Associating Elements

The task shows you how to associate a subdivision surface to a point, line, curve or another subdivision surface.
Open the Associating1.CATPart document.

  1. Click Link in the Operations toolbar.

    • You can also access this command by pressing ALT+SHIFT+L.

    • You can select the elements prior to entering the command.

  2. Select the surface.

  3. Select a geometric feature (point, line, curve) or another subdivision surface.

    A Tools Palette is displayed.
    The following icons let you:
    •  add a new curve to the selection
    •  reset the current curve association
    •  reset all the curve associations
    The other icons let you filter the type of association: surface, edge or vertex.

  4. Select the elements of the base mesh to associate to the surface: a blue dotted line (that is the vector) is displayed in the 3D area to show the association.

    The association is made using the closest points to the base mesh.

    Surface/Point Association
    Select a 3D point so that the selected elements of the base mesh are linked to the point.
    If you move the point, the surface is moved accordingly:

    Surface/Curve Association

    Surface/Surface Association
    If you deform the reference surface, the target surface is moved accordingly:
    In this case, the vector between the two vertices is re-applied but the linked vertices are still the same.
    You can also deform the associated subdivision surface. The linked vertices are free and can be modified:
     

    Display in Specification Tree
    When two elements are linked using the Link  command, their display in the specification tree changes.
    • The following icons appear on the respective nodes in the specification tree:
      • icon is displayed on the element that handles another element. When the mouse is moved over such a linking element, a tooltip appears showing the element handled by it.
      • icon is displayed on the linked element. When the mouse is moved over such an element, a tooltip is appears showing the element by which it is handled.
    • The tooltip displayed when the mouse is moved over the elements is limited to one parent-child relationship.
      Styling Curve.1 manipulates Subdivision Surface.2. Any modification done on the curve will be reflected on the surface also.
      Subdivision Surface.1 is manipulated by Styling Curve.1. Any modification done on the curve will be reflected on the surface also.
      Subdivision Surface.2 is manipulated by Styling Curve.1. Further Subdivision Surface.2 manipulates Subdivision Surface.1.

      In case you want to see all the relationship existing between features use the Parents/Children... contextual menu command.

    • When Link command is used:
      • A curve can handle a subdivision surface.
      • A subdivision surface can handle another subdivision surface.
      • A symmetry feature cannot be associated, but the parent element can be associated.

  5. Click Modification to deform the curve.

    A Tools Palette is displayed.
    Refer to Manipulating and Deforming Curves.

  6. Sketch the curve to deform it.

    The selected elements are automatically moved and the surface recomputed.
  • When editing or modifying the subdivision surface, the link appears as a blue full line: