Design Experiment

[funrob29]

Hi Gary,
"If you want realistic work I learn to make the work as real as possible" That said, yes if you look at my bedroom design the backboard, platform frame, mattress and pillow are all individual objects, a little more work but worth it in the end. keep up the good work.

Robert

[Draft Patrick]

Google Sketchup is an excellent and very useful program but don't forget that almost everything it can do, can also be done within TFP. I just made your bed as an example. I have no idea how long it would take in SKP, I assume it would be quicker, but this one took about 20 min in TFP.

I'd like to know an additional information, just for learning purposes --> can you (Allan and Gary) inform about the size in kb of the bed (as a TFP object and as a SKP object)?

Thank you!

Pat

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

From the image the centre bed is the "original" TFP bed made up from 3 pieces of floor. It consisted of the following elements:
1.  Top and base  -  10 kb
2.  Bedspread     -     9 kb
3.  Pillow        -        13 kb
4.  Two columns direct from TFP (?kb)

These were exported as one 3DS file and imported as the bed on the left  -  72 kb. 

The bed on the right was exported as a DXF and imported again  to TFP  - 669 kb. 

Clearly the 3DS bed on the left was better than the DXF, being dramatically smaller and the DXF did not retain the original texture and had only two anyway. Change the bed frame to a timber texture and you have a solid wood bedspread - NOT VERY COMFORTABLE!! 

Obviously the centre bed was the smallest memory wise but in several pieces, so more difficult to move.  Exported as a 3DS did not increase the size much and it was now one object, so easily movable and resizable and with all the original material surfaces. It also retained the actual textures BUT they all became highly reflective so had to be replaced. This was not hard because they were at least identifyable by the texture, so you could multiselect and reassign it again.

I have no idea what size the SKP equivelent would be of course.  Can you let us know please Garystan?

Allan

[the cad man]

Garystan,

Love the bedroom, specially after the change to floorboards. Lighting is great and I like the wallpaper.

...so nice of you Allan to "make the bed" for him, could you come over and make mine, then maybe tidy up the yard...?   

Gaz

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Garry,

Making the bed takes a little while but tidying the yard is very easy!

Go to View Filter, on the 'Elements on Location' tab click the Display None button. On the 'Elements on Terrain' tab click Display All then click OK.
Back on the model do Edit / Select All, and then press Delete key. Done!!  - the yard is instantly cleared (of everything!) 

Shame it is not that easy in reality. If it was we would have more time to play with TFP without feeling guilty! 

Allan

[Draft Patrick]

Hi Allan,

Excellent explanation and examples with the bed! 
DXF is a very primitive format, hence the large size. As matter of fact, DXF is not exactly a graphic format, but entities defining graphics --> to understand this, open any dxf file with Notepad or other text processor --> see the number of entities that are necessary to define the file!!! 

It would be interesting if we can compare your info with the 3DS file

Pat

[garystan]

        funrob29 :

                              Here's one for you..............a fire-engine hot rod.   Something to "zip" around town in .

                                                                                                                                                 garystan

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Gayrstan,

Did you make the Hot Rod in TFP?    (would be quite easy really being squared edges).

Going back to the earlier points about SKP and 3DS:

Hi Pat............I have no idea what size the SKP equivelent would be of course.  Can you let us know please Garystan?

Do you have the size in KB of the Bed.SKP (or whatever it was) file?
It would just be interesting to see how it compared with the TFP copy.

Allan

[garystan]

       Allan :

                         Actually,  I was  just  "doodling"  in Sketchup.   And this started to   "take shape".   So I went along with it.      I might've over-done it with the   "paste wax" finish on the body.     

                                                                                                                           garystan

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Garystan,

It is a bit outlandish anyway so I think the finish is great!

Do you still have the file size for the Bed?
You should be able to see it in Windows Explorer where you originally saved the SKP file.

Allan

[garystan]

             Allan :

                        Sorry about not getting back to you sooner.
                        The dimensions of the bed  (in TFP) are :
                                        7'W x 11' 2 11/16 " D x  7' H
                        File size :   156 Kb.
                        I was looking into experimenting with the Layout Tool (circle, arc,square)...and like you said, custom objects can be made from within TFP.     I tried it the other day,  didn't get too far.     But.....from within TFP I don't think there's anyway to  "soften" any edges.
                                                                                                                                         garystan
                       
                                                                                                                             

[garystan]

        Allan:

                   When the  "concept" for that Red Hot Rod came into being.........the intent was to make a  "funny" car.  Something kinda outrageous and,  (in reality) with a few modifications, operational.   Of course, in real life a  "custom" built vehicle like that would cost a fortune.   To put it mildly.     But, the bottom line is,  that I was just make it as a "goof".

                                                                                                                                     garystan

[Doug.S]

  But.....from within TFP I don't think there's anyway to  "soften" any edges.  garystan                                                                                                                 

I have never found any "smoothing" tool or a means to radius/chamfer edges in TFP . . . but you can export to another 3D program and most have easy tools to accomplish both...usually at the "cost" of a larger file size . . . but even somewhat larger files don't choke TFP from running OK.

Has anyone ever tested the largest file size TFP can use...TFP16 in a win7x64 with more than 4GB RAM and a 1GB video card?  Maybe developers/IMSI has done so or has a large test file . . . and does file size matter as a result of models or textures or a combination of both?
I have run .bld files up to about 8MB (TFP sample #2) with no issues as long as the models are "correct" (no broken parts/objects).  .3ds trees can get to be very large files.

Perhaps Allan or Jack have made very large .bld files?

[garystan]

   Doug S.  :

                         When I want to  "soften" edges of models I intend to use in TFP,   right now I use Google Sketchup.

                                                                                                                                                   garystan

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Robert (and Everyone),

Hope I have not confused you but I have split this topic and moved it to Looking For Help as we had deviated away from Garystan's original subject and examples. It will mean too, that others who may have file size or import issues, are more likely to see it and benefit.

You will find it at http://forums.turbofloorplan.com/index.php/topic,2311.0.html.

Allan