LINKEDIT : AN INTERACTIVE GRAPHICAL SYSTEM FOR MODELING OBJECTS WITH CONSTRAINTS

A constraint describes a relation that must be maintained. Constraints provide a useful method to aid in the construction and animation of mechanisms. In this paper, a geometric constraint system called LinkEdit is presented. LinkEdit system provides a tool for interactive animation of objects constructed from rigid p rimitives, d emonstrating the power of constraints as a method for specifying several t ypes of constraints between constrained three-dimensional objects. LinkEdit system i s designed to h andle c onstraints without cycles, by combining SkyBlue a nd QuickPlan constraint solvers to efficiently maintain constraints organized in a constraint hierarchy.