Reconciliation

Definition#

Reconciliation is an explicit Frame Editor action that adjusts manufactured member endpoints around a logical junction. Logical links can meet exactly at one zero-thickness node, but real tubes have radius. If every Physical link ended at that same point, the members could overlap.

Reconciliation calculates the axial setbacks required for the participating Physical links to clear one another. You invoke it for either:

one eligible junction, by selecting its node and choosing Reconcile in Joint Reconciliation; or
every eligible junction in the frame, by choosing the frame-level Reconcile all links action.

Nothing is reconciled merely because the specification says Auto. Auto chooses and maintains the calculation order; Reconcile or Reconcile all links performs the model edit.

A logical junction, not a new entity#

In this reference, a logical junction means a node together with the Physical members that meet, terminate near, or pass through it. The editor's panel calls this Joint Reconciliation, but the junction is a derived editing context, not another Frame entity.

Reconciliation does not create a special reconciled-link type, joint object, constraint relationship, or printable connector. Its result uses the same entities and relationships available elsewhere in the editor:

ordinary Relative nodes;
their ordinary axial offsets on Virtual links;
ordinary Physical-link start- or end-terminal edits.

The selected node does own reconciliation mode and specification metadata. That metadata describes how the action should calculate its result; it is not a separate topology or manufacturing entity.

What makes a junction eligible#

A junction is eligible only when both conditions are true:

at least two relevant Physical members participate around the logical node; and
at least one relevant Physical-link terminal has Reconciliation enabled and may therefore be adjusted.

The relevant members can include:

a Physical link ending directly at the logical node;
the nearest Physical-link terminal already offset along a Virtual span associated with that node;
a through-member whose Physical link passes across the node without terminating there.

A through-member has no terminal at the junction to move, so it acts as a constraint. A terminal whose Reconciliation control is disabled is also constrained. Constrained members still count toward the two-member minimum because an adjustable member must clear them.

One Physical member: not eligible, regardless of its terminal setting, because there is no second member to reconcile against.
Two or more members, no adjustable terminal: not eligible because every participating member is fixed.
Two or more members, at least one adjustable terminal: eligible because the movable ends can be set back around all participating members.

Eligibility is evaluated from the current model. Adding, removing, or retargeting a Physical link, changing which terminal participates, or moving an already-offset terminal can change whether the Joint Reconciliation controls are available.

Eligible and constrained member ends#

Each Physical-link start and end terminal has its own Reconciliation participation control.

Enabled: reconciliation may move that end along its Virtual reference.
Disabled: reconciliation must leave that end where the user placed it and treat the member as clearance geometry for the movable ends.

The setting applies independently at the two ends of one member. Disabling an end is therefore a design constraint, not a way to hide the member from the calculation.

A member that passes straight through the logical node is constrained at that junction even if its distant terminals participate at other junctions. Reconciliation can set back the branches around that through-member without cutting the through-member in two.

What the action actually edits#

For each eligible member end whose current offset differs from the calculated result, reconciliation performs one of two ordinary edit sequences:

The Physical link still ends at the logical node. The action creates a normal Relative node at the calculated axial offset on the link's existing Virtual reference, then changes the relevant Physical-link terminal to that node.
The Physical link already ends at a nearby Relative node. The action edits that existing Relative node's axial position to the newly calculated offset.

The logical junction node and its Virtual links remain in place. The Physical member becomes shorter or changes its existing setback because its manufactured terminal now lies away from the zero-thickness junction.

Newly created Relative nodes are normal editable entities. You can rename them, inspect their offsets, use them in other valid relationships, or manually edit them later. Dependencies such as hosted attachments follow through the same standard propagation rules.

The same result can be authored manually#

Reconciliation is automation, not a privileged model operation. You could reach exactly the same final model by:

calculating the necessary setbacks from the member radii and junction angles;
creating or editing the appropriate Relative nodes on the existing Virtual links; and
assigning those nodes as the relevant Physical-link terminals.

The action exists because doing those calculations and coordinated edits by hand is repetitive and error-prone. It calculates the smallest required offsets under the chosen ordering and applies the ordinary edits for you.

This distinction is useful when inspecting or debugging a frame: there is no hidden reconciled state to search for. Inspect the Physical-link terminals and the Relative-node offsets to see the complete result.

One junction or the whole frame#

Use the selected-node Reconcile action when you want to inspect or tune one junction. It evaluates that junction's current members, constraints, and specification, then applies only the endpoint changes that are still necessary.

Use Reconcile all links when topology, member radii, junction angles, or several specifications have changed across the frame. The editor evaluates every node, skips ineligible junctions and eligible junctions with no remaining work, and applies the required endpoint edits.

The frame-wide action is not a persistent “keep reconciled” mode. Later modeling changes may make another explicit pass useful.

Atomic transaction and history#

All low-level edits produced by one reconciliation command are wrapped in one atomic Frame transaction:

a selected-junction pass is one history step, even when it creates and retargets several nodes;
a frame-wide pass is also one history step, even when it changes several junctions.

Undo restores the complete pre-action state, including removing Relative nodes created by the action and restoring the former Physical-link terminals. Redo reapplies the complete result. If the calculation finds no endpoint that needs to move, the command reports that there is nothing to do instead of adding an empty model change.

Automatic and manual specifications#

The reconciliation specification is an ordered recipe stored on the logical node. It determines which eligible members establish clearance first.

In Auto mode, the editor derives and maintains that recipe from the current eligible members and the frame's Reconciliation Preference:

None makes newly created Physical-link terminals non-participating by default.
Simple treats eligible members as individual ordered steps.
Symmetric pairs compatible equal-radius members when the junction has no constrained member, then handles remaining members as individual steps.

These preferences configure participation and recipe generation; they do not invoke reconciliation.

Editing the displayed order switches the junction to Manual mode. Earlier individual rows establish geometry that later rows must clear. Dropping one individual row onto another forms a symmetric pair, which calculates the two offsets together. Symmetric pairs are unavailable while the junction has a constrained member because that fixed geometry must take precedence. Use Auto to discard the local ordering and return to the derived recipe.

What reconciliation does not do#

Reconciliation is deliberately narrow:

it does not move the logical junction or change the intended Virtual-link axes;
it does not add tube material or create a printable joint;
it does not create, merge, or connect attachments;
it is not a general collision detector for the complete assembly;
it does not certify strength, fit, printability, or manufacturability.

Use Physical-link attachments and Virtual-link attachments for placed printable geometry. Use Attachment Connections when multiple attachment body parts should become one coordinated printable component.

Common mistakes#

Reading “Auto” as automatic execution. It means automatic specification maintenance. Run Reconcile or Reconcile all links to change endpoints.
Expecting a new joint entity. The result is visible entirely as normal Relative nodes, axial offsets, and Physical-link terminal assignments.
Expecting an ineligible node to show reconciliation controls. The node needs at least two relevant Physical members and at least one adjustable terminal.
Disabling every terminal to avoid an unexpected order. That makes the junction ineligible. Keep the intended ends enabled and edit the manual specification instead.
Treating constrained members as ignored. They remain in the clearance calculation precisely because adjustable members must avoid them.
Assuming one pass is permanent. Re-run reconciliation after relevant model changes, then inspect the affected members and attachments.
Confusing reconciliation with Attachment Connections. Reconciliation positions stock-member ends; Attachment Connections create coordinated printable geometry.

The Triangle Frame narrated build shows an explicit whole-frame pass before joint hardware is added, then runs reconciliation again after the logical shape changes. The Getting Started reconciliation overview gives a shorter workflow-oriented explanation.

Read Nodes for the logical and Relative points involved, Virtual links for their reference spans, and Physical links for terminal participation and manufactured length.