I prepped geometry and meshing to transition to defining the WingCros…

…sSection objects with respect to the Wing frame.

pterasoftware/geometry.py

@@ -65,24 +65,27 @@ def __init__(
         :param name: str, optional
             A sensible name for your airplane. The default is "Untitled Airplane".
         :param x_ref: float, optional
-            This is the x coordinate of the moment reference point. It should be the
-            x coordinate of the center of gravity. The default is 0.0.
+            This is the x coordinate of the moment reference point in the body
+            frame. It should be the x coordinate of the center of gravity. The
+            default is 0.0.
         :param y_ref: float, optional
-            This is the y coordinate of the moment reference point. It should be the
-            y coordinate of the center of gravity. The default is 0.0.
+            This is the y coordinate of the moment reference point in the body
+            frame. It should be the y coordinate of the center of gravity. The
+            default is 0.0.
         :param z_ref: float, optional
-            This is the z coordinate of the moment reference point. It should be the
-            z coordinate of the center of gravity. The default is 0.0.
+            This is the z coordinate of the moment reference point in the body
+            frame. It should be the z coordinate of the center of gravity. The
+            default is 0.0.
         :param weight: float, optional
             This parameter holds the weight of the aircraft in Newtons. This is used
             by the trim functions. The default value is 0.0.
-        :param s_ref: float, optional if more than one wing is in the wings list.
+        :param s_ref: float, optional
             This is the reference wetted area. If not set, it populates from first
             wing object.
-        :param c_ref: float, optional if more than one wing is in the wings list.
+        :param c_ref: float, optional
             This is the reference chord length. If not set, it populates from first
             wing object.
-        :param b_ref: float, optional if more than one wing is in the wings list.
+        :param b_ref: float
             This is the reference calculate_span. If not set, it populates from first
             wing object.
         """
@@ -92,14 +95,16 @@ def __init__(
         else:
             raise Exception("An airplane's list of wings must have at least one entry.")
 
-        # Initialize the name, moment reference point coordinates, and weight.
+        # Initialize the name, moment reference point coordinates (in the body frame),
+        # and weight.
         self.name = name
         self.x_ref = x_ref
         self.y_ref = y_ref
         self.z_ref = z_ref
         self.weight = weight
 
-        # Create a (3,) array to hold the moment reference point coordinates.
+        # Create a (3,) array to hold the moment reference point coordinates in the
+        # body frame.
         self.xyz_ref = np.array([self.x_ref, self.y_ref, self.z_ref])
 
         # Set the wing reference dimensions to be the main wing's reference dimensions.
@@ -205,34 +210,33 @@ def __init__(
         :param name: str, optional
             This is a sensible name for the wing. The default is "Untitled Wing".
         :param x_le: float, optional
-            This is the x coordinate of the leading edge of the wing, relative to the
-            airplane's reference point. The default is 0.0.
+            This is the x coordinate of the leading edge of the wing in the body
+            frame. The default is 0.0.
         :param y_le: float, optional
-            This is the y coordinate of the leading edge of the wing, relative to the
-            airplane's reference point. The default is 0.0.
+            This is the y coordinate of the leading edge of the wing in the body
+            frame. The default is 0.0.
         :param z_le: float, optional
-            This is the z coordinate of the leading edge of the wing, relative to the
-            airplane's reference point. The default is 0.0.
-        :param unit_normal_vector: array, optional
-            This is an (3,) array of floats that represents the unit normal vector
-            of the wing's symmetry plane. It is also the direction vector that the
-            wing's span will be assessed relative to. Additionally, this vector
-            crossed with the "unit_chordwise_vector" defines the normal vector of the
-            plane that the wing's projected area will reference. It must be
-            equivalent to this wing's root wing cross section's "unit_normal_vector"
-            attribute. The default is np.array([0.0, 1.0, 0.0]), which is the XZ
-            plane's unit normal vector.
+            This is the z coordinate of the leading edge of the wing in the body
+            frame. The default is 0.0.
+        :param unit_normal_vector: (3,) array of floats, optional
+            This is an (3,) array of floats that represents the unit normal vector of
+            the wing's symmetry plane in the body frame. It is also the direction
+            vector that the wing's span will be assessed relative to. Additionally,
+            this vector crossed with the "unit_chordwise_vector" defines the normal
+            vector of the plane that the wing's projected area will reference. It
+            must be equivalent to this wing's root wing cross section's
+            "unit_normal_vector" attribute. The default is np.array([0.0, 1.0, 0.0]),
+            which is the XZ body frame's unit normal vector.
         :param symmetric: bool, optional
-            Set this to true if the wing is across the xz plane. Set it to false if
-            not. The default is false.
-        :param unit_chordwise_vector: array, optional
+            Set this to true if the wing is symmetric across the plane defined by its
+            unit normal vector. Set it to false if not. The default is false.
+        :param unit_chordwise_vector: (3,) array of floats, optional
             This is an (3,) array of floats that represents the unit vector that
-            defines the wing's chordwise direction. This vector crossed with the
-            "unit_normal_vector" defines the normal vector of the plane that
-            the wing's projected area will reference. This vector must be parallel to
-            the intersection of the wing's symmetry plane with each of its wing cross
-            section's planes. The default is np.array([1.0, 0.0, 0.0]), which is the
-            X unit vector.
+            defines the wing's chordwise direction in the body frame. This vector
+            crossed with the "unit_normal_vector" defines the normal vector of the
+            plane that the wing's projected area will reference. This vector must be
+            parallel to the intersection of the wing's symmetry plane with each of
+            its wing cross section's planes. The default is np.array([1.0, 0.0, 0.0]).
         :param num_chordwise_panels: int, optional
             This is the number of chordwise panels to be used on this wing. The
             default is 8.
@@ -252,7 +256,8 @@ def __init__(
                 "two entries."
             )
 
-        # Initialize the name and the position of the wing's leading edge.
+        # Initialize the name and the position of the wing's leading edge in the body
+        # frame.
         self.name = name
         self.x_le = x_le
         self.y_le = y_le
@@ -269,11 +274,14 @@ def __init__(
         else:
             raise Exception('The chordwise spacing must be "cosine" or "uniform".')
 
