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Uniform scaling tool?
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Uniform scaling tool? // Roundtable
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 9:10am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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I am looking for a tool that can scale polygons uniformly on the x and y axis. I have many objects that I am playing around with that a tool like this would really help out with. I need to scale each unit the same so I would prefer something that is reasonably exact... Exact is better :)
See picture to understand what I mean, each of the highlited polygons needs to be scaled along it's x and y axis, doing each one individually takes time and is not very precise. I can't find a way to do it in TS 7.6, is there a script floating around that would work?
Thanks
Rich |
Post by robert // Sep 9, 2008, 9:24am
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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One way to do it in the workspace and the model sides is to go to the panel that is in the bottom left corner of the working window and input exact multiplications in the "BB Size" boxes for x and y respectively, on model right click the tool that looks like the mouse.
I could create a script were a slider modifies a selected objects scaling in the selected dimensions (Délé would most likely do better:p) if you really want that, otherwise it's the object properties box in the bottom left corne, by default, and it's the third line of numbers, I think:rolleyes:. Then just put *1.64 at the end of the x and y "BB Size" or whatever else you want and you'll have exact multiples of what you need, also is helpful for exact positioning and rotation of objects/vertices/edges etc. |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 9:29am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Thanks Robert, I did not even think of that, Perfect!
Rich |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 9:52am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Bummer, that does not do what I had hoped, I can go in and do each individual polygon 1 at a time, but not all at one time... Any other ideas?
Rich |
Post by trueBlue // Sep 9, 2008, 9:58am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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Right click + Drag on any of the Scale Boxes on the Point Edit Widget. I suppose you could use Snapping as well. |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 10:13am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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The problem I am having with that method is that all of the polygons scale towards the center of all of the selected polygons, not to there own polygon center... make sense? Anyother ideas? or further clarifications?
Rich |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 10:24am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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If I do them a single row at a time they work, I guess the multi-row selection and scale was too much.
Thanks True!
Rich |
Post by robert // Sep 9, 2008, 11:30am
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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Yeah I also found it rather annoying that I can't scale each of the 3 selected objects on their own separate set of axes(I think that's the plural form) so they stay in place and scale instead of all moving towards the center. So what you're looking for would have to be done one at a time.:(
Maybe someone could come up with a script, I have some idea of how it could work, I'll try and bring it up at the scripting meeting tonight, or you could come and mention it.;) |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 11:42am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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I think it is going to have to be a script, all the methods here have failed other than doing them 1 at a time. The previous came close but I had to manually go in and correct some of the edges that I did not notice doing what they should have.
I might pop into the script meeting, I do not have voice or speakers right now so I find the SS meetings less than informative for me right now.
Thanks for the help.
Rich |
Post by trueBlue // Sep 9, 2008, 11:43am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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How about recording a jScript macro with the Tangent coordinate system enabled. Would that be what your looking for?
Your face(s) would have to be selected before recording the macro of them being scaled. Then select other face(s) and run the macro. Isn't tS7.6 cool? :) |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 11:47am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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I'm not sure True, I am not exactly sure what that would be doing, I am not sure what JScript macros are... would these be TS's way of recording macros? Sorry I am unfamiliar with them.
Rich |
Post by trueBlue // Sep 9, 2008, 11:56am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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Humm on second thought it records the Widget's transformation so it does not transfer to other selections as wanted. |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 12:22pm
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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You can use it with the Info Panel, it kinda works, though you have to clean up after yourself and you can only use it on 1 poly at a time. The clean up is becase you are not getting a relative location, it appears to be scaling in relation to where the poly was that it was recorded from... I think that is what is happening anyway.
Thanks for the JScript tip though, I will be able to make a lot of use of that. Can those macros be recorded and saved or are those a one time thing?
(I gotta figure out why I can not get info from my searches).
Thanks True
rich |
Post by trueBlue // Sep 9, 2008, 2:04pm
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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After you select the Stop recording button there will be a script inserted in the Link Editor. You can save to Library if you wish. |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 2:12pm
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Ok, cool, I was looking in the script editor... they don't show up in there :) I see three of these little scripts in the LE waiting for me... Let me see what kind of trouble I can cause around here now.
Thanks True, I'll get some use outta these.
Rich |
Post by W!ZARD // Sep 9, 2008, 2:58pm
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W!ZARD
Total Posts: 2603
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I'm not 100% sure what you are trying to do but there are some cool tweaks to the ways you can use the bevel tool that may allow you to uniformly scale a selection of faces where each face scales relative to itself. |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 9, 2008, 4:25pm
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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The bevel tool in many situations would be a great alternative, in this case it would just add additional geometry for no real gain. The molding I am trying to make is what is known as a 1/4 round molding. It would go around the outside of the polygon I had highlighted on the other picture. This picture is a finished version I made by doing each panel individually. The detail I made is more of a fillet, a simple bevel from the top edge to the bottom.
This type of detail can be used around windows also to give that same fillet or putty look. If the window and panels were more complex I would use a method similar to the one you suggest. In the case of this set of doors, they are part of an older abandoned Army base in my area. I have been fooling around with recreating it over the last few years, it gives me a chance to try many new techniques... Someday, I might even complete a part of it. I think I have done 5-10 buildings, I have another 100 or so to go :D
Thanks for the input.
Rich |
Post by transient // Sep 9, 2008, 6:46pm
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transient
Total Posts: 977
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I'm not sure if I fully understand your question, but is this (http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showthread.php?t=5137&highlight=scale) what you're looking for? |
Post by RAYMAN // Sep 9, 2008, 7:09pm
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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Rich I guess I have to answer your post here with your own post this
time.
http://forums1.caligari.com/truespace/showpost.php?p=78587&postcount=107
If I were you I´d build that whole thing in components with fields as components themselves.(components in components)
You can scale them at hearts content and when you alter each field
you have the major benefit that each field component gets updated as
well !!;)
You can reexport to Ts in the end ...
If you want to make those 100 buildings in a lifetime .. thats what I would do.
Theres no other app that has a deep construction history to do that sort of
thing other then Sketchup..... |
Post by Nez // Sep 9, 2008, 10:28pm
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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I don't think that would work well with Rich's workflow - my recollection is that he likes to aply a (photgraphic) texture to a simple object and add geometry using the texture as the guide. He then doesn't have to go through UVing and texturing as the texture remains unaffected by the extra geometry (providing he's careful!).
I seem to recall that last time I tried a similar scaling operation (in TS5, which is comparable to the model-side) the same problem occured - i.e. the scaling happened relative to tthe centre of the group of faces rather than the centre of each face. The only way I've got round it to date is using bevel operations as someone else suggested... but I've not even started looking at Workspace yet... |
Post by RAYMAN // Sep 10, 2008, 12:11am
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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I don't think that would work well with Rich's workflow - my recollection is that he likes to aply a (photgraphic) texture to a simple object and add geometry using the texture as the guide.
Yes its no problem !
You make the basic form on top of a picture you just draw the outlines on it
and build up from the flat ! I would still use the components in components
because one can resize them to any size !Its much easier !
I get a new electrical supply at home so I can only post a short tut when I come home this afternoon. The computer I post from now doesnt have any of the programs!(will be around 6 hours from now !)
Peter |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 10, 2008, 12:22am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Nez has my basic workflow and has consicely identified the basic problem.
By using the bevel before I used the Dynamic Sweep Tool would have eliminated the problem...
If Caligari has the code built into the bevel tool, I wonder if it could also be added to the scale tool. A switch in the mesh editing panel of the stack?
I can rebuild the door easy enough, I don't want to do that with every object I need to make though :)
I am trying to keep everything on the WS side, I saw the thread Rayman mentions and I dl'ed the tsx plugin, I just do not want to be jumping back and forth across the bridge modeling it adds errors and problems I am trying to avoid right now.
Thanks for all the great ideas and the help guys.
Rich |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 10, 2008, 12:25am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Yes its no problem !
You make the basic form on top of a picture you just draw the outlines on it
and build up from the flat ! I would still use the components in components
because one can resize them to any size !Its much easier !
I get a new electrical supply at home so I can only post a short tut when I come home this afternoon. The computer I post from now doesnt have any of the programs!(will be around 6 hours from now !)
Peter
I'd love to see your approach Peter, feel free to post your tut here or a link to it here anyway :D Thanks for playing along!
Rich |
Post by RAYMAN // Sep 10, 2008, 10:30am
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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The biggest problem that i have is to get a distortion free picture
of the window but its absolutly no problem !
I actually spent more time making the template off the foto
then building it up in 3d !:p
But I will do a step by step for all who wnt to give it a go in Sketchup
and while doing this we can look at the tools that would make
Truespace better suited for this !
At the moment I see it as one of the best complementary plugs that i have to
Truespace.. by no means it must be seen as a competitor its exactly complementary .. !
Peter |
Post by RAYMAN // Sep 10, 2008, 10:52am
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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Berst bet we have at the moment is to draw onto the surface with
the polydraw tool in workspace and then run a bevel on that surface
and then scale it using right mouse click and scale the inner part..... |
Post by trueBlue // Sep 10, 2008, 10:54am
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trueBlue
Total Posts: 1761
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Here is a video showing the use of the jScript Macro recorder, recording an Inset on a selected face and then appling the macro to selected faces. Then I'll show a Bevel script I created in use. Finally using the Tangent coordinate system to scale selected faces uniformly from each face's center.
Using the Bevel script you can change the Angle and Depth first before appling it to selected faces.
Edit: Added a Quads attribute so now this script can be used as a Bevel and Inset. |
Post by RAYMAN // Sep 10, 2008, 11:24am
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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Trueblue thats great that speeds up the process quite a bit !
Theres only a curve draw tool missing and maybe abezier curve draw tool ..:D
Peter |
Post by RichLevy // Sep 10, 2008, 11:47am
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RichLevy
Total Posts: 1140
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Interesting True, when I tried to use the Tangent Space I still got the centering problem... I wonder what I was doing different. Nice to see you have three methods that worked. I am going to get something to eat, than spend the rest of the night figuring out what I was doing wrong :D Than get back to work on this... I'm gonna get this figured out yet...
Thanks for the video and the great walk thru, this really helps!
Rich |
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