Section identification system

A method of defining a cross section of a structure, the cross section having an arbitrary shape, the method comprising:

• creating a vector graphic of the cross section in a two-dimensional (2D) space in which points are specified by numerical coordinates;
• disassembling the vector graphic of the cross section into paths that represent an outline of the arbitrary shape of the cross section, each path a straight path or a curved path having respective endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;
• arranging the paths in an order in which the paths are connected in the vector graphic to form the outline of the arbitrary shape of the cross section;
• generating an array of elements for the paths, including elements for successive pairs of adjacent straight paths in the order in which the paths are arranged, each element indicating for a respective one of the successive pairs, including a first straight path and an adjacent, second straight path, whether the numerical coordinates of the second endpoint of the second straight path are decreasing or increasing with respect to the numerical coordinates of the first endpoint of the first straight path;
• and
• defining and thereby producing a definition of the cross section from the array of elements.

A computer-readable storage medium for defining a cross section of a structure, the cross section having an arbitrary shape, the computer-readable storage medium being non-transitory and having computer-readable program code stored therein that, in response to execution by processing circuitry, causes an apparatus to at least:

• create a vector graphic of the cross section in a two-dimensional (2D) space in which points are specified by numerical coordinates;
• disassemble the vector graphic of the cross section into paths that represent an outline of the arbitrary shape of the cross section, each path a straight path or a curved path having respective endpoints including a first endpoint and a second endpoint;
• arrange the paths in an order in which the paths are connected in the vector graphic to form the outline of the arbitrary shape of the cross section;
• generate an array of elements for the paths, including elements for successive pairs of adjacent straight paths in the order in which the paths are arranged, each element indicating for a respective one of the successive pairs, including a first straight path and an adjacent, second straight path, whether the numerical coordinates of the second endpoint of the second straight path are decreasing or increasing with respect to the numerical coordinates of the first endpoint of the first straight path;
• and
• define and thereby produce a definition of the cross section from the array of elements.