CompuServe Messages

Pawel – The subject of extraneous lines in wireframe models was raised by Michael Katz in his message #3301 in the VISOFT Forum (check it out). He needs to make patent drawings in isometric or perspective, and he objects, for example, to lines in wireframes to which he refers as "extraneous," giving the example of lines generated when surfaces are "swept." The first response I thought of was, "get a package which erases hidden lines," but then realized that the surface polygons in swept shapes would still be there until the shape was rendered (or modeled). If I get your despcription of Hash correctly, the same goes for it. Suggested to Michael that he get a 2D-3D combo package, create the model in 3D, save it in 2D, and then, in 2D, edit-out the lines he doesn't want. He does not want to model or render his image. Hash sounds very powerful. Dunno if it is for me, though. Need to render entire buildings. Most useful tools for me are the ability to make glass (for windows), cast shadows, and introduce atmospheric effects, which Renderize Live seems to offer – although I am far from fluent in its use and really don't know how well it will do those things. Main problem right now is with DXF translations. My application-models are created in a separate package (DesignCAD 3D) and imported into RL as DXF files, which RL reads. That is why I got RL Since DXF translating is not an exact science (or so it seems, although it should be), 99% of the translation succeeds, leaving about 1% of oddball conditions in the imported image. Not too bad, really, except that the oddities sneak up on you, revealing themselves sometimes only after you've done a rendering (aarrrgh time). Ah, the joys of rendering . . . — gtm —