Description

Sync Spacings allows you to select a set of connectors and have all of the spacing values at their common nodes made equal. This capability is particularly useful for ensuring smooth transitions between domains and to help prevent cell area discontinuities at domain boundaries. The keyboard shortcut for this feature, Ctrl+H, executes the command on the currently selected connectors with the previously used panel settings but does not open the command panel.

Use the Sync Spacings panel to quickly synchronize the common node spacings for all selected connectors.
Use the Sync Spacings panel to quickly synchronize the common node spacings for all selected connectors.

Sync Spacings will synchronize all of the spacings at a given node for currently selected connectors. There are four controls available on this panel.

  • Type: Provides three choice for how to choose the spacing to be used at any given node. The default, Minimum, will determine the minimum current spacing of the selected connectors at a common node and use that value for all spacings at that node. Maximum, likewise, will determine the maximum spacing and use that value. Finally, you can have the command use the Average of all of the currently selected connectors' spacings at each node.
  • Growth Rate: When Keep Dimension and Distribution Type is toggled off, the default state, a growth distribution will be applied to the connector and the rate entered in the Growth Rate field will be used. This combination of settings will most often be used when working on unstructured grids.
  • Keep Dimension and Distribution Type: When checked on, all selected connectors will maintain their original dimension and distribution type. This state will most often be used and is desirable for structured grids in order to maintain their regular distribution and computationally rectangular dimensions. When unchecked, all selected connectors will have their distribution type changed to a Growth distribution function and may have their overall dimension changed for optimum distribution. See the Distribute command for more information on the various supported distribution functions. This option is off by default.
  • Use T-Rex Spacings: When checked on, 2D T-Rex initial spacings are also considered when computing a minimum, maximum or average spacing at a node. This is particularly useful when the Angle boundary condition has been applied for 2D T-Rex domain boundaries where an explicit spacing value has not actually been set by the user. This option is off by default.

Once all selections have been made, click Sync Spacings to preview the results of synchronizing the selected connectors' spacings.

 

Note: Keep in mind that this command performs a one-off operation; the spacings will not be maintained as synchronized through later individual changes to spacing values.

Demonstration

T-Rex Sync Spacings Modifier

Synchronize Connector Spacings