API Panel.Position.RotateX

<sidebar>API contents</sidebar> Rotates the object around the X axis

Parameters

HANDLE Handle

The position or component to update

The default value for this parameter is: this

HANDLE PivotHandle

An optional position to treat as the origin to rotate around

FLOAT Degrees

Number of degrees to rotate by

Return value

This call does not return a value

Detailed description

An object can rotate around any axis. This has the effect of altering the pitch of the object - in terms of an aeroplane this makes the plane climb or bank.

An object can rotate around it's own axis(x,y,z), or around the axis of another object's axis(x,y,x) if a different object is named as the Pivothandle in the api call. if no PivotHandle is specified the object will rotate in its own local space.

When dealing with rotation in Flowcode it is important therefore to understand the following points;

Rotating around an object's own axis

Main article: Object rotation

This technique is the simplest way of rotating an object or group when the type of rotation required is not relative to any other object or component.

The image to the right shows a cube with it's axis positions identified. Note in this context the x,y,z axis is illustrated just to highlight the explanation of technique, it is not representative of the axis position in Flowcode v6.

Calling the simulation api Panel.Position.RotateX(MyCube,MyCube,1) will rotate the object in one-degree steps along it's X-axis as shown by the red rotation arc. To rotate the cube in a counter direction simply specify a negative number for the degrees parameter.

The screenshot from Flowcode v6 below shows a cubiod with it's internal axis shown (red is the X-axis line), and also a circle that cuts right through the cuboid's X-axis (see example section below for links to the file) When the program runs the cuboid rotates along it's X axis. Note also incidentally the cuboids axis is also the same as the world axis but this might not always be the case.

Rotating around another axis

The principles here are identical to rotation around an objects own axis. Imagine a solid bar, attached at one end to a fixed pivot point, and the other to the centre of the rotating object.

This call has the effect of rotating that bar, and therefore the object attached to the other end, around the fixed objects X axis.

Examples

Calling in a calculation

• Add to a calculation icon:

  ::Panel.Position.RotateX(handle, pivothandle, degrees)

Flowcode example file

Download File:SIMAPI Panel Position RotateX v1.fcf and open it in Flowcode v6.

The sample file File:SIMAPI Panel Position RotateXYZ.fcf rotates a grouped object around its X, Y, and Z axis.