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For instructions on how to use the Define Commands, please click here.

Define Point

A point defines an exact position in space.  The position is represented by its XYZ coordinate.  A point may be defined by any of the following:

Rectangular Coordinates
Intersection of 2 Lines
Intersection of a Line and a Circle
Intersection of 2 Circles
On a Circle at an Angle With the X Axis
Center of a Circle
Intersection of 3 Planes
Polar Coordinates
Location in a Pattern
Radius and Rotation Around Another Point
On a Circle at an Angle With a Point on the Circle
Intersection of a Line and an Ellipse
Intersection of a Line and a Hyperbola
Rotation About Axes
Intersection of a Line and a Plane
Intersection of a Line and a Sphere
Intersection of a Line and a Cylinder


Rectangular Coordinates

POINT/x-coord,y-coord,z-coord
The point is defined by the given x-, y- and z-coordinate.


P1=POINT/2.0,4.0,6.0
P2=POINT/5.0,-7.0,0
P3=POINT/-6.0,-3.0,-8.0


Intersection of 2 Lines

POINT/INTOF,line1,line2
The point is defined as the intersection of line1 with line2.


P1=POINT/INTOF,L1,L2
P2=POINT/INTOF,L1,L3
P3=POINT/INTOF,L2,L3


Intersection of a Line and a Circle

POINT/modifier,INTOF,line,circle
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of line with circle.  There are 2 intersections unless the line is tangent with the circle.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point (see below).


P1=POINT/YLARGE,INTOF,L2,C1
P2=POINT/XLARGE,INTOF,L2,C1
P3=POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L2,C2
P4=POINT/YSMALL,INTOF,L2,C2
P5=POINT/YLARGE,INTOF,L1,C1
P6=POINT/XLARGE,INTOF,L1,C1
P7=POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L1,C2
P8=POINT/YSMALL,INTOF,L1,C2

When a definition statement can possibly return more than one geometric, the modifiers *LARGE and *SMALL, where * is an axis designation of X, Y or Z, specifies which geometric to return:
The modifiers are also used to describe the directional displacement of where one geometric crosses the X-, Y- or Z-axis relative to another geometric.  This is accomplished by comparing the X, Y or Z intercepts of the geometrics.  For example, line L1 is YLARGE to line L2 when the Y-intercept of L1 is greater than the Y-intercept of L2.


Intersection of 2 Circles

POINT/modifier,INTOF,circle1,circle2
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of circle1 with circle2.  There are 2 intersections unless circle1 is tangent with circle2.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point.


P1=POINT/YLARGE,INTOF,C1,C2
P2=POINT/YSMALL,INTOF,C1,C2
P3=POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,C2,C3
P4=POINT/XLARGE,INTOF,C2,C3

The directional modifiers are defined here.


On a Circle at an Angle With the X Axis

POINT/circle,ATANGL,angle
The point is defined as the intersection of circle with a radial line emanating from the center of circle.  Angle is measured from the circle's positive x-axis.


P1=POINT/C1,ATANGL,10
P2=POINT/C1,ATANGL,45
P3=POINT/C1,ATANGL,110
P4=POINT/C1,ATANGL,270
                   or
P1=POINT/C1,ATANGL,-350
P2=POINT/C1,ATANGL,-315
P3=POINT/C1,ATANGL,-250
P4=POINT/C1,ATANGL,-90


Center of a Circle

POINT/CENTER,circle
The point is defined as the center of circle.


CP=POINT/CENTER,C1


Intersection of 3 Planes

POINT/INTOF,plane1,plane2,plane3
The point is defined as the intersection of plane1, plane2, and plane3.


P1=POINT/INTOF,PL1,PL2,PL3


Polar Coordinates

POINT/RTHETA,modifier,radius,angle
modifier: XYPLAN | YZPLAN | ZXPLAN
The point is defined by polar coordinates radius and angle.  The modifier specifies in which plane the polar coordinates apply.  Angles are measured from the positive X-axis when XYPLAN or ZXPLAN is specified, and from the positive Y-axis when YZPLAN is specified.


P1=POINT/RTHETA,XYPLAN,14.38,30.0
P2=POINT/RTHETA,YZPLAN,15.9,45.0


Location in a Pattern

POINT/pattern,n
The point is defined as the nth point in a pattern.  The first point is number 1.


P1=POINT/PAT1,4


Rotation About Axes

Not a valid APT definition.
POINT/ROTATE,point,theta,alpha,beta
The point is defined by rotating point around the X and/or Y and/or Z axes.  Theta specifies the angle of rotation around the Z-axis; alpha around the X-axis; beta around the Y-axis.


P1=POINT/1,1,1
P2::POINT/ROTATE,P1,45.0,54.7356,0


Intersection of a Line and a Plane

Not a valid APT definition.
POINT/INTOF,line,plane
The point is defined as the intersection of line with plane.


P1::POINT/INTOF,L1,PL1


Intersection of a Line and an Ellipse

POINT/modifier,INTOF,line,ellipse
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of line with ellipse.  There are 2 intersections unless the line is tangent with the ellipse.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point.


P1::POINT/YLARGE,INTOF,L1,E1
P2::POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L1,E1

The directional modifiers are defined here.


Intersection of a Line and a Hyperbola

POINT/modifier,INTOF,line,hyperbola
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of line with hyperbola.  There are 2 intersections unless the line is tangent with the hyperbola.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point.


P1::POINT/YLARGE,INTOF,L1,H1
P2::POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L1,H1

The directional modifiers are defined here.


Intersection of a Line and a Sphere

Not a valid APT definition.
POINT/modifier,INTOF,line,sphere
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL | ZLARGE | ZSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of line with sphere.  There are 2 intersections unless the line is tangent with the sphere.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point.


P1::POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L1,S1
P2::POINT/ZLARGE,INTOF,L1,S1

The directional modifiers are defined here.


Intersection of a Line and a Cylinder

Not a valid APT definition.
POINT/modifier,INTOF,line,cylinder
modifier: XLARGE | XSMALL | YLARGE | YSMALL | ZLARGE | ZSMALL
The point is defined as the intersection of line with cylinder.  There are 2 intersections unless the line is tangent with the cylinder.  The modifier defines which point of intersection is desired relative to the other possible point.


P1::POINT/XSMALL,INTOF,L1,CYL1
P2::POINT/ZLARGE,INTOF,L1,CYL1


Radius and Rotation Around Another Point

POINT/point,RADIUS,radius,ATANGL,angle
The point is defined in the XY plane by the polar coordinates radius and angle with respect to point rather than the XY origin.


P2::POINT/P1,RADIUS,10.5,ATANGL,40.0
P3::POINT/P1,RADIUS,10.5,ATANGL,-30.0


On a Circle at an Angle With a Point on the Circle

POINT/point,DELTA,direction,ON,circle,ATANGL,angle
direction: CCLW | CLW
The point is defined as being on circle at an angular distance of angle from point.  Point is a reference point on circle.  The angular direction is specified as clockwise (CLW) or counter-clockwise (CCLW).


P2::POINT/P1,DELTA,CLW,ON,C1,ATANGL,70.0
P3::POINT/P1,DELTA,CCLW,ON,C1,ATANGL,140.0