Connecting Panels using Linear Joints
- Last UpdatedFeb 19, 2025
- 4 minute read
Linear joints are used to connect structural items along edges or faces. They effectively have linear (2D) connectivity, whereas Primary and Secondary Joints have only point (1D) connectivity (even though they have 3D geometry).
A Panel Linear Joint (PALJ), owned by a PANE, FRMW or SBFR, is used to connect two Panels together. The start and end of the PALJ are defined by two Panel Vertex (PAVE) points. Logical connections from the attached Panel are made by setting Master Vertex (MVERT) attributes of two of the Panel’s PAVEs to point to the corresponding PAVEs on the linear joint, thus:
In this example, PANE1 is the Owning Panel and PANE2 is the Attached Panel.
A Section Linear Joint (SELJ), owned by a Section, is used to connect a Panel to a Section. The start and end of the SELJ are defined by two Section Vertex (SEVE) points. Logical connections from the attached Panel are made by setting Master Vertex (MVERT) attributes of two of the Panel’s PAVEs to point to the corresponding SEVE’s on the linear joint, thus:
Keywords
LINK UNLINK
Description
The LINK command lets the user set up the necessary connection references for:
-
a vertex to another vertex
-
an edge to an edge (an edge is the line between a pair of consecutive vertices)
-
a panel to a joint
-
a panel to a vertex
-
a panel to an edge
In each case, the vertices of the item being linked are defined as slave vertices, while the vertices of the item linked to (which define the properties at the connection point) are defined as master vertices.
When the user links a panel, any new panel vertices needed will be created automatically to correspond with the master vertices of the item connected to. Specify the position and direction of creation of the new vertices in the Panel Loop’s vertex sequence as part of the command. If the panel has no PLOOP, one will be created automatically.
UNLINK unsets the connection cross-references created by a LINK command.
Examples |
|
|---|---|
|
LINK VERT CE TO /PAVE2 |
Links current vertex (slave) to vertex /PAVE2 (master). |
|
LINK PANEL /PANE3 TO EDGE /PAVE5 /PAVE6 AFTER /PAVE2 |
Links panel /PANE3 to edge between /PAVE5 and /PAVE6 and positions any new vertices needed after /PAVE2 in the PLOOP of /PANE3. |
Command Syntax
>- LINK -+-+----------.
| | |
| ‘- VERTex -+- <vidlist> - TO - VERTex - <vid> -------------.
| |
|--- EDGE - <eidlist> - TO - EDGE - <eid> -------------------|
| |
‘--- PANEl - <pid> - TO -+- JOINt - <jid> ---- <qualifier1> -|
| |
|- VERTex - <vid> -. |
| | |
‘- EDGE - <eid> ---+- <qualifier2> -+->
where:
<qualifier1>:
|
<vid> |
is a vertex identifier (name, refno, treename) |
|
<vidlist> |
is a list of vertex identifiers |
|
<eid> |
is an edge identifier (pair of consecutive vids) |
|
<eidlist> |
is a list of edge identifiers (must be an even number of vids) |
|
<pid> |
is a panel identifier (name, refno, treename) |
|
<jid> |
is a joint identifier (name, refno, treename) |
>-+- FROM -+- START - TO -+- <vid> -.
| | |- END ---|
| | ‘---------+--.
| |- END - TO ---+- <vid> -. |
| | |- START -| |
| | ‘---------+--|
| |- <vid> - TO -+- <vid> -. |
| | |- START -| |
| | |- END ---| |
| | ‘---------+--|
| ‘---------------------------|
‘------------------------------------+- FORWards --.
‘- BACKwards -+- AFTer <vid> ---------.
|- BEFore <vid> --------|
|- BETween <vid> <vid> -|
‘-----------------------+->
The FROM/TO options specify which portion of the joint is to be linked to the panel. Defaults are implied start to implied end of joint.
The FORWARDS/BACKWARDS options specify the direction of vertices within the joint.
The AFTER/BEFORE/BETWEEN options specify the position in the Panel Loop at which to create vertices corresponding to those of the joint (master vertices).
<qualifier2>:
>--+-- AFTer <vid> ----------.
| |
|-- BEFore <vid> ---------|
| |
|-- BETween <vid> <vid> --|
| |
‘-------------------------+->
The AFTER/BEFORE/BETWEEN options specify the position in the Panel Loop at which to create vertices corresponding to those of the master vertices.
>-- UNLINK --+-- <vid> -- FRom -- <vid> --.
| |
‘-- ALL ---------------------+-->
Querying
|
Q LINKS |
Queries connection references between vertices |