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WORKFLOW : C4D EXCHANGE - Add/Substract Solids hurdles


zoomer

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If you work a lot with Add/Subtract Solids in VW

(Because the come in fine into C4D and even repair Extrudes incorrect Face Orientation),

don't make the mistake to edit these too much in VW

or you may get problems in C4D later.

 

If you think, like me,

you could simply add further subtracting Geometry into a Solid Subtraction or do larger changes,

the result in VW may look as expected,

(even in a RW rendering as far as I remember)

but after an C4D Export, only half of the changes may come in !

 

To avoid this,

always "CMD+X" + Exit Solid Subtraction + "CMD+SHIFT*V" all Geometry and do the Solid Operation

again !

 

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Well I had  made a larger hole in an special* Extrude.

 

(* an Extrude :

a) in XZ plane oriented

b) including more that 2 2D Objects (about 20 rectangles with space between each)

)

 

 

Maybe I deleted the older smaller cutting element by a new Extrude in Subtr Edit Mode,

no more sure.

 

I expected that could lead to problems - but VW Geometry looked cool, so I thought that was

legitimate way to go with Solid Opereations.

Later in C4D after Exchange I realized that I had still the old smaller hole - but some strange

faces distortion around until the border of the larger/new hole.

 

 

 

My Extrude and finally Solid Subtraction meant  :

 

1. Base Geometry : Multiple 2D Rectangle Copies > XZ Extrude => Horizontal Facade Panels

2. Cutting 1 : 1 Rectangle YZ Extrude => Hole for Lamellas

3. Cutting 2 : Multiple 2D Rectangles XY Extrude => Cutting horizontal Facade Panels into 3,6 m pieces

 

 

I had two Copies = different Versions,

maybe I was editing one of the cutting Extrudes after customer changes in one Version only

and pasted it in the second version - instead of re-editing the cutting geometry there again ....

 

 

 

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Yes, but then I would do all in C4D (better Modo)

 

If you edit things on both side you will risk to corrupt your Synchronization.

So I do strictly my complete architecture geometry in VW and avoid touching it in C4D.

Opposed to Surrounding Geometry, Kameras, Lights, .... C4D only.

(Or Excluded from Exchange)

 

 

BTW,

that is how it looked like in C4D.

 

Screenshot-17.jpg.121b385ecbd2ad41c6924a96d17a11dd.jpg

 

Screenshot-18.jpg.ed5ddfbecbf73d77c9bc5de620746950.jpg

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I think that is the greatest features of VW 2017 for Exchange.

I have (nearly) no loss updating my CAD geometry in C4D.

This was totally different before.

 

Now I do really update my C4D scene multiple times a day.

Just for new created Objects VW will send a (already existing) Material into C4D again.

Creating new Geometry generally is what makes some work.

But just changing existing CAD geometry and re-exchange is synchronizing flawlessly.

 

I just don't know exactly, and there isn't any documentation, what happens if :

I edit an Object's geometry in C4D and later edit that Geometry again in VW or even delete it.

Will C4D dump its own changes and take the new VW changes, will it keep the element

deleted in VW, to save C4D changes ????

Or when I just change the Class and so Material of an Object.

(Looks like it does not change its name in C4D)

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11 minutes ago, barkest said:

I try to get everything going 1-way. Not perfect at times but much quicker for sure

 

That is the restricted workflow I would have with VW to Modo.

Export only, no Exchange.

 

This lead to always updating 2 3D Models for me in the past.

In this case I would prefer to go Modo only (a dream workflow)

Just that I prefer to model Architectural Geometry with CAD Tools.

 

As my projects are constantly growing, changing and I have to show multiple design versions,

there will always come larger work that I prefer to do in CAD.

So the Exchange workflow for me helps a lot.

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No, I mean just geometry and initial Materials - mainly to have assignments only.

 

I do mapping in C4D.

That won't be lost after an exchange.

 

In reality, I am not so picky concerning Textures.

98% I will prefer most basic Cube Projection Mapping at a certain tiling Texture Size from Origin 0/0/0.

And that is exactly what I get from VW by Perimeter (easier).

Unfortunately it will be converted as UV Mapping. But each updated C4D Material may have

different Textures and so UV Sizes. So for new Mappings from C4D I use Cube Mapping.

That will be also kept.

Just that new CAD Objects will come in with the "UV" from VW and I have to care about these

new objects becoming my Cube Mapping again.

 

 

 

So simplified in short to better understand.

I do ALL Geometry in VW ONLY.

Everything else in C4D - and these things will be kept after an update.

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Sorry, I misunderstood.

Yes, doing everything and staying in one App (VW) would be great.

 

But as I do mainly Visualization,

I could get 80% of quality out of VW RW, but I need access to the 20% rest

and more important, I need the better Workflow in C4D or Modo.

(Better and faster UI, Render Takes, reliable Cameras, 2 -point (architectural perspective), .... )

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

When you perform solid operations the object types can change and that can sometimes mess up the updates to an existing scene.  If you are say taking something that is two extrudes, sending it to C4D and then sometime later adding those together into a solid, or significantly changing the grouping (moving objects into and out of groups), making objects that were standalone into symbols, then you might reach a point where you are better off sending the scene over again as a new scene rather than an update.

 

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Thanks Dave.

 

Can I understand this in the way that it is legitimate,

as far as VW only,

to go into Edit Mode of a Subtract Solid,

which is kind of a group with 1 of its containing Elements marked as the Object to subtract from

and all other contents thought to be cutting Elements,

and wildly create, paste in or delete the cutting Elements without any risk ?

 

 

An second,

I am totally fine if I have an Extrude or Solid sent to C4D,

and I create a Solid Subtraction from it in VW,

that after Exchange/Refresh,

the former Extrude or Solid gets deleted and replaced by the new Subtract Solids geometry

 

Does it work that way ?

Or would I need to make extra copies of Objects, and delete the old ones,

to force the creation of a new object for C4D export,

before I convert an Extrude into a Generic Solid or such things ?

(Something I tried, to repair some of my synchronization victims)

Edited by zoomer
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BTW,

 

I don't feel bad because VW C4D Exchange synchronization went nuts.

I really extensively used it about 2-3 times a day over a few weeks.

Not a big problems to do a clean import  and re-assigning Materials and Texture Sizes

every few months.

 

I just want to know where the risks are and if I can do anything to avoid problems

or extend synchronizations half live period.

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  • 1 month later...

VW 2018  SP1

 

Somehow the Exchange does no more work.

It does behave more like an import only.

 

Beside the missing parts after exchange, mentioned in an other post,

which was said VW 2017 only and no more a Problem in VW 2018.

(whole Classes missing because a few objects only in there were (heavily) edited,

as it happens for me)

 

But now I realized that even Objects that I changed to another Class = Material,

not only keep their old name as I realized earlier, but aren't updated at all.

(only geometry changes, like doing changes in Extrudes Edit Mode, came in)

 

That makes Exchange quite error prone and unpredictable.

I had no problem exchanging class/material changes in VW 2017.

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