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Adjust pad to other Object


Landartma

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I have a hardscape coming down hill at a 2% grade.  It meets up with the steps but maintains a consistent slope plane. When it meets the steps, which are level across, and are connected to the lower walk it is raised to one side.  I was able to just use the reshape tool to join the lower walk and step.  When I tried that with this hardscape it deleted the image from the screen.  I'm not sure if it actually deleted it or what happened but it appeared to be gone.  What's the function to get the walk to bend and fit the steps and still meet the patio.  Do I need to start over with two hardscapes one for the patio and one for the walk?  Is there a way to split the two and create a new hardscape?  I tried to Enable Aligned Surface but it just changed the elevation of the entire hardscape.   I've been messing with this for a bit and know its likely pretty simple but I'm stumped.

Screenshot (76).png

Screenshot (77).png

Screenshot (78).png

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I suggest try again with Hardscape>Aligned Surface.  Verify that the option for Align to "Objects on Layers" includes the layers containing hardscape and the stair.   It should raise to connect at both ends. Sharp turns like this might make the alignment all jaggy.  Correct this with network of grade modifiers.  Or maybe switch to Landscape Area instead of hardscape.  I actually like working with NURBS for these shapes, but hard to pin down the grade. Several threads take on similar issues.  Here is one long thread discussing slabs/aligned surfaces:

-B

 

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Gave this a shot and got it to align to my steps but will not align to both the steps and patio.  I'm looking at some of the posts on the grading thread you sent.  Thanks for relaying that.  I'll keep pushing on.  It would be great to see a youtube or VW video on just how to accomplish the complex grading...I have a 10' length of sidewalk that wants just the slightest of twist.  Anyone who knows of a Video that explains how to do that it would be helpful.  I'd hate to think I'd have to model it...This is basic stuff we do in the field with rake and shovel on a daily basis.  Although @Benson Shaw seems to have it down.

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Yea I did that with little luck then like magic on my 75th try I got it to work.  It still didn't line up perfectly with the patio so I left it level and it looked ok...as a sales tool.  Then I put my 2% grade on it and selected the patio to align surface.  It did so but aligned with some site model existing grading and bent in two.  The menu wouldn't allow me to select layers.  When I selected that option the screen just blinked.  So I shut off all other layers chose Align to Visible Layers Only and then aligned and it worked.  I still have some wonky stuff going on with other site modifiers which I'm guessing is user error.

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I think gentle grades should work without much extra work per excellent example by @jeff prince.  I find that sharp radius or steep grade or end twists can cause the Align option to produce bends, especially along the outside edge.  My example with steep grade (1/18.85 ≈5%) forces a bendy surface.  Solution is to add a few grade modifiers outside of the outer curve.  If the ends do not match the cross grades, add grade mods across each end. The option for start and end elevations is handy, rather than slope.  A collection of grade objects with coincident start/end points forms a network. Edit the value of any elevation or slope notation and the adjacent grade objects adjust to conform.

-B

 

image.thumb.png.2a4658e2df0fb63f1112d2a72758390e.png

 

 

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Slab aligned v2022.vwx

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Yes I need to get a handle on all the tools.  You simply use the grade tool along the outer limit of your walk.  Does that affect the walk or the site model.  I have everything laid out pretty much how I want it with tweaks to textures needed and finished planting ETC.  Where I'm stuck is the process to get the existing grade to meet with proposed grade hardscapes and landscape areas.  My retaining wall modifier is doing weird stuff too.  It all boils down to skill so I'll drill for skill today with a bunch of tutorials on that.  Any links or advice on the A-Z of site grading in VW are appreciated.

 

The question for the walls is that they won't join.  I suspect its because they are stepping up and can't join from top to bottom.  But stepping up an SRW is the way its built.  Do I need a Retaining Wall Modifier for each wall or is there a way to do one for all the walls?

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I was clicking around and it went all nuts on me and what I realized that the patio just changed pitch toward the house when I aligned it to the walk.  Then I realized I was aligning the wrong things.  Upon redo I realized my top step is a 2d3d symbol.  It appears as if the Align tool either does not align to those symbols or it only aligns to what I'm guessing was the insertion point on the step so it was kicking the walkway down about 3.5".  I created a hardscape with no fill on over the top step and aligned to that...Bingo then I just turned the layer off and it appears to stay in place.  I did end up with this little kink in the end of the walk which was much worse when interpolate was unchecked.

