How to define more accurately the Path Modifier

[TeeMuki]

Hello,
The Path Modifier is mostly working really well in Vectorworks 2024. But the modifier seems to do some weird slope at the end of the modifier, sometimes on one end sometimes on both ends. I took a screenshot of what i mean.

On the first picture you can see that the middle line of the path modifier is going to the left corner, and that corner is on the set elevation. The right corner is because of that on a higher elevation (2nd picture of the 3D view), even i don't have set the Transverse elevation (sideslope) on the path. So why it does this and how can i fix this? And why is the another end of the Path Modifier on even elevations?

Alot of questions, thank you for your help!

Edited January 5 by TeeMuki
more information

[kwik]

Yes, you typically get this problem when the shape of the path boundary isn't parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal profile line (the middle line). You can try to modify the profile line or a transverse profile line to adjust this, but it is not always easy to control the boundary when the 2D-shape is skewed.

I don't know if this is what you need to do here, but what i sometimes do if I want two paths with different slopes to meet both in 2D and 3D, is to clip the boundary a bit away from the end of it, so it is actually perpendicular to the longitudinal profile, and then place an aligned path between the two paths. I will create a transition between the two (or several) modifiers without having to adjust the profiles that may be more difficult to control. By the way, it might be easier to understand what is going on with the triangulation of the path and modifiers if you select Show the surface in 3D in the OIP and Fill set to none.

 

Before: The two objects doesn't align i 3D

 

After: The Modifier is aligning between the Paths

[TeeMuki]

Thank you for your input! I have also done that in the past, but im trying to figure out now, how to work with the Path -modifier as efficiently as possible.

Sometimes, or even sadly often, the Aligned is not aligning to the surrounding site modifiers. To get the work done i'm changing it to a 3D-poly and setting up the Vertexes correctly manually. What can cause this? Are the lines not on top of each other, or are they maybe going over each other boundaries? Im often using the bucket tool, so the edges of the modifiers should really go flawless together... Any ideas?

Thank you!

[kwik]

13 hours ago, TeeMuki said:

To get the work done i'm changing it to a 3D-poly and setting up the Vertexes correctly manually.

I have the same problems with Aligned paths/pads. It occurs when they meet at none-straight lines (arcs and other curves). I have done the same as you with a 3D.poly, but maybe slightly different approach to changing the curved lines into straight line segments. I have converted the Aligned pad by making a copy and paste to original coordinates > converted to a 3D-poly by ungrouping in the 3D view > convert the 3D-poly to a 2D polygon and copy it > going back to the original Aligned pad and replace the path (right-click > Edit Path / Paste to original coordinates / delete the curved Path). Then I have still a Aligned pad, but it is now made from straight line segments. I can use this one to make/adjust a coinciding Pad or Path to share the exact same geometry by using the paint bucket, like you do, or by Clip Surface 

I have aslo tried the Simplify Tolerance in the OIP to try to make coinciding modifiers to overlap exactly, but it usually fails. 

Another quick-fix that is not always 100% accurate is to keep the curved paths, and in the Aligned pad, place Surface modifiers at the coinciding line in order to force the aligning to work. This workaround isn't bullet proof and sometimes needs more and more modifiers...

 

I think this buggy performance with the Aligned Path should be possible to fix by the programmers of the Site Modifiers, therefore I add @Katarina Ollikainen to this thread to hear what is the best way to get this problem fixed 🙂 

Edited January 11 by kwik