Parameter Solves
Pickup
The Parameter Pickup solve uses a scaled and offset value from another surface and column as the parameter on the target surface. The pickup parameter is given by: P' = O + S * V, where V is the value of the source data, S is the scale factor, and O is the offset. See also "Solve restrictions". To set a pickup solve from a ZPL macro, see "Integer codes for column numbers".
The Chief Ray solve works only on coordinate break surfaces, and only on the first four parameters. When placed on a decenter x or y parameter, the solve will set the decenter to place the selected wavelength (use zero for primary wavelength) real chief ray from the selected field position at an x or y coordinate of zero on the coordinate break surface, respectively. If set on the tilt x and tilt y parameters, the tilt angles are adjusted to make the exiting chief ray angle zero in the y and x directions, respectively. The order flag on the coordinate break surface will determine the order in which the parameters are fit, and the solution may not be unique. The output chief ray coordinates can be viewed in the Ray Trace Data window (from the Rays & Spots button in the Image Quality section of the Analyze tab); and it is a good idea to verify the solve works correctly. This solve is not allowed when the stop surface follows the surface the solve is placed on and ray aiming (see "Ray Aiming") is on.
There are times when the resulting values will yield an output chief ray angle or coordinate that is small, but not zero. This is caused by the non-orthogonal rotations not always being able to completely "undo" an arbitrary rotation in a single set of matrix rotations. There are two solutions to this problem:
1) Try changing the "order" flag from 1 to 0 or 0 to 1, then update the system, to see which set of coordinate transforms works better.
2) Use two adjacent coordinate break surfaces with identical chief ray solves. This is easy to do by copying and pasting the entire coordinate break surface. The second coordinate break will usually bring the chief ray many orders of magnitude closer to the desired zero coordinates or angles.
ZPL Macro
For a complete description of ZPL Macro solves, see "Using ZPL Macro solves".
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