same extrude problem

[drmdzh]

OK, I'm obviously missing something. I keep having the same probelm over and over again.

I create a shape in 2D. Then no matter how I stitch and trim, convert to (whatever - I've tried everything), compose, decompose, group, etc, etc. I can't make a solid object out of it. When I extrude it comes out as a shell.

This is a simple seat cushion. How can I make it a 3d seat cushion.

Conversely, how would you have gone about making it. I used polygone tool, arcs, fillet tool, trimmed. This is obviously incorrect.

David

[drmdzh]

PS. I know I am extruding lines at this point, and not a surface, which is why it is not working. So how do I convert it to a surface I can extrude?

thanks

[Ray Libby]

Modify menu>compose

[drmdzh]

I tried that, I still get a shell.

[drmdzh]

OK, I found a way to do it, but I don't understand why.

I took the same file I posted, Convert to Lines, Create Polygon from Inner Boundry, Extrude. Got a solid.

If I Convert to Lines, COMPOSE, then either Create Polygon, or not, then extrude, I get a shell.

Why was composing making it into a shell, rather than a solid?

[drmdzh]

OK, here's the chair I created. First piece of furniture in VW.

[Pat Stanford]

The trick to extruding objects is to make sure that you have a closed surface. If you are using polygons, you can click the closed button in the Object Info Palette. If you are using a polyline, set through the vertices in the OIP and see if one says "Show Next Edge". If so, then your polyline is not really closed and when you extrude you will get just the shell. Click the button to Show the edge and it will exturde as a solid.

Pat

[Pat Stanford]

The reason your compose was not working was probably that the two end points of the poly where not identical, but were very close. It said it was a single object in the OIP, but it was not a closed object. Therefore nothing happened. When you created the new polygon, it was a closed object and extruded properly.

Make sure you have the snap to grid turned off, or else you may have a very hard time getting the end of a poly to snap back to the beginning.

Pat

[drmdzh]

Thanks for the tips, they've really helped me.