Hidden vs Soft vs Smooth

Chris Fullmer

have you done render tests to see if you can see a difference?
maybe smoothed is just softened without the edges hidden?

I agree that it looks like smoothing only will smooth the faces, but not hide the edge. I can't tell what the difference is between soft and hidden.

Is this what Catamountain was trying to get at a while ago? I'll go re-read that and see if this is possibly what she was having a hard time with.

Is this different in 7.0 than it was in 6.0? It seems odd.

Chris

thomthom

@gaieus said:

So softened/smooth edges are both invisible (to avoid the term of hidden) and by using them, faces are selectable together - i.e. form a curved surface (not just individual facets like with hidden edges).

No, only Soft edges "joins" faces together and hides them.
An edge that's Smooth only blends the face shading, but does not hide the edge, nor joins them.

Soft = Join
Smooth = Shading

thomthom

@chris fullmer said:

I agree that it looks like smoothing only will smooth the faces, but not hide the edge. I can't tell what the difference is between soft and hidden.

If you have two connected faces and you hide the edge joining them, then clicking one of them select just the one.
But if you instead soft the edge, then clicking one of them will also select the other. (Provided you have turned Hidden geometry off.)

(See attached screenshot earlier.)

jeff hammond

what i'd really like to know is why would anyone want to hide a line anyway.. as far as i can tell, it's only use would be for output purposes.. it's basically like having 'display edges' turned off in your style except you can do it selectively..

softening edges on the other hand, i use that all the time.

TIG

You can't smooth/soften a perimeter profile-edge - only internal dividing-edges.
If you have something that's made of several sub-groups with smoothed surfaces that meet then the profile-edge will show - a simple way to make their junction look 'seamless' is the hide the common profile-edge in both groups.
However, if you want a good smooth/soft junction, then you need to explode both groups and regroup them immediately and then soften/smooth the now combined profile-edge that's become a dividing-edge...

Jean Lemire

Hi folks.

See this SU file for ideas.

Hiding and smoothing junction line.skp

thomthom

@unknownuser said:

what i'd really like to know is why would anyone want to hide a line anyway..

I made a model of a house, where each floor where its own component, so I could work on each floor separately and then stack the floor together.
When I stack them together I don't want the seam between each floor, so I hide them. As you say, output control.

jeff hammond

i actually found a use for hiding lines in my own work the other day but again it was for output reasons.. the exported jpg was an xray view of the model in which i selectively hid a few lines that were unnecessary for the view but needed for the model as a whole.. worked out well actually

Chris Fullmer

That is also the ONLY time I hide lines. and it honestly bugs me a little everytime. I really dislike it

thomthom

i also use hidden lines as quick guides some times.