@meike said:
Hello TIG, I just downloaded that tool you've build.
Bud I can't work with it. Is there somewhere a good tutorial how to use the rails?
Open the rb in a text editor and read the first part. There's also a SKP example in that thread.
You need three curves to use as a profile and rails (you can use one rail twice).
A 'Curve' is a set of connected Edges.
An Arc [or Circle] is a 2D Curve automatically, but any collection of connected Edges could become a Curve.
Scaled Curves make intersecting shapes.
There are several other scripts that make various mathematical Curves - like Bezier, Polyline, Catenary etc.
There is also a script called Weld.rb that takes a Selection of connected Edges and makes them into a Curve - note that a Curve can be 3D, not just a flat 2D like an Arc.
If you want to make a simple straight-line then Divide an Edge and Weld the pieces together into a 'straight-curve'.
Anyway, let's assume that you have three Curves and they are arranged in 3D space so that two form rails and the other a profile that will be run along these rails.
They can meet at vertices but if they touch at mid points they will be split into pieces of Curves - you'll then need to use the tool more than once to achieve a full mesh.
The three Curves need to be arranged so that a mesh could be formed over them. However, they need not parallel or at right-angles - indeed odd angles give interesting results...
Run the tool and follow the prompts... select the profile curve, then the first rail and then the second rail [the second rail can also be the first rail re-picked for a simpler form]. You must pick a Curve - Edges aren't recognised. I know it's called 'ExtrudeEdgesByEdges' !! However, Curves are made of Edges - and a Curve is the best way of making a collection of Edges to be processed - you then only need to pick three things to make the mesh...
As you pick these they will get highlighted as Selected objects.
It's a good idea to have the number of segments in the rails equal or at least simple multiples as unevenly segmented rails will be processed but divided to suit - resulting is very large numbers of facets and slow processing times...
Entity Info will change the segmentation of selected Arcs, and Divide and other Tools like the Bezier/PolyLine Edit tool can help here...
Anyway, the three are selected and off it goes... The progress is reported in the VCB if it takes longer than a few seconds... The mesh-group is made and you are asked [Yes|No] if you want to Reverse Rail 1 - only necessary if the mesh is twisted when a rail is drawn in the opposite direct to the other - it is trapped for but sometimes one slips through OR you want to twist the result - usually answer No - if Yes it gets remade... Then you are asked Yes|No if you want to Reverse the Mesh's Faces - it guesses which way you want the front of the mesh [it is changed by the order the rails are picked] - Yes to Reverse them. Then Erase Coplanar Edges - the mesh is triangulated - most edges are needed any that aren't are erased if you answer Yes - usually answer No. Then Intersect with Self - usual answer No - if amesh is very convoluted because the rails intertwine in 3D then Yes will ensure that where any faces pass through others they are split and edges made. Then Smooth Edges - Yes|No depending on what you'll do with the mesh next - you can always Smooth the mesh later... Finally if you want to Erase the Original Curves - They are kept separate from the grouped mesh - you might want to reuse some of them later for other meshes - your choice...
Done...
Happy meshing...
