3D Direction from a P-line

Wherever a Design element or p-point is used for a direction, a p-line can also be used. The p-line itself can be used for direction, or an axis of the p-line can be used.

The syntax for p-line direction is based on that in the design:

PPLINe word OF element_identifier

The syntax defines the direction along the p-line in the Design and must be used if you wish to store the p-line in the annotation element.

PPLINe word OF element_identifier NEGative

The syntax specifies the negative or reverse direction along the p-line in the Design and is equivalent to specifying the p-line -Y direction.

A direction parallel to an axis of the p-line itself can also be selected:

PPLINe word [OF element_identifier] [+] plxyz

PPLINe word [OF element_identifier] - plxyz

where plxyz is any one of:

X [DIRection]

Y [DIRection]

Z [DIRection]

LEAve [DIRection]

The axis of the p-line along the length of the Section is its Y direction. The Z or Leave direction and the X direction both lie in the plane of the perpendicular cross-section of the Section. The reverse of these directions can be obtained by the use of the minus sign.

Syntax for p-line direction qualified by <plxyz> cannot be used to set p-line attributes in the annotation. DIRECTION syntax of this form is used to set the DIR attribute rather than p-line attributes. Example commands are:

NEW LDIM DIRection PPLINe word OF element_identifier LEAVE [DIRection]

NEW ADIM ON ...

DIMFROM DIRection PPLINe word OF element_identifier -Z [DIRection]

DIMTO DIRection PPLINe word OF element_identifier NEGative

However, an example command that stores p-line data in the annotation element is:

DIMTO DIRection PPLINe word OF element_identifier

In this case the p-line direction has not been qualified by specifying an axis. Therefore the axis along the length of the Section is what is required and is stored directly in the database as such.