[Plugin] QuadFaceTools

thomthom

This plugin only works for now with 4 faces between lines is this?

Yes, they must be quads, and you also needs to have a good topology of quads for the tools to work well.

thomthom

@thomthom said:

I'm suspecting it's the shape of the quads in the corners that makes the UV mapping distort in such a manner. I'm guessing it's native quads - so I'd try to triangulate them (using the Triangulate method in QuadFace Tools.)

Can you share a sample model?

Tried triangulating with said option, no luck.

Here's the model part.

Here's your sample model remapped ( I erased the hidden geometry stuff and purged before reposting to keep filesize down )
The screenshot got annotations to what I did.

UV Map.png

example mapped.skp

Thiago Luz

Still, a great plugin, thanks!

Rich O Brien

Thom,

Is it possible that you'll mimic Selection Toys and allow the user to choose what's on the toolbar?

Or am I missing the option?

thomthom

@unknownuser said:

Is it possible that you'll mimic Selection Toys and allow the user to choose what's on the toolbar?
Or am I missing the option?

That is in fact something I want to implement. The features and commands for this plugin has grown a lot since first version, and there's several commands still without toolbar buttons and more will come. yaiks...

Though first I need to get 0.6 out asap - that address the issue with scenes breaking the quads...

Rich O Brien

That's good to hear

Any Bezier Surface news on the horizon?

thomthom

I hope so... I've really blown my internally estimated timeline for this... Gotto get my focus straight! First sign will be that beta for Vertex Tools open up.

rombout

i cant find a option to make quads of a selection?!

TIG

@rombout said:

i cant find a option to make quads of a selection?!

Rich O Brien

You need to select a quad to then convert the mesh to quads.

thomthom

@rombout said:

i cant find a option to make quads of a selection?!

What kind of selection do you got?

There are a couple of commands to Convert to quads:

The left command "Convert Triangulated Mesh to Quads" will try to find quads in the mesh - you need to either selected a native quad or two triangles as a starting point.

The right one is converting Sandbox Tools type of quad mesh into QuadFace quads.

Maybe you can explain, and show, what mesh you have and what you try to convert?

thomthom

@tig said:

@rombout said:

i cant find a option to make quads of a selection?!
[attachment=0:zfyitihf]Capture.PNG[/attachment:zfyitihf]

That's Triangulate and Remove Triangulation you highlighted... don't think it's what he's looking for.

vouda

Big congratulations for your plugin!
But I have a problem. When I render with su podium the aspect ratio of edited surfaces colapses.
Any solution?

thomthom

@vouda said:

When I render with su podium the aspect ratio of edited surfaces colapses.

I do not understand what you mean by that. Got screenshot and possibly a sample model?

vouda

I edit the model with the tools and it looks ok.
Then when i render the model, the surface material distorts.
I will try to upload the model later

thomthom

Sounds like it has problems with distorted textures - many render engines has.

Try to triangulate the quads - see if that make a difference.

vouda

Triangulate the quads worked!
Thank you very much for the tip.

thomthom

Version 0.6.0

Redefined how a quad is defined to address issues the Hidden property causes. Important Change - Please read the instructions on how to upgrade.
Performance improvements
Step increment with face loop selection fixed for when only one quad was selected

Important!
[floatl:3hgco0vb]

[/floatl:3hgco0vb]
The definition of a QuadFace was changed again in version 0.6 because the previous versions relied on the Hidden property. The Hidden property is affected by a model's Scenes, so when you copied quad mesh into a new model you would loose the Hidden property of the diagonals.

To update a mesh from the older versions, use:
Tools > QuadFace Tools > Convert > Sandbox Quads to QuadFace Quads

thomthom

I would recommend using this tool. If you use the native tool to smooth then you should be fine, but if it unsmooths - then you might risk that it unsmooths the diagonals. The diagonals must at all times be Soft + Smooth + Cast Shadows = false.

Same applies to the Eraser tool, if you use it to smooth, then you're fine. If you use it to unsmooth you must take care of not unsmoothing the diagonal edge in triangulated quads.

pbacot

@unknownuser said:

Smooth / Unsmooth Quads

Added in Version 0.2.0

The native smoothing function in SketchUp will destroy triangulated quads. Use these functions to perform a smooth that preserves the integrity of the quads.

Does this mean if one wishes to make nice quad geometry for texturing organic models and general better control etc. we should avoid using the SU smoothing function at all?

E.G. using EEByR and choosing quads, one should use THIS tool and not SU smoothing, or the quads are for naught?

Regards, Peter