Add point-and-click workflows for Helix operation

[franknoirot]

We have a helix function in KCL, and we should support point-and-click worflows for it:

• Add a helix button to toolbar.ts (blocked by Create and add helix icon #5058)
• Move Helix button to a section with offset plane (3d 'construction' elements) in the toolbar #5234
• Add a helix command flow to modelingCommandConfig.ts, and corresponding actor to modelingMachine.ts #5072
• Implement generic helix point and click in command bar (defaut axis, all args) #5236
• Add deletion workflow for helices to modifyAst.ts#deleteFromSelection #5073
• Add edit flow for Helix #5392
• Add edge and segment selection in point-and-click Helix flow #5393
• Implement circle and arc in point and click (potentially a stretch)
• Implement solid 3d in point and click (potentially a stretch)

[franknoirot]

Probably need to follow @nadr0's example from the Revolve workflow in #4687 for the axis selection or a global axis selection via the command palette.

[nadr0]

@jessfraz @gserena01

helix appears to be the first function we have that accepts global axis values for the keyword axis. My concern is if users will be confused because we have functions that have the same keyword axis but take in global or local axis values.

• Is there any specific reason why the engine API didn't require the helix to have a startSketchOn or a sketch plane?
• Do you think we will have more commands that accept global axis?
• What are some trade offs to have a command be apart of a startSketchOn vs a stand alone command?

Helix Case

// helix case that uses global axis.
helixPath = helix({
  angleStart = 0,
  ccw = true,
  revolutions = 16,
  length = 10,
  radius = 5,
  axis = 'Z'
})

axis is global X, Y or Z

Revolve Case

// Revolve case that uses local axis.
// A donut shape.
sketch001 = startSketchOn('XY')
  |> circle({ center = [15, 0], radius = 5 }, %)
  |> revolve({ angle = 360, axis = 'y' }, %)

axis is X or Y which is the local sketch plane.

Helix with sketch case

// sketch plane example
sketch001 = startSketchOn('XY')
  |> helix({
    angleStart = 0,
    ccw = true,
    revolutions = 16,
    length = 10,
    radius = 5,
    axis = 'Y'
  })

[jessfraz]

well i kinda like its a very similar frunction to revolve only that its 3d versus 2d, so i think thats nice, ill tag in @jgomez720 for if its an issue that its not pinned to a plane other than that

[jessfraz]

fwiw transform rotate around an axis is also local or global but different since its already operating on a solid

[jgomez720]

Helix is not a sketch tool. It's a "path tool" so to speak. Helices will always be 3D. This does offer up a great question though, which is how do we define the start of the helix.

The reason we can't do this is because sketches should always be 2D. Once you create a helix, you are turning this into a 3D object.

// sketch plane example
sketch001 = startSketchOn('XY')
  |> helix({
    angleStart = 0,
    ccw = true,
    revolutions = 16,
    length = 10,
    radius = 5,
    axis = 'Y'
  })

However, I would be fine if helix took a plane (which can be a sketch) as a parameter just for initial start point.

helix({
    angleStart = 0,
    ccw true,
    revolutions = 16,
    length = 10,
    radius = 5,
    axis = myDefinedAxis,
    start = plane001 // or sketch001

[nadr0]

Discussion with Pierre about point and click workflow for helix and what we can achieve.

In the command bar workflow we can easily support floats as well as string option selects ("X", or "Counter Clock wise")

Questions:

• What about directionality? aka surface normal or line direction?

Priority:

• Axis
• Line segment / Edge
• Circle / Arc
• Circle Solid3D