ProSurf 3 question

Discussion in 'Software' started by ErikG, Jul 21, 2002.

  1. ErikG
    Joined: Feb 2002
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    Location: Stockholm, Sweden

    ErikG Senior Member

    I do my preliminary drawings by hand or in a non-standard graphics pgm.
    It's all in 2D but I'd like to be able to get it into ProSurf so that I can trace the ideas I have without having to redo from square one.

    For example. With 2D sketches of the top and side views It would be a lot easier to get where II want if I could "trace" them within the program.
    I dont want to use the files themselves as such for a number of reasons.
    I realise that I can import them into Rhino and export as DXF or IGES but that seems like a waste of time.

    Any ideas?

    ErikG
     
  2. Steve Hollister
    Joined: Sep 2001
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    Location: Rhode Island

    Steve Hollister Junior Member

    Hi ErikG,

    OK, Let me see if I understand. You do preliminary sketching in a non-standard graphics program and you want to import them into ProSurf without having to redo them.

    ProSurf 3, like most CAD programs, has a number of import and export "filters" or file formats. You say that you could import your data into Rhino, but you don't say what file format you are using. It sounds like your "non-standard" graphics program cannot output a DXF or IGES file. ProSurf can read in a variety of text files too and one of its formats might meet your needs.

    OK, the first step is to get your geometry from your program into ProSurf 3. After that, it's easy. ProSurf has many tools for editing (or tracing, if that is what you want) and fairing curves and polylines. ProSurf can then take your 2D curve shapes, position them into the 3D model space and skin or loft NURB surfaces through the curves. (Once you get used to ProSurf, you might find that sketching 2D curve shapes is much easier than with your current program.)

    If, however, your program designs shapes using bitmaps (like a paint program) and doesn't have entities like polylines or curves, then that is a problem, since ProSurf doesn't read in bitmap or raster files yet. In any case, if your program just works with a raster image, then you need some tool to convert the raster image to a "vector" (polyline and curve) definition. The automatic programs that do this don't always work very well and it's not much fun to have to trace or digitize raster images by hand.

    If your program is a bitmap design program, then it is not an automatic or simple process to get it into a CAD program, whether it is ProSurf, Rhino, AutoCAD, etc. If this is the case, I would recommend that you use ProSurf, Rhino, AutoCAD, TurboCAD or some other (vector-type) CAD program to do your preliminary design process. It is much easier to go from a CAD-type of geometry definition into a graphics/raster type definition than the other way around.

    I hope I answered your question.

    Regards,
    Steve Hollister
    New Wave Systems
     
  3. ErikG
    Joined: Feb 2002
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    Location: Stockholm, Sweden

    ErikG Senior Member

    Thanx for your quick reply!

    What I do use for preliminary designs (or more correctly sketches) is Macromedia Flash! This is a vector based program that can save in many formats but not in any "Cad based" format.
    The way to get it where I want was to save it as an adobe illustrator file, then import into Rhino, export as iges and then import into ProSurf. The last bit I haven't been able to get working, but I will.

    Macromeda flash is for me what a pen and paper is for a graphic artist. It's simply the fastest way to get my basic ideas down on paper or screen.

    I do really like ProSurf. and I'll buy it when I've used up all my saves on the demo :)

    But it can't compare to a paper or a simple (Flash) graphics program when it comes to quickly envision my ides, complete with deck and interior sketches.


    Erik
     
  4. Steve Hollister
    Joined: Sep 2001
    Posts: 59
    Likes: 8, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 82
    Location: Rhode Island

    Steve Hollister Junior Member

    Hi Erik,

    What I do use for preliminary designs (or more correctly sketches) is Macromedia Flash! This is a vector based program that can save in many formats but not in any "Cad based" format.
    The way to get it where I want was to save it as an adobe illustrator file, then import into Rhino, export as iges and then import into ProSurf. The last bit I haven't been able to get working, but I will.

