Script Request
 

I was hoping that maybe someone like Next design who kindly offer their mel scripting talents to us all might be willing to undertake a challenge for me.

In my modeling for clients to have rapid prototyped meshes put out of some subjects i am sometimes given a pre made model to work with. Once the model is scaled to the final size sometimes i have to go back and re-size the details. Usually these details are either A, panel lines, or B, raised greeblies (normally modeled as separate objects)

My request is can someone please make a script that will allow me to select the outward facing polygon(s) on a greeblie and extrude them a specific distance along an axis set to the face, or perpendicular to the face that is selected.

IT is very time consuming to have to select each face and do this separately, sometimes i have to do this with upwards of 20k polys to get the details sized properly. To be honest it doesn't even have to move the faces, just translate along a path that is "Set to face" and give me a way to either See the distance translated, or input a specific number. Obviously I'll have several polygons facing different directions so they would all need their own translation orientation. Would it be possible to have the script auto select outward facing polygons on separate greeblies all at once?

Failing this, if it is impossible, would it be possible to write a script that gave me a window and showed me the distance that the polygon had moved along the Locally selected axis? For example when you extrude a poly that is rotated at some odd angle, 45 degrees in x and 27 in y and 33 in z or what ever, you get the the channel box readout stating that it is been translated 0.00 (or what ever) in local x,y,or z .

Any help would be most appreciated on this. and thank you in advance for the time spent doing it.

George

Wow, I just noticed this. Sorry mate.

Could you create a video or a series of images with what you want? I don't quite understand what you want. :/

Man, did I not test this on site for you? What was my answer?

Jay

........ Huh?

I posted this a few days before i sent you that e-mail Jay. You're answer worked well for the common extrudes.

I do still think that a script or plugin that would allow you to see the translation value of a selected component along the selected axis would be brilliant though. I'll see if i can get a screen grab series demonstrating what i mean there for you ND.

No problem on the reply. Ironically the job that i was working on that had this problem got postponed till after a big convention next month, i was asked to do something else in its stead.. a Studio accurate GR-75 Rebel Transport..yey...

George

Could be worse. They could've asked you to model a Morris Marina :P

Yes... That was a Top Gear reference... :D

Cue the piano falling...

Okay cool, I still think that for the more angular stuff, you are pretty stuck, unless theres history on those faces. Thats why it works with my method, the extrude puts the history on it at that angle so the tool knows. A Coords script would be hard for those without history, thats why I mentioned modo for it, as did someone else if I recall you saying....its a no brainer then

Jay

Aye, Modo. I need to learn that program i just don'e have time to do it with all the client demands on me atm.

The biggest problem i had with extrudes using your method on that model was the fact that all the greeblies were beveled, and when i extruded the poly sitting in the proper direction then it left a huge step looking area, which would show up on the prototype. If i extrude all of the polys that are taken in to the bevel then i get some screwed up extrusion that resembles a mushroom head.. My solution was to extrude the bevel then just scale the extruded areas in till it blended pretty close to the original tapered area.

Prototyping is a fun job, its amazing to be able to see your 3d models come to life as real subjects...but. Getting it all right is crazy, things that you could let go in visual effects cannot be overlooked in prototyping..and conversely things that you would have to fix on a model for rendering, can be totally ignored for a prototyped mesh.

Jay. If you want, i can show you pictured of the Prototyped Action VI (Wild KArrde) transport i send you in progress images of, finally got it in the mail a few dyas ago and snapped a few images before i sent it to the client.

George

They just asked me to model a 33 inch long Medical frigate (nebulon B)...
Gave me a list of parts that were used to kit bash the studio model, and i have to track down kit scans of all of them, model them, re-size them, engineer a parts break down, and make sure its spot on, its a fan favorite and its been researched heavily in the scale modeling world. At 33 inches any errors will stick out like a sore thumb.. Quote on job... 2500$

Fun wow!

George

Or use that money towards a 3d scanner :D

http://www.nextengine.com/

Jay could you please post your method I oculd have a use for creating greebles and I am curious what method you use.


What was the advantage to using modo? I feel like I am sitting in on a lecture and missed the first 15 minutes lol.

thx

For that to be of use, i'd have to A, have several thousand dollars to buy the donor kit parts to scan.
Or B, have access to the studio model.

I have though been asked if i would consider buying a 3d scanner to work with. IF enough demand comes out of it i will eventually buy one. Right now though I wouldn't have been able to make the investment back i a 2 year time frame, so it hasn't proven to be worth it atm.

George

CTbram

Its not a method for creating them, it was purely keeping history on extruded faces for editing later on, especially those that have been extruded at an angle. If history is deleted and frozen transforms have been done its basically impossible to edit the extrusion again especially the angled ones.

Modo has the ability to overlook such probs

J

ah now I am following you. thx.