Hydrolink

Windows Version 9.0

User Manual

© Formation Design Systems Pty Ltd 1984 – 2001

License & Copyright
Hydrolink Program
© 1985-2001 Formation Design Systems
Hydrolink is copyrighted and all rights are reserved. The license for use is granted to the purchaser
by Formation Design Systems as a single user license and does not permit the program to be used
on more than one machine at one time. Copying of the program to other media is permitted for
back-up purposes as long as all copies remain in the possession of the purchaser.

Hydrolink User Manual

© 1990-2001 Formation Design Systems
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored
in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, without the
written permission of Formation Design Systems. Formation Design Systems reserves the right to
revise this publication from time to time and to make changes to the contents without obligation to
notify any person or organization of such changes.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
Neither Formation Design Systems, nor the author of this program and documentation are liable or
responsible to the purchaser or user for loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or
indirectly by the software and its attendant documentation, including (but not limited to)
interruption on service, loss of business, or anticipatory profits. No Formation Design Systems
distributor, or agent, or employee is authorized to make any modification, extension, or addition to
this warranty.

iii
Contents
License & Copyright ............................................................................................................................. iii
Contents...................................................................................................................................................v
About this Manual ..................................................................................................................................1
Chapter 1 Using Hydrolink....................................................................................................................3
Input File Formats...........................................................................................................3
Output File Formats........................................................................................................3
Chapter 2 Hydrolink Reference.............................................................................................................7
File Menu.........................................................................................................................7
Edit Menu ........................................................................................................................7
View Menu ......................................................................................................................8
Data Menu .......................................................................................................................8
Window Menu .................................................................................................................9
Help Menu .................................................................................................................... 10
Index ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

v
 About this Manual

About this Manual

This manual describes Hydrolink, an application which may be used to export Maxsurf design files
to a variety of other file formats.

It has been assumed that you have read the Maxsurf manual, and that you are familiar with the
basic concepts of working in any Windows application.

This manual is divided into two chapters:

Chapter 1 Using Hydrolink

Contains a step by step guide to setting up and using Hydrolink.

Chapter 2 Hydrolink Reference

Gives details on each of Hydrolink’s menus.

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 Chapter One Using Hydrolink

Chapter 1
Using Hydrolink
Hydrolink is a program designed specifically for translation of hull data from one file format to
another. It is intended to be used for the transfer of hull offsets files to various hydrostatics and
stability programs currently in use by Maxsurf users. In addition Hydrolink supports transfers to
the IMS LPP & VPP programs, and a two way translation of the US Naval Academy NURBS
surface format.

Once Hydrolink has been started, the first step is to decide on the kind of translation required, e.g.
USNA to Maxsurf, Maxsurf to IMS LPP, Maxsurf to BMT Microship etc. You can then use the
File menu to select the Input File Format and Output File Format based on this information.

Input File Formats

Hydrolink supports the following input file formats.
Maxsurf

IGES

DXF

IMSA Nurbs

US Navy

With most Input File Formats, there are different ways that programs can export this data. In order
to cater for this and provide maximum flexibility when importing different formats, Hydrolink has
a Set Import Parameters dialog.

In the case of the USNA to Maxsurf translation, the input is a text file that is converted into a
Maxsurf design. To create the new Maxsurf design, select the file required after choosing the 'Open
USNA file' option from the File menu. Hydrolink will read in the USNA file and create a Maxsurf
design that will be displayed in the viewing windows. At this stage you can set up the Grid Spacing,
Zero Point and Frame of Reference for the design by choosing commands from the data menu. To
save the Maxsurf hull shape, select Save Design from the File menu.

For all the other translations, the starting point is a Maxsurf hull that is read in by selecting Open
Design from the File menu. Some file formats have requirements for particular numbers of
stations and you will be prompted where necessary.

Once you are satisfied that the design is how you want it, you can save it in the chosen output
format using the Save Design menu item, and then choose a filename to save it as.

Output File Formats

Hydrolink supports the following output file formats.
Maxsurf

IGES

DXF

IMSA Nurbs

USNA

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Chapter One Using Hydrolink

SHCP

MHCP

IMS LPP

BMT Microship

IMSA Hull Parameters

Wintech

Nakashima Stereo Format

IHI Ajisai Data Format

Parametric contour format

MASHIMO

For some output formats, such as IMS LPP, Nakashima Stereo and IHI, additional information
needs to be given in order to export the data correctly.

IMS LPP Export Options

When exporting to the IMS LPP format, you will be prompted to enter additional information
needed for the IMS calculations.

Nakashima Stereo Export Options

When exporting to the Nakashima Stereo format, you will be prompted to enter additional
information needed for the creation of the sliced model.

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 Chapter One Using Hydrolink

IHI Ajisai Data Export Options

When exporting to the IHI format, you will be prompted to enter additional information needed for
the creation of the model.

MASHIMO Export Options

The MASHIMO format produces offset data on the sections specified in the Grid Spacing dialog.
When saving the data, you may select the surfaces to be included and also the precision. The higher
the precision, the greater the number of points on each section.

Multiple Designs
If multiple designs are opened in Hydrolink, they will overlay each other, and can be exported as a
whole – useful for situations where several designers all contribute parts of the overall design.

All designs can be removed from memory by using the Close Design menu item in the File Menu.

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Chapter One Using Hydrolink

Set Import Parameters

The Set Import Parameters option (in the Edit menu) is designed to provide flexibility when
importing designs into Hydrolink. Using this option it is possible to change the way that Hydrolink
imports the current file format, allowing you to conveniently import data from a number of
applications without any need to “tweak” the data later.

This dialog is broken up into two sections – the first one we will cover here is the Import
Parameters section. This is the section to the right of the list box and contains a number of radio
buttons which allow you to change the way that data is imported into the application. You can
change the axis ordering, or flip the orientation of particular axes, set the default units for the
import, alter arc segment lengths (DXF only), and even reverse U/W ordering and swap the U/W
axes (IGES only).

The second section, on the left of the dialog, contains the Import Configurations list, along with an
edit field below and two buttons called Add and Delete. An Import Configuration is a way of
storing the import parameters specified used for a particular file format.
You can freely add and delete and rename configurations, and then set the Import Parameters
differently for each configuration.

This allows you to be able to set up configurations for the applications or file formats you most
commonly use, and all you need to do is select the configuration you wish to use and all of the
parameters that you set along with it will be set up automatically.

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 Chapter Two Hydrolink Reference

Chapter 2
Hydrolink Reference
This chapter describes the menu commands available in Hydrolink.

File Menu
The File menu contains commands for opening and saving files, importing and exporting data.

Open Maxsurf Design

Use the Open command to open an existing Maxsurf design from your disk.

Close Maxsurf Design

Select Close when you wish to finish with the current design. Before closing, a dialog box will
appear asking whether you wish to save the current design. If you select Yes the current design
will be saved onto the disk.

Save Maxsurf Design

Selecting Save Maxsurf Design enables you to save the current design under a new name. This is
useful if you modify a design, but wish to keep a copy of the old version as well as the new.

Input File Format

See “Input File Format Submenu”

Output File Format

See “Output File Format Submenu”

Recent File
Provides access to any recent files you have had open in Hydrolink.

Exit Hydrolink
When you have finished using Hydrolink choose Exit. If Hydrolink has a design open that has not
been saved to disk, you will be asked whether you wish it to be saved.

Edit Menu
The Edit menu contains commands for copying and pasting.

Undo
The Undo command performs no function in Hydrolink.

Cut
The Cut command performs no function in Hydrolink.

Copy
The Copy command performs no function in Hydrolink.

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Chapter Two Hydrolink Reference

Paste
The Paste command performs no function in Hydrolink.

Set Import Parameters

The Set Import Parameters option allows you to change the way that Hydrolink imports the
selected file format.

View Menu
The View menu contains commands for controlling the appearance of the display in the graphical
windows.

Zoom
The Zoom function allows you to work on any part of your design by enlarging any particular area
to fill the screen.

Pan
Choosing Pan allows you to move the image around within a drawing window.

Shrink
Choosing Shrink will reduce the size of the displayed image in an active drawing window by a
factor of two.

Home View
Choosing Home View will set the image back to its Home View size. Maxsurf starts up with
default Home View settings for all its drawing windows. However, the Home View may be set at
any time by choosing the Set Home View function.

Set Home View

Choosing Set Home View allows you to set the Home View in each drawing window.

To set the Home View, use Zoom, Shrink, and Pan to arrange the view as you require, then select
Set Home View from the View menu.

Colour
The Colour function allows you to set the colour of lines and controls.

Font
The Font command allows you to set the font, style, size, effects, colour and script.

Toolbar
The toolbar command provides access to any toolbars available to you in Hydrolink.

Status Bar
Makes the Status Bar visible or invisible.

Data Menu
The Data menu contains commands for calculating and changing the numerical data, which defines
the design.

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 Chapter Two Hydrolink Reference

Units
The Units command allows you to set the dimension and weight units.

Grid Spacing
This menu function allows you to precisely specify positions for all Sections, Waterlines,
Buttocks, and Diagonals..

Zero Point
This function sets the longitudinal and vertical reference point for all measurements.

Frame of Reference
Choosing this function allows you to set the positions of the Fore and After Perpendiculars, the
DWL and the Baseline of the design; the Midships position is altered indirectly since it is assumed
to be mid way between the Fore and After Perpendiculars. All values are entered relative to the
Zero Point. However, it may be that the Zero Point is set to the position of one of the elements in
the Frame of Reference. In this case the Zero Point is not updated until you have clicked OK in the
Frame of Reference dialog.

Markers
Allows you to show or hide the markers.

Grid Display
Allows you to show or hide the grid.

Contours
The Contours option allows you to select which contours are drawn to the screen at any given
time. Any combination of contours may be chosen from the Contours dialog.

See the “Maxsurf Reference” section for more information on Contours.

Window Menu
The Window menu allows you to make any window selected from the menu the active window.

Cascade
Displays all the Windows behind the active Windows.

Tile Horizontal
Layout all visible windows across the screen.

Tile Vertical
Layout all visible windows down the screen.

Arrange Icons
Rearranges the icons of any iconised window so that they are collected together at the bottom of
the Maxsurf program window.

Perspective
Choosing the Perspective view allows you to view your design in 3 dimensions.

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Chapter Two Hydrolink Reference

Help Menu
Provides access to an on-line help system.

Table of Contents
Provides access to on-line help system.

About Hydrolink
Displays information about the current version of Hydrolink that you are using.

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 Index

Index
A N
About Hydrolink, 10 Nakashima Stereo Export Options, 4
Arrange Icons, 9
O
C
Open Maxsurf Design, 7
Cascade, 9 Output File Format, 7
Close Maxsurf Design, 7 Output File Formats, 3
Colour, 8
P
Contours, 9
Copy, 7 Pan, 8
Cut, 7 Paste, 8
Perspective, 9
D
R
Data Menu, 8
Recent File, 7
E
S
Edit Menu, 7
Exit Hydrolink, 7 Save Maxsurf Design, 7
Set Home View, 8
F
Set Import Parameters, 6, 8
File Menu, 7 Shrink, 8
Font, 8 Status Bar, 8
Frame of Reference, 9
T
G
Table of Contents, 10
Grid Display, 9 Tile Horizontal, 9
Grid Spacing, 9 Tile Verticle, 9
Toolbar, 8
H
U
Help Menu, 10
Home View, 8 Undo, 7
Units, 9
I
V
IHI Ajisai Data Export Options, 5
IMS LPP Export Options, 4 View Menu, 8
Input File Format, 7
W
Input File Formats, 3
Window Menu, 9
M
Z
Markers, 9
MASHIMO Export Options, 5 Zero Point, 9
Multiple Designs, 5 Zoom, 8

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