Creating Reflect Lines

Reflect Line lets you create closed or open reflect lines. Reflect lines are the curves for which the normal to the surface in each point present the same angle with a specified direction.


Before you begin: Create a 3D shape containing curves.
  1. Select the Type of reflect line to be created:
    • Cylindrical: corresponds to reflect lines with an infinite light source.
    • Conical: corresponds to reflect lines with a finite point light source.
  2. In the Support box, select the support surface.
  3. Select an axis in the Direction box (for cylindrical type) or a point in the Origin box (for conical type).
  4. In the Angle box, type the value or use the arrows to change the value.

    • For cylindrical lines, it represents the value between the selected direction and the normal to the surface.
    • For conical lines, it represents the value between the normal to the surface and the vector between the origin and the point on the surface where the normal has been computed.

    You can also use the displayed handles to modify the angle value (green handles), to reverse the support (red arrow) or to reverse the direction (red arrow, only available for the cylindrical type).

  5. Select the Angle Reference, that is whether the angle should be computed.
  6. Click OK to create the element.