-        # Create a (3,) array to hold the leading edge's coordinates.
+        # Create a (3,) array to hold the wing's leading edge's coordinates in the
+        # body frame.
         self.leading_edge = np.array([self.x_le, self.y_le, self.z_le])
 
-        # Check that the wing's symmetry plane is equal to its root wing cross
-        # section's plane.
+        # ToDo: Modify this check once the wing cross section vectors reference the
+        #  wing's frame.
+        # Check that the wing's symmetry plane in the body frame is equal to its root
+        # wing cross section's plane.
         if not np.array_equal(
             self.unit_normal_vector,
             self.wing_cross_sections[0].unit_normal_vector,
@@ -283,6 +291,8 @@ def __init__(
                 "section's plane."
             )
 
+        # ToDo: Modify this check once the wing cross section coordinates reference the
+        #  wing's frame.
         # Check that the root wing cross section's leading edge isn't offset from the
         # wing's leading edge.
         if np.any(
@@ -299,7 +309,8 @@ def __init__(
                 "the wing's leading edge."
             )
 
-        # Check that the wing's chordwise and normal directions are perpendicular.
+        # Check that the wing's body-frame chordwise and normal directions are
+        # perpendicular.
         if np.dot(self.unit_chordwise_vector, self.unit_normal_vector) != 0:
             raise Exception(
                 "Every wing cross section's plane must intersect with the wing's "
@@ -317,6 +328,8 @@ def __init__(
         if self.symmetric:
             self.num_spanwise_panels *= 2
 
+        # ToDo: Modify this check once the wing cross section vectors reference the
+        #  wing's frame.
         # Check that all the wing cross sections have valid unit normal vectors.
         for wing_cross_section in self.wing_cross_sections:
 
@@ -338,6 +351,8 @@ def __init__(
         # Calculate the number of panels on this wing.
         self.num_panels = self.num_spanwise_panels * self.num_chordwise_panels
 
+        # ToDo: Determine if this is still necessary once the wing cross section
+        #  vectors reference the wing's frame.
         for wing_cross_section in self.wing_cross_sections:
             wing_cross_section.wing_unit_chordwise_vector = self.unit_chordwise_vector
 
@@ -353,19 +368,19 @@ def __init__(
 
     @property
     def unit_up_vector(self):
-        """This method sets a property for the wing's up orientation
-        vector, which is defined as the cross product of its unit chordwise and unit
-        normal vectors.
+        """This method sets a property for the wing's up orientation vector in the
+        body frame, which is defined as the cross product of its unit chordwise and
+        unit normal vectors.
 
         :return: (3,) array of floats
-            This is the wing's unit up vector. The units are meters.
+            This is the wing's unit up vector in the body frame. The units are meters.
         """
         return np.cross(self.unit_chordwise_vector, self.unit_normal_vector)
 
     @property
     def projected_area(self):
         """This method defines a property for the area of the wing projected onto the
-        plane defined by the projected unit normal vector.
+        plane defined by its unit up vector.
 
         If the wing is symmetric, the area of the mirrored half is included.
 
@@ -504,6 +519,7 @@ def mean_aerodynamic_chord(self):
         return integral / self.projected_area
 
 
+# ToDo: Modify this object to make its parameters in the wing object's frame.
 class WingCrossSection:
     """This class is used to contain the cross sections of a Wing object.
 

pterasoftware/meshing.py

@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 from . import panel
 
 
+# ToDo: Make sure the panel locations are calculated correctly now that the wing
+#  cross section objects are defined in their parent wing frame.
 def mesh_wing(wing):
     """This function takes in an object of the Wing class and creates a quadrilateral
     mesh of its geometry, and then populates the object's panels with the mesh data.
@@ -287,6 +289,8 @@ def mesh_wing(wing):
     wing.panels = wing_panels
 
 
+# ToDo: Make sure the panel locations are calculated correctly now that the wing
+#  cross section objects are defined in their parent wing frame.
 def get_wing_section_panel_vertices(
     wing_leading_edge,
     inner_wing_cross_section,
@@ -401,6 +405,8 @@ def get_wing_section_panel_vertices(
     ]
 
 
+# ToDo: Make sure the panel locations are calculated correctly now that the wing
+#  cross section objects are defined in their parent wing frame.
 def get_transpose_mcl_vectors(inner_airfoil, outer_airfoil, chordwise_coordinates):
     """This function takes in the inner and outer airfoils of a wing cross section
     and its chordwise coordinates. It returns a list of four column vectors. They
@@ -450,6 +456,8 @@ def get_transpose_mcl_vectors(inner_airfoil, outer_airfoil, chordwise_coordinate
     ]
 
 
+# ToDo: Make sure the panel locations are calculated correctly now that the wing
+#  cross section objects are defined in their parent wing frame.
 def get_wing_section_panels(
     front_left_vertices,
     front_right_vertices,