FixedShape
Visualizing an elementary shape with dynamically varying shape attributes (has one frame connector)
Library
Modelica/Mechanics/MultiBody/Visualizers
Description
Model FixedShape defines a visual shape that isshown at the location of its frame_a.All describing data such as size and color can vary dynamically byproviding appropriate expressions in the input fields of theparameter menu. The only exception is parameter shapeTypethat cannot be changed during simulation.The following shapes are currently supported viaparameter shapeType (e.g., shapeType="box"):
The dark blue arrows in the figure above are directed alongvariable lengthDirection. The light blue arrows are directedalong variable widthDirection. The coordinate systemsin 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-filesbut may support other format as well (such as stl, obj, 3ds).Since visualization files contain color and other data, the correspondinginformation 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 thelength, width and height variables.Via variable extra additional data can be defined:
| shapeType | Meaning 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 typeMultiBody.Types.Color contains a menudefinition of the colors used in the MultiBody library together with a color editor.
Parameters
| Name | Label | Description | Data Type | Valid Values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
mo_animation | animation | = true, if animation shall be enabled | Scalar | true |
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_color | color | Color of shape | Vector of size 3 | |
mo_extra | extra | Additional data for cylinder, cone, pipe, gearwheel and spring | Scalar | |
mo_specularCoefficient | specularCoefficient | Reflection of ambient light (= 0: light is completely absorbed) | Scalar |
| Name | Label | Description | Data Type | Valid Values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
mo__nmodifiers | Number of Modifiers | Specifies the number of modifiers | Number | |
mo__modifiers | Modifiers | Add new modifier | Structure | |
mo__modifiers/varname | Variable name | Cell of strings | ||
mo__modifiers/attribute | Attribute | Cell of strings | 'start' | |
mo__modifiers/value | Value |
Ports
| Name | Type | Description | IO Type | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
frame_a | implicit | Coordinate system in which visualization data is resolved | input | 1 |