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Pipes Sample

Pipes sample demonstrates programming and manipulation of various properties of Pipe Section objects, including pipes and curved bars and programming of free form and splined 3D curves.

See also IPipeSection, Pipes,  C# .NET Samples, All samples

The application

On start the application displays a pipe, central curve of which is constructed from three pieces: two arcs and a straight line. The most important geometrical property of the pipe section - central curve can be modified with the Central Line group on the right. Type of the line can be changed dynamically between interpolated free-form curve defined by raw points data and parametric Arc Spline Curves.

Both types of lines have an array of data points, which can be edited with Data group. Parametric Arc Spline Curves are supposed to have much fewer data points, they act as the connection points between consecutive splines. 

In addition to data points geometry of the central curve is defined also by:

Free-form central curve

Interpolation Degree, which affects how smooth the curve (and the pipe) will appear.

Arc Spline Curve

Array of spline normals which define plane for each spline (passes through both ends of the spline) and curvatures which defines an arc in the plane. The relevant set of controls is enabled when type of the curve is chosen.

In the default pipe there are four data points connected with three splines. Use Spline Frame and Spline Plane check boxes in the Render group to view plane and normal of the spline. Use Current Point control to change the currently displayed spline. Normal of the spline plane coincides with z axis of the spline frame. 

When the line is Arc Spline Curve "More" button is enabled, which displays additional properties of the current spline. Calculate button allows calculation of a point at any point on the current spline. Parameter of the point in range [0, 1] can be entered in the "Calculate point at" box.

Other Pipe properties

Properties of the pipe other than related to the central curve can be modified using the control group at the bottom. The sample can help to tune in the Geometric Resolution property, which affects quality of surface vs. performance trade offs. 

Filleted Pipe

Tools menu offers another way for creation of  Arc Spline Curves for central line as a line obtained by replacing sharp corners of a sequence of straight segments with arcs of any radius.

Implementation

Go to C++ Pipes Sample