G here is a screen shot with the "list" button open. [image: WaSl_Picture2.png] are there are any mac su users out there to share any thoughts? i think something is wrong. it just "feels" like the material panel looks different in my memory but i cant be sure.... hmmmmm.... anybody? thinkbuild.

Hi Matt, I don't know if this is what you have, but... Sometimes when you use the tape measure tool and move it while holding the left mouse button SU draws guide lines. If that's what's happening, you can get rid of them in the Edit Menu - Delete Guides. Tom

It's not that the images are pngs, per se, that is the problem. It's something about the way they have been produced. They all have a white traingle at the bottom corner in the materials browser, indicating that there is a degree of transparency...but there isn't. They are all on Layer0 in Photoshop instead of being flattened onto the Background layer but Layer0 is itself 100% opaque so there shouldn't be a problem. You actually don't need to save in another format; all you need do is flatten the image to the background layer...or even just open in it PS and immediately save it again, then reload into SU for the problem to just go away. I'm not sure what problem there is in the png files themselves. Technically, just opening a file and resaving it shouldn't have any effect, but it does. I'm just posting this in case anyone gets the idea that imported png files don't receive shadows....they do.

Indeed, VrayforSU (latest service release) seems to screw up the 'Subdivide 'nd Smooth' pugin as well on some PC's.

Dear Plot-Paris, Yes, that all makes sense. What is confusing is that after using the off-set tool one can click on individual areas and see that they all separated by circle entities. So intuitively, one assumes that on the next push-pull the circle entity will divide the cylinder, which it doesn't. Pulling the the outer annular area first solves this problem, or doing what Alan suggests, intersecting before deleting Another mystery solved. Many thanks, Bob

Ah yes! Exactly what I was looking for. And more! Thanks for your quick reply. Trees ahoy!

or use section planes.

sounds about right, it's an imported 3ds tree. Getting rid of it corrects my shadow problems, but podium still won't render shadows however.. Thanks for the reply

@nednarb said: being able to delete a surface then select something behind it, hit undo and still have my selection made Even better is to set shortcuts for "hide" and "unhide all" and hide the geometry in front, select the geometry behind and then unhide all again. I use this all the time and it's zero-risk as you're never actually deleting anything, just switching off it's visibility.

that is wise! cause we all know: preparation is the first step to success!

Thanks, I think I thought of that from 5th element or some other movie where they were building up a person, bone first, then tissue, then skin. The trick was doing it with just two scenes vs. something more complex. That is when I realized I can adjust the heights of the lower and upper section cut for each group as a timeline to control the start and finish of the build. As long as what you want is linear (e.g. no speed ramp up or down) you can get any timing you want with just two scenes. @plot-paris said: very impressive, David. it never occured to me to use several section planes to show different elements of one building grow. thanks for the demo file

Well done igor, sounds like you all had fun and learned a lot. The experience should set you up well for the future.

Cool - two of the solutions worked - turning off the sky fixed the problem as did using preferences-->opengl and unchecking 'use hardware accelaration'. Thanks very much Amy

@theolwakachangchang said: ... one more question though, what affect is turning off "Use Harware Acceleration" going to cause me? 3D screen output is not calculated by the GPU of the video card but has to be emulated in software by the already occupied CPU... which leads to a significant speed decrease especially with larger models, i.e. no "realtime" rotating etc. hth, Norbert

There are many ways to create spheres these days as already demonstrated, but as solo mentions above, why not keep things simple and quick and use the ones which are provided for you in Components/Shapes.

Just go to File > Export > 3ds....but then notice the Options button hiding in plain sight on the export dialog box. By default it's probably set to weld vertices. You'll need to change it to Preserve Texture coordinates.

@tomsdesk said: In the "camera" pulldown menu you'll find the "standard" flyout menu...there are the "top" and 4 side views (you'll need to turn off "perspective" if you want a true 2d). Thanks.

@watkins said: Of course, we should both be out enjoying the sunshine, shouldn't we. or celebrating the Queen's birthday!

I don't know if the Omega drivers will solve the problem, however in the past when I had ATi GFX cards I only used the Omega Drivers, they're good and help to speed things up a little.

Is there a good marriage? Joke!