Creating Custom Objects

[Greg W.]

I've been trying to create custom objects in TFP v16. I've had success in doing this (using Alan's PDF doc from April 2010 – Thanks Alan!) but my new object is not recognizable in 2D view. When I original created it by merging six elements together, it looked good in both 2D and 3D. After I exported it to 3DS and imported it to the catalogue it looked great in 3D view but in 2D it appears as faint geometric type lines. I've tried different display modes and view filters but it still looks the same. Should custom objects display correctly in 2D mode or am I doing something wrong. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Greg,

On the Appearance tab of the imported object, have you set a line colour for the 2D in the lower part of the dialog?

You can also make a totally different shape for the 2D part or just an outline, no criss cross lines. If you would like to do that I can explain.

Allan

[Greg W.]

Hi Alan,

This is helpful. With regards to line color, my new object lists 23 components (mat1, mat2, mat3, etc.) under the Appearance tab. Is there a simple way to know which-is-which?

Yes, I could use your help in making this new object view as just an outline in 2D mode, without the criss cross lines. Ideally, the same as the objects in the original Catalog.

Thanks,

Greg

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Greg,

With regards to line color, my new object lists 23 components (mat1, mat2, mat3, etc.) under the Appearance tab. Is there a simple way to know which-is-which?

Simply put NO!  The materials are numbered in the order in which they were created but as there are move than 10, they will not be in order either (11 will come before 2 for example). However since you are only talking about line colour you would obviously have them all the same, so just shift select all and set the colour. 

You cannot use this to make just an outline as they line colour is applied to the object not the individual lines that make it up, so you can just set a colour for the outside and leave all the criss cross lines without a colour.

Yes, I could use your help in making this new object view as just an outline in 2D mode, without the criss cross lines. Ideally, the same as the objects in the original Catalog.

This is not easy to explain in text so I will do a few images that will make it easier to follow and quicker for me too. It also makes it possible for you to identify each of the materials and rename them too which is very useful if you want to reassign textures later. I have a few things to first however so will get back to you on that shortly.

Allan

[Greg W.]

Hi Allan,

I tried to ID which component contained the crisscross lines by opening each one individually and changing the line color to white. I did find the offending component but when I changed the line color, the crisscross lines were gone but it also changed the overall look of my new object.

Any additional help you can provide in making this new object view as just an outline in 2D mode, without the crisscrossed lines is appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Greg,

Sorry for taking a while to get around to this. I knew it would take a little while to put it together hopefully simply enough for you and less experienced users who may want to, to follow.

The image should explain it all but, simply put, what you need to do is create a 2D line the shape you want, by using the Landscape 'Edging' tool. Set it to 1mm (1/16") high and trace out the shape you want in one line if possible, (as it makes it easier later because there are less lines to deal with during import).
Export as 3DS and import again using the Object Wizard, where you can turn off the 3D elements of the Edging so only the Edging's 2D line shows on the plan. At the same time you can Name the 3D parts and turn OFF their 2D elements so you get rid of all the excess lines. 

The extra lines of imported objects will still show in Elevations etc but at least the Plan is much cleaner (as seen in the second image which shows multiple chairs in a plan).

If you already have objects in your catalogue with lots of excess lines (3DS or SKP etc) and want to get rid of them, just insert them into a blank project with the Terrain turned off, and follow the procedure in the image. After you have saved it to the catalogue you can delete the original if you want. 3DS will usually keep the textures intact.

I hope you can follow it all.

Allan

[Doug.S]

Another way that can "sometimes" work (depends on the model and if changes are OK) is to change to model surfaces to reduce the number/size/shape of the triangular "faces" which create the 3D surface and show in 2D view.

Objects with flat surfaces are easiest. Curved surfaces are nearly impossible to make look pretty in 2D.

To accomplish: export model to another 3D program, modify the 3D surfaces, export back to TFP.

Maybe this idea will work too...can't remember but I think I tried it once before and it worked OK. . . export object to another 3D modelling program, create various named surface domains....this will allow changing colors and textures in the new domains in TFP....and I think then the 2D lines can be colored differently than the 3D surfaces.....as you suggested, make some white to blend into background but leave object outlines black or dark....would need some testing to see if it works and how to setup domains.

Lastly there is a "brute force" way....have 2 separate TFP .bld files; use one for 3D and one for 2D...do all your 3D design, save copy as another named .bld file and replace the 3D objects with messy triangle lines with simple 2D shapes, use this file for 2D floorplan outputs.   . . . but it is a lot of work to keep them in sync.....now and then save out each 2D view and overlay one on the other to verify no differences in shape outlines or positions; only differences should be the extra triangles in one plan view used to render 3D view/images.

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Doug,

I tried editing objects, such as the chair set in the image above, and it was impossible to get just the clean simple shape that was achieved using the garden edging.  Editing the object outside of TFP was a lot of work and fiddling.  Making some lines white did not work either, unless you printed as a colour photo. Sent as a vecor object for printing as all black plans, simply showed the 'white' lines as black anyway.

The big advantages of the garden edging method are that they can be any shape you want (eg an electrical symbol for a power point that has no relation to the shape of the object itself) and it becomes part of the object, so when saved to the catalogue becomes automatically available in all future projects with no further editing or post input manipulation at all. It also works for image printing or vector printing.

It sounds a bit of work when described in words but is extremely quick to do when you get the sense of the idea and only needs to be done once.

Allan

[Doug.S]

I just thought of another "quick & dirty" easy method:

Open the finished 2D output image (typically .bmp is better for this) and either paint over or apply white filled shapes to cover unwanted lines. If many shapes same, make one pattern and duplicate to cover others of same shape. Use Photoshop or Illustrator or any similar program that uses layers and filled shapes  (there are free programs like GIMP or Inkscape).

Once done, even minor changes can be re-output and the layers re-used with minor adjustments

Of course there is a lot of freedom other than just white . . .  be creative.

But if re-using the object often in TFP, Allan's idea may be the best repeatable method.

[Greg W.]

Hello Allan,

Thanks for taking the time to put this procedure together. My apologies for the delayed response, I've been traveling these past few weeks. I finally had a chance to try your suggestion but I haven't had much success. I think I'm doing something wrong in the "Fine Tune Your Element" section. This should work for me once I figure it out. I'll let you know when I succeed.

Thanks again for your help

Greg

[Greg W.]

Hi Doug,

Thanks for your suggestions. I haven't had a chance to try them yet but I'll definitely give them a try. It's good to have options.

Thanks for your help.

Greg