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autocaddxf

What does it mean when a dxf vertex with a bulge factor is not followed by an end point?


I have a DXF file that was exported from a drawing of a simple arc that starts at (0, 0), ends at (2, 0) and has a radius of 1.0. I would expect the LWPOLYLINE to be made up of two vertices with the first containing the start point and bulge factor, and the second point simply containing the end point. However, the end point contains a bulge factor as well. How is this bulge point to be interpreted? Shouldn't all vertices with a bulge be followed by another point that defines the end point?

AcDbPolyline
 90
        2
 70
     0
 43
0.0
 10
0.0  -----------------> x1
 20
0.0  -----------------> x2
 42
0.9999999999999998 ---> p1 to p2 w/ bulge = 1, makes sense
 10
2.0  -----------------> x2
 20
0.0  -----------------> y2
 42
1.330537671996453 ----> why does p2 have a bulge? Shouldn't all vertices w/ 
                        a bulge be followed by another point (to define the 
                        end point)?
  0
ENDSEC

Solution

  • The best way to find out such details, is to test. If you don't have an AutoCAD application try Autodesk TrueView, it's free.

    What I found out by testing is: the last bulge value does nothing, you can change it to any value you want or just delete it, the LWPOLYLINE looks always the same.

    EDIT:

    This is only true if the LWPOLYLINE isn't closed.

    If the LWPOLINE is closed, group code 70=1, the last bulge and also the last start width and end width value, apply to the closing segment from the last vertex to first vertex, your example as closed polyline looks like this:

    enter image description here