FixedShape2

Visualizing an elementary shape with dynamically varying shape attributes (has two frame connectors)

    FixedShape2

Library

Mechanics/MultiBody/Visualizers

Description

Model FixedShape2 defines a visual shape that is shown at the location of its frame_a. This model is identical to FixedShape with the only difference that an additional frame_b is present which is parallel to frame_a. This makes it more convenient to connect several visual shapes together when building up more complex visual objects. All describing data such as size and color can vary dynamically by providing appropriate expressions in the input fields of the parameter menu. The only exception is parameter shapeType that cannot be changed during simulation. The following shapes are currently supported via parameter shapeType (e.g., shapeType="box"):
 

model Visualizers.FixedShape2

 
The dark blue arrows in the figure above are directed along variable lengthDirection. The light blue arrows are directed along variable widthDirection. The coordinate systems in the figure represent frame_a of the FixedShape component.

Additionally, external shapes can be specified as (not all options might be supported by all tools):

  • "1", "2", ...
    define external shapes specified in DXF format in files "1.dxf", "2.dxf", ... The DXF-files must be found either in the current directory or in the directory where the Shape instance is stored that references the DXF file. This (very limited) option should not be used for new models. Example:
    shapeType="1".
  • "modelica://<Modelica-name>/<relative-path-file-name>"
    characterizes the file that is stored under the location of the <Modelica-name> library path with the given relative file name. Example:
    shapeType = "../../../../Resources/Data/Shapes/Engine/piston.dxf".
  • "file://<absolute-file-name>"
    characterizes an absolute file name in the file system. Example:
    shapeType="file://C:/users/myname/shapes/piston.dxf".

The supported file formats are tool dependent. Most tools support at least DXF-files but may support other format as well (such as stl, obj, 3ds). Since visualization files contain color and other data, the corresponding information in the model is usually ignored. For information about DXF files, see Wikipedia. As a default it is assumed that the DXF coordinates are in the "frame_a"-system and in meters, and that the 3dfaces are two-sided. Some tools support only 3dface (for geometry) and layer (for advanced coloring).

The sizes of any of the above components are specified by the length, width and height variables. Via variable extra additional data can be defined:

shapeTypeMeaning of parameter extra
"cylinder" if extra > 0, a black line is included in the cylinder to show the rotation of it.
"cone" extra = diameter-left-side / diameter-right-side, i.e.,
extra = 1: cylinder
extra = 0: "real" cone.
"pipe" extra = outer-diameter / inner-diameter, i.e,
extra = 1: cylinder that is completely hollow
extra = 0: cylinder without a hole.
"gearwheel" extra is the number of teeth of the (external) gear. If extra < 0, an internal gear is visualized with |extra| teeth. The axis of the gearwheel is along "lengthDirection", and usually: width = height = 2*radiusOfGearWheel.
"spring" extra is the number of windings of the spring. Additionally, "height" is not the "height" but 2*coil-width.
external shape extra = 0: Visualization from file is not scaled.
extra = 1: Visualization from file is scaled with "length", "width" and "height" of the shape

Parameter color is a vector with 3 elements, {r, g, b}, and specifies the color of the shape. {r, g, b} are the "red", "green" and "blue" color parts. Note, r, g, b are given as Integer[3] in the ranges 0 .. 255, respectively. The predefined type MultiBody.Types.Color contains a menu definition of the colors used in the MultiBody library together with a color editor.

In the following figure the relationships between frame_a and frame_b are shown. The origin of frame_b with respect to frame_a is specified via parameter vector r.

Parts.FixedTranslation

Parameters

FixedShape2_0

NameLabelDescriptionData TypeValid Values

mo_animation

animation

= true, if animation shall be enabled

Scalar

true
false

mo_shapeType

shapeType

Type of shape

String

mo_r_shape

r_shape

Vector from frame_a to shape origin, resolved in frame_a

Vector of size 3

mo_lengthDirection

lengthDirection

Vector in length direction of shape, resolved in frame_a

Vector of size 3

mo_widthDirection

widthDirection

Vector in width direction of shape, resolved in frame_a

Vector of size 3

mo_length

length

Length of shape

Scalar

mo_width

width

Width of shape

Scalar

mo_height

height

Height of shape

Scalar

mo_extra

extra

Additional data for cylinder, cone, pipe, gearwheel and spring

Scalar

mo_color

color

Color of shape

Vector of size 3

mo_specularCoefficient

specularCoefficient

Reflection of ambient light (= 0: light is completely absorbed)

Scalar

FixedShape2_1

NameLabelDescriptionData TypeValid Values

mo_r

r

r

Structure

mo_r/fixed

fixed

Cell of vectors of size 3

true
false

mo_r/start

start

Cell of vectors of size 3

Ports

NameTypeDescriptionIO TypeNumber

frame_a

implicit

Coordinate system a (all shape definition vectors are resolved in this frame)

input

1

frame_b

implicit

Coordinate system b

output

1