Specifying a Measure in a Formula

You can use values captures from the geometry area in formulas. This task shows you how to specify that the value of a Length type parameter is equal to the curved abscissa of a point located on a curve.

Before you begin: Refer to the Sample 3 topic to create the model required to perform this scenario.

Note: Here are some examples of measures that can be used in formulas:

  • Distance between two points.
  • Total length of a curve.
  • Length of a curve segment - between a point and the origin or between a point and the curve extremity.
  • Length of a curve segment - between two points.
  • Area of an extruded surface.

  1. Create a sample identical to the one below. The whole document must be created using the Generative Shape Design product. The Extrude.1 and Extrude.2 surfaces are extruded from the Spline.1 and Spline.2 curves. The point whose abscissa is to be measured is Point.5. The origin of the curve where Point.5 is located on is Point.8

  2. Click Formula . The Formula Editor is displayed.

  3. Create the CurveLengthFromOrigin parameter.


    • Select the Length item with Single Value from the New Parameter of type list, then click New Parameter of type. The new parameter appears in Edit name or value of the current parameter.


    • Replace the Length.1 name with CurveLengthFromOrigin, and click Apply.

  4. Specify that the value of CurveLengthFromOrigin is the abscissa of Point.5:

    1. Select the CurveLengthFromOrigin parameter from the parameters list, then click Add Formula. The Formula editor is displayed.

    2. Select the Measures item from the Dictionary list.

    3. From the list of measures, double-click the length(Curve,Point,Boolean) item. The length function is added to the Formula Editor.
    4. Fill in the Formula editor field as indicated below.


      • The three arguments are: a curve to be selected from the geometry area, a point to be selected from the geometry area and a boolean.
      • Position the cursor where the first argument is intended to be typed. Then double-click the Spline.2 feature in the specification tree. The curve argument is added to the length definition
      • Position the cursor where the second argument is intended to be typed. Then double-click the Point.5 feature in the specification tree. The point argument is added to the length definition.
      • Type a boolean for the third argument: True if the length is to be calculated from the origin, False if the length is to be calculated from the curve end.

      • Click OK to confirm the formula definition. You are back to the Formulas dialog box. The CurveLengthFromOrigin formula and value(47.5mm) are added to the parameter list.

    5. Click OK to add the parameter as well as its formula to the document.

      Important: The inertiaAxis function is accessible through the Line constructors. The axis number 3 is the one which is in the extrusion direction (normal to yz).