFactory);
  if (piFactory)
  {	
    CATIStructurePlate *pFlatPlate = NULL;

    //Create empty plate
    rc= piFactory->CreatePlate(&pFlatPlate);

   //Set Support
   pFlatPlate ->SetSupport(piSupport);
   //Set Thickness
   pFlatPlate ->SetThickness(Thickness);
   //Set Offset
   pFlatPlate ->SetInternalOffset(Offset);
   //Set Material
   pFlatPlate ->SetMaterial(piMaterialFeature);
   //Compute
   pFlatPlate ->Compute();
 }

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Creating the Structure Member Object from Two Points

Creating the structure member form two given points with angle and material attributes. The ReplaceMemberSection, SetCurrentSetPoint, SetAngle and SetMaterial methods can be used to edit an existing member object, and the compute does not needed to use when editing the member. The compute, SetSection, SetStartCoord and SetEndCoord methods are only useful when creating an empty member.

 CATUnicodeString AnchorName = "catStrTopLeft";
 double Angle = 0.0;
 CATIStructureMember *piStraightMember1 = NULL;
 CATMathPoint PointStart1(1700.,-400.0,0.0);
 CATMathPoint PointEnd1(100.0,-400.0,0.0);

 //Create empty straight member
 rc = piFactory->CreateMember(&piStraightMember1);
			
 if (SUCCEEDED(rc) && piStraightMember1)
 {
   //Set section
   piStraightMember1->SetSection(SectionDoc);
   //Set start point
   piStraightMember1->SetStartCoord(PointStart1);
   //Set end point
   piStraightMember1->SetEndCoord(PointEnd1);
   //Set anchor point
   piStraightMember1->SetCurrentSetPoint(AnchorName);
   //Set Angle
   piStraightMember1->SetAngle(Angle);
   //Set Material
   piStraightMember1->SetMaterial(piMaterialFeature);
   //Compute
   rc = piStraightMember1->Compute();
 }
 

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Creating the Structure Member Object from a Support

Creating the structure member form a given support with angle and material attributes. The ReplaceMemberSection, SetCurrentSetPoint, SetAngle, SetMemberSupport and SetMaterial methods can be used to edit an existing member object, and the compute does not needed to use when editing the member. The compute and SetSection methods are only useful when creating an empty member.

 CATUnicodeString AnchorName = "catStrTopLeft";
 double Angle = 0.0;
 CATIStructureMember *piCurvedMember= NULL;

 //Create a curved member
 rc = piFactory->CreateMember(&piCurvedMember);
			
 CATISpecObject* piSketchMember = NULL;

 rc = spSketchMember ->QueryInterface(IID_CATISpecObject,(void**) &piSketchMember);

 if(piSketchMember)
 {
   //Set Support
   piCurvedMember->SetMemberSupport(piSketchMember);
   //Set Section
   piCurvedMember->SetSection(SectionDoc);
   //Set Anchor point 
   piCurvedMember->SetCurrentSetPoint(AnchorName);
   //Set Angle
   Angle = 6.2831853/4;
   piCurvedMember->SetAngle(Angle);
   //Set Material
   piCurvedMember->SetMaterial(piMaterialFeature);
   //Compute
   rc = piCurvedMember->Compute();
 }

 

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Saving the Open Document and Delete CATIA Session

Never forget to delete a created session and save the opened documents after the usage .

 // --------------------------------------------------------- //
 //  Save all the open document and delete the session.	      //
 // --------------------------------------------------------- //

 rc = CATDocumentServices::SaveAs(*pDoc,TargetFilePath);

 rc = ::Delete_Session("CAA2_Sample_Session");

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In Short

This use case has demonstrated how to use the Structure interfaces to create the structure objects with proper attribute value.  Specifically, it has illustrated:

• Initializing a session
• Creating an new document
• Retrieving the root product 
• Retrieving the Project Resource Information
• Browse the Material Catalog and Retrieving Material Information
• Creating a structure plate object
• Creating a structure member object from two given points
• Creating a structure member object from a given support
• Saving open document and delete session

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References

History

Copyright © 2003, Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved.