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NOVICE ? RE COMPOSE /ADD SURFACE


Twickenhaman

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Hi,

I am an occasional user and one of the things I always have difficulty is with constructing a shape with curves and straight lines to make an object.

I know the vertices have to touch but can they just cross. Plus when to use compose and when to add surface. Does the shape being part of the whole have to be a solid and not a line to gel into the final composed shape/object.

This is a big question I appreciate and a pointer to a knowledge base or article which will describe the differences would be most helpful or even a DVD teaching base. Funds are limited for one to one at present so this is my route I hope to more understanding

Thank you

Regards

David.

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Hi, David - Experiment a bit with some of this:

Search VW help for Compose

Compose command is for linear (unclosed) objects which are end snapped. If the objects cross, Compose will fail. Trim tool can eliminate the tails allowing the Combine command to work.

The Connect/Combine tool has several modes. Dual Object Connect will trim the objects in one go. Dual Object Combine trims and composes the overlapping objects. Closed objects are not affected by this tool, but can act as trim boundaries for unclosed objects

VW help makes the Add Surface command hard to find, but it has good info. Search for "Add Surface" - use the quote marks. Top topic is Editing Object Surfaces. Add, Intersect, Combine and Clip Surface are discussed.

Explore the Polygon Tool modes - Bucket (Inner Boundary) and Lasso (Outer Boundary). These tools create a new object which is bounded by and overlays objects already on the drawing. FYI, the mode bar for any tool is located at upper left of drawing window - little boxes with icons. Click the box/icon to enable it, or press the u key to toggle through the modes. Some text to the right of the mode bar gives limited prompts to work the tool.

Post back with specific problems if needed.

Good luck.

-B

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Benson,

Just trying the connect and combine tool (first time I have used it ! ) I did not really understand its purpose before this. It makes a lot of difference.

Is there a teach disc which demonstrates each tools use with video examples that you know of ?

I can see I need to know a lot more about these unknowns. I have been using VW for a few years now and because I work alone all this stuff is much more difficult to acquire whereas in an office or group you just turn around and someone always knows the answer.

Thank you

Regards

David

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Benson,

I will not make this a tutor link but I have another basic question re these polyline objects.

When a curve is created it completes itself into a solid boundary object by joining the ends with a hidden line. This masks objects underneath it with a white out band.

This means its a solid object and if I click on none in the attributes palette does this change the nature of this shape in order to join it to others as it now is not a solid but just a line.

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Is there a teach disc which demonstrates each tools use with video examples that you know of ?David

The Essential Tutorial Manual has a series of exercises that goes though almost all the tools on the Basic tool palette, along with a video to show you what to do.

The manual is on the main Nemetschek Vectorworks web site:

http://www.vectorworks.net/training/guides.php

Also try your local reseller: http://www.facade-it.co.uk/

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Hi, David - Ask all you want. That's the purpose of this forum. No rule that anyone has to respond, but someone usually does.

Yes, that open segment between start and end of a poly is a kind of hidden segment. OIP has a checkbox to close/unclose polys. The Reshape tool has a mode to hide any segment in a selected poly - 4th mode, click any segment to toggle it. Same mode can show any hidden segments except the one controlled by the OIP checkbox. Show/hide is not necessarily same as close/unclose.

Toggle of fill status does not affect the closed/unclosed condition of a poly. But there is a difference: An open poly with no fill has no area readout in OIP. Add fill, and that poly displays an area value in OIP. Hidden segments contribute to the perimeter value in OIP, except that special start/end segment contributes only when the poly is closed.

Never hesitate to save work in your active project file and open a new VW file to experiment with questions like this. If the investigation goes bad, your project file is safe. You can trash the new file right after your experiment. I usually create a Sketch layer in my project files. I can copy/paste objects into this layer and draw/delete/ungroup, etc usually without affecting stuff on other layers. NOt quite as safe as experimenting in a new file.

Careful with the word "join". Join command is reserved for wall objects, lines and dbl lines. It does not work on polys. Not same as compose, combine, add surface, etc.

You can compose/combine unclosed linear objects if they are end snapped. Fill status does not matter.

And, Jonathan's manuals and other materials are very good.

HTH

-B

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Benson ,

Thank you.

I have two of Johnanthan's books from VW 12.5 both Essentials and Architect but could not find these particular points covered.

They are very good and I must re visit them again. I am trying to save for the upgrade to 2012 before it becomes out of reach and then I will either buy more of Johnanthans updated versions or another.

I much appreciate your help and it has opened a wide door to be explored.

regards

David

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