    ... Now I understand. I will look into Flash to see what they do export.


    Macromeda flash is for me what a pen and paper is for a graphic artist. It's simply the fastest way to get my basic ideas down on paper or screen.

    ... I know about some design programs that emphasize sketching and the creative design process, rather than the more precise detailed CAD design process. I'm not sure it's possible or desireable to get everything into one program, but it would be nicer to make everything work together more easily.

    Steve
     
  5. ErikG
    Joined: Feb 2002
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    Location: Stockholm, Sweden

    ErikG Senior Member

    Steve

    I got it to work! Sometimes, taking a while to do it right, is a good thing :)

    Have you used Rhino with Pro Surf? Rhino as such has a myriad of iges options and formats.

    Some questions for you if thats alright...
    Now I have my basic model outline in ProSurf. I can make it a group and hide/show it, but can I lock the group so that I can't edit it temporarily? That would help immensly since I dont want to use the model as such. For example:

    I want to trace a 2D drawing in the "right" (side) view that would be a iges image with only 2 dimensions. If I create a new model "on top" of the old one it becomes a bit cluttered ( I can live with that) but it also gets hard to see and understand wich "model" I'm working on, at least when they're getting closer in shape.

    I'm not shure if I make these questions understandable... Well your response will tell i guess :)...

    Erik
     

  6. Steve Hollister
    Joined: Sep 2001
    Posts: 59
    Likes: 8, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 82
    Location: Rhode Island

    Steve Hollister Junior Member

    Hello ErikG,

    Have you used Rhino with Pro Surf? Rhino as such has a myriad of iges options and formats.

    ... A number of our customers have used ProSurf along with Rhino very successfully, although our Pilot3D now competes almost directly with Rhino. (Pilot3D is a subset of ProSurf 3.)


    Some questions for you if thats alright...
    Now I have my basic model outline in ProSurf. I can make it a group and hide/show it, but can I lock the group so that I can't edit it temporarily? That would help immensly since I dont want to use the model as such. For example:

    ... You can hide and un-hide a group with one command (hidden entities cannot be edited), but you cannot turn off/on the edit of a group with one command. You can, however, turn off the edit of an entity - right click on the entity and un-check the edit box. A group command that would turn off the edit of all entities in the group is not difficult - it just hasn't been done yet.


    I want to trace a 2D drawing in the "right" (side) view that would be a iges image with only 2 dimensions. If I create a new model "on top" of the old one it becomes a bit cluttered ( I can live with that) but it also gets hard to see and understand wich "model" I'm working on, at least when they're getting closer in shape.

    ... The best way to deal with the clutter of many entities on the screen is to use the "Hide" and "Un-Hide" buttons on the toolbar. (These are the H's with the clockwise and counter-clockwise arrows on the toolbar. They work like a stack in that the Un-Hide command unhides the hidden entities in the reverse order of how they were hidden. You just have to count the number of entities you have hidden and then pick the Un-Hide button that many times when you are done with the editing. We created these commands specifically to quickly clear out the clutter on the screen so that you can easily edit the geometry that you want. This is also important when you want to edit a point that shares its position with another edit point of another entity that you do not wish to move. You first hide the entity that you do not want to edit; edit the un-hidden entity; then un-hide the previously hidden entity.

    This Hide/Un-Hide commands work very well in practice - better than having the program prompt you with a dialog box asking you to select which entity edit point you wish to move. Often, you want to repeatedly MovePnt or Move%Pnt and it slows things down if the program constantly asks you which point you wish to move. Of course, it would be nice if there was an option on the toolbar to turn off the edit of the entity/group rather than just to hide the entity. Oh well, at least its on our list of things to do.

    For overlaid geometry, you can also right-click on any entity and change its color and change the edit point symbol that is used. The change in edit symbol and entity color would help, but I find the quick toolbar hide/un-hide command works well too.


    Regards,
    Steve Hollister
     
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