Interactive Design of Parameterized 3D Models by Direct Manipulation

摘要

The integration of a high level parameterized model representation with directmanipulation interface techniques for the design of three dimensional (3D) objects is addressed. A direct manipulation user interface enables the user to specify a model by interaction on a graphical representation, as an alternative for an abstract and error prone alphanumerical dialogue style. A high level model representation is obtained by using a procedural modeling language with general purpose control structures, including arithmetic and logical expressions, repetition, conditionals, functions and procedures, and dedicated data types such as coordinate systems, geometric primitives and geometric constraints. The language interpreter is interconnected with a graphical interface, an incremental constraint solver and a geometric modeler, using visual programming techniques. The developed techniques are implemented in a modeling system called GeoNode. The system incorporates paradigms of object oriented design, with respect to both the user interface and to the system implementation. The applicability of the presented techniques is illustrated by examples in application domains such as solid modeling, kinematic analysis, feature modeling and topdown design.