create_polyline#

Modeler3D.create_polyline(points, segment_type=None, cover_surface=False, close_surface=False, name=None, material=None, xsection_type=None, xsection_orient=None, xsection_width=1, xsection_topwidth=1, xsection_height=1, xsection_num_seg=0, xsection_bend_type=None, non_model=False)#

Draw a polyline object in the 3D modeler.

This method retrieves the ansys.aedt.core.modeler.cad.primitives.Polyline object, which has additional methods for manipulating the polyline. For example, you can use ansys.aedt.core.modeler.cad.primitives.Polyline.insert_segment() to insert a segment or ansys.aedt.core.modeler.cad.primitives.Polyline.id to retrieve the ID of the polyline object.

Parameters:

pointslist: Array of positions of each point of the polyline. A position is a list of 2D or 3D coordinates. Position coordinate values can be numbers or valid AEDT string expressions. For example, [0, 1, 2], ["0mm", "5mm", "1mm"], or ["x1", "y1", "z1"].
segment_typestr or PolylineSegment or list, optional: The default behavior is to connect all points as "Line" segments. The default is None. Use a "PolylineSegment", for "Line", "Arc", "Spline", or "AngularArc". A list of segment types (str or ansys.aedt.core.modeler.cad.primitives.PolylineSegment) is valid for a compound polyline.
cover_surfacebool, optional: The default is False.
close_surfacebool, optional: The default is False, which automatically joins the starting and ending points.
namestr, optional: Name of the polyline. The default is None.
materialstr, optional: Name of the material. The default is None, in which case the default material is assigned.
xsection_typestr, optional: Type of the cross-section. Options are "Line", "Circle", "Rectangle", and "Isosceles Trapezoid". The default is None.
xsection_orientstr, optional: Direction of the normal vector to the width of the cross-section. Options are "X", "Y", "Z", and "Auto". The default is None, which sets the direction to "Auto".
xsection_widthfloat or str, optional: Width or diameter of the cross-section for all types. The default is 1.
xsection_topwidthfloat or str, optional: Top width of the cross-section for type "Isosceles Trapezoid" only. The default is 1.
xsection_heightfloat or str: Height of the cross-section for type "Rectangle" or "Isosceles Trapezoid" only. The default is 1.
xsection_num_segint, optional: Number of segments in the cross-section surface for type "Circle", "Rectangle", or "Isosceles Trapezoid". The default is 0. The value must be 0 or greater than 2.
xsection_bend_typestr, optional: Type of the bend for the cross-section. The default is None, in which case the bend type is set to "Corner". For the type "Circle", the bend type should be set to "Curved".
non_modelbool, optional: Either if the polyline will be created as model or unmodel object.

Returns:

ansys.aedt.core.modeler.polylines.Polyline: Polyline object.

References

>>> oEditor.CreatePolyline

Examples

Set up the desktop environment.

>>> from ansys.aedt.core.modeler.cad.polylines import PolylineSegment
>>> from ansys.aedt.core import Desktop
>>> from ansys.aedt.core import Maxwell3d
>>> desktop = Desktop(version="2025.2", new_desktop=False)
>>> m3d = Maxwell3d()
>>> m3d.modeler.model_units = "mm"

Define some test data points.

>>> test_points = [
...     ["0mm", "0mm", "0mm"],
...     ["100mm", "20mm", "0mm"],
...     ["71mm", "71mm", "0mm"],
...     ["0mm", "100mm", "0mm"],
... ]

The default behavior assumes that all points are to be connected by line segments. Optionally specify the name.

>>> P1 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(test_points, name="PL_line_segments")

Specify that the first segment is a line and the last three points define a three-point arc.

>>> P2 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(test_points, segment_type=["Line", "Arc"], name="PL_line_plus_arc")

Redraw the 3-point arc alone from the last three points and additionally specify five segments using PolylineSegment.

>>> P3 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(
...     test_points[1:], segment_type=PolylineSegment(segment_type="Arc", num_seg=7), name="PL_segmented_arc"
... )

Specify that the four points form a spline and add a circular cross-section with a diameter of 1 mm.

>>> P4 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(
...     test_points, segment_type="Spline", name="PL_spline", xsection_type="Circle", xsection_width="1mm"
... )

Use the PolylineSegment object to specify more detail about the individual segments. Create a center point arc starting from the position test_points[1], rotating about the center point position test_points[0] in the XY plane.

>>> start_point = test_points[1]
>>> center_point = test_points[0]
>>> segment_def = PolylineSegment(
...     segment_type="AngularArc", arc_center=center_point, arc_angle="90deg", arc_plane="XY"
... )
>>> m3d.modeler.create_polyline(start_point, segment_type=segment_def, name="PL_center_point_arc")

Create a spline using a list of variables for the coordinates of the points.

>>> x0, y0, z0 = "0", "0", "1"
>>> x1, y1, z1 = "1", "3", "1"
>>> x2, y2, z2 = "2", "2", "1"
>>> P5 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(
...     points=[[x0, y0, z0], [x1, y1, z1], [x2, y2, z2]], segment_type="Spline", name="polyline_with_variables"
... )

Create a closed geometry by specifying in segment_type a list of PolylineSegments including AngularArc segments.

>>> test_points_1 = [[0.4, 0, 0], [-0.4, -0.6, 0], [0.4, 0, 0]]
>>> P6 = m3d.modeler.create_polyline(
...     points=test_points_1,
...     segment_type=[
...         PolylineSegment(
...             segment_type="AngularArc", arc_center=[0, 0, 0], arc_angle="180deg", arc_plane="XY"
...         ),
...         PolylineSegment(segment_type="Line"),
...         PolylineSegment(
...             segment_type="AngularArc", arc_center=[0, -0.6, 0], arc_angle="180deg", arc_plane="XY"
...         ),
...         PolylineSegment(segment_type="Line"),
...     ],
... )