Description
Return signed and absolute distance from a supplied circular boundary.
Radial geometry distinguishes a solid region from its boundary. A point inside a ball has zero distance to the solid, while its signed boundary gap is negative and its absolute boundary distance can be positive.
Return signed and absolute distance from a supplied circular boundary.
When to use this tool
Use Distance: Radial Distance To Circle Boundary when checking a supplied radial boundary or solid-region convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter radialDistance, radius. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read result. Expand result to inspect the returned fields.
Return signed and absolute distance from a supplied circular boundary. Require nonnegative radialDistance and radius; signedBoundaryDistance = radialDistance-radius and absoluteBoundaryDistance is its absolute value, using one length unit.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| radialDistance | Radial Distance | Required. Finite number. |
| radius | Radius | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| result | Returned object; expand its named members below. | Required. Object. |
| result.signedBoundaryDistance | Radial distance minus radius, in the common length unit; negative in the interior. | Calculated result member: number. |
| result.absoluteBoundaryDistance | Absolute boundary gap; an interior point can have a positive value. | Calculated result member: number. |
{
"input": {
"radialDistance": 2,
"radius": 5
},
"output": {
"result": {
"signedBoundaryDistance": -3,
"absoluteBoundaryDistance": 3
}
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Negative signed distance means inside the boundary; no point coordinates are measured.
- Outputs are nested inside result. Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use full point and shape geometry when a radius or center distance has not already been established.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Point To Sphere Signed Radial Gap
Return a point's signed radial gap from a sphere.
- Point To Capsule Radial Excess
Return distance to a solid capsule from a supplied segment distance.