About Breaking Elements

Using the Break command, you can isolate points.

• If you select a point that limits and is common to two elements, the point will be duplicated.
• If you select a coincident point, this point becomes independent (it is no more assigned a coincidence constraint). In the following example, applying Break onto the circle center isolates it and lets you therefore move the circle:

  
  
  

• You can isolate a point by right-clicking the point and selecting Point.x object > Isolate Point(s) after you apply Break.
  Note: A new separate feature Point.x is added to the tree for the isolated point, isolated using the Isolate Point(s) command.
  
  
  
• If you move the pointer over different entities when using the Break command, the point's representation is also updated that is the start point and the break point.
  
  

  The different parts of the curve get highlighted when you sequentially move the pointer over different elements when selecting the breaking element. Thus the highlighted elements are changed whenever the entity under the pointer changes while selecting the breaking element.

  If you select a circle as a breaking element, the start point is indicated across the horizontal axis as shown below:
  
  

  The break point changes as you move the pointer over the circle.
  
  

  After applying break, the circle is broken at the indicated point. The broken entity is highlighted in blue and a point is created. The circle is now composed of two segments. Coincidence constraints are created and represented by two small concentric circles.

  
  
  

You cannot break composite curves (which are projected/intersected elements composed of several curves).

However, you can work around this functional restriction by projecting or intersecting the composite curve elements and break these items using one another.