Path dialog

The path dialog is part of the scene object properties dialog, which is located at [Menu bar --> Tools --> Scene object properties]. You can also open the dialog with a double-click on an object icon in the scene hierarchy, or with a click on its toolbar button:

[Scene object properties toolbar button]


In the scene object properties dialog, click the Path button to display the path dialog (the Path button only appears if the last selection is a path). The dialog displays the settings and parameters of the last selected path. If more than one path is selected, then some parameters can be copied from the last selected path to the other selected paths (Apply to selection-buttons):

[Path dialog]


  • Motion handling of all paths enabled: enables or disables the motion handling of all paths in the scene.
  • Show orientation of points: displays the x-, y- and z-axis of each Bezier point.
  • Show path line: displays a line linking all Bezier points.
  • Show current position on path: displays a red sphere indicating the current path position (the current position along the path).
  • Adjust line color: allows adjusting the color of a path (i.e. the line color). This is different from the color of a mesh obtained by path shaping.
  • Line size: width of the line linking all Bezier points.
  • Size of ctrl points: size of the cubes representing the control points. Control points are only visible when the path is selected or when it is in path edit mode.
  • Distance unit: path position or path length calculation method.
  • Explicit handling: indicates whether the path should be explicitly handled. If checked, the path will not be handled when simHandlePath(sim_handle_all_except_explicit) is called, but only if simHandlePath(sim_handle_all) or simHandlePath(pathHandle) is called. This is useful if the user wishes to handle the path in a child script rather than in the main script (if not checked the path will be handled twice, once when simHandlePath(sim_handle_all_except_explicit) is called in the main script, and once when simHandlePath(pathHandle) is called in the child script). Refer also to the section on explicit and non-explicit calls.
  • Invert target velocity at limits: if enabled and the path is open, the path nominal velocity and the path target nominal velocity are inverted when reaching the start- or end-control points. Useful to generate back-and-forth movements.
  • Infinite acceleration: if enabled, the path nominal velocity will instantaneously follow the path target velocity as if the Max. acceleration parameter was set to infinity.
  • Max. acceleration: the maximum acceleration at which the path nominal velocity follows the path target nominal velocity. See the section on movement along a path for details.
  • Position: path position. See the section on path position and path length calculation.
  • Target nominal velocity: path target nominal velocity. See the section on movement along a path for details.
  • Adjust velocity profile: allows adjusting the path velocity profile. See the section on movement along a path for details.
  • Angular to linear conversion coeff.: angular to linear conversion coefficient, see the section on path position and path length calculation.
  • Virtual distance scaling factor: a scaling factor for the virtual distances, see the section on path position and path length calculation.
  • Show path shaping dialog: toggles the path shaping dialog.

  • Recommended topics

  • Paths
  • Path control points and Bezier points
  • Path position and length calculation method
  • Movement along a path
  • Path shaping