{{description>Explore our glossary for an overview of the key terms related to splines, control points, distances, Curvy Generator, and more used in Curvy Splines components in Unity.}}

====== Glossary ======

=== Spline ===
GameObject with the [[documentation:splines:curvyspline|CurvySpline]] component attached

=== Control Point ===
A point controlling a spline's curvation (sometimes called "Node" by others). Control Points are regular GameObjects with the [[documentation:splines:curvysplinesegment|CurvySplineSegment]] component attached, always child objects of a spline and automatically managed.

=== CG ===
Abbreviation for [[documentation:generator:start|Curvy Generator]]

=== CP ===
See [[#Control Point]]

=== Tangent ===
The Tangent vector is the (normalized) direction of a spline point

=== Up ===
The Orientation- or Up-Vector defines the Upside of a spline point. Together with the Tangent it forms the rotation used by controllers for a given spline point

=== Total Fragment ===
Also known as TF. A relative position on the spline, ranging from 0 (start) to 1 (end)

The TF of a control point is shown in its inspector.

This is the "time" parameter used in the splines' formulas. A point's TF is not proportional to its distance from the spline's start. Depending on the spline, a value of 0.5 does not always mean the middle, distance wise, of the spline.

See also: [[documentation:splines:start#units|Splines > Units]]

=== TF ===
See [[#Total Fragment]]

=== F ===
A relative position on a spline segment, ranging from 0 (start of segment) to 1 (end of segment)

The F of a control point is shown in its inspector.

F is not proportional to its distance from the segment's start. Depending on the spline, a value of 0.5 does not always mean the middle, distance wise, of the segment.

See also: [[documentation:splines:start#units|Splines > Units]]

=== Distance ===
A distance on the spline, ranging from 0 (start) to spline's length (end)

The Distance of a control point is shown in its inspector.

See also: [[documentation:splines:start#units|Splines > Units]]

=== Relative Distance ===
A normalized distance on the spline, ranging from 0 (start) to 1 (end)

It is defined as: Distance / Spline_length

The Relative Distance of a control point is shown in its inspector.

See also: [[documentation:splines:start#units|Splines > Units]]

=== Orientation Anchor ===
Used by dynamic Orientation mode, this [[#Control Point]] option tells Curvy Splines to use the transform rotation of the [[#Control Point]] as an orientation target. Think of "orientation" waypoints. 

See also: [[documentation:splines:curvysplinesegment#Orientation Anchor|Curvy Spline Segment > Orientation Anchor]]

=== Cache ===
Precomputed sample points stored along a spline for faster data retrieval. Caching trades memory for CPU time. See [[documentation:performancetips:start#caching|caching documentation]] for details.

=== Connection ===
A relationship between two or more Control Points, managed by a CurvyConnection component. Used for junctions, transform synchronization, and Follow-Up behavior.

See also: [[documentation:splines:connections|Connections documentation]]

=== Controller ===
A component that moves or aligns a GameObject along a Spline, Path, or Volume.

See also: [[documentation:controllers:start|Controllers documentation]]

=== Module ===
A node in the Curvy Generator graph. Each module has input slots, output slots, and performs a specific operation (e.g., Shape Extrusion, Create Mesh).

See also: [[documentation:generator:modules:start|Modules documentation]]

=== Slot ===
An input or output port on a CG module. Each slot is typed to accept or produce a specific CGData subclass (e.g., CGPath, CGShape, CGVolume).

See also: [[documentation:generator:modules:start|Modules documentation]]

=== Link ===
A connection from an output slot to an input slot, carrying data between modules in the Curvy Generator graph.

See also: [[documentation:generator:modules:start|Modules documentation]]

=== Extrusion ===
The process of sweeping a 2D Shape along a Path to create a 3D Volume. Performed by the **Shape Extrusion** module.

See also: [[documentation:generator:modules:shapeextrusion|Shape Extrusion module]]

=== Rasterization ===
The process of sampling a continuous spline into discrete points. The density of rasterization affects precision and performance.

See also: [[documentation:generator:modules:rasterizepath|Rasterized Path module]]