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Tying variables together in a multi-configuration (zoom) system

Question

I have a zoom system where I want a certain surface parameter to be zoomed in all configurations. However, in some configurations, I want the variables to be tied together (equivalent to each other), and in others I want them to vary independently. How do I do this?

Synopsis

Tying variables together in a multi-configuration (zoom) system

Symptoms

In OSLO you have one of two options:
  1. You can create a single variable that varies the same in all configurations (you set the CFG=0 for this variable), or
  2. You can create separate variables for each configuration and each variable will vary independently.
So in order to do what you want, you need to need to perform a workaround of sorts.

Workaround

For explanation purposes, let's establish a likely scenario: You have a 10 surface system with 4 zoom positions. You want the thickness of surface 5 to be variable (but equivalent) in configurations 1,2 & 4. But you want the thickness of surface 5 to vary independently in configuration 3. There are two ways to perform the action you want:
  1. Make thickness #5 independently variable in all configurations (see option #2 in "Symptoms" above) and then create special operands during optimization that tie the surface #5 thickness together in configurations #1, #2 & #3. In OSLO Standard and Premium, you can make use of the TH(srf, cfg) operand. In OSLO Light you will need to write a user-defined operand that polls the thicknesses (i.e. cfg 1; print th[5];) and keeps them equivalent.
  2. You can also perform a similar function by splitting the thickness of surface #5 into two different surfaces. The thickness of surface #5 can then be defined as a single variable across all configurations (see option #1 in "Symptoms" above). The thickness of surface #6 can then be made variable for configuration #3 only.*** Please note that option #2 will only work for thickness variables. You will not be able to concatenate other variables (such as surface curvature) like this.

Solution

Complex "user-defined" pickups that can be implemented across configurations are being considered for a future release of OSLO. This may be another way of performing this same task. Multi-configuration systems are only available in OSLO Premium and OSLO Standard.