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SPLINE (Command)

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Dec 16 2015

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|In-Product View (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-5E7D51E2-1595-4E0C85F8-2D7CBD166A08.htm) (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-5E7D51E21595-4E0C-85F8-2D7CBD166A08.htm)

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Applies to AutoCAD 2016, AutoCAD Architecture 2016, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2016, AutoCAD Electrical 2016, AutoCAD MEP 2016, AutoCAD Map 3D 2016, AutoCAD Mechanical 2016, AutoCAD
P&ID 2016, AutoCAD Plant 3D 2016, AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2016, and AutoCAD Utility Design 2016
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Creates a smooth curve that passes through or near a set of t points, or that is dened by the vertices in a control frame.
Find

SPLINE creates (http://www.autodesk.com/)

curves called nonuniform rational B-splines (NURBS), referred to as splines for simplicity.
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Splines are
dened either
with t points, NETWORK
or with control
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Control frames provide a convenient method to shape the spline. Each method has its advantages.
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To display or hide the control vertices and control frame, select or deselect the spline, or use CVSHOW and CVHIDE. However, for splines created with control
vertices in AutoCAD LT, you can display the control frame only by selecting the spline.

The prompts differ, depending on whether you choose Fit or CV (control vertices) as the creation method (Method option).

First Point
Species the rst point of the spline, either the rst t point or the rst control vertex, depending on the current method.
Next Point
Creates additional spline segments until you press Enter.

Undo
Removes the last specied point.
Close

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Closes the spline by dening the last point to be coincident with the rst. By default, closed splines are periodic, maintaining curvature continuity (C2) along
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the entire loop.

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Method
Controls whether the spline is created with t points or with control vertices. (SPLMETHOD system variable)

Fit
Creates a degree 3 (cubic) B-spline by specifying t points that the spline must pass through. When the tolerance value is greater than 0, the spline must be
within the specied tolerance distance from each point.
Control Vertices (CV)
Creates a spline by specifying control vertices. Use this method to create splines of degree 1 (linear), degree 2 (quadratic), degree 3 (cubic), and so on up to
degree 10. Adjusting the shape of a spline by moving control vertices often provides better results than moving t points.

Object
Converts 2D or 3D quadratic or cubic spline-t polylines to equivalent splines. The original polyline is retained or discarded depending on the setting of the
DELOBJ system variable.

Prompts for Splines with Fit Points

The following prompts are specic to the t point method.
Knots

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Createbetween
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Species the knot parameterization, one of several computational methods that determines how the component curves
within a
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spline are blended. (SPLKNOTS system variable)
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Chord. ( Chord-Length method) Spaces the knots connecting each component curve to be proportional to the distances between each associated pair of
t points. An example is the green curve in the illustration.

Square root. (Centripetal method) Spaces the knots connecting each component curve to be proportional to the square root of the distance between
each associated pair of t points. This method usually produces gentler curves.
Uniform. (Equidistant method). Spaces the knots of each component curve to be equal, regardless of the spacing of the t points. This method often
produces curves that overshoot the t points.
Start Tangency
Species a tangent condition on the starting point of the spline.

End Tangency
Species a tangent condition on the ending point of the spline.

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Tolerance

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Species the distance by which the spline is allowed to deviate from the specied t points. A tolerance value of 0 requires the resulting spline to pass directly
through the t points. The tolerance value applies to all t points except the starting and ending t points, which always have a tolerance of 0.

Prompts for Splines with Control Vertices

The following prompt is specic to the control vertices (CV) method. (SPLMETHOD system variable)

Degree
Sets the polynomial degree of the resulting spline. Use this option to create splines of degree 1 (linear), degree 2 (quadratic), degree 3 (cubic), and so on up
to degree 10.

Related Concepts
About Curved Objects (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-C8751C70-A9FC-48DA-B617-A1F147CAAE1C.htm)
About Splines (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-58316136-30EB-499C-ACAD-31D0C653B2B2.htm)
About Using the Spline Tool to Create NURBS Surfaces and Splines (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-AA930965E084-4A80-BCC1-45789FA7276D.htm)

Related Reference
Commands for Creating Procedural Surfaces (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-E0871B43-64E1-4B86-BC84E7BD281BD3D2.htm)
Commands for Curved Geometric Objects (http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-61E4FFAA-8D30-4D10-9DC6C1D47B29187B.htm)
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SPLINE (Command) (/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-5E7D51E2-1595-4E0C-85F82D7CBD166A08-htm.html)

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About Splines (/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-58316136-30EB-499C-ACAD31D0C653B2B2-htm.html)

SPLINEDIT (Command) (/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-5530922C-6828-48B1-804CEDD9053535BD-htm.html)

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About Splines (/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/les/GUID-58316136-30EB-499C-ACAD31D0C653B2B2-htm.html)
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