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I Beams


bjw

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OK, So I admit that I'm a total novice at 3d...I'm mostly a lighting designer and really only need to know how to hang a light at a certain height. However, I'm trying to do a 3d layout of a theater and I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make an I-Beam using the i-beam tool into a 3-D object. I just want to be able to set the length of the thing and for it to appear in the proper orientation in plan mode. So what's the idiotically simple way to do it?

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Modify>Ungroup, so it becomes a polyline, then extrude, rotate as needed.

If you plan on doing renders, then NURBS is best. Therefore, use this recipe:

1) convert to polyline then convert to NURBS

2) create line for path > convert to NURBS

Make one I beam in the sideview for each W rating, then Create Symbol> duplicate>

edit Path to vary the length.

Placing a 2dRect creates a hybrid symbol for plan.

NURBS Structural Steel example

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islandmon:

I've converted the polyline to nurbs and made a path and extruded along path. Also done the same with a Convert to Nurbs but find the nurbs i-beam renders the same--except for Hidden Line render and Sketch--as a polyline extrusion. Can you be more specific in why there is a benefit to nurbs, other than when cutting away (curving) parts of the i-beam?

Thanks

Edited by tguy
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A single NURBS path is more memory efficient than multiple polygonal mesh extrusions. A polygon mesh renders as individual facets and is good for simple constructions. Whereas, the polyline>NURBS Profile for the I-Beam is sufficiently detailed to benefit from a NURBS>Path procedure.

For example a simple square beam extrusion would not benefit from ExtrudeAlongPath which is designed for more complex geometries. Matching the

geometry to the 3d procedure is half the fun of using VW...

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