Tool to convert non parametric solids to parametric solids?

Hi Helge,

in my not aware of any such tool. A question is how it should work: SmartSolid does not contain any information about it's history, it's BREP, which means geometry representation. Contrary to it, parametric solid knows its history and steps how it was constructed.

When SmartSolid is used as an input in modeling operation, a result is parametric solid and SmatSolid is maintained inside as one of geometry sources, so even here no conversion is used.

With regards,

  Jan

Hi Helge,

in my not aware of any such tool. A question is how it should work: SmartSolid does not contain any information about it's history, it's BREP, which means geometry representation. Contrary to it, parametric solid knows its history and steps how it was constructed.

When SmartSolid is used as an input in modeling operation, a result is parametric solid and SmatSolid is maintained inside as one of geometry sources, so even here no conversion is used.

With regards,

  Jan

Hi Jan,

I see, thank you for the feedback.

Basically i was trying the new "Define Perforator" tool in Microstation update 11, and had som existing single primitive solids and also single primitive smartsolids that i wanted to try it on. But this new tool will not exept any of those elements, not smart solids eighter. Only parametric solids seems to work. So i just found it very limiting that there is no way to use these new parametric tools on existing non parametric primitives, and no way to convert eighter.

Regards

Helge

helgeh said:

i was trying the new "Define Perforator" tool in Microstation update 11, and had som existing single primitive solids

MicroStation help says this: A Perforator is a parametric solid that acts a cutting element on a target element. The target element can be a parametric solid or a SmartSolid. 

So maybe  your SmartSolid is unusual in some way that the perforator tool doesn't understand.  As this is a Technology Preview, I am sure that Bentley Systems would be happy for you to submit your SmartSolid element to find why the perforator tool doesn't work.

Hi Helgeh,

       Thanks for testing this new feature and for your feedback. As you mentioned, currently only parametric solids can be defined as perforators. This is because smart solids and other legacy solids do not allow to create the associativity and dependency which are part of the feature and would offer very limited capabilities.

We haven't got a tool to change a legacy solid into a parametric one. This could be possible but - as Jan correctly stated - it could only change the solid type and won't be able to truly make it into a parametric solid but only a "brep of parametric type" (no history, no knowledge of what the profile was, etc).

We will look at adding this option to the current "Convert to solid" tool but we need to investigate what types of legacy solids can and will be supported.

Specifically for perforators and all the new features, these will need to be contained in a parametric-type model and hence used within a parametric cell, they can't work in a non-parametric type model and cell.

Also you can make a parametric cell with non parametric solids in it, you would only need to re-create the solid you want to make a perforator as a parametric solid, all the rest can live as it is.

Hope this helps,

Hi Marco

Thanks for looking in to this.

Yes i understand about the history that Jan pointed out, but just to be able to change primitive type would be helpfull. An option under "convert to solid" was what i was looking for.

Regards

Helge

Thank you Helgeh, I filed Enhancement 967068 for your request. I would advise thought to use parametric solids as much as you an as all the new smart features and the ones that are coming will produce maximum benefits when used with the new parametric solids and cells.