
Using the surface data editor
The surface data editor is where you can specify everything about the lens surfaces: their thickness, curvature, glass, apertures, etc.
How to open the surface data editor:
- Select from the menu System > Surfaces
How it looks

Parallel editing
The area below the table lets you edit surface parameters in parallel. For example, if you select surfaces 5 thru 7 (click on the row of surface 5, then hold the shift key while clicking on the row of surface 7), then you can change the semidiameter of those surfaces to a specified value simply by typing the value into the semidiameter box at lower left.
Contextual menu
Click on the table with the control key held down, or right-click with a multi-button mouse, to access a contextual menu that will let you flip or remove selected surfaces, or insert new surfaces.
Drag and drop
Rows in the table may be dragged to change the order of surfaces in the lens. New surfaces may be dragged in from another lens file. Glasses may be dragged from the glass library and dropped on a table row to set the glass of a surface (you can also enter the name of the glass in the glass column). You can also drag and drop parameters.
Columns of the surface table
- color
- The first column shows the color of the surface, used in layout views.
- sto
- Shows which surface is the aperture stop (this determines where the sources are aiming).
- ap
- Shows if the surface has an aperture. To specify the aperture, select the surface (by clicking on the row in the table) and then use the aperture control at the lower left of the window.
- number (#)
- Shows the number of the surface, with zero being the object surface.
- comment
- The surface comment is any text you like, but best to keep it short.
- R of curvature
- The radius of curvature in lens units (presently only mm is supported). The solve column just to its right is where you can select a paraxial curvature solve.
- thickness
- The thickness of the surface (distance to the vertex of the next surface) in lens units (presently only mm is supported). The solve column just to its right is where you can select a paraxial thickness solve.
- glass
- The glass column is where you can type a glass name, which will then be looked up in the catalogs. If you use the glass name MIRROR then the surface becomes a reflecting surface. The solve column just to its right is where you can change the glass back to air, to a mirror, to a model glass, or to a pickup.
- semidiameter
- The radial extent of the surface. Normally the semidiameter is determined automatically. If you enter a value the solve becomes U for "user defined".
Using the parameters table
On the lower right of the Surfaces window is the parameters table, which looks like this:

It shows the values of the parameters for the surface selected in the surface table. These values may be edited in the table or by selecting a row or rows in the table and giving the new value in the text box below the table.
To sort the table, click on the column header that you wish to sort on. Clicking on the column header again will change the sort order from ascending to descending. To restore the table to its unsorted configuration, press the "Unsort" button.
Parameters may be dragged in and out of other applications.