Creating Markers

You can create markers on a body to use it as a basic geometric element to define motion elements, such as joints, or springs. You can define a marker manually, or define its properties based on an existing geometry.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Create at least one body and define it as active.
See Also
About Markers

Create Markers Manually

You can create a marker using an axis-system as its origin, and by specifying its position and orientation manually.

  1. From the Mechanism section of the action bar, click Marker .
  2. In the tree, select a body on which to create the marker.
  3. Select Manual as the type of marker to create.
    The marker appears in the tree, under the Body node.
  4. In the Position and Orientation section of the dialog box, define the marker:
    1. Enter a position value for the element along the x, y, and z-axis.
    2. Select one of the following rotation sequences:

      • Extrinsic: Rotations that apply to an axis in the world coordinate system. The orientation follows the x, y, and finally the z-axis.
      • Euler: Three angles that describe the orientation of a rigid body with respect to a fixed coordinate system. The orientation follows the z, x', and finally the z"-axis.
      • Cardan: Rotation sequence from angular orientation data. The orientation follows the x, y', and finally the z"-axis.

    3. Specify a value for each orientation angle.

      Note: You can also use the Robot to modify the position and orientation of the marker. For more information, see Manipulating Objects Using the Mouse and Robot.

  5. Click OK

Create Markers Using a Geometric Element

You can create a marker using a geometric element as its origin. The position and orientation of the marker depends on the selected geometry.

  1. From the Mechanism section of the action bar, click Marker .
  2. In the tree, select a body on which to create the marker.
  3. Select By Geometry as the type of marker to create.
  4. Optional: In the tree, select the geometry to use to define the origin of the marker.

    Note: You can select one of the following geometric elements:
    • Axis-system
    • Point (vertex)
    • Line (linear edge)
    • Circular edge
    • Conical face
    • Cylindrical face
    • Planar face
    • Spherical face

    Note: If you select no geometry, the default origin is the reference marker of the body.

    The position and orientation of the marker along the x, y, and z-axis appear in the Position and Orientation section of the dialog box.
    Note: You cannot edit the position and orientation values but you can display them according to a different rotation sequence.
  5. In the Axes section of the dialog box, define the direction of the marker along the x, y, and z-axes.
    1. Select a primary axis to define the main direction of the marker.
    2. Optional: Click Flip primary axis direction to reverse the direction of the geometry along the primary axis.
      • The Robot displays the new direction of the axis in the 3D area.
      • The position and orientation of the marker is updated in the Position and Orientation section of the dialog box.
    3. Optional: In the work area, select a geometry for each axis.

      The selected geometry defines the direction of the marker along the axis. You can select one of the following geometric elements:

      • Line (linear edge)
      • Circular edge (arc)
      • Planar face
      • Cylindrical face
      • Conical face
      • Axis from an axis system
      • Reference plane
      • Reference axis

      Note: By default, if you select no geometry for one or several of the axes, the app computes the direction of the axis or axes.

    4. Optional: Click Flip direction to reverse the direction of the geometry selected for each axis (other than the primary axis).
      • The Robot displays the new direction of the axis in the 3D area.
      • The position and orientation of the marker is updated in the Position and Orientation section of the dialog box.
  6. In the Offset section of the dialog box, define the offset position and orientation of the marker:
    1. Enter a position value for the element along the x, y, and z-axis.
    2. Select one of the following rotation sequences:

      • Extrinsic: Rotations that apply to an axis in the world coordinate system. The orientation follows the x, y, and finally the z-axis.
      • Euler: Three angles that describe the orientation of a rigid body with respect to a fixed coordinate system. The orientation follows the z, x', and finally the z"-axis.
      • Cardan: Rotation sequence from angular orientation data. The orientation follows the x, y', and finally the z"-axis.

    3. Specify a value for each orientation angle.

      Note: You can also use the Robot to modify the position and orientation of the marker. For more information, see Manipulating Objects Using the Mouse and Robot.

    The position and orientation of the marker is updated in the Position and Orientation section of the dialog box.
    Note: You cannot edit the position and orientation values, but you can display them according to a different rotation sequence.
  7. Click OK.

Edit Markers

  1. In the tree, double-click a marker under a body.

    Tip: You can also right-click a marker in the tree and select Definition from the object menu.

  2. In the Marker dialog box, edit the marker parameters.
  3. Click OK.

    Note: To modify the general properties or graphical properties of the element, right-click the element in the tree and select Properties. For more information, see Displaying Properties.