At times you may need to convert the line to polyline or polyline to a spline and sometimes Spline to a Polyline. You can do all of these tasks using few simple commands, let’s see how it can be done.
- Change Spline To Line String Microstation File
- Microstation Join Line String
- Change Spline To Line String Microstation Free
Converting Line to Polyline
You can convert Line to Polyline using “Polyline Edit” tool of AutoCAD, using this tool you can also convert an arc or spline into a polyline. However, you can’t convert circle, ellipse and elliptical arc into a polyline using this tool.
Type PE on the command line and press Enter to start polyline edit command, the command line will prompt you to select objects for making changes. Click on the object which you want to change to polyline, you can also select multiple objects by selecting Multiple from the command prompt.
Once you have made selection a new prompt will appear on the command line stating that selected object is not a polyline do you want to convert it as shown in the image below. Type Y and press enter twice to convert the object into a polyline and exit this command.
Converting Polyline to true spline
To convert a polyline into true spline type PE and press enter, then select polyline which you want to convert and select spline from prompt appearing on the command line. Press enter to exit polyline edit command.
This will convert your polyline into a “polyline spline” which looks like a spline but inherits properties of the 2D polyline.
To convert it into true spline type SPE on the command line and press Enter. This will start Spline Edit command, select “polyline spline” from drawing area and press Enter. The 2D polyline will be converted into a true spline and it will also inherit all the properties of a spline.
Converting Spline to Polyline
To convert a Spline into a polyline type PE on the command line press enter then select the spline from drawing area and press enter again. The spline will be converted into a polyline.
Alternatively, you can also use Spline Edit (SPE) command to convert a true spline into a polyline by simply selecting “Convert to Polyline” option from the command line options.
In this case when the command prompts you to specify the precision enter the default value 10 or any other value which you like. Higher the value of precision more accurate will be the converted polyline with respect to the spline but it will also create a dense polyline.
The value of precision can be set between 0 and 99.
Thanks, R.K McSwain for suggesting this tip, see more tips from him on Cadpanacea. If you have questions related to this tip let me know in comments below.
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When we draw in MicroStation, we will need to do modifications. Either because we make mistakes or because it is easier and faster to just draw it and modify the drawing later. Here are the tools you can find in modify groups.
Modify Element
This is the basic modification tool. We only can modify one MicroStation element using this tool. And only verb-noun selection. What this tool do is basically move a vertex point. It can be a rectangle corner, midpoint, circle or arc edge, arc or line end points, etc.
Modify tool when picking vertex on corner | Modify tool when picking vertex on edge |
Remember: pay attention to the tool settings. Each object type will show different options.
For example: this tool can also change the vertex corner to rounded or chamfered.
Partial Delete and Break Element
Both tools name should be self explanatory. Partial delete will delete some part of the MicroStation element. You need to define 2 points for the start and end points for cutting. You also need to define the cut direction by moving your pointer.
Break element will break your MicroStation element at a point. If you break a line, then it will be two line segments.
Extend Line
Although the tool name is extend line, we can also use it to ‘shorten’ line. This tool is pretty similar with modify tool. However, extend line will lock your pointer parallel to your line, to make sure the only property you change is the line length.
We can change the distance by using AccuDraw or filling distance value in tool settings.
Extend Element to Intersection
There are two similar tool to extend element(s) to intersection. The only difference is the first one will extend 2 elements until they intersect, and the last one only extend one element to the intersection point. Either the elements are actually intersecting or not.
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Trim Elements
We use this tool to trim element by using other element as cutting element. To cut several elements, select the cutting element first, then activate the trim tool.
For more options, use Intellitrim.
Intellitrim
Trim allows you to pick one element to trim (or cutting element) at a time. When we need to trim several elements at once, or we need to use more than one cutting elements, then we can use Intellitrim.
Quick Mode
Quick mode allows you to select one cutting element, and create a fence that touch multiple elements to trim. You can also use 3 operations: trim, extend, and cut. Cut will cut elements to two segments, but do not delete any of the segments.
Advanced Mode
Advanced mode allows you to select multiple cutting elements and multiple elements to cut. It’s a bit tricky at first.
- Define to elements you select first as cutting elements or elements to trim. Select in tool settings option.
- Select the cutting elements, after you finish, click reset. The option in tool settings window will change, asking you to choose elements to cut.
- Pick the elements you want to cut, after you finish click reset.
- Pick the elements side you want to keep.
- Click reset to end it.
Insert and Delete Vertex
I think the tools name are self-explanatory. If you delete a vertex from a rectangle, then it will become a triangle. If you add a vertex to a rectangle, then it will become a five sides polygon.
Construct Circular Fillet and Construct Chamfer
Change Spline To Line String Microstation File
These tool will change a corner to a fillet or chamfer. We can do this by using modify tool. However, in construct chamfer there is something modify tool can’t do. We can define each distance.
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Used to insert vertices in elements.
You can access this tool from the following:
- Ribbon: Drawing > Home > Modify > More split button
- Ribbon: Modeling > Home > Modify > 2D Modify Tools split button
- Toolbox: Modify
Use this tool to do the following:
- Insert a vertex in a line, line string, multi-line, or shape, or B-spline control polygon.
- Attach a line segment to the endpoint of a line or line string.
- Add control points to curve.
Note: The Insert Vertex tool can be used to change a point element into a line or a line element into a line string.
Note: A shape or line string can have 5000 vertices.
To Insert a Vertex in a Line, Line String, Multi-Line, Shape, or B-spline Control Polygon
To Attach a Line Segment to an Endpoint of a Line or Line String
To Add a Control Point to a Curve and Maintain the Shape
Drawing Line in Microstation with Relative Coordinates using Distance and Percent Slope
Drawing Line in Microstation with Relative Coordinates using Distance and Percent Slope
Is this possible?
I know I can Place SmartLine, click a point and use Key-In of AD=100,8 and that will draw me a line with an 8% slope.
But can I do this and have it bound to specific horizontal distance .. say draw a line where X=30 and the percent slope is 8%
using AD=30,8% only gives me a line with X=30 and Y=8.
Thanks in Advance,
Jeremy
I know I can Place SmartLine, click a point and use Key-In of AD=100,8 and that will draw me a line with an 8% slope.
But can I do this and have it bound to specific horizontal distance .. say draw a line where X=30 and the percent slope is 8%
using AD=30,8% only gives me a line with X=30 and Y=8.
Thanks in Advance,
Jeremy
With manual drafting tools, you can draw a point curve (a curve through a series of points) with a French curve. MicroStation has, in effect, a variety of mathematical French curves for placing curves on the basis of data points in the design plane, including point curves and NURBS (non-uniform rational B-splines).
Composite curves actually can consist of a combination of line segments, arcs, and Bézier curves.
You can draw curves without any understanding of the mathematics behind them, or you can create curves based on sophisticated mathematical formulas (see ).
The easiest way to become familiar with curve placement tools is to enter a series of data points or a line string, then construct different curves based on those elements. With B-splines, you can adjust the settings as you watch the curve update, then accept the curve when it has the correct shape.
Point curves
Point curves are based on a relatively simple mathematical formula — there are no settings that control the curve's shape. As you place a point curve, it is dynamically displayed as you enter data points. Of course, you can place active points or other elements to snap to as you place the point curve, and you can enter the data points using AccuDraw.
Point curves are placed with the Place Point or Stream Curve tool in the Linear Elements tool box.
Point curves |
B-spline curves
A B-spline curve is more complex mathematically than a point curve. A B-spline curve's shape is determined by the number and location of its poles, which are represented as vertices of the curve's control polygon and its order.
B-spline curve and its control polygon. |
B-spline curves are drawn with the Place B-spline Curve tool in the Create Curves tool box as well as several special-purpose 2D B-spline tools.
You can place a B-spline curve by entering data points or construct it by identifying a line string or shape — this is determined by choosing Placement or Construction, respectively, from the Define By option menu in the Tool Settings window.
Methods by which the curve is calculated
Unlike point curves, there are a number of Methods, which can be chosen from the Method option menu, for calculating the final curve that results.
Define Poles | Vertices of control polygon. |
---|---|
Through Points | Points on the curve. |
Least Squares by Tolerance and Least Squares by Number | A set of points that the curve approximates or is “fit” to. |
Catmull-Rom | A set of points that is closely approximated. |
These illustrations show the different types of B-spline curves constructed from the same line string.
B-spline curves constructed based on a line string. Method set to, from left: Define Poles, Through Points, Least Squares, Catmull-Rom. |
Least Squares by Tolerance
Curves created with this method are approximated, based on the points used to define the curve and the Tolerance setting. The maximum deviation of the input points from the curve is controlled by the Tolerance setting.
Least Squares by Number
This Method lets you adjust the number of poles in the control polygon.
If the number of poles is lower than the number of data points or vertices, the curve is fit using the least squares method.
Generally, the more poles in the control polygon, the better the curve will fit a regular shape.
Catmull-Rom
The Catmull-Rom curve is popular with aircraft and ship hull designers — it passes directly through the data points or vertices on which it is based, as do point curves and B-splines Through Points. In general, the approximation is more accurate than with other methods.
Catmull-Rom curves avoid these problems:
- Point curves are flat between the first and second data points as well as between the next-to-last and last data points.
- With very irregular shapes, B-spline curves Through Points can develop unwanted loops.Line string in shape of square as the basis for B-spline: Through Points (left) and Catmull-Rom (right).
B-spline curve attributes
B-spline curve settings are set in the B-spline and 3D dialog box, which is opened by choosing B-spline and 3D from the Element menu.
Changes to the attributes of existing B-spline curves are carried out with the Modify Curves tool box's Change to Active Curve Settings tool.
Display of the curve or control polygon
You can turn on or off the display of either the control polygon or curve.
Order
In practical terms, a B-spline curve's order defines the curve's distance from the control polygon's poles. The greater the order, the further the curve can lie from the poles of its control polygon. A high-order curve is “freer” than a low-order curve.
The limit to a curve's order is the number of poles: You cannot place a B-spline curve with a greater order than the number of poles.
B-spline curves (Method set to Define Poles and Define By set to Construction). The Order increases from left to right. In these cases, the line strings are congruent with the control polygons. |
Closure
A closed B-spline starts and ends at the same point, and encloses an area.
A closed B-spline can also be periodic, which means that all derivatives of the curve (less than order -1) are continuous through the points. In other words, a periodic B-spline passes “smoothly” through the point at which its ends are joined, without a kink in the curve.
In a design, a B-spline whose ends do not meet can be called “open.” Mathematically, however, an open B-spline starts at its first pole and ends at its last pole, and the ends need not meet. Setting the Closure tool setting to Open results in mathematically open B-spline curves.
You can use the Change to Active Curve Settings tool to change a periodic B-spline's definition in the model to be a mathematically open B-spline without changing its shape. This is helpful when the DGN file is to be transferred to a package that does not support periodic B-splines.
Special-purpose 2D B-spline tools
These tools in the Curves tool box are used to place the following special types of 2D B-spline curves.
The Place Conic tool is used to place a conic section — a hyperbola, parabola, or partial ellipse.
The Place Spiral tool is used to place a transitional spiral — this is most commonly used for highway design.
The Construct Interpolation by Arcs tool is used to place a complex chain of arcs that passes through a given set of points.
Composite curves
The Place Composite Curve tool in the Curves tool box lets you place a complex element that can contain line segments, arcs, and a special type of B-spline curve, a Bézier curve.
Bézier curves
A Bézier curve is a B-spline curve with the same number of poles as its order. Thus, a fourth-order B-spline with four poles is a fourth-order Bézier curve. These are very popular as they allow control of a curve's starting and ending position as well as the tangents at those positions.
Composite curve comprising a line, an arc, a Bézier curve, another line, and an arc |
The handles that appear when placing a Bézier curve with the Place Composite Curve tool control the tangents at the ends of the curve segment. The line defined by the first and second poles is the initial tangent direction, and the line defined by the third and fourth poles is the final tangent direction. The length of the handles controls the size of the tangent at each end. (A tangent is a vector so it has direction and magnitude.)
Creating any conceivable curve
The Curve Calculator tool lets you create any conceivable planar curve, based on a mathematical formula.
- A pre-defined curve can be selected from a library and placed in the design.
- New curves can be defined and added to the supplied libraries. This is similar to programming a programmable calculator.
Equations that are dimmed in the list box are locked. Modifying them can corrupt the curve's formula and should only be done if you understand how the curve is defined and wish to modify its underlying definition. See To define a curve's formula. |
To unlock an equation, key in FORMULA UNLOCK [number], where [number] denotes the position of the equation in the list of locked equations. |
General Procedure — To place a pre-defined curve
- In the Curves tool box, select the Curve Calculator tool.
The Curve Calculator dialog box opens. - From the File menu in the Curve Calculator dialog box, choose Open File.
The Resource File to Open dialog box opens. - Select a curve library file and click the OK button.
The Resource File to Open dialog box closes and the Open Curve Resource dialog box opens for the selected resource. - Select a curve in the list box and click OK.
The Open Curve Resource dialog box closes and the selected curve's defining equations are listed in the Curve Calculator dialog box. - (Optional) Edit values in the equation that defines the curve. See To edit values in the equation that defines a curve.