Screenshot (88).png

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On 2/14/2022 at 8:19 AM, Landartma said:

little kink

I think, hope, the Align Surface feature is a work in progress.  I wish it were not this difficult to make and control a twisty, curvy sloped element.  Those little (and big) kinks seem to persist when aligning curved elements and can be misleading in a section.  Corrections are workarounds. One such correction is to add more nodes in the grade mod network.  More granular, smaller kinks, but more points to manage. The external grade mods can touch the curve or not. Those which touch the outside curve must be tangent to the curved shape or otherwise completely outside, so that they do not "clip" through the shape. Cross grades should probably go all the way across the shape or even start/end at nodes outside of the shape.  Stake mods are often used to create crowning or low spots, but can also be applied to the edges, although they produce a more localized effect.

-B

 

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Are you applying this to hardscape objects, pads, extrudes.  I'm struggling to understand how the grade tool works.  I read and watch about it but it still escapes me.  Likely right there.....The 3d is bending my mind half at least for now.  I'll be satisfied on this one if I can get a model together where all my surfaces match up.  Got the hardscapes to do it now looking at getting the landscape tool to do it too.  It would be great to see continuity between the tools.  If hardscape enables an aligned surface with a check of a box and a menu of aligning elements it would be great if all the tools had familiar interfaces.  Thanks for  

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Doh!

Sounds like you are using the Grade tool from the Site Planning tool  set? The process shown above uses instead the Grade Modifier in the Hardscape>OIP> Edit Surface Modifier menu.  Access this menu via the OIP>Edit Surface Modifiers button.

 

Several standards for this.

     A: Start edit in any view and select the Hardscape. The edit window opens in a temporary Top/Plan view.

     B: This temporary view creates a temporary drawing origin at the origin of the hardscape (maybe where the 1st vertex was drawn?).

     C: The hardscape and associated objects are only gray/snap visible, and visible at all only if the preference is enabled for "Show other Objects while in Edit Modes" (I toggle this via the menu bar quick pref).

 

Re stepped walls: Others who do this more often may have a refined work flow, but here are some things I have gleaned:

 

The Landscape Wall has OIP parameters for rise and step height, but I think it can only make step segments divided evenly along the length.  So new wall for each uneven step length.  I don't think landscape walls can join. Anyone?

 

An alternative is to create a series of Pads or Pads with Retaining Edge (OIP Move button offers option to add adjust z value of retaining edge vertices.) Surround the collection of pads with a single Grade Limits slightly offset from the Pads's extents. Create several standard walls from the Building Shell tool set, on these pads. These walls should join, even with stepped heights.  Or, create a single continuous standard wall with top/bot wall peaks or use a Fit to Geometry process to control the steps.

 

-B

 

image.thumb.png.2ae902ee48c6f74b0b93586a74544a1c.png

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Huh.  I do not see the Edit Surface Modifiers option in my OIP.  That could be part of my issue.  I'm in 2022...Did it get put somewhere else or do I have an option turned off?  When I right click and choose Edit I get nothing.   On the walls I used the wall tool and used the retaining wall site modifier.  I messed with the way the walls joined and did separate modifiers for different sections and got it to work.   Now that thats all done I need to look at whats under ground and see how to modify below grade wall to gage material.  The issue may be that I need to redraw the walls in order to step them up in different locations.  I will look more closely to the landscape wall tool which I abandon a while back because of the way it handled curves.  Maybe armed with a bit more experience I can get it to do what I want.  It would be cool if there was a wall tool with a built in Wall modifier so you could adjust the modifier in sync with adjustments in height and length.  Add curves, batters, bases and caps....We will have us a tool.

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6 minutes ago, Landartma said:

Huh.  I do not see the Edit Surface Modifiers option in my OIP.  That could be part of my issue.  I'm in 2022...Did it get put somewhere else or do I have an option turned off?  When I right click and choose Edit I get nothing.   On the walls I used the wall tool and used the retaining wall site modifier.  I messed with the way the walls joined and did separate modifiers for different sections and got it to work.   Now that thats all done I need to look at whats under ground and see how to modify below grade wall to gage material.  The issue may be that I need to redraw the walls in order to step them up in different locations.  I will look more closely to the landscape wall tool which I abandon a while back because of the way it handled curves.  Maybe armed with a bit more experience I can get it to do what I want.  It would be cool if there was a wall tool with a built in Wall modifier so you could adjust the modifier in sync with adjustments in height and length.  Add curves, batters, bases and caps....We will have us a tool.

 

Surface Modifiers are a function of Aligned Hardscapes. Once you check 'Enable aligned surface' for a Hardscape in the OIP you will find the 'Hardscape Profiles' + 'Surface Modifiers' options enabled. These give you a wide range of options for modifying the surface of an aligned hardscape.

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