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View Full Version : Help required - 2 simple questions...

Albert999
08-20-2007, 05:23 PM
Hallo, and excuse me for this questions.

Using Wings3D I have 2 issues... I checked manual, sites, tutorials, with no luck.

1) I need to create a RADIAL ARRAY of solids (think a cube, I want to have 12 cubes displaced like the 12 hours in the analogic clock, covering 360 degrees spaced by 20 degrees each). How can I do?

2) I want to create a prism, with a very complex base. I don't want to create a cylinder, and then modify it until it becomes like I want it, I just want to draw the 2D base and later transform it into a prism (cylinder). Is it possible? How?

Thank you in advance for this help, and excuse me if I posted in the wrong place.

Adalbert.
puzzledpaul
08-21-2007, 01:13 AM
Different ppl have different approaches - but I'd do (1) as follows

Create cube in centre position
Dupe this cube and move the dupe X (or Z) the required distance / radius from centre cube.
Dupe this (newly moved) cube 11 more times (do one, then use shift D for the next 10)

You've now got a single central cube + 12 more cubes sharing the same space (open Window | Geometry Graph to see / check etc) at the 'clock' periphery

Select a single outer cube
Object | Rotate > RMB ... select top face of the centre cube to define rotate axis and position thro' which axis acts
Drag > 30deg (hold shift to constrain to 15 deg 'steps' ... eyeball top left info readout to check
Keep this first moved cube selected
Select another from the stack of 11
Press Shift D ... this will repeat the last rotate op ... both selected cubes will move.

Repeat this procedure until all outer cubes in correct postion.

(2)
Extract the top face off a cube (say) add more verts using Edge | Cut > n
View Y
Move the verts around (however you want) until you have the required X section.

Both of the above (or similar) are described in the Bikewheel / 2D to 3D pages here, btw... www.puzzledpaul.com (http://www.puzzledpaul.com/)

Other alternatives:
Create a 12 sided reference object (cylinder) and use Face | PutOn > rmb clone option to clone your 12 objects ... requires a bit of figuring if you want objects at a specific radius ... and sometimes you can get slightly odd results :)

If you have access to Adobe Illustrator - an alternative for (2) would be to create the shape reqd in AI ... then import into wings.

pp

Edit
You'll need advanced menus (via Edit | prefs) to do the above, btw
Albert999
08-21-2007, 03:03 PM
Thank you, Paul, your post has been incredibly helpful... I understood perfectly, I tried both the first solution and the second one...

I discovered many more possibilities, and I'm now an enthusiast of your site (now trying the snakes!).

Best Regards!

Albert999
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08-21-2007, 03:03 PM
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