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View Full Version : Missing Tools, Part 2

rocarpen
04-27-2003, 11:04 PM
Hey guys,

I posted a few days ago about C4D's apparent lack of alignment tools, and now am following up with a few more items I can't seem to find. They're a couple of VERY helpful modeling techniques present in 3DSMax (the only other 3D app I've spent much time with), but apparently MIA in C4D:

- Restrict point movement to edge
- Weld by proximity

The first should be covered by C4D's snapping abilities, but doesn't seem to want to work. The points, when moved, ignore the edge and go wherever they please. :shrug:

The second is a nifty 3DSMax option where you specify how far apart points need to be to weld. The user can select a bunch of the buggers, and at the click of a button any of the them within the specified range of each other are fused together. Very quick and helpful! A great alternative to the method of picking a point, snapping it to a neighbour, selecting both, and hitting Weld (which, near as I can tell, is all C4D is capable of).

Again, I dig the app, but do find myself missing some of the Max toolset. Any suggestions, folks? My McLaren F1 LM is coming along nicely, but would go faster with these techniques!

:wavey:
Demonslayer
04-27-2003, 11:07 PM
Another fairly simple thing I found missing was Rectangular Array, I used to use Rhino, and it had it. Now there is only Polar Array. I know I can use instances and do it, but it saves a lot of time if it's just automated. (I also know I can use a spline and DiCloner.)
rocarpen
04-27-2003, 11:10 PM
Originally posted by Demonslayer
Another fairly simple thing I found missing was Rectangular Array, I used to use Rhino, and it had it. Now there is only Polar Array. I know I can use instances and do it, but it saves a lot of time if it's just automated. (I also know I can use a spline and DiCloner.)

Rhino. Now there's an app I'd love to try. Seems like the ultimate in modeling from what I've seen and heard.

Alas, I'm a Mac-man through and through, and am stuck with Wings, Cinema 4D, Lightwave, Maya, Universe, et al, but no Rhino or Max...

:annoyed:
Demonslayer
04-27-2003, 11:52 PM
Rhino is very limited, that's why I use Cinema 4D now. :eek: Anything you can do in there can be done in C4D.

The shaders are very simple and it simply isn't as easy to do things. Also, less plugins, there are hardly any.
AdamT
04-27-2003, 11:59 PM
Yep, there is no edge sliding function. One workaround is to select all the edges you're concerned with and use Structure-->Edge selection to spline. Then you can use spline snapping. There's a plugin that will be released pretty soon that will make this easier--but still not as good as a designated tool for this purpose.

Regarding the weld function, what you're looling for is Structure-->Optimize.
rocarpen
04-28-2003, 12:35 AM
Originally posted by AdamT
Yep, there is no edge sliding function. One workaround is to select all the edges you're concerned with and use Structure-->Edge selection to spline. Then you can use spline snapping. There's a plugin that will be released pretty soon that will make this easier--but still not as good as a designated tool for this purpose.

Regarding the weld function, what you're looling for is Structure-->Optimize.

Ah ha... marvelous. I'd used Optimise to eliminate stranded points, but never thought to explore the Tolerance field. Many thanks!

Also, your Edge-to-Spline method is one I'd already used to some degree. An unwieldy but effective work-around.

Thanks for the help!

:beer:
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