Picking P-points and Nodes

P-points and structural node points (that is, PNODs and SNODs) may be picked by the cursor. The main uses are:

• for positioning annotation at a particular point on a primitive, for example the end of a cylinder axis

• for identifying primitives below EQUI, STRU or SUBS elements.

A p-point or node may be identified using

Q IDP @

In addition, the p-point may be directly selected, for example

To identify a p-point, move the cursor across the VIEW display with the left-hand mouse button held down (the cursor changes its appearance); as the cursor moves across (by default) a significant element its p-points will become visible.

Moving the cursor over a p-point (with the left-hand mouse button still depressed) will cause the p-point identifier to be displayed in the Status Form; also, the appearance of the cursor will change.

Selecting a p-point is achieved by releasing the mouse button with the cursor over the required point. The identifier, direction and position of the point will appear in the Draft Command Input & Output form and the p-point display markers will disappear.

Releasing the left-hand mouse button without selecting a p-point will leave the current set of p-points visible; you will be able to zoom or pan the view, or quit out of the command line by selecting Cancel on the Status Form.

Whether the p-points for the last significant element identified or for the last primitive identified are made visible is controlled by the PPOINTS command:

In the latter case, identifying a length of implied tube will cause only the Branches Head and Tail p-points to be made visible. Lines generated by a section plane (see Section Planes) are assigned to the significant element and not to the primitive sectioned; picking on one of these lines will cause all the p-points of the significant element to be made visible - even when in ‘Design primitives’ mode. P-points that lie outside the view rectangle will not be shown.