How to color-fill in a NURBs curve shape object

[Julian78]

I have drawn this Y-shape floor lamp and the two curved lines going up are NURBS curves, the other lines are polygon lines. 

I am trying to have the floor lamp covering the corner of the window as if it was sent to front but it does not do anything. I thought of using attribute to color fill white but this does not work either. In fact I don't know how to color fill the base as they are NURBS curves. Can you please advise? 

And I need to have this Y shape lamp in front hence covering part of window so would much appreciate your help as I am surely doing something wrong! Thank you for your help.

 

 

[PVA - Admin]

NURBS curves do not have a surface associated with them so they have no fill. However you can usually use Modify > Convert > Convert Copy to Polygons, then you can compose and assign fill colors to the closed surfaces.

[cberg]

Are there any plans to add hatch/fill functionality to NURBS surfaces and other 3D objects?  This would solve a lot of VW's representational challenges. 

[Julian78]

@cberg agree on that one with you. and thanks so much@Jim Wilson for clarifying this - this is going to help me.

[PVA - Admin]

1 hour ago, cberg said:

Are there any plans to add hatch/fill functionality to NURBS surfaces and other 3D objects?  This would solve a lot of VW's representational challenges. 

If we did, it would likely be after something happens to address the odd dichotomy of Screen Plane vs Layer Plane. Most likely getting rid of that concept entirely and having all objects exist in real 3D space and having their fills be able to respond to that.

[cberg]

I keep hoping VW gets rid of the screen plane concept and progresses to universal real 3D space!  It would make the program vastly more intuitive and powerful, and solve a lot of its present-day quirks.  

Edited April 16, 2019 by cberg

[Benson Shaw]

@Julian78 That lamp can be solved in lots of different ways:

Draw the entire shape with 2d polys or lines and acs. Compose or Connect as needed to create a closed 2d poly.  Then:

•A) Model>Extrude - pick your thickness.  zero is OK

•B) Modify>Convert to 3d poly (it will have lots of vertices in the curves)

•C) Modify>Convert to NURBS (result is a NURBS curve), then Model>3d PowerPack>Create Surface from Curves (doesn't always work, but worth a try)

 

Alternative track 1

Split the 2d shape down the center axis Delete the left hand side. Select the right side and Model>Sweep

 

Any of the above will take a solid fill. Texture as desired.

Other ways, too.

 

HTH

 

-B 

Edited April 16, 2019 by Benson Shaw
detail

[Julian78]

Thanks for this. I am going to give it a go. @@Benson Shaw 

[Art V]

On 4/16/2019 at 6:06 PM, Jim Wilson said:

If we did, it would likely be after something happens to address the odd dichotomy of Screen Plane vs Layer Plane. Most likely getting rid of that concept entirely and having all objects exist in real 3D space and having their fills be able to respond to that.

Although I initially liked the strict separation of 2D and 3D in Vectorworks compared to the mess it could be in AutoCAD I do remember being quite happy when layer plane got introduced to allow using 2D objects (mostly site plans) in 3D space without having to convert it all to 3D (and resource hogging) objects first. Since then I have never used screen plane again on design layers so I won't miss it there.

 

One of the little current annoyances is the lack of e.g. NURBS objects to show as filled as mentioned above. If getting rid of screen plane would allow to solve this more quickly then by all means get rid of screen plane. But please do improve snapping etc. in 3D as well at the same time so that those still using screen plane as a workaround for that issue won't run into trouble.

 

Would this also allow for VW getting proper 3D constraints instead of just having 2D constraints?

[Benson Shaw]

11 hours ago, Art V said:

the lack of e.g. NURBS objects to show as filled as mentioned above

This is sometimes a problem, but there is usually a solution.  I think the initial intent (at least in vwx) of NURBS Curves is to just present a path object - a vector object with location and direction. NURBS Curves are never closed, so never actually surround an area. A NURBS Curve may appear closed, but there actually is a pair of endpoints, stacked. The need for fill and texture is provided with the NURBS Surface which can usually be derived from a NURBS Curve or a loft among multiple curves, or can be contrived via a Conversion or Extraction from another type of surface.

 

And, a similar problem manifests in the NURBS Surface too.  A group of NURBS surfaces "air tight" surrounding a volume does not always easily convert to a solid. There are some strategies for this, but, doesn't always work.  There are also some wish list items out there asking for such solid conversion capability.

 

-B