def _discretize_geometry(self):
        """
        Discretizes the alignment geometry to a series of vector points
        """

        interval = self.Object.Seg_Value
        interval_type = self.Object.Method

        #alignment construction requires a 'look ahead' at the next element
        #This implementation does a 'look back' at the previous.
        #Thus, iteration starts at the second element and
        #the last element is duplicated to ensure it is constructed.
        geometry = self.Object.Geometry

        if not geometry:
            print('No geometry defined.  Unnable to discretize')
            return None

        prev_geo = [float(_i) for _i in geometry[0].split(',')]

        #test in case we only have one geometric element
        if len(geometry) > 1:
            geometry = geometry[1:]
            geometry.append(geometry[-1])

        prev_curve_tangent = 0.0

        coords = [App.Vector(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)]

        for geo_string in geometry:

            #convert the commo-delimited string of floats into a list of strings, then to floats
            _geo = [float(_i) for _i in geo_string.split(',')]

            bearing_in = math.radians(prev_geo[1])
            bearing_out = math.radians(_geo[1])

            curve_dir, central_angle = Utils.directed_angle(
                Utils.vector_from_angle(bearing_in),
                Utils.vector_from_angle(bearing_out))

            curve_tangent = prev_geo[2] * math.tan(central_angle / 2.0)

            #alternate calculation for spiral curves
            if prev_geo[3] > 0.0:
                curve_tangent = (prev_geo[3] / 2.0) + (prev_geo[2] + (
                    (prev_geo[3]**2) /
                    (24 * prev_geo[2]))) * math.tan(central_angle / 2.0)

            #previous tangent length = distance between PI's minus the two curve tangents
            prev_tan_len = prev_geo[0] - curve_tangent - prev_curve_tangent

            #skip if our tangent length is too short leadng up to a curve (likely a compound curve)
            if prev_tan_len >= 1:
                coords.extend(
                    self.discretize_arc(coords[-1], bearing_in, prev_tan_len,
                                        0.0, 0.0, 'Segment'))

            #zero radius means no curve.  We're done
            if prev_geo[2] > 0.0:
                if prev_geo[3] > 0.0:
                    coords.extend(
                        self.discretize_spiral(coords[-1], bearing_in,
                                               prev_geo[2],
                                               central_angle * curve_dir,
                                               prev_geo[3], interval,
                                               interval_type))
                else:
                    coords.extend(
                        self.discretize_arc(coords[-1], bearing_in,
                                            prev_geo[2],
                                            central_angle * curve_dir,
                                            interval, interval_type))

            prev_geo = _geo
            prev_curve_tangent = curve_tangent

        return coords
    def _discretize_geometry(self, segments):
        '''
        Discretizes the alignment geometry to a series of vector points
        '''

        print('discretizing ', self.Object.Geometry)

        #alignment construction requires a 'look ahead' at the next element
        #This implementation does a 'look back' at the previous.
        #Thus, iteration starts at the second element and
        #the last element is duplicated to ensure it is constructed.
        geometry = self.Object.Geometry

        if not geometry:
            print('No geometry defined.  Unnable to discretize')
            return None

        prev_geo = geometry[0]

        #test in case we only have one geometric element
        if len(geometry) > 1:
            geometry = geometry[1:]
            geometry.append(geometry[-1])

        prev_coord = App.Vector(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)
        prev_curve_tangent = 0.0

        coords = [App.Vector(0.0, 0.0, 0.0)]

        for _geo in geometry:

            print('\n-----=======>>>>>', _geo)

            distance = prev_geo[0]
            bearing_in = math.radians(prev_geo[1])
            bearing_out = math.radians(_geo[1])

            in_tangent = Utils.vector_from_angle(bearing_in)
            out_tangent = Utils.vector_from_angle(bearing_out)

            curve_dir, central_angle = Utils.directed_angle(
                in_tangent, out_tangent)

            radius = prev_geo[2]

            #if both the current geometry and the look-back geometry have nno-zero radii,
            #we're between curves
            between_curves = radius > 0.0 and _geo[2] > 0.0

            curve_tangent = radius * math.tan(central_angle / 2.0)
            prev_tan_len = distance - curve_tangent - prev_curve_tangent
            _forward = App.Vector(math.sin(bearing_in), math.cos(bearing_in),
                                  0.0)

            print('bearing in ', bearing_in)
            print('bearing_out ', bearing_out)
            print('distance ', distance)
            print('in-tangent ', in_tangent)
            print('out-tangent ', out_tangent)
            print('curve-dir ', curve_dir)
            print('central angle ', central_angle)
            print('radius ', radius)
            print('between curves? ', between_curves)
            print('prev_tan_len ', prev_tan_len)
            print('curve tangent ', curve_tangent)

            #skip if our tangent length is too short leadng up to a curve (likely a compound curve)
            if prev_tan_len >= 1:  #DocumentProperties.MinimumTangentLength.get_value() or not between_curves:

                #append three coordinates:
                #   one a millimeter away from the starting point
                #   one a millimeter away from the ending point
                #   one at the end point
                mm_tan_len = prev_tan_len * 304.80

                coords.append(prev_coord.add(_forward))
                coords.append(
                    prev_coord.add(
                        App.Vector(_forward).multiply(mm_tan_len - 1)))
                coords.append(
                    prev_coord.add(App.Vector(_forward).multiply(mm_tan_len)))

            #zero radius or curve direction means no curve.  We're done
            if radius > 0.0:

                _left = App.Vector(_forward.y, -_forward.x, 0.0)
                seg_rad = central_angle / float(segments)

                prev_coord = coords[-1]

                radius_mm = radius * 304.80
                unit_delta = seg_rad * 0.01

                print('prev coord ', prev_coord)
                print('radius mm ', radius_mm)
                print('unit delta ', unit_delta)
                print('seg_rad ', seg_rad)
                print('segments ', segments)

                for _i in range(0, segments):

                    delta = float(_i + 1) * seg_rad

                    _dfw = App.Vector(_forward).multiply(math.sin(delta))
                    _dlt = App.Vector(_left).multiply(curve_dir *
                                                      (1 - math.cos(delta)))

                    coords.append(
                        prev_coord.add(_dfw.add(_dlt).multiply(radius_mm)))

                    print('next coord ', coords[-1])

            prev_geo = _geo
            prev_coord = coords[-1]
            prev_curve_tangent = curve_tangent

        print('COORDS: ', coords)
        return coords