Rotate | Scale | Translate

3D Space Transformations

There are three ways to transform a component:

  • Rotate - Spins a component around the x, y and/or z axes of the parent component.
  • Scale - Expands or contracts a component relative to the x, y and z axes of the parent component.
  • Translate - Moves a component relative to the x, y or z axis of the parent component.

All children inherit the transformations of the parent component. All transformations occur in the order in which they appear within a component.

Rotate

Use Rotate to turn the component about the x, y or z axis. For instance, Rotate can be used to simulate the lowering of the space shuttle’s landing gear or opening of the space shuttle’s doors. The command is formatted as:

Rotate <rx> <ry> <rz>

Rotations are applied in consecutive order, beginning with the X axis (i.e., X, and then Y, and then Z). This example first rotates the ChildComponent 20 degrees around the x axis, and then 10 degrees around the y axis of the ParentComponent:

Component ParentComponent

Rotate 20.0 10.0 0.0
Refer
Component ChildComponent
EndRefer

EndComponent

Two or more Rotate commands can be used to rotate a component out of the <rx> , <ry> , <rz> sequence. This example first rotates the ChildComponent 10° around the y axis of the ParentComponent, and then 20° around the x axis

Component ParentComponent

Rotate 0.0 10.0 0.0
Rotate 20.0 0.0 0.0
Refer
Component ChildComponent
EndRefer

EndComponent

Scale

Use the Scale transformation to change the size of a specified component. There are two primary Scale commands: Scale and UniformScale. The commands are formatted as:

Scale <sx> <sy> <sz>

or

UniformScale <xyz>

The Scale command specifies individual multipliers for each axis; the UniformScale command specifies one multiplier for all axes. In this example, the ChildComponent is stretched 2.0 times along the x axis, 1.0 times along the y axis and 0.4 times along the z axis of the ParentComponent:

Component ParentComponent

Scale 2.0 1.0 0.4
Refer
Component ChildComponent
EndRefer

EndComponent

In this example, the ChildComponent is stretched 7.2 times along the x, y and z axes of the ParentComponent:

Component ParentComponent

UniformScale 7.2
Refer
Component ChildComponent
EndRefer

EndComponent

Translate

Use the Translate transformation to move an object along the x, y or z axis. For instance, Translate can be used to illustrate the staging of a missile. The command is formatted as:

Translate <tx> <ty> <tz>

Example of the translate transformation:

Component ParentComponent

Translate 0.5 -10.7 35.0
Refer
Component ChildComponent
EndRefer

EndComponent

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