section viewport on a curve?

[jnr]

I'm cutting a section thru a curving bridge, other than stepping a section viewport, is there a way to cut the viewport on a curve?

[mike m oz]

No, that is not possible.

[bcd]

Nothing like near the solution you need - but you might be able to create a Solid subtraction of a duplicate, then extract the curved surface and Model>3d Power Pack>Unfold

[zoomer]

Might be quite tedious but polygonizing the large section into separate

part sections and finally aligning their viewports ....

[bcd]

Depends how complex it is. It might be beautifully regular and extract as a single Nurbs surface (right!)

[jnr]

thanks for all the suggestions. I'm in a time crunch and I might end up drawing over top of the zig zagging section viewport I've already cut. I should of thought of extracting a nurbs or the solid subtraction approach. nothing like trying to think on no sleep.

[Kevin McAllister]

Ok, I have a really cool solution.... and I learned something new.

 

I did an experiment and created a Solid Section using an extrude and the knife tool. A solid section is a form of solids operation where VW creates a sectioning plane and cuts through a solid. The sectioning plane VW creates is usually a NURBS surface. I wondered if I could create my own curved NURBS surface and replace the sectioning plane in a Solid Section. Turns out I can. Turns out the sectioning plane doesn't have to be flat.......

 

So if you can create a duplicate of your bridge an make it into a solid addition, you can section it on the curve. Simply create a curved NURBS surface to use as a sectioning plane, select your bridge solid and the NURBS surface and choose Section Solids from the Model menu. By playing with the Solid Section options you may even be able to get your surface to unwrap.

 

I've attached an example file.

 

Kevin

 

Section_Solids.vwx

[jnr]

K:

 

That's very handy to know!

thanks

 

-J

[zoomer]

17 hours ago, zoomer said:

Might be quite tedious but polygonizing the large section into separate

part sections and finally aligning their viewports ....

 

Ah, I misunderstood.

I thought the target is a Section Viewport

 

Now everything proposed here makes sense.

[mjm]

16 hours ago, Kevin McAllister said:

Ok, I have a really cool solution.... and I learned something new.

 

I did an experiment and created a Solid Section using an extrude and the knife tool. A solid section is a form of solids operation where VW creates a sectioning plane and cuts through a solid. The sectioning plane VW creates is usually a NURBS surface. I wondered if I could create my own curved NURBS surface and replace the sectioning plane in a Solid Section. Turns out I can. Turns out the sectioning plane doesn't have to be flat.......

 

So if you can create a duplicate of your bridge an make it into a solid addition, you can section it on the curve. Simply create a curved NURBS surface to use as a sectioning plane, select your bridge solid and the NURBS surface and choose Section Solids from the Model menu. By playing with the Solid Section options you may even be able to get your surface to unwrap.

 

I've attached an example file.

 

Kevin

 

Section_Solids.vwx

Super useful and super cool KM, thanks.

[Kevin McAllister]

5 hours ago, zoomer said:

 

Ah, I misunderstood.

I thought the target is a Section Viewport

 

Now everything proposed here makes sense.

I think it was. It would be interesting to have section lines follow curves but then we would need unwrapping too. I would certainly use it if VW had it.

KM