- From the Tools menu in the Curve Calculator dialog box, choose Place Parametric Curve.
- Enter a data point to define the curve's origin.
The curve is defined relative to the coordinate system of the view in which this data point is entered.
To select another curve from the resource
To edit values in the equation that defines a curve
General Procedure — To define a curve's formula
- In the Curves tool box, select the Curve Calculator tool.
The Curve Calculator dialog box opens. - In the Curve field, key in the curve's name.
- Define the equations.
- Lock the equations that, if modified, would corrupt the definition. See To lock an equation for details.
- (Optional) Place a curve to test the equation.
- Save the equation.
Some mathematical knowledge is needed to define a new curve. A curve is defined by the parametric equations for the x, y, and z coordinates of the curve. These formulas give the value of the articular coordinate as a parameter “t” that is between zero and one (0.0 < t < 1.0). This is the standard parametric form of a curve described in mathematical text books. |
Variable names are limited to 8 characters and the right side of the equation is limited to 40 characters. There is also a limit of 25 formulas to define a curve. |
To lock an equation
- In the Curve Calculator dialog box, select the equation in the list box and key-in FORMULA LOCK.
Key in FORMULA LOCK [number].
number is the equation's number (the count starts at zero).
The locked equation is grayed-out in the list box and cannot be modified.
Examples
A sinusoid with an amplitude of 5 and wave length of 10 can be defined with the following equations:
x(t) = 10u(t) | x = 10*t |
---|---|
y(t) = 5sin(u(t)) | y(t) = 5*sin(u) |
u(t) = 2[pi ]t | u(t) = 2*pi*t |
The third equation is necessary since “t” must be between zero and one and we want an entire period of the sine wave, from 0–2[pi ].
Auxiliary functions such as this can be defined. By using two auxiliary variable-value equations for the amplitude and wave length a more flexible definition results.
x = wl*t
y = amp*sin(u)
u = 2*pi*t
amp = 5
wl = 10
This definition could be used to place sine waves of any amplitude and wave length by modifying the last two equations. It is clear, however, that the first three equations should not be modified, since doing that would corrupt the sine wave's definition. To prevent this you can lock the first three formulas. These equations would then be dimmed in the list box and the end-user would not be able to harm them. The status of an equation, locked or unlocked, is saved with the equation in the library file; it is set using the Formula Lock/Unlock key-in described above.
Dimensionality
Curves can be defined in 2 or 3 dimensions; if no z formula is present the z value defaults to 0, thereby creating a planar curve.
Function format
The formulas defining the x, y, and z coordinates of the curve can use trigonometric, hyperbolic, logarithmic, exponential, or power functions. The format for such functions is as follows:
sin (value) | sine of value see footnote 85 |
---|---|
cos (value ) | cosine of valuea |
tan (value) | tangent of valuea |
asin (value) | arc sine of valuea |
acos (value) | arc cosine of valuea |
atan (value) | arc tangent of valuea |
atan2 (y, x) | arctan(y)/xa |
sinh (value) | hyperbolic sine of value |
cosh (value) | hyperbolic cosine of value |
tanh (value) | hyperbolic tangent of value |
asinh (value) | inverse hyperbolic sine of value |
exp (value) | evalue |
ldexp (x,p) | 2xp |
log (value) | natural logarithm of value |
log10 (value) | base 10 logarithm of value |
ldexp (x, y) | xy |
sqrt (value) | square root of value |
Curve Calculator also understands standard C operators. |
Deriving a curve from an existing curve
Microstation Join Line String
A curve can be defined from a set of formulas alone or can be derived from formulas and an existing curve (the root curve). If a curve is derived, then these values can be referenced in the equations.
These values are derived from the Frenet frame of the root curve and are updated depending on the value of “t,” the curve parameter. All these values begin with an underscore.
_rx | x coordinate of root curve's position |
---|---|
_ry | y coordinate of root curve's position |
_rz | z coordinate of root curve's position |
_tx | x coordinate of root curve's tangent |
_ty | y coordinate of root curve's tangent |
_tz | z coordinate of root curve's tangent |
_mx | x coordinate of root curve's normal |
_my | y coordinate of root curve's normal |
_mz | z coordinate of root curve's normal |
_bx | x coordinate of root curve's binormal |
_by | y coordinate of root curve's binormal |
_bz | z coordinate of root curve's binormal |
_kappa | curvature of root curve |
_tau | torsion of root curve |
The following constants can be referenced in equations:
Change Spline To Line String Microstation Free
pi | [pi ] |
---|---|
e | e |