Box Graphic

There are three ways in which a box graphic (or cuboid) can be defined based on the location of the graphic reference frame about which the graphic is being created:
Center
The center box graphic has its origin of the reference frame about which the box is defined located at the geometrical center of the box.
Corner
The corner box graphic has the origin of the reference frame located at any one of the eight corners of the box.
Face Center
The face center box graphic has its origin located at the center of one of the faces.

The dimensions for the graphic are also specified using this reference frame.

Create Box Graphics

  1. From the browser, select the system to which the graphic is to be added.
  2. From the Geometry ribbon, click the Primitives tool set and select the Box graphic to invoke the create/edit context.
    A graphics guide bar for entity creation appears.
  3. Optional: Select the Pair check box to create a pair entity.
    A graphic entity, like most of the entities that are created in MotionView, can be a single entity or a pair entity. Pair entities help in creating models which have symmetric properties.
  4. Optional: Clear the Create Body option check box to create the graphic with an existing body as its parent. When this option selected, a new body will be created for the graphic.
  5. Select a point origin reference (Origin) using one of the following methods:
    • Click on an existing point in the modeling window.
    • Hover and click on a CADGraphic location (an edge corner, center, or surface center). A new Point will be created at this location.
    • Use the Alt key to highlight the mesh of a CADGraphic or FileGraphic. Hover and click on a node. A new Point will be created at this location.
    • Use the Advanced Selector to pick an existing point.
  6. Use the Type drop-down menu to select a type for the box graphic.
    • Center
    • Corner
    • Face Center
  7. For a Face Center type only - select the second point origin reference (Origin 2) using one of the following methods:
    • Click on an existing point in the modeling window.
    • Hover and click on a CADGraphic location (an edge corner, center, or surface center). A new Point will be created at this location.
    • Use the Alt key to highlight the mesh of a CADGraphic or FileGraphic. Hover and click on a node. A new Point will be created at this location.
    • Use the Advanced Selector to pick an existing point.
  8. Optional: Click to reset the entity selections and start over.
  9. Once the reference selections are made, create the graphic using one of the following methods:
    • Click on the guide bar to create and orient the entity. Next, use the microdialog to edit/orient the graphic.
    • Click the button that appears at the mouse location in the modeling window. Next, use the microdialog to edit/orient the graphic.
    • Click to create the entity and exit the guide bar selections.
  10. Optional: If the graphic is a pair entity, first distinguish between the Left and Right sides on the microdialog in the modeling window, and then edit the properties.
    Note: When defining a pair graphic, use pair entities for Body, Origin, and so on. A pair graphic can be defined on a single body also.
  11. Use the Orient Marker icon on the microdialog in the modeling window to change the orientation using the Orientation tool.
  12. Enter the dimensions of the box graphic on the microdialog by providing values for X (LengthX), Y (LengthY), and Z (LengthZ).
    Note: In the case of a face center box, Z (LengthZ) is automatically determined by the distance between the origin and reference point for the Z axis (the two points that define the Z axis of the reference frame).
  13. Click to create the entity and exit the microdialog selections.

Edit Box Graphics

A box graphic can be edited using either the Primitives tool or the graphics Entity Editor.
  1. Edit using the Primitives tool:
    1. Select the graphic to be edited.
    2. From the Geometry ribbon, click on the Primitives tool set and select the graphic type.

      A guide bar appears with the graphics parent body and origin information.

    3. To edit the Body to which the graphic belongs:
      • Click on the Body collector and pick another body from the modeling window or use the Advanced Selector icon (next to the collector) and pick the body from the list that appears in the dialog.
    4. To edit the Origin of the graphic:
      • Click on the Origin collector and pick another point from the modeling window or use the Advanced Selector icon (next to the collector) and pick the body from the list that appears in the dialog.
    5. Click on the Orient graphic icon on the microdialog in the modeling window to change the orientation using the Orientation tool.
  2. Using the Entity Editor:
    1. Select the graphic that needs to be edited. Its properties are listed in the Entity Editor.
    2. Activate the Body or Origin collector and pick another body or point from the modeling window respectively or click on the icon next to the collectors to use the Advanced Selectors.
Graphics Properties
Property Description
General
Label Descriptive label for the entity.
Varname Variable name of the entity.
ID Integer identifier.
Active Active state of the entity (True or False). Entity is deactivated if False.
Body Parent body that the graphic belongs to.
Origin Point of origin of the graphic.
Type The type of box graphic – Center | Corner | Face Center.
Origin 2

(*Face center only)

 The second point of origin of the graphic.
Direction

(*Center and Corner only)

 Select a direction – X | Y | Z axis.
Method 1

(*Center and Corner only)

 Select the method for aligning the chosen axis along a direction – Point | Vector.
Point 1/Vector 1

(*Center and Corner only)

 The first alignment point or vector.

If Point is chosen, pick a point in the modeling window or through the Advanced selector .

If Vector is chosen, pick a vector through the modeling window or through Advanced Selector .
Direction Select a plane. The available choice depends on the 1st Axis. For example, if Z-Axis is chosen, the available choices are the ZX | ZY planes.
Method 2 Select a method for aligning the chosen plane – Point | Vector.
Point 2/Vector 2 The second alignment point or vector.

If Point is chosen, pick a point in the modeling window or through the Advanced selector .

If Vector is chosen, pick a vector through the modeling window or through Advanced Selector .
Properties
Length X Enter the dimensions of the box graphic by providing values for X (LengthX).
Length Y Enter the dimensions of the graphic by providing values for Y (LengthY).
Length Z Enter the dimensions of the graphic by providing values for Z (LengthZ).
Note: In the case of a face center box, LengthZ is automatically determined by the distance between the origin and reference point for the Z axis (the two points that define the Z axis of the reference frame).
Material Select a material to associate with the graphic.

Materials provide more precise control over an entity's visual properties by defining the behavior of an object's reflected and emitted light. By adjusting the light properties of a material, entities can be made to look more realistic. For example, materials can be defined that make an object appear chrome plated, glassy, metallic, and so on.
Refinement level The refinement level sets the mesh coarseness level for MotionSolve. MotionSolve will use a tessellation scheme to represent the graphic object during solution. Refer to the <Post_Graphic MotionSolve statement for additional information.
Material inside Selecting the Material inside check box sets the normals such that the graphic will act like a solid object. For contacts outside of the box, activate on this option. If the contact is to be detected from inside the box, clear this option.
Inertia Properties Expand the Inertia Properties section and review the mass and center of mass coordinates for the graphic (Mass, XX, XY, XZ, YX, YY, YZ, ZX, ZY, ZZ, X, Y, Z).
Appearance
Visible Controls the visibility of the entity on the modeling window.
Color Select a color from the palette to change a graphic's color.
Mesh Select a mesh mode:
  • Mesh Lines - Shows all the mesh lines of the H3D graphic.
  • Feature Lines - Shows only the prominent feature lines of the H3D graphic.
  • Edge Lines - Shows only the edge lines of the H3D graphic.
  • No Lines - Hides all the lines on the H3D graphic.
Shade Select a shading option:
  • No Shading - Hides all of the shading on the H3D graphic.
  • Opaque - Sets the display mode to Shaded. Sets the surface representation of the H3D graphic to Opaque.
  • Use Material - Sets the transparency as specified in the material (Applicable when the color is assigned from the material list).
  • Transparent - Sets the surface representation of the H3D graphic to transparent.
Note & Tags
Note Optional descriptive note.
Attachment Candidates Add tags for the entity as possible attachments to Systems/Assemblies/Analyses.
Tip: To avoid the graphic being visible during MotionSolve result animation, set the graphic's attribute hide_in_post to true using the *Set() statement in MDL. This option will set the graphic component's visibility to be turned off when the result H3D is loaded in HyperView. Refer to the *Graphic() documentation in the MDL Reference Guide.