Ceilings - best practices?

[Turner]

Hi all,

Getting back into VW after some time away. Just hobby stuff so I'm not using it every day...

Anyway, can anyone recommend best practices for creating (relatively generic) ceilings?

Besides a "standard" ceiling, I'd like to be able to create a convincing drop ceiling grid as well as know how to create recessed lights in a standard ceiling.

Any help greatly appreciated!

thank you,

Andrew

[CipesDesign]

Easily done with either "Floor" objects or simple Extrudes. There is also a Ceiling Grid tool in the industry series products, and although it creates a 3d shape (like a floor), there seems to be no way to show the actual grid in rendered 3d view...

[Turner]

Hi Peter, and thanks..

But would I be able to insert a symbol of a recessed fixture (or vent, or whatever into some type of ceiling object and have it break the way a wall would?

For the ceiling grid.. I'm assuming, then, I'd have to model it or use a scaled texture? Maybe cumbersome but I'd like to find out how to do it.

Cheers,

Andrew

[CipesDesign]

You will need to actually create the hole(s) in whatever object you use. With a Floor you can use Clip Surface (in top plan view), or with an extrude you can use the same, but will need to double click the extrude first in order to clip the underlying 2d object. After creating the hole(s) you can place a light (or whatever) as desired...

[Turner]

I wonder if I could create a wall in the shape of the ceiling, insert the light object(s), then somehow convert the wall and flop it over 90 degrees to become a ceiling?

Edited February 14, 2010 by Turner

[Jonathan Pickup]

you can't rotate the wall, without converting it in a solid, so then it wouldn't be a wall.

use a Floor, or ceiling grid as Peter suggests, much easier

[Jonathan Pickup]

I've just tried this and it works well with a ceiling and drawing the holes. Select the holes and the ceiling grid, use Clip surface and you're done

[Turner]

Thanks guys -

Much appreciated. I just need to find a way to make the drop ceiling look like a drop ceiling...

cheers.

Andrew