Scupper

Here's the VW file, which I should have posted initially instead of JPEGs. It would still be good to know how to avoid the cutout at the bottom of the model. The copy and paste 'cheat' worked fine for me and I didn't get any offset error either using the move tool. I guess adding that pasted poly would only be a problem if there were site modifiers affecting that level. Thanks again.

That'll work, - should have thought of it myself. I just thought maybe I was doing something wrong that could be fixed so the cutout wouldn't happen. Many thanks again.

Thanks, Benson, the highest 3D poly was screwing it up, and removing it worked. Very helpful suggestion. That poly was outside my boundary so removing it doesn't compromise the model. It's almost perfect now, but there's still a bite out of the base where I'd like a straight edge (see file). Any idea how I can fill it in without getting it clipped? I've tried adding 3D polygons off the boundry below it and I've tried putting in a lower minimum elevation in Site Model Settings but neither seems to work.

I'm trying to find a reliable way of making DTMs using 3D polygons and I'm finding it's harder than doing it with spot heights/3D loci. I've extended my 2D polygons beyond the site boundaries and made sure that they connect (see file, red lines) because otherwise VW only seems to recognize one contour at each height. I make the site model, then Edit Group and make a polygon to define my site boundaries, then come out of the edit and update the model on the OIP. When I choose extruded countours, I always get a flat platform the shape of my boundary polygon, on top of the model (see pic). It doesn't happen with other display styles, but extruded contours is the one I want. I'd be really happy if someone could let me know how to correct this. I'm using V2008 SP2 with Windows XP and have 2GB of RAM.

Brilliant. Thanks for that.

I get lines like these (see files below) on DTMs quite often. They seem to occur at major contours. Does anyone know why? Am I doing something wrong? V12.5.2, Windows XP Many thanks.

Hi Dave, You prompted me to do a bit more experimenting and I got there by myself in the end. I needed to choose 'Use mask' and 'transparent color', sliding the sliders so I got a white image with a black background on the mask panel thingy. I may or may not have managed to attach the successful file to this post. I still don't exactly understand what I've done in terms of colours and masks but I'm happy that I've got the result I wanted and should be able to repeat it with other plants. Thanks for your interest in my question.

I've used the model/create image prop command to make an image prop of a tif image I made in Photoshop with a transparent background and then made into a VW texture, but it shows as a grey rectangle around the image when I render it in Open GL. The help menu is very technical and assumes you already understand this stuff, - but I don't know what I'm doing with transparency masks, shaders etc. Can someone please explain it in simple English or direct me somewhere where someone's already explained it (I have searched this forum but found no answer to this question). Any help very much appreciated.

Wow, - that's briliant. Thanks for taking the time and sharing your knowledge.

I'm trying to make a 3D wall shape in V12.5.2 that spirals down at a constant rate in a tightening spiral. I've tried extruding a rectangle around a helix but the rectangle rotates outwards irregularly and I need verticl sides and flat tops. One way might be to make a spiral, extrude the rectangle around it and lift one end, - but that just lifts one tiny part of it, whether it's a polyline or a NURBS curve. Any suggestions much appreciated.

Okay, - I think I know what's wrong. I tried updating QuickTime but the installer didn't work, - there seems to be something up with my Windows Installer. I downloaded an update for that but guess what? The installer for it failed. I think I'll just have to reformat again, reinstall Windows XP, update it to SP2 and then install VW and update it before putting any other non-essential software in.

I had VW 12.5 running beautifully on my system before I reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP SP2, but after installing V12.0 on a clean disk, I am unable to update it. The disks are fine, - I?ve installed a few of my old programs to them and they work. Here?s what I?ve tried: First, I wanted to use the V12.5 update that worked the first time round and which I?d saved, so I started that and after copying 87% of files I got a message saying ?To get the latest version of VW you must download and run a new updater from NNA?? Then I got a message saying I should update the dongle driver for V12.5, so I did that. I now have driver 5.19.00 for the Aladdin HASP key in device manager, dated 11.17.06, and also for the Aladdin USB key. The same thing happens though, - it always stops at 87% and tells me to get the new updater. So I downloaded the latest updater, to V12.5.2, this afternoon but it won?t unzip. I can click on it and I get a Parts folder, a Support folder and a 7MB Update VectorWorks.exe program that looks like a DOS file and is deflated according to its properties. When I click on that I get a message saying ?This application may depend on other compressed files in this folder. For the application to run properly it is recommended that you first extract all files.? Pressing the Extract All button gets the message ?Compressed (zipped) folder error: Error reading file?, and then it stops. If I press the Run button, nothing happens at all. If I ?Extract All? of the new 264MB download, the Windows Extraction Wizard opens, but if I attempt to extract, to any nearby folder, I get the ?Error reading file? message again, and then it stops. Extracting it to the VW12.0.0 program file, the same thing happens. At one point I noticed in the properties for the zipped file that it might be blocked by Windows and unblocked it but that hasn?t helped. Could the zipped folder be corrupt? I?ve downloaded it twice but the same thing happens to both folders. I?ve tried disabling both my Norton Internet Protection firewall and my Windows XP firewall but that makes no difference. I connect to the internet through a router but that hasn?t been a problem before, - are there any unusual ports I need open to let it talk to NNA (I doubt it)? The only thing that?s changed since my previous installation of V12.5 is that the operating system is now on a different disk from VW and everything else, - it?s 20GB, which is plenty for Windows but not much else. My main disk is 300GB and I have 2GB of RAM, with a dual core AMD 3800+. Luckily, V12.0 appears to be able to handle the files I made on V12.5, so I can keep working on them until I can sort out this update. I?d be very grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks guys. I think I've managed to do it. The Resource Browser had me baffled because when you select new RenderWorks texture you get an empty Edit Texture window. You then navigate to your image by selecting Shaders > Colour > Filtered Image, - at least that's how I've done it. Is this the best way of getting my rock texture on my rock?

Very basic question but I've searched the forum in vain for an answer. I have V12.5. I've tried importing a Photoshop image into the Textures StoneAndBrick file, but it just sits there. How can I make it into something I can wrap around 3D objects. Is there a 'Make new texture' command somewhere? (I saw that mentioned ina post but can't find it in VW) Any help much appreciated.