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A little help for Newbie please?


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I have created a polygon then extruded it. It is relatively thin. When it renders, only the thin sides render. I tried to 'create planar caps' but was told "Planar caps could not be created in the selected objects." I did use the Protrusion/Cutout tool to make a couple of holes in the face before I remembered to create planar caps. Should I delete those cutouts first?

When selected, the subject shows as a single object titled 'extrude' in the OIP.

Any help or explanations will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

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quote:

Originally posted by Ray Libby:

Make it a solid in the attributes palatte.

Thank you Ray. However...

The attributes palette currently shows it as a solid w/ a color, both assigned by it's class. That gives me the thin sides only not the broader faces.

The object is a plate, aprox. 2" x 16" x 1/8." I drew the 2"x 16" then made it a polygon and then extruded it 1/8."

Any ideas?

Thank you.

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quote:

Originally posted by mike m oz:

Double click on the extrusion so that you 'Enter the Group' - this will allow you to edit the original 2D shape.

Give that 2D shape a fill and you will find you will then have all of the sides 'solid' on your object

Oops! Sorry for the last post.

Thank you Mike. When I double clicked on the extrude object, it immediately became a top/plan view with a solid fill color on the broad face.

Unfortunately, I have now lost the extrude that I had. I now have a 2D object without the thin sides or the other face I'm trying to form.

I'm sure that it is my lack of understanding of procedure in VW that has me confused but... What do I do now to get my 3D object back with 4 surfaces that will render?

Thank you again.

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John

Double click the rectangle tool, in the appearing dialog palette enter your sizes in the X and Y fields, make sure you have insert at next click ticked, click on okay. Place your cursor where you want the rectangle and click your mouse button. Look over in the object attributtes pallette and ensure its a solid fill, if not change to solid fill.

Hit control e or go to model menu, down to extrude and in the dialog palette enter your required height in the Z section. Hit enter and its done.

You'll see it goes to clear fill on the viewing of the object but will render as solid if you do a render view.

Alan

[ 03-27-2005, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

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quote:

Originally posted by alanmac:

John

Double click the rectangle tool... Place your cursor where you want the rectangle and click your mouse button...

Alan


Thank you Alan. I suppose that my description was over simplified.

My Object has a more than four sides, including 2 corners with inward curving fillets of 1/8" radius. I'm also hoping to put two round holes and one square one in the broad face. This is the reason that I started with lines and converted to 3D polygons before extruding.

I may soon be simplifying my model and using your suggestion though, if I can't get the object to model as is.

Thank you again.

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John

If you have lines and make them 3D polys thats what you'll get extruded polylines rather than an extruded object.

You could try keeping to 2D and use the editing tools to create your object. For example make a rectangle then another to the desired shapes and pieces you want and remove one from the other using the clip surface tool. Its like the old cookie cutter in pastry.

Or draw it using lines, make this into guides then go round it with the 2D polygon tool to create your shape. Fillet tool will give you your fillets were you need them.

Or draw the lines and combine them and create a surface using the tools in the tool menu.

Then extrude to give your depth.

The good or bad thing about Vectorworks is you can do things several ways and with experience you'll find a way that suits you best. Hang on in there it will get better I promise.

Try to download some tutorials to help you and remember you can always go back and edit things, not like the old days of pen and paper were you screwed it up and started again.

Alan

[ 03-27-2005, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: alanmac ]

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Your 2D polygon that you used to extrude your shape probably isn't closed. Check your orginial 2D polygon to make sure it is closed. There is a checkbox in the object info palette that tells whether or not a polygon is closed. (See image below) You can have a filled polygon and when you extrude it, only the sides will show. It's usually two verticies that are very close together so that you don't notice it until you zoom way way in...that's probably your original problem.

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[ 03-27-2005, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: tom kyler ]

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jgriffin - I think I may have led you astray with my first suggestion. Apologies for that.

Normally you will only get the vertical faces filled in an extrusion if it is composed of line objects, rather than a polygon. If this is the case you need to compose your lines making up the object into a 2D polygon object (not 3D polygons).

This is how I would draw the object:

- Make sure you are in Top / Plan View

- Draw guidelines setting out the perimeter of the object with vertice corners.

- Use the 2D Polygon Tool to trace over your guidelines.

- Give this 2D polygon the fill you require.

- With the object selected click on the 2D Reshape Tool

- Use the Change Vertex Mode with the Fillet (Circular Arc) Point Mode to apply fillets to the vertices of your 2D polygon (this will allow you to change them later if you need to).

- Draw any rectangulae holes you require with the Rectangle Tool and use Clip Surface to form the holes in the 2D polygon.

- Draw any circular holes you require with the Ellipse Tool (Circle Mode) and use Clip Surface to form the holes in the 2D polygon.

- When the 2D shape is as you require it Extrude it to form the 3D object.

Doing it this way will allow you to make changes by going back into the group and modifying the original 2D object. When you Enter the Group of an extrusion this takes you back to the base 2D shape prior to the extrusion. You can make whatever changes you like and then when you have finished hit Done on the RH end of the Mode Bar - this will take you back to the 3D object with the changes being reflected.

Hope this helps.

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quote:

Originally posted by mike m oz:

jgriffin -

Normally you will only get the vertical faces filled in an extrusion if it is composed of line objects, rather than a polygon...


Thank you Mike.

Once again, you have provided useful guidance. The modes of the 2D Reshape Tool and the Clip Surface command were esp. nice to be aware of. I guess I missed those in the Nemetschek tutorials. I'm sure I would benefit from making the time to go over them again.

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quote:

Originally posted by alanmac:

...The good or bad thing about Vectorworks is you can do things several ways and with experience you'll find a way that suits you best. Hang on in there it will get better I promise.

Try to download some tutorials to help you and remember you can always go back and edit things, not like the old days of pen and paper were you screwed it up and started again.


I appreciate your help Alan. I believe that Vectorwork's flexibility is a good thing too, though I will hold you to your promise. [Wink]

I began drafting about the same time I began writing so, though I strongly believe that CAD is a powerful/efficient paradigm, 'editing' can seem a lot more confusing, at times, than an eraser and shield.

I do have the Nemetschek tutorial CDs and the pkg that came w/ the 11.5 upgrade but, I would appreciate recomendations on tutorials to dwnld if you have any.

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quote:

Originally posted by tom kyler:

[QB] Your 2D polygon that you used to extrude your shape probably isn't closed...

QB]

I really appreciate that you take time to guide a novice. I am esp. grateful for the tip re: the 'closed' check box. I hadn't noted that before.

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