Custom Objects

[garystan]

       Hi everybody :

                              I was wondering if it's possible to create custom doors and windows in TFP Version 16 .  I realize there IS editing capabilities with existing door and windows.

                                                                                                                        garystan

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Garystan,

Depends how customized you want to get but pretty much any normal window or door can be created. Just right click in the Catalogue on the right of the screen and select Add Element instead of Edit. It starts off as one one of the normal doors or windows but you can customize to your hearts content.

You cannot however import a door or window created in SketchUp for example as it will not recognise it as a door or window, so will not make a hole in the wall for example. You can use Openings to make a hole in the wall and juggle it to fit but it is far easier and quicker to just create it in TFP to start with.

Allan

[garystan]

    Allan :

             Thanks for your reply.   I tried looking in the forum for a previous posting about this, but I couldn't find it.  Your answer met my expectations (no offense).   I kinda figured that I couldn't import doors or windows from SU 8, but I just needed confirmation about it.    I'll keep in mind the part about creating an opening, then inserting the door or window in that.

                                                                                                                             garystan

[Doug.S]

While a bit awkward, an alternative if trying to place an imported object into an opening does not work, is to:

Import your window or door object and position it....then build walls around it....or place sized "cube" shapes (sized like a wall) to fill-in any gaps.  But these objects do not work like normal walls with moldings and such....but it can be done if you cannot make a catalog door or window modified in TFP or PA to exactly what you want.

[Terry Morgan]

I have a similar question, I need 'openings' and 'walls' stripped of trim and baseboard, I'm exporting
to Blender for a game, they add too many triangles. I can r-click on properties and 'uncheck' the
door trim and 'delete' the wall baseboard. Is there a way to edit an opening or wall or import one w/o
trim or baseboards?

https://sites.google.com/site/terrymorgan1213

[Doug.S]

If you export the objects (hide or delete all other objects not wanted) as .3ds or .dxf,

then open the object in another 3D program, you can modify/simplify to your hearts content...then save/export out and use as you desire.

Most 3D programs use .3ds just fine

Doug.S

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Terry,

Any of those things, Trim, Baseboards, Opening trim can be removed from the Properties of either the Wall itself or the Opening/Window. Untick the "include Trim" box in Window or Opening Properties. Baseboard, Crown moldings, Chair rails can be set to nothing in the Wall Properties - make sure you set the left and right sides of the wall and the Exterior to nothing for all wall trim options. This will leave just the bare wall with openings/windows.

You can set this in the Properties of each before you start or right click a wall, Select All Similar and  replace the walls with the on  without the trim. Easier than deleting it all later.

Allan

[Terry Morgan]

quote
You can set this in the Properties of each before you start or right click a wall, Select All Similar and  replace the walls with the on  without the trim. Easier than deleting it all later.
unquote

Thanks, that's faster. I have put a floorplan into Unity game engine, it looks O.K. but the the
triangles are all over the map, game engines like them to make squares or rectangles for uv mapping, guess I could just use the floorplan buildings for templates.

This guy's doing a floorplan thing in Blender, there's also some cabinet people using blender to
make houses/furniture, name escapes me atm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZI9WLvZjiA&list=PLQAfj95MdhTJ7zifNb5ab-n-TI0GmKwWQ&index=21

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Terry.

Thanks for sharing the Blender video. Looks like an interesting and very functional addon but obviously infinitely slower than TFP.

It is a shame the triangles are causing a problem for you. No way around that I suspect. I am no expert on this but I think the triangles render curved surfaces better.

Allan

[Terry Morgan]

This is what I mean by long skinny triangles, sometimes game engines have trouble rendering these,
but I have seen buildings like this looking O.K. in Unity.

[Doug.S]

Some 3D programs have tools to reduce polys count by making things that are co-planar reduce/eliminate many tri's.  However if it creates faces of more than 4 sides, some render engines cannot handle them.  It becomes some trial and error, hunt'n'peck...until you find what does and does not work and then stick to a working process.

Various programs do various things or even same things but different/better/worse.  Try several methods/programs.

Doug

[Terry Morgan]

The poly amounts are fine, it's the shape of the triangles that isn't good for uvmapping/rendering. Here's a shot of the usual way people model buildings in Blender.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QXD_twk4gw&list=PL03DAD6DD24CEFF83&index=11

[Doug.S]

Yes, these are quads vs. not tri's and especially useful for smoothing with a variety of tools....where tri's will not smooth well...stems from "box" modeling.

Many programs have tools to try to convert tri' s to quads....sometimes works.

Can be done manually but can be a lot of work, that may be faster by starting from scratch....or use the triangles model as a "tool" and model a new quads object around it...or replace tri's slowly with quad pieces  (weld it all together for smoothing). 

Some render engines render tri's poorly, most quads OK, usually anything greater than a quad (5 sides or greater per face) renders poorly in any render engine.

Also be careful to ensure all normal are consistent and pointing out.

Doug