Path Data Form

A path is a chain of frame objects, with an optional eccentricity if the vehicles are located to one side or the other of the frame objects.

Tip:  Click the Set Display Options button to access the Display Options for Active Window form, and in the Frames/Cables/Tendons area, check the Labels check box to display the frame label in the specified window(s). This can be helpful in selecting the frames for the path definition process.

• Path Name edit box/display box. If the Define menu (Method 1 below) was used to access the form, accept the default or enter another name in this edit box. If the Assign menu (Method 2 below) was used to access the form, the name in the display box is the name specified when the path was defined and that name cannot be changed here.

• Display Color.  The color that will be used to display the section on-screen in the model. Click on the "Display Color" text or the small sample square of the color to bring up the Color form. Select the desired new color on the Color form and click the OK button.

• Frame edit box. If the Define menu was used to access the form, enter the label of the frame representing the path. The label will appear in the Frame display area when the Add button is clicked. If the Assign menu was used to access the form, the edit box will display the ID of the frame object selected before the Assign menu command was clicked.

• Centerline Offset edit box. Enter the distance of the path centerline (in the current length units) from the frame representing the path.

• • Add button. After entering values in the Frame, Centerline  and Offset edit boxes, click the Add button to add the definition.

1. • Insert button. Enter a label ID in the Frame edit box and click the Insert button to insert the newly entered ID in sequential order in the Frame display box.

• • Modify button.

  • 1. Highlight a frame ID in the display area.

    2. Type a new ID or centerline offset  value in the  edit box.

    3. Click the Modify button.

  • Delete button.

  • 1. Highlight a frame ID in the display area.

    2. Click the Delete button to remove the frame object from the path definition.

• Reverse Order button. Click the Reverse Order button to reorder the data according to frame IDs.

• Reverse Sign button. Click the Reverse Sign button to change positive centerline offset values to negative or negative values to positive. The Reverse Sign button acts on all values, so it is not necessary to select a value before using the button.

• Move Path button. Click this button to display the Move Path form and move the path a specified distance or to specified coordinates.

• Discretization area.

• Maximum Discretization Length. Use this edit box  to specify the maximum discretization of the load along the length of the path.  The value is  entered in the current length units.

• Discretization Length Not Greater Than 1/{value} of Path Length check box and value. Use this check box to specify that the load be distributed on the path based on a fraction of the path length. Checking this check box ensures proportional load discretization on every path in this definition. This can be helpful, for example, when multiple paths have been defined and the length of a path(s) is less than the length specified in the Maximum  Discretization Length edit box.

Note:  The smallest value specified for path load discretization and discretization based on fractional values of the path lengths is the controlling value for distributing the load on a path.

Note:  After the path has been defined based on frames (i.e., Method 1 below),  the Assign menu > Frame > Path command must be used to assign frame objects to the defined path (i.e., Method 2 below).