The user has access to three main tool palettes:
Amapi 3D provides two different interfaces for the display and use of these tools:
One interface follows the workshop paradigm: it
is specially designed to allow the user to move freely about the Amapi 3D work space,
simulating as closely as possible the natural movement of a designer at the drawing table,
or the movement of a sculptor in his workshop.
The other interface has the advantage of being more familiar
to most users, as is more of a standard interface.
For more details on the choice of interface, see the chapter User
Manual/Edit/Preferences/Interface/Tool palettes.
How do you pick up a tool?
Before using a tool, you must select the object you
wish to edit. It is the current object (see chapter User Manual/Tools/Assistant
Palette/Selection tools/Wand).
Then, click on the desired tool.
How do you change palettes?
Þ If you selected the Workshop interface, move the
cursor outside the right side of the scene and then back into the scene.
Þ If you selected the Standard interface, you do not have to change the
palette as all the tools are grouped into a single Tools Palette.
How do you end the action of a
tool?
There are two ways to do this:
Validate:
Þ In the Assistant Palette: Click on the
OK button.
Or
Þ On the keyboard: Press the Return key.
Validating an action will quit a tool. The cursor will switch back to the
Wand, and you will be able to select a new tool or object.
Putting the tool aside:
Þ If you selected the Workshop interface:
Move the cursor outside the right side of the scene and then back into the scene to put
the tool aside. You can then select another object or pick up a new tool.
Þ If you selected the Standard interface:
Þ Select another tool in the Tools Palette to keep
on working with the current palette.
Or
Þ Select a construction tool.
Selecting another tool will automatically drop the previous
tool (standard interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools for more details.
3.2
Construction
tools
This palette includes the primitive
creation tools. Those tools create 2D shapes such as curves, circles, arcs, or rectangles,
and 3D shapes such as spheres, cubes, and extruded shapes.
Standard
Workshop |
1 | 3D Primitives | Sphere, Cube, Grid, Cylinder, Cone. |
2 | Drawing | Circle, Arc, Rectangle, Polyligne, Curve, Interpolated curves, Sketch, Helicoid, Symmetry. | |
3 | Text editor | ||
4 | Extract curve | ||
5 | Facet extraction | ||
6 | Extrusion | Direct extrusion, Extrusion of a section along a path, Extended extrusion, Extruding a NURBS curve. | |
7 | Sweeping | Direct sweeping, Sweeping a section along a path. | |
8 | Double Sweeping | ||
9 | Ruled surface | Betwween curves, Ruled surfaces between surfaces. | |
10 | Surfaces | Coons, Gordon, Hull Tool. |
For more details, see the chapter User
Manual/Tools/Construction.
3.3 Modeling tools
This palette includes the tools you will use to edit and modify a shape. You will be able to rescale a shape, smooth it, apply bevels, and so forth.
Standard
Workshop |
1 | Deformer | Stretch, Scale, Rotate, Taper, Twist, Bend. |
2 | Mold | Modeling with interactive control of the area of influence, Modeling with interactive control of theforce of attraction. | |
3 | Bend | (To bend an object using an existing curve, To bend an object using curve created within the Bend tool. | |
4 | Stretch | ||
5 | Delete | ||
6 | Smooth | ||
7 | Chamfer | ||
8 | Thickness tool | Applying a tickness to a surface or a volume, Applying tickness to a curve, Creating an offset. | |
9 | Cut | Cutting along a cutting plane, Punch, Boolean. | |
10 | Decimate/Tessellate |
For more details, see the chapter User
Manual/Tools/Modeling.
This palette includes the tools used to position and orient the objects. Rotate, weld and duplicate are some of the features found in this palette.
Standard
Workshop |
1 | Duplicate | Creating multiple copies, Multiple copies along a path or on the facets of an object. |
2 | Symmetry | ||
3 | Rotation | ||
4 | Move | ||
5 | Scale | ||
6 | Snap | ||
7 | Lay on | ||
8 | Welding | ||
9 | Unfold |
For more details, see the chapter User Manual/Tools/Assembly.