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SURFACE ARRAY - How to control position of array items


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Hello,

 

Starting to use surface array tool more and more... right now for modelling tiles for walls.

My base surface is simple rectangular polyline. Array item is extrude on square.. Is there a way to precisely in distance units (mm) position array items on base surface?

I see there is origin 'x and origin 'y factor...with no desired result. 

Basically I want start to lay out tiles right in the bottom left corner of the wall.

 

Any ideas are much appreciated.

 

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I first used a fixed distance of tile plus gap, but that didn't solve the issue, then setting origin X/Y factors to 1 seemed to have it start from the lower left corner using a full tile size seemed to do the trick until I realized that the tile size and surface size happened to match nicely. After changing the surface area to a size that does not match the tiles nicely I still get trimmed tiles at all edges indicating the surface array is built up from the center and centered on the surface array.

 

It looks like it always sets the array from the center.

The strange thing is that when I adjust origin x/y factor of the offset x/y factor the fixed distance seems to change even when you set it back to the original value.

Edited by Art V
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Then you can use Origin X' Factor + Origin Y' Factor parameters in OIP to shift the tiles around if necessary to get them lined up properly on the wall (to calculate the factor measure the distance the array needs to be moved by then divide this by the width of the tile)

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2 minutes ago, Tom W. said:

Then you can use Origin X' Factor + Origin Y' Factor parameters in OIP to shift the tiles around if necessary to get them lined up properly on the wall (to calculate the factor measure the distance the array needs to be moved by then divide this by the width of the tile)

This will get a bit tedious if you have different sized walls, then you need to calculate it for each and every wall. It would be better if the surface array would have a origin/start point option like e.g. we have for rectangles where we can set from which point the dimensions are set/changes (corner, edge midpoint, center). That would solve the problem.

 

However, changing the values also seem to change the tile size, and using fixed distance does not show a gap anymore so there is something weird going on or I'm doing something wrong. (e.g. maybe the gap should already be within the 3D object to solve this, as I assumed that with fixed distance of tile size plus gap it should give a gap).

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Thanks @Art V and @Tom W. for quick reply.

I attached small drawing to illustrate better my situation.

I am hoping to find the place where i can control - start point of the array items. As you can see bootom left tile should offset 5mm in x and y direction from bottom left corner of wall (base).

 

It seem to me that there should be quite straightforward way to move and precisely position array item (in my case corner of tile) on base surface....but unfortunetly isnt. Will converting array item into symbol with insertion point simplify positioning? and what point on base surface vectorworks use as bas point for array? (as of help ist should be center of object...?)

IMG_7327.jpg

Edited by drelARCH
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I guess I'll have to give it another try.

 

Yes the parameters are confusing, and probably incorrect in come cases given what is expected.

 

E.g. fixed distance is not a fixed distance between the array items (e.g. item of 40x40 and a fixed distance for X and Y of 45 does not give a gap of 5 as you would get with a normal array)

 

From the help:

Fixed Distance X’/Y’

If Repetition Mode is set to Fixed Distance, enter the length of each array object along the X or Y axis. The number of array objects is adjusted as necessary to fit the base surface.

 

Fixed distance sets the size of the array object???? Why???  I already created the array object at the desired size, fixed distance should be a distance of e.g. lower left corner point of the array object to the lower left corner point of next array object (or center point instead of corner point).

Imho the way fixed distance is implemented is just incorrect and if one does not read the help first then you get something that is counterintuitive to the terminology that is commonly used.(as I just found out)

 

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1 minute ago, drelARCH said:

Thanks @Art V and @Tom W. for quick reply.

I attached small drawing to illustrate better my situation.

I am hoping to find the place where i can control - start point of the array items. As you can see bootom left tile should offset 5mm in x and y direction from bottom left corner of wall (base).

 

It seem to me that there should be quite straightforward way to move and precisely position array item (in my case corner of tile) on base surface....but unfortunetly isnt. Will converting array item into symbol with insertion point simplify positioning? and what point on base surface vectorworks use as bas point for array? (as of help ist should be center of object...?)

IMG_7327.jpg

I guess you will have to include the gap size within your 3D object for now, e.g. add 5mm gap space to the bottom and left of your tile so that it works out and use @Tom W.'s solution for setting the starting point.

 

It seems that the surface array needs some improvement to work in a bit more logical/less confusing way.

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In my example my tiles are symbols measuring 150x150. I used fixed distances X + Y of 154 to give a 4mm grout gap. The insertion point for the symbol is in the centre. Yes I think the array is by default created centrally on the base object + your only option is to do some maths to adjust the origin X + Y factors after the fact to position it exactly where you want it.

Edited by Tom W.
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OK. I see.

So there is no any hidden field for typing in exact values (except origin x + y factor) so indeed we have to do some calculations beforehand.

Would be really much easier to have for example dragging handle for exact positioning of array items.

 

Anyway, thanks again for your help to better understand way this tool works.

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