Editing 3D objects !

[Jono]

I am having a problem editing a 3D rectangle. I want to edit the X and Y measurement and I also want to stipulate a height to where I want it to start ie: a 'Z bottom' measurement .... it sounds a really simple thing to do but I can't figure it out.

Any help appreciated

Jono

[Guest]

As long as the extruded object isn't grouped or has been part of a solid addition/subtraction, you should be able to select the rectangle and change the x and y values by typing the size in the x and y entries.

To move where it lies on the z axis, you will need to use the Move 3d command under the Tool Menu. You can then specify the z height and the number associated with it.

[Jono]

Hi Katie ... I seem to be missing something !! If I create a rectangle with the extruded rectangle tool, I get prompted to put in a Z dimension. The problem then comes if I want to alter any dimension. The X and Y dimension in the OI box is one of the poisition of the rectangle, not of its properties ... I use the programme a lot but have only just got into creating 3D models so haven't come across this problem before, I've tried all sorts of things but ...seem to be missing a very important point somewhere. I tried 'Ungrouping' but that made no difference.

Hope you can make sense of this?

Jono

[Andrew Bell@NV]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jono:

Hi Katie ... I seem to be missing something !! If I create a rectangle with the extruded rectangle tool, I get prompted to put in a Z dimension. The problem then comes if I want to alter any dimension. The X and Y dimension in the OI box is one of the poisition of the rectangle, not of its properties ...

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You can "Edit Group" on the extrude to see the contained rectangle and change its size. The Z value you speak of is labelled "extrusion", and is the thickness of the extrusion. You can use the 3-D reshape tool to adjust the thickness from the top or the bottom.

But you are incorrect, the X and Y values in the OI box are the X and Y dimensions of the contained 2-D object. You can resize the rectangle by editing these values. It scales around the object center. It might be nice to have a widget like rectangles do to change which corner it scales from, or to have 3-D reshape allow you to reshape it from a corner.

[Jono]

I can't understand exactly what is happening. Once the rectangle is formed, with the Z height, Iif I click on 'edit height' I still can't get the x and y values to appear so I can edit their valuse in OI, I only seem to get the position of the box on the drawing.

What am I doing wrong ???

[Guest]

Jono, If you just want to change the size of the extruded rectangle, you do not need to go thru editing the object with Edit Group.

Take a rectangle and extrude it. With the extrude selected, go to the OIP. You will see an X, Y and Extrude value available to change. The x is the length of the rectangle along the x axis. The y is the width of the object along the y axis. The extrude value is the height of the extrude.

If you want to move it up in 3d space, you need to use the Move > Move 3d command and select the z axis and enter in the value along the z axis in which you want the object to start (bottom of object).

If you select the extrude and select Edit Group from the Organize menu, you will get an x and y value and an x and y coordinate relative to the coordinate location the object (rectangle) was originally drawn. When you use this method, you are only able to edit the original object in which the extrude was created from. In this example, it will be a rectangle.

So to just simply change the length and width and height of an extrude, just draw it and use the OIP to change the values for x, y, and extrude or Z.

It's much easier than you are making it.

[Hannes]

Kathie, Andrew, he talks about the extruded rectangle tool, not a extruded rectangle;-)

Jono, the extruded rectangle tool creates a mesh, not a extrudet rectangle. It's not a good name for this tool...Best in my opinion is to draw a rectangle and extrude it, then you can edit just as Kathie mentioned.

HTH, Hannes

[ 06-12-2002: Message edited by: Hannes ]

[Jono]

Thanks guys...I'll give it a shot and get back to you

Jono

[Jono]

Magic...thanks guys. Hannes was right, where I was getting it wrong was I was trying to draw it with the 3D extruded rectangle tool, not the 2D one and then extruding it...it seems I've now got it wired !!

Thanks alot guys