Helix

[jgomez720]

Description

A tool that allows the user to create a helix on a cylindrical surface.

Functionality

1. User selects the Helix button.
2. User selects a cylindrical surface
3. User inputs the amount of turns or pitch they would like
4. User selects clockwise or counter-clockwise
5. User selects the starting location (can be set by an angle, similar to what's seen in the video below)
6. Optional: user selects a length (only if they don't want the helix to extend the full length of the cylinder.

Supporting Docs/Images

https://github.com/KittyCAD/modeling-app/assets/114548659/f0633820-1cff-42e5-a21d-2b580b5e8c62
https://github.com/KittyCAD/modeling-app/assets/114548659/8d222bef-f229-434b-b04b-0c816e7380b1

PseudoKCL

const cylinderBody = startSketchOn('XY')
  |> startProfileAt([4, 0], %)
  |> arc({
     angle_end: 360,
     angle_start: 0,
     radius: 4
   }, %)
  |> close(%)
  |> extrude(15, %)

const helixPath = helix({
  surface: cylinderBody,
  revolutions: 16,
  angle_start: 0,
  // ccw: true/false. Optional argument if you want it to be counter clockwise. Default is clockwise.
  // length: ____ . Optional argument if the user does not want it to extend the full length of the cylinder surface.
})

Expected Result:

[Irev-Dev]

So I think we need to think through a few more use cases for this.
For one passing in a cylinder is a nice thing to have because we can drive a bunch from it, like the length of helix and it's diameter, but I still think we need a raw helix, if you want to model a spring you will have to add a cylinder just to remove it again later.

But even if the cylinder, I think we need one that takes pitch, I know it's not hard to calculate pitch if you know the revolutions and length, but I think pitch is probably going to be used more, at least for things like thread, pitch is much more important that total revolutions.

So maybe we have 3 functions

helixRaw({ // need a better name.
  length: 20,
  pitch: 1,
  radius: 2.5,
  plane: planeData, // could use startSketchOn name is no great but does return a plane
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
})

helixPitch({
  surface: cylinderBody,
  pitch: 2.5,
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
})

helixRevolutions({
  surface: cylinderBody,
  revolutions: 10,
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
})

Or alternatively we keep just the one helix function, but helper function for that can take the cylinder id and return the plane data or similar that's needed.

helix({
  length: 20,
  pitch: 1,
  radius: 2.5,
  plane: planeData, // could use startSketchOn name is no great but does return a plane
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
})

helix(helixPitchHelper({
  surface: cylinderBody,
  pitch: 2.5,
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
}))

helix(helixRevolutionsHelper({
  surface: cylinderBody,
  revolutions: 10,
  // angleStart: 0,
  // ccw: true,
}))

Thoughts?

[jessfraz]

but like why do we need helixPitchHelper when we could just have helix accept { length: 20, pitch: 1, radius: 2.5, plane: planeData, // could use startSketchOn name is no great but does return a plane // angleStart: 0, // ccw: true, } or { surface: cylinderBody, revolutions: 10, // angleStart: 0, // ccw: true, }

[jessfraz]

like we dont need the helper we can make the object helix accepts be one of many possible objects.

[Irev-Dev]

I just realised I have helixPitchHelper in there twice when it should be helixPitchHelper and helixRevolutionsHelper

But I think your point still stands Jess.

two disadvantages to overloading the inputs

• Having different enums as inputs into functions is something that's only available to stdlib functions, we already do this a bunch, but maybe it's not the best to have functions with features that would never be possible to do as functions defined in the language.
• Having overloading inputs makes the ast mods slightly more onerous, instead of just checking the name of a call expression, you need to start checking the names of the input args to verify which type of helix it is.

These are relatively minor.

[jessfraz]

That’s fair another con is autocomplete only does one

[jessfraz]

So yeah I’m fine w multiple functions too