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Converted to Editable Meshes?
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Converted to Editable Meshes? // New Users
Post by Netjera // Mar 20, 2008, 11:32pm
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Netjera
Total Posts: 11
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Hi, I'm back! *winces*
Okay, so I'm going through the tutorials in the manual. Yay, I found them. (Although I'm still hunting for the video tutorials - or are those the ones I bought that came separately?) Anyways, I'm sorry to say I'm having a problem right off the bat. :(
In the first tutorial, they tell you to drop a cube into the workspace, then right-click for Point Edit mode. Okay, that's easy, I've done that before in gameSpace. The only problem is, when I right-click the cube, it gives me this message: "One or more selected objects need to be converted to editable meshes." So, I have 3 questions, please:
1) What does this mean? It's not coming in as an editable figure somehow? I thought all models were editable?
2) Does the appearance of this message, when it wasn't mentioned in the tutorial mean that my setup is wrong for this tutorial?
3) Do I answer this dialog "Yes" or "No".
In a totally unrelated matter, I'm also getting an error when I try to open up the manual file. It says it can't find something, then opens it anyways. Anybody have any thoughts? Thanks. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 20, 2008, 11:42pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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When you first create a primitive it has a mesh creation node which lets you modify the mesh via the creation parameters. To use the Mesh Edit tools (also called Point Edit tools) the mesh creation node needs to be replaced by a static editable mesh node.
This is normal, most things you work on are going to be editable meshes. The change is that you will no longer be able to change the creation parameters for that primitive. So you need to set the height, width, number of divisions, etc., that you want before converting to editable mesh.
Also if you set up mirror modeler or SDS in Workspace side, trying to edit the mesh in model side will flatten the construction history and make the SDS layer and mirror permanent. So make sure you turn off the mirror modeler and SDS layers before using a Model-side tool on the mesh. |
Post by hultek43 // Mar 21, 2008, 3:03am
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hultek43
Total Posts: 234
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Part of understanding how to use trueSpace will rely on your ability to 'read between the lines'. You say 'drop a cube in the workspace'. Well there are 3 kinds or types of cube primatives, namely a poly cube:icon_PolyCube:, NURBS cube:icon_NURBSCube: and Metaball cube:icon_MetaballCube:. While each is a cube, they have different properties and some are more suitable for one modeling operation than another. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 21, 2008, 3:24am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Sorry forgot to answer your question about the videos. They are a separate download from the actual manual download. The filename should be "ts751videos.exe" and the download link says "trueSpace7.51 Manual Videos". The link can be found where you downloaded 7.51 and the manual from.
If you can't find the link, you may want to e-mail: support@caligari.com |
Post by TomG // Mar 21, 2008, 4:59am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hi all,
Only one type of cube available in the workspace side hultek :) The three kinds you list are for Model side (that won't display this message).
On the Model side, adding a primitive gave a magic ring. You could edit how many faces, height, width, and other parameters, using the magic ring. As soon as you left that mode, your primitive was set and you could not edit the number of faces, height etc any more (you had to scale to change height, etc).
This has changed in the workspace. When you add a primitive it remains open for editing using the creation controls - things like number of faces, height, width, but also things like a radial slice for some primitives, and so on. You can edit these values even after the primitive has been created, it remains open for changes to these creation values.
You'll find that while still untouched by point editing, the Panel to control the settings for the primitive will appear in the stack when you select the primitive, letting you edit it using those creation values.
However, when you point edit it, you will not be able to alter those creation values any more. This is what that warning means - the primitive is about to become locked so you can't alter it using these creation values. This is necessary in order to enter Point Edit, so you just say yes - ensuring of course that you are happy with the primitive before you do that.
Some videos date back to tS7, and where vital details are unchanged, the videos are not re-recorded. Where tools changed completely, then videos were re-recorded.
HTH!
Tom |
Post by hultek43 // Mar 21, 2008, 5:18am
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hultek43
Total Posts: 234
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Tom, Thanks for the clarification. As I'm still using TS 6.6 and haven't gotten the upgrade to TS 7.XX, I guess I shouldn't have replied to the post.:( |
Post by jamesmc // Mar 21, 2008, 5:54am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Often wonder about that.
Why is it necessary to right click on the workspace in order for a primitive to be used?
It's counter intuitive for one and appears to me to be an unnecessary step.
(glares at designers and beta testers to allow such things) |
Post by TomG // Mar 21, 2008, 6:20am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hi all,
Not sure what you are asking about there, James. You can use the primitive just as it is, if you plan on it staying the same shape, with no need to right click. Right click doesnt "use" the primitive, but enters Point Edit mode, and is done that way since a right click to enter point edit is easier than dragging the mouse away to click on an icon. The same process applies in the Model side, so its an old and accepted tS technique, right click to enable point editing :)
The primitive is fine and usable prior to that though, there is no need to right click unless you plan on entering point edit. The same right click enters point edit for anything, so is not related to "using" the primitive, it is just the workflow for entering point edit mode.
The warning dialog is to ensure you dont want to use radial slice and the other quite neat creation tools before entering point edit, and only occurs the once (as once converted away from a procedural primitive and into regular geometry, there is no going back).
All answers are good hultek! Do please keep on posting no matter what :) Its always good for people to know what tools are available, and where, and in what versions, so no problem there. Just wanted to clarify for those that might go looking for a metaballs cube in the workspace icons :)
HTH!
Tom |
Post by TomG // Mar 21, 2008, 6:29am
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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As a PS, the primitives remain editable so you can change your mind (folks liked the magic ring and often thought it was a shame such options vanished as soon as you clicked off the object, so here the procedural options are maintained for as long as possible).
You can also keyframe these attributes (you need to right click on the record option to open the Keying Panel and then enable things like Bottom Slice and Radial Slice to record KFs for that attribute). This opens up some new options too.
Just in case the question was why are procedural parameters for the primitives retained for as long as possible :)
Thanks!
Tom |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 21, 2008, 7:08am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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James, you don't have to right click on the primitive to enter Mesh Edit mode -- you could just click on one of the point edit selection tools and TS will automatically enter Mesh Edit mode for you. |
Post by jamesmc // Mar 21, 2008, 9:27am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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(speaks with stuffed up nose)
Dabbit Tom! You crushed by curmudgeon comment of the day!
No worries, I'll think of another and make it cranky because I need to fill my daily quota. |
Post by Netjera // Mar 21, 2008, 1:25pm
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Netjera
Total Posts: 11
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Hmm.. I apologize guys. Y'all were great about answering me, and I've been sitting like a lump all day, waiting for answers. Seems I didn't check "notify me" or something, and haven't been getting email messages for this thread. >.<
You guys are great. You answered just about every question I could have asked - hultek43 got one before I could get there (you saved everyone, I noticed that last night and probably would've asked about it soon). And Tom, THIS was my very next question after reading your post:
As a PS, the primitives remain editable so you can change your mind (folks liked the magic ring and often thought it was a shame such options vanished as soon as you clicked off the object, so here the procedural options are maintained for as long as possible).
I guess you've gotten used to how long I can keep a thread going with incessant questions, huh? ;) Now you're reading my mind before I get there, lol.
Thanks a lot for the answers, everyone. I'm glad I didn't do anything wrong, and it's neat that I can continue to use the magic ring for longer. This is just workplace-side, right? If I'm in the modeling side, that still pretty much functions like gameSpace, right? Magic ring disappears after you click off? Or is it a new feature there as well?
Thanks again! :banana: |
Post by TomG // Mar 21, 2008, 3:29pm
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TomG
Total Posts: 3397
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Hahaha James :) Hope you make your quota, its not good when you miss it, you know the penalties for that!
Keeping the primitive in a "procedural" state for as long as possible is indeed just workspace side. The Model side will function the same as gameSpace (or tS6.6), and as soon as you click off the primitive, the magic ring is gone and the primitive becomes regular geometry.
Do remember to check the Panels tab in the stack for the control panel to work with the primitive. Different primitive shapes have different options.
My magic brain reading power isn't picking up on any further unanswered questions, so you'll have to use the old fashioned route of typing them in here to get them to me if any are left ;)
Thanks!
Tom |
Post by Netjera // Mar 22, 2008, 4:21am
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Netjera
Total Posts: 11
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I think I got them all for now. Of course, atm, I'm doing some other work. So as soon as I go back to modeling practice, I'm sure y'all will hear me whining again. ;)
Thanks again! |
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