Cables WireFlex

Cables WireFlex
Menu location
Cable Wires → New Wire Flex
Workbenches
Cables
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
1.0
See also
Cables AddVertex, Cables DelVertex, Cables AttachVertex, Cables RemoveVertexAttachment

Description

The WireFlex object is derived from Draft Wire and inherits all its properties. The main difference is that WireFlex is able to attach every of its vertexes to external vertex or object (attachment to object is understood as an attachment to its Placement.Base). Not every vertex has to be attached, some of them can be left to move freely depending on current needs.

All WireFlex vertexes which are not attached to external vertexes|objects can be edited like Draft Wire vertexes with the Draft Edit command (just double-click on the WireFlex in the Tree view). See Notes.

Some properties of WireFlex inherited from Draft Wire are hidden by default, especially Fillet Radius property, which can be controlled from the cable properties if WireFlex is part of a Cable. It is strongly recommended to set Fillet Radius as the last step of WireFlex creation. Setting this during WireFlex editing can lead to an error: "Not possible to modify WireFlex due to non zero Chamfer or Fillet or Subdivision".

Sample structure of WireFlex

Usage

1. Select the first external existing vertex in the 3D view.
2. Select additional vertexes (one or more) in the 3D view holding the CTRL key.
3. Create WireFlex by one of these methods:
   • Press the WireFlex button.
   • Select the Cable Wires → WireFlex option from the menu.
   • Right-click in the Tree view or the 3D view and select the Cable Wires → WireFlex option from the context menu.

Note: selection of elements other then vertexes is treated as a selection of entire object.

After wire creation the first vertex|object which was selected in 3D View is automatically added to Attachment Support of a wire and the Map Mode property is set to Translate origin (general description of part attachment is here: Part EditAttachment). Additionally the same vertex|object is added to Vrtx_start property, the last selected vertex|object is added to Vrtx_end property and the selected mid vertexes|objects are added to Vrtxs_mid and Vrtxs_mid_idx accordingly.

At any time any WireFlex vertex can be detached or reatached to other object by using Attach Vertex or Remove Vertex Attachment tools.

It is advised to experiment and familiarize yourself with the various options for possibly moving objects attached to a wire and observe the behavior of the wire depending on how many and which vertexes are attached to external objects and whether the Map Mode property is enabled or disabled for the entire wire. Even more interesting possibilities are provided by using e.g. Support Line or Support Point.

Example1
Movement of the Cube1 which is attached to WireFlex start vertex when Attachment Map Mode of WireFlex is set to Translate origin.

Example2
Movement of the Cube1 which is attached to WireFlex start vertex when Attachment Map Mode of WireFlex is Deactivated.

Animated version of the above images is here

Notes

• A WireFlex can be edited with the Draft Edit command (run by double-click on the WireFlex in the Tree view).

When in Draft Edit mode DO NOT use "Add point" and "Delete point" from context menu. This can lead to wrong assignment of points attachments. To add or delete point from WireFlex use only Add Vertex or Delete Vertex while not in Draft Edit mode.

Properties

See also: Property editor.

A Cables WireFlex object is derived from a Draft Wire and inherits all its properties. Some of the inherited properties are hidden (see Description). WireFlex also has the following additional properties:

Data

Wire Flex

• DataVrtx_start (LinkSub): specifies the attachment support for the first vertex (point) of the wire.
• DataVrtx_end (LinkSub): specifies the attachment support for the last vertex (point) of the wire.
• DataVrtxs_mid (LinkSubList): specifies the list of attachment support for the middle vertexes (points) of the wire. Middle vertexes: all wire vertexes except the first and the last vertex.
• DataVrtxs_mid_idx (IntegerList): specifies the list of indexes of Vrtxs_mid attachment support list of the wire. The lowest mid idx number can have a value 2, the highest can have a value n-1, where n is the number of vertexes (points) of the wire.

It is recommended to not adjust the above properties manually, but to use Attach Vertex or Remove Vertex Attachment tools which are designed to do so.