Polyline/spline-like drawing in 3DSmax as in Autocad/SketchUp

[Neilg]

when you make the reference box the spinners are where you type in how big it is. I took it as a given that you'd do that.

The distance that you're extruding does show up in the x,y,z coordinates at the bottom if you can live with being a couple mm out. you can also switch the order you do things - make all known sizes as reference objects, drop them down in the z axis so they dont overlap and model over the top using snap when you get to them.

[Vizioen]

when you make the reference box the spinners are where you type in how big it is. I took it as a given that you'd do that.

The distance that you're extruding does show up in the x,y,z coordinates at the bottom if you can live with being a couple mm out. you can also switch the order you do things - make all known sizes as reference objects, drop them down in the z axis so they dont overlap and model over the top using snap when you get to them.

Yes I was already using that. I'm currently checking in on those rappatools and it looks like it's really helpfull for anybody using 3dsmax, the amount of features and customizability is insane

Another question, what would u recommend as I see you like to manually build geometry:

For instance: Say I drew the outline of my floorplan with a spline. I reference the spline to use it as my floor with an extrude modifier, and I reference it also to use sweep (bar-profile) to make my outside walls. That way if my floorplan changes my walls and floors change automatically too. Then I draw the shape of my window and use that spline with extrude modifier on top together with a proboolean instance subtract, I can also use that spline as reference with sweep to make most of the my window. That way if the size of my window changes I only need to adjust the spline and everything changes (the hole and the window). (see post below for visual example)

While if you manually draw everything with say edge extrude, connect, bridge, ... etc, if u need something changed it might take a while longer to edit. But I guess you don't have a nice edge topology with proboolean (which could lead to problems in case of displacement or something?)

[Vizioen]

As an example from what I was describing. This was made with referencing splines and using proboolean and sweep.



The changes made in the following took me 2 seconds (dragging a few vertices), instantly changing everything referenced to it (walls, floors, boolean and sweep). This allows for a very quick change when it's necessary.

[rjohnson33]

[QUOTE=Vizioen;631676]how can you put in a value to extrude an edge like 250cm to left, because you can't, [QUOTE]

If you're using the extrude command on a polygon via the Edit Poly/Polygons/Edit Polygons menu then you can type in an exact dimension for the extrusion. Click on the little window icon beside the word extrude rather than on the extrude button itself.

Sorry, or edges even. Just noticed you were talking about edges not poly's. If you're talking about shift-dragging to make new edges at a border then no, I don't think you can define an exact value.

[Vizioen]

If you're using the extrude command on a polygon via the Edit Poly/Polygons/Edit Polygons menu then you can type in an exact dimension for the extrusion. Click on the little window icon beside the word extrude rather than on the extrude button itself.

Sorry, or edges even. Just noticed you were talking about edges not poly's. If you're talking about shift-dragging to make new edges at a border then no, I don't think you can define an exact value.

Too bad, things like that would've never made me grab to SketchUp in the first place

[rjohnson33]

Too bad, things like that would've never made me grab to SketchUp in the first place

I've no idea why such basic functionality isn't there in Max. However, along the lines that Neilg has been suggesting, I think it's a decent approach to relax about exact dimensions in 3ds max for visualisation. I'll often use primitives of a known size just as a guide to model over or bring a plan or elevation in from AutoCAD and again just use those lines as a template to model over by eye. If you're dragging in the viewports to match these guides by eye you'll get things to within a millimeter anyway. Either that or use the coordinates in the bottom toolbar to do a quick calculation between points. I don't particularly like the way the snap tools feel in Max so I try to work around them.

[Neilg]

If you could enter exact values nobody would ever learn to let go and start eyeballing it... i kind of like that it forces you to wing it.

Vizioen - I still prefer to go into edit poly and move vertices/clean up meshes when making changes like that. I guess i don't really get changes where the entire floorplan gets re-designed (or if it is we charge for it), a wall gets moved here and there and things shift but it's never so drastic as to need that much control. I cant help but feel on a larger scale project working like that will get a bit messy. but i guess you could just work like that early on then drop an edit poly on and start extruding edges once it's locked down.
Figure out what works for you though - I never follow exact formulas. Every project before i start anything i have a look over what needs doing and try to think of the most efficient approach (and knowing the client/how many changes i'm likely to receive). it's always slightly different - and i have used those techniques when i knew it was going to change but we needed to get cameras out anyway.

[Vizioen]

I'm not going to open a new thread for this but I have a question concerning UVW mapping of for example a window profile.

From left to right. (the utmost right is the thing I want). All of them are regular sweeps from a rectangular shape. I want the uvw mapping to follow the direction of the spline. In other words it needs to turn 90° at each corner. Sweep does this automatically but as you can see unsuccessfully. If I turn off optimize and I get more divisions it's less jaggy but only on the level of divisions (you can see it in the second screenshot), also it still rotates towards the corners. The third one is actually 2 different map IDs with a multi/subobject material with same material but with 90° rotated W map. It's a bit tedious to do this for lots of things. Is this the correct flow to achieve something like this, or is there a sweep option I'm missing?



Divided sweep (still jaggy)

[Neilg]

you can go into your spline and add vertices at the corners that can help, but mostly for that we would use your third method, yeah. I do my windows with straight sweeps and have each segment a different element in the edit poly which intersect. have the vertical ones scaled to 99% in whatever axis keeps them inside the horizontal pieces and you dont get dirty faces.

[Vizioen]

you can go into your spline and add vertices at the corners that can help, but mostly for that we would use your third method, yeah. I do my windows with straight sweeps and have each segment a different element in the edit poly which intersect. have the vertical ones scaled to 99% in whatever axis keeps them inside the horizontal pieces and you dont get dirty faces.

Thanks, too bad it can't generate decent mapping like this automatically.

[rikou]

so agree ! I use the same method too
it's a pity, Sweep is useful but with this recurring problem, it become really frustrating

[rjohnson33]

Just saw this new script: http://miauumaxscript.blogspot.com.e...-polyline.html

and it reminded me of this thread. I think it's new anyway.

[Vizioen]

Just saw this new script: http://miauumaxscript.blogspot.com.e...-polyline.html

and it reminded me of this thread. I think it's new anyway.

That's great, i was looking for something like this, might consider buying this. I think it's new indeed because I've looked at most of Miauu's scripts already. He has some amazing scripts.