# Smoothness Value

PatFlex creates a nonlinear transformation that describes the difference between the trained control points and the control points found in the run-time image. PatFlex refines this transformation so that you can use it to map any point between the trained pattern and the run-time image (CVL only) or create an unwarped version of the run-time image.

The smoothness value determines how closely PatFlex fits this transformation to the found control point locations. A smoothness value of 0.0 indicates that the transformation is to be perfectly fitted to the control points. A smoothness value of infinity indicates that the transform is an affine transform (does not incorporate any of the nonlinear deformation).

In most cases, the default value of 3.0 is appropriate. If too small a smoothness value is specified, the resulting transformation may be perfectly accurate for the control points, but less accurate for intervening points, as shown in the following figure.