Modelling architraves

[blackisleboy2]

Hi all,

I'm trying to model this architrave:

but I'm not sure how to do it. I can extrude along a path, but how do I do the 45 degree notches into the vertical pieces?

Thanks all in advance,

Graham

[islandmon]

Create a knock by extruding the 45<>45 cut-out to the correct depth.

Then do a Solid Subtraction with it through the ExtrudeAlongPath moulding .. then once it's complete you can even > convert to Generic Solids to economize.

[blackisleboy2]

Islandmon,

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I've got stuck before even getting that far. I've created a 3-D poly (a straight line) snapped to the edges of the door opening, seen here:

which will become the path along which I will extrude the profile. I want to then drag this line up to meet the top of the (sloping) wall, but it doesn't want to snap to the top of the wall.

I really want to work in a section view, rather than 3d, to create the paths for the profile, but the only section view I can see is to create a viewport. Any suggestions (if any of this makes any sense, that is!)

Graham

[Pat Stanford]

Do you really need to model the cut? If you make the two pieces have the same profile, and you run the cross piece to the center of the vertical, the resulting render will show like the 45 degree cut you are looking for.

This won't work if you need to use Hidden Line renders.

One possibility for working in section for something like this is to create a Section viewport and create either the entire molding or at least the correct 2D construction lines you need in the Annotations. You can then copy and paste those objects back to the design layer and move them to where you need them to be in the model.

[Ray Libby]

The miter was cut with the Split Tool in Trim by Line mode.

[blackisleboy2]

Thanks Ray, much appreciated!

If anyone can solve my problem with snapping to the top of the wall to extend the path for the extrusion that would be great. I'll try Pat's suggestion of working in a viewport, but I find it odd that working directly in 3d the top of the wall isn't a snappable object, but maybe I'm not understanding something...

Cheers,

Graham

[Chad McNeely]

If anyone can solve my problem with snapping to the top of the wall...I find it odd that working directly in 3d the top of the wall isn't a snappable object

Easiest method that I've found is to first group the wall (if the drawing is complex or busy), enter the group, switch to an elevation view of the wall, and then draw a construction line along the top of the wall, snapping to two adjacent wall peaks or wall ends. You can then snap to the constuction line.

When you are done, delete the construction line, exit the group, ungroup (and verify that grouping hasn't messed up your object stacking/visiblity).

[Pat Stanford]

I don't think it is a problem with the walls, but rather with the path object. When you create an Extrude Along Path, it converts both the path and the profile to NURBS. Nurbs are 3D object and 3D objects have substantially less snapping ability in VW2009 than 2D objects. Currently VW really only snaps to points in 3D, not to edges. This should greatly improve in future versions.

If you don't need to do curves, then you don't really need the extrude along path. A piece of molding can be made as a simple extrude. With an extrude, you can use the 2D selection tool and just drag it up or down to change the length. You can get an extension line from a corner point on the wall, but it will be difficult to get a point on the edge of the wall.

As a work around, draw a 2D construction line from the corner points on the wall and snap to them.

[VincentCuclair]

T

If anyone can solve my problem with snapping to the top of the wall to extend the path for the extrusion that would be great.

How about drawing a 3D-line/polyline along the top of the wall edge as well, you should be able to extend to this (assuming you can click on the wall corners...?!)

[Pat Stanford]

You need to draw a 2D line. Any 3D object will only provide snaps at the points, not the middle of the line.

[VincentCuclair]

Not even with the smart edges constraint active..?

[VincentCuclair]

Any 3D object will only provide snaps at the points, not the middle of the line.

Pat, i tried it using the connect/combine tool instead, that works.

[Pat Stanford]

How? I drew a line and tried to use the combine/connect tool to extend the line. It will not extend to either a 3D polygon with a single segment, nor to the top edge of a wall. And yes, I did have the smart edge constraint active.

[VincentCuclair]

I'll go through it step by step: first i drew a wall, pulled down one side of it to make it sloping, then i drew a line, using the 3d polygon, tool from one top corner of the wall to the other, next i drew line (3d polygon) from the middle of the bottom of the wall vertical to just under the top of the wall, then i used the connect combine tool.

To get the snap for the middle of the wall bottom you need to 'activate' the corner snap points first, a middle point is then automatically created....

All this done in left isometric view and with the smart points constraint active (the smart edges constraint wasn't the one, sorry)

Edited April 14, 2009 by Vincent Cuclair

[VincentCuclair]

Bye the way when i first tried it, it didn't work, it was because the lines didn't lie exactly over each other and the vertical line wasn't vertical, it only looked like it in the isometric view, when i spun it around i saw the mistake, in the next attempt i activated the constrain perp constraint to draw the vertical line. then all went well....

[blackisleboy2]

Thanks guys,

I hadn't even thought about creating a group (oops!) which will make it all much easier to view as there are walls in front of it obscuring the view. I will try vincent's way and hope that I can get it to work!