combining poly objects

[Snich]

Hi all,

I've been learning bunches by reading all the great posts and competitions here. I have a newbie question though. I'm attemping a modelling project using polys. To create certain shapes it seems easiest to combine different primitives, like a cylinder sticking out of a cube, etc. My question is: What is the best way to combine the two objects into one? Like if I have a cylinder pass through a cube, is there an easy way to make them one object rather than a group? I want to rig the project eventually and I don't know if it matters or not that its actually a bunch of small objects grouped together. Thanks for any replies.

[Kühl]

Snich: Select the two object... then goto polygons > combine.

Then use the "merge edge tool" (edit polygons > merge edge tool). Select the pair of edges to merge and press enter. Do this until all edges are merged..

I guess this is the easiest way... ?

[Nem]

or use a boolean, which is much cleaner if youre sticking objects into one another :)

[mtmckinley]

booleans may be easier, but the resulting geometry may not be efficient and may require some clean up.

[Snich]

Thanks guys,

The combine sounds like what I'm looking for. I take it that will get rid of any hidden faces? i.e. with the earlier cylinder through a cube reference, the cylinder faces that are inside the cube?

[cb8rwh]

combine doesn't get rid of the faces inside, I guess it depends what you are after but I think booleans would be more suited if you needed the inside poly faces to be deleted

[Snich]

I had never messed with booleans before. Union seems to do the trick quite well for my current purpose. Thanks everyone for all the info. I'm sure I'll have more questions as I learn more.

[Nem]

Originally posted by cb8rwh
combine doesn't get rid of the faces inside

thats what i mean by it being unclean :)