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3d path curves in 2 directions


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I have a long, very curvy path drawn in 2d in plan form, which I want to convert to a 3d polygon that I can apply as a pad modifier to an existing site model.

 

However, it is not a flat path in terms of height - it has a crossfall in level and also varies in gradient along the length of the path.

 

I had thought the best way for me to do this would be to convert both long edges of the path to 3d polyline, set the levels for each loci point and loft between the two lines... is this the most efficient workflow? 

 

I don't particularly want to have to set levels for each loci point - if there's a way I can set a few and ask vectorworks to interpolate that would be better, but I can't find any tool that might do this? 

 

Any comments / ideas? 

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4 minutes ago, zoomer said:

Doesn't a "send to surface" cut long segments of 2D elements automatically at each

crossing with an edge of the site model mesh (?)

 

But I did not know that I can have non planar pad modifiers (?)

Thought these have to be flat and have a slope at best.

 

Argh! I think I am creating pads from 3d polygons (in the true sense of them being 3d polygons, with vertices with varying z values) and vectorworks is assigning the pad itself a standard uniform height. This is not what I want!! How do you work with vectorworks if you have a top of bank line at varying height along the line if you can't set it with a pad? 

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I will have to do some streets on my site too.

Those are mostly doable by sloped Pads.

But there are some walkways that I decided to do by texture beds only.

As I want them, like streets, level perpendicular to their flow line, I decided

to do this by modeling the contour lines so far.

 

I too would like to have a 3D non planar Pad option.

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Hmm. My roads vary in gradient along the length of the road, so a sloped pad won't work.

 

And I need the road level to modify the site model, it's quite a difference so not straightforward to do this via contours. 

 

This is a standard workflow for me, I can't quite believe there's no tool for it and I'm not sure what the workaround is?!

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The Road tool uses sloped pads.

If I got that right, you can create a complex 3D Polygon path and it will

create small road segments to follow the radii in top plan and the heights.

 

But I found no option create the borders tops at terrain level and so the street is sub terrain.

I tried to use extra wide borders to fake walkways :) 

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Did you try using a NURBS Road and stakes to simulate what you want? It is buried way deep down in my memory but there is probably a video that shows you how to create roads on a hilly terrain using stakes and nurbs roads, but I could be mistaken if my memory is incorrect. If it can be done that way then you could size/shape the road to match what you want. It might be a workaround for now until someone with more experience comes up with the proper answer.

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