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 stock members have a cross-section. 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. Enabling optional shaped ends adds automatic maintenance at that treated joint, as described below.

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:

1. at least two relevant Physical members participate around the logical node; and
2. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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:

1. calculating the necessary setbacks from the member profiles, their rotation, and the junction angles;
2. creating or editing the appropriate Relative nodes on the existing Virtual links; and
3. 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 offsets required by its profile-clearance model 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, section dimensions or rotation, 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 derives compatible pairs from the eligible members, then handles remaining members as individual steps. Constrained members remain earlier clearance geometry.

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. A constrained member may push that pair farther from the guide without removing its pairing intent. Use Auto to discard the local ordering and return to the derived recipe.

Non-circular profiles and rotation#

Reconciliation uses each section's extent toward the other participating member. Rectangular Side A, Side B, and Edge radius therefore matter, as does the Physical link's authored rotation. The calculation keeps that rotation fixed; it does not turn stock to find a smaller setback.

For L/T/I/U sections the calculation conservatively encloses the profile in centered strips. It does not nest a member into another section's opening. Inspect the resulting joint when that conservatism matters, and run another explicit pass after changing section dimensions or roll.

Shaped link ends#

Use the Fitted link ends toggle to fit every eligible end using the joint's pairing and order. The change reconciles the joint immediately as one undo step. Turn it off to remove fitting while retaining the reconciled straight sections. Fixed and continuous receivers remain unchanged. An existing partially fitted joint shows a mixed toggle until you choose all on or all off.

In Frame Defaults → Node Defaults, enable Fit new joints to fit newly formed joints automatically. The default starts off and does not change existing joints. New members joining a fully fitted joint inherit fitting even when that default is off. Enabling the creation default requires Pro.

Enabling new shaped ends requires TrussLab Pro, including a second end on an existing member. Existing treatments remain editable and removable without Pro. Opening, imports, undo/redo, STL/3MF export and workspace archives preserve them; clearing an end and later enabling it again is a new Pro action. Rebinding existing treatment without increasing the member's enabled-end count remains an edit.

Both enabled members of a symmetric pair receive complementary miter cuts. Other enabled ends cope against earlier completed members in the specification. Fixed and continuous through-members remain unchanged receivers. A pair may also cope against a preceding receiver. A 180-degree pair needs only square butt ends and adds no material. A simultaneous miter partition across three or more members is not implemented; those members follow the ordered recipe.

Use the same pairing and drag-and-drop ordering controls with ordinary or shaped ends. For ordinary ends they determine clearance and free space; with shaped ends they also determine the miter and coping geometry. Manual order remains available when shaping is enabled.

Circular and rectangular solid/hollow stock and solid L/T/I/U profiles use the same native calculation. Miters require matching oriented outer cut contours; equal nominal dimensions alone do not guarantee this. Serial cuts need complete finite receiving contact. Unsupported geometry is rejected with a diagnostic.

The existing terminal nodes delimit the uniform central section. Shaped sections are separate scene geometry and can extend beyond the logical guide. Enabling calculates final seam clearance inside reconciliation to protect later members, without a subsequent corrective move, and must leave a positive central span. Manufacturing export creates one part per member from its central section and both shaped ends, including its bore or open profile.

With any end enabled at this joint, subsequent geometry and topology edits automatically maintain reconciliation, final seam clearances and attachment host clearances. New connected members join the maintained specification. The stock moves immediately; changed ends briefly disappear while replacement geometry builds. Visibility edits retain their geometry. Clearing all ends retains current uniform seams and restores ordinary manual reconciliation.

Hosted attachments remain ordinary attachments. They can serve as permanent connectors or temporary locating fixtures, with their clearances enclosing the added ends. Shaping does not establish weld access, strength or process suitability.

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. Ordinary reconciliation is explicit. Enabled shaped ends add automatic maintenance at their joint; inspect the affected members and attachments after edits in either workflow.
• Confusing reconciliation with Attachment Connections. Reconciliation positions stock-member ends; Attachment Connections create coordinated printable geometry.

Related learning#

Follow Fit stock and export STEP solids for a workflow with round and mixed-profile examples, finished-member geometry, and the STEP manufacturing handoff.

Read the concept series chapter for the illustrated explanation in context.

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.