Smoothing 3D objects

[MGuilfoile]

In VW2023, SP5. I often import DWG files from FormZ and 3D Studio. Curved 3D objects often come with facets. For example, a cylinder that has a round section in FZ or 3DS will import with facets--even with my options selected to very high, they still look facetted. Is there a 3D smoothing tool that I'm just missing?

Thanks,

MHBrown

[VIRTUALENVIRONS]

The facets are probably normal.  What is missing is the phong tag information.  I am not sure if Vectorworks can add the smoothing in 2023.

[rDesign]

There are Document preferences where you can set the crease angle to control how smooth faceted objects appear.

Go to File -> Document Settings and on the Display tab, change the value under ‘Mesh Smoothing With Crease Angle’. It accepts a range of values between 0 and 180, higher values will create a smoother surface. I usually keep it around 70. 

Edited July 28, 2023 by rDesign

[MGuilfoile]

Thanks, I had forgotten about the Document Settings. Great advice!

MHBrown

[Claes Lundstrom]

14 hours ago, rDesign said:

There are Document preferences where you can set the crease angle to control how smooth faceted objects appear.

Go to File -> Document Settings and on the Display tab, change the value under ‘Mesh Smoothing With Crease Angle’. It accepts a range of values between 0 and 180, higher values will create a smoother surface. I usually keep it around 70. 

 

Don't forget to convert the relevant to meshes if it's not a mesh. Otherwise mesh smoothing doesn't work. 

[Dave Donley]

Also, each mesh can have its own mesh smoothing settings in the Obj Info palette shape pane.  The default value is to use the doc prefs but you can override this per-mesh.

 

Sometimes meshes will have disconnected faces, entering and exiting the mesh may make them more efficient.  There is a Modify->SImplfy Mesh command to simplify meshes afterward if they are heavier than your needs.

 

[MGuilfoile]

Thanks for all the great advice. Regarding DWG imports, all the entities come in as meshes which cannot be altered. For example, I can't change the length, width, or height of any of the meshes--unless I'm missing something. Everything is greyed out in the OIP; all I can do is scale the object. Is there a better way to set the import options for DWG, a better format to import. I work with FormZ and 3D Studio Max and I realize FZ is somewhat fading away, so it is hard to find any current information. 3DS is, of course, a modeler, but is very popular in my industry anyway (exhibit design). I wish Vectorworks could import .fbx, which seems to be on Autodesk's heir apparent to DWG/DFX. Any advice on importing DWGs from these two computer apps? Thank you!

MHBrown

[Claes Lundstrom]

18 hours ago, MGuilfoile said:

Thanks for all the great advice. Regarding DWG imports, all the entities come in as meshes which cannot be altered. For example, I can't change the length, width, or height of any of the meshes--unless I'm missing something. Everything is greyed out in the OIP; all I can do is scale the object. Is there a better way to set the import options for DWG, a better format to import. I work with FormZ and 3D Studio Max and I realize FZ is somewhat fading away, so it is hard to find any current information. 3DS is, of course, a modeler, but is very popular in my industry anyway (exhibit design). I wish Vectorworks could import .fbx, which seems to be on Autodesk's heir apparent to DWG/DFX. Any advice on importing DWGs from these two computer apps? Thank you!

MHBrown

 

Try grouping the mesh. At least you can scale if from above. Otherwise, try the menu command Modify-> Scale Objects, where you can scale in all directions, though only by a scale factor. You can overcome this by using the building in math in the  edit field. Let's say that you have a 4 meter object that you want to be sim meters. Then type in 6/4 and there you have the scale factor. 

 

[MGuilfoile]

Thank, Claes, that it what I do now and you are correct that it works. As an aside, we take for granted that we can put arithmetic formulas into the edit fields. You can't do that in 3D Studio Max. Then again, you can't really scale objects in 3DS either. Or copy and paste between files. But that's another story.

Thank you!

MHBrown

[Claes Lundstrom]

12 hours ago, MGuilfoile said:

Thank, Claes, that it what I do now and you are correct that it works. As an aside, we take for granted that we can put arithmetic formulas into the edit fields. You can't do that in 3D Studio Max. Then again, you can't really scale objects in 3DS either. Or copy and paste between files. But that's another story.

Thank you!

MHBrown

 

Sounds like 3D Studio Max has work to do to catch up. Surprisingly primitive if you ask me. Admittedly, VW could do with quite a lot of improvements as well in the fields of mesh and NURBS surface editing.