My favourite is Ulead Mediastudio. It's the first software of this kind I've found quite intuitive and now I use it just as habit. It is not better or worse of many other programs. I could make a long video (45 mintes) assembling a plethora of small clips (more than 50) with all kinds of transitions and post effects. The trial version is fully functional and expires after one month. If you don't have particular needs, Ulead Videostudio is a cheaper solution: it comes boundled with many cheap hardware pieces. You may get it with a pci firewire card, or usb card found for less of $5,00 on some internet auction.

this is just a general one, nothing particularly special. start.skp

Thanks Gai i think thats sorted it Edit: and Susan

I appreciate your responses. I am preparing some models to show some teachers how SU might be used in the classroom to teach and engage students. I agree with the comments about the size of the model and how it is hard to view anyway. I think notations that relate the size of the solar system to things students can relate to would probably be more effective. Sean

Never mind, there seem to be so many inconsistencies with different keyboard layouts, units and templates. It must be hidden somewhere along these things.

A few available on cadyou, perhaps not as detailed as solo's.. sitting room furniture is something i will definitely be adding more of over the next month: http://www.cadyou.com/searches/downloads/type:model/term:sofa

Dave, got it, thanks. Just followed your steps and all is now crystal. Also, used the 'offset' parameter(for the first time)to make a group of the roundover, saves a bit of time on the clean up. [image: XCUc_Clipboard01.jpg]

Thanks John!

trevorjjj, do you use Revit also? Just curious. I design structural documents for engineers and just started using Revit Structure 2009.

Mut, I'll keep that one in mind. Thanks

Thank you very much Voder With best regards PRSS

Thank's EarthMover, here's is tiling version included, normal, bump, & specular. [image: 31527740997f47c9b22703c8cad320a4d5cb032.jpg] [image: 3152777ba74e8a458e7bf52f5b2fcff4fa1f754.jpg] [image: 31527762886f208b30bcaec9c96178fc9a39bf5.jpg] [image: 3152775ebf2b0b4d19fb16f86eddf4d74df6ca3.jpg]

Hi folks. See this SU file for ideas. Mirror effect.skp

Hi Bernhard, I guess the Ruby Forum is the bet place to post such requests. By "positive" and "negative" faces do you mean front (whitish) and back (bluish) faces? There are already a couple of scripts dealing with reversing faces, try to make a search there to find out which one fits the best to your needs.

The best way really: in the material browser, select the material from the "in model" icon and then click on the edit tab. Then from the edit window toward the bottom under the texture name, there is a texture size width and length. It is telling you that width that a single tile represents. Play with that till you get the look that you want. There is another way. After you apply the material on a surface: right click on it and find the "texture" context menu. Select "positon" from the texture sub menu. Make sure you see the 'fixed pin" view. That is, you will see a series of greyed out tiles of the texture extending beyond your surface and there will be 4 pins situated at the corner of one of the tiles. The fixed pin mode shows 4 different coloured pins and the floating pins mode has 4 yellow ones. if you have the four yellow ones, right click and turn on the 'fixed pin" mode from the menu. Choose the green fixed pin and carefully drag in an axis direction to scale your texture. You may wish to first place your cursor over the center of the tile and drag it down so that the edge of the tile meets the edge of your surface so that when you drag to make it larger you have an edge to inference to. the green pin also allows you to rotate and I personally have trouble making sure it doesn't rotate as I scale. that is why I prefer the first method

Hi Dzign, hi folks. To design with thickness, you can use different method. