CCycloid
Last Updated: November 5, 2011
CCycloid is a program to generate graphs of
Curtate Cycloids, which are the curves produced by a
point within a wheel, when that wheel is rotated.
The intended users of ccyclid are makers of stringed
instruments, but the program is available for anyone to use.
CCycloid creates the graphs in PDF, PostScript, or DXF format.
For more information on cycloids, see one
of the following web sites, which are just a few among
many to describe cycloids:
Java Version
Java Version
This is the latest version and should run in any web browser.
Just click the link above. A pop-up window will appear saying
that it can't verify the digital signature for the program; click "Run"
to run the program (but you probably do NOT want to check "always
trust content from this publisher").
Downloads
Below are older versions of the program that required downloading
and installing some software. They are unsupported now.
Vista Version
This version will also run on XP machines. You will need to be
able to handle .zip files to use this.
Download Vista.zip and unzip it. You will
want to place the folder 'VistaCycloid' on your Desktop. To run
the program, open the folder 'VistaCycloid' and double click 'cycloid'.
Old XP Version
This version may dissappear since the Vista version works on XP machines.
You should create a folder in which to put the cycloid program.
You should then download the following three files to this folder:
Note: This program has been tested on and runs on Windows XP and
Windows ME.
If you can or can not run it on another OS, let me know and
I will update the information here. It did NOT run on
Vista.
The previous version of this program (which does not require MSVCRTD.DLL)
is available here.
There is also a Mac version available.
To read PDF files, you will need a copy of Adobe acroread.
Changes in version 3.4.3
- DXF works for small curves.
Changes in version 3.4.2
- DXF works again.
- You can save to and read in csv files.
Changes in version 3.4.1
- Bug fixes (some of features added to 3.4 were missing for cycloids).
Changes in version 3.4
- Resolution of curves now 1/100th millimeter.
- You can scale in x or y to match your printer if needed.
- You can draw catenary curves as well as cycloids.
- You can put a title above the curve.
Changes in version 3.1
- Added curve preview region.
Changes in version 3.0
- Choice to use either millimeters or inches.
- Choice of letter, legal, a4, or a3 paper.
- dxf output in addition to PDF or PostScript.
User Interface Overview
Here is an image of the user interface to ccycloid on the
left, with a sample of the output on the right:
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Typical use of the program would be to set the width and height,
and click "Create Curve" to create a PDF file for the graph of
the cycloid. In the case of cross archings of the violin
family, it should be remembered that these curves
- need not originate at the edge of the plate. Many makers
place the lowest point well inside the purfling.
- indicate the outside shape, and so the thickness of
the wood at the lowest point should be subtracted from the
total height of the arch when calculating the dimensions of
the graph.
Note that as you change the width, height, and percent, the
curve in the curve preview region will change. The curve
drawn here is meant as a rough preview for shape, and is
automatically redrawn to be of maximal size within the
curve preview region. If your machine is slow, unselect the
Redraw check box to disable updates.
What follows is a description of the entire user interface:
- Click on Create Curve to create a PDF or PostScript file.
- Click on exit to quit the program.
- Width, Height: set the width and height (in millimeters)
of the cycloid. The width is the distance from
the left vertical line to the right vertical line
in the figure; the height is the distance from
the bottom of the curve to the top of the curve.
Note: these change to Length and Depth for a
catenary curve.
You can either click the number with the mouse and edit
it, or you can click and drag over the number, and the
number will increase as you drag to the right and decrease
as you drag to the left.
- File name: the file to be created.
- Cycloid, Catenary: Choose the type of curve you want.
- Read CSV File: Click here to read a CSV file.
- Auto File Name: check this option if you want the program
to create the file name for you. The name will by
'cycloid' followed by the width and height of the
cycloid.
- Percent: 100% is one full period of the cycloid. Typically,
a bit more than that is useful.
You can either click the number with the mouse and edit
it, or you can click and drag over the number, and the
number will increase as you drag to the right and decrease
as you drag to the left.
- Caption: check this if you want a title on the plot
- Redraw: check this if you want to automatically redraw the
preview curve. When not check, preview curve will not update
unless you click in the curve preview region.
- PDF, PS, DXF, CSV: check which type of file you want to create.
- Scale Width, Scale Height: Some printers aren't properly
calibrated, and the curve is printed scaled in width
and/or height. You can use these settings to
rescale the curve to compensate for this scaling
caused by your printer.
- Status: messages about the creation of the file
will appear here.
Hints on Printing
Depending on your printer, etc., you may need to select the print
options "Landscape" and "Print as Image". Do not select "fit to page".
Credits
ccycloid was written by Stephen Mann for Quentin Playfair, with some
help porting to Windows by Gilad Israeli. The catenary curves
were added at the request of Tom King.
The user interface was written with
fltk.
This program is completely unsuported, although suggestions for
changes will be considered. A linux version is also
available on request.