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Path Command

The Path command is used in FEA analysis to define paths that are connected to mesh areas. It has two forms. The first form is to define a new path:

Path (id),(intervals),<(ratio)>
  Keypoint "start",0,5
  Keypoint "middle",5,10
  Keypoint "end"
EndPath

where

Within the Path block, there are a series of Keypoint commands that define new keypoints (e.g. key point "start") or refer to previously define key points (e.g. key point "end" without specified coordinates). The keypoints are connected to define the path. Consecutive defined keypoints can be selected with multiple Keypoint commands or with single Keypoints commands.

A path can be used in more than one area. The first time it is used it is defined as above. For all subsequent uses, however, it is reused by giving just the id. Thus, the second form of the Path command is to refer to a previous path:

Paths (id1),<(id2)>,...

where there is no matching EndPath command and (id1) is the name or id of a previously defined path. To include consecutive defined paths in an area, you have extra ids in a single Paths command.

Notes

  1. A Path command to define a path can appear by itself or within an Area command block. A Path command that refers to an existing path is only allowed within a Area command block.
  2. Currently the path definition can only have two or three key points. Two key points define a line and three key points can define an arc.
  3. To programmatically access path properties, you can use an "at" expression @path.ID.prop where "ID" is the defined path name or id and the possible properties for prop are:
  4. The Path command is only allowed for FEA analyses.