Edit / Split Object...   ()

Summary

Splits into a rubble pile the currently selected object in the active window.

Description

When you select this command, a dialog will be displayed that allows you to specify how to split the selected object into a rubble pile. This dialog allows you to specify the following.

• The number of identical components that the rubble pile is to have.

• Whether the rubble pile is to be two-dimensional (a rubble disc) or three-dimensional.

• Whether the components are to be numbered or lettered. If the components are numbered, then '-1', '-2', '-3', etc are appended to the names of the components to distinguish them. If the components are lettered, then '-A', '-B', '-C', ... '-Z', '-AA', '-AB', '-AC', etc are appended to the names of the components to distinguish them. Numbering is likely to be the more useful, with lettering provided mainly because this is the standard convention for designating comet fragments.

• The rotation period, with a value of infinity used to specify a non-rotating rubble pile.

• The x-, y-, and z-components of the rotation axis. Only the direction of this vector is used, so that multiplying all three components by the same positive number will have no effect. Multiplying all three components by -1 will reverse the direction of rotation.

When you choose OK to accept your edits, the selected object is converted into a rubble pile as specified. If you find that you've got something different to what you expected, you can easily undo the change, and then try specifying the rubble pile again. In particular, if you find that your rubble pile is rotating in the wrong direction, undo the change and then specify the rubble pile again, changing the signs of the three components of the rotation axis.

If you specify too low a rotation period, you will find that the components of the rubble pile fly apart when you evolve the simulation. A higher (but non-infinite) rotation period will cause the rubble pile to bulge at its equator when you evolve the simulation.

See Also:

• Edit / Undo()that undoes the latest change to the frontmost simulation.

• Edit / Redo()that redoes the most recently undone change to the frontmost simulation.

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