Scripting Aperture Curves

In FRED, the Aperture Curve Collection construct is used to assign an optical meaning (clear aperture, edge, obscuration, hole) to a collection of closed curves and can be used to trim a surface. A typical procedure might be:

• Create the surface.
• Create the curve describing the hole / aperture, etc.
• Create a curve of type "Aperture Curve Collection".
• Reference the original curve in the settings of the Aperture Curve.
• Reference the Aperture Curve in the Surface Trimming Specification in the surface.

However, if you have a large number of these curves, it makes sense to use a script to automate the process of adding the curves into the curve list of the Aperture Curve. The example script below does this.

Sub Main

    Dim ent As T_ENTITY, i As Long
    Dim apCurv As Long, curveOps() As T_APERTURECURVEOP
    Dim numCurves As Long, curveOp As T_APERTURECURVEOP

    apCurv = FindFullName( "Geometry.Elem 1.Aperture Curve" )
    GetApertureCurve apCurv, ent, curveOps

    numCurves = 0

    'loop over all entities.....
    For i = 0 To GetEntityCount() - 1

        'for every curve that is not apCurve...
        If IsCurve(i) Then
            If i <> apCurv Then

                'resize the array
                ReDim Preserve curveOps(numCurves) As T_APERTURECURVEOP

                'add an operation for this curve
                curveOp.action  = "Hole"
                curveOp.curv    = i
                curveOp.group   = 0
                curveOps(numCurves) = curveOp
                numCurves = numCurves + 1

            End If
        End If

    Next i

    'update the Aperture Curve
    SetApertureCurve apCurv, ent, curveOps
    Update


End Sub<br>

The script assumes the following about the curves: 

• They have already been created.
• They need to be added.
• They define holes in the surface.

Before running the script

After running the script

Associated FRED file: ScriptingApertureCurve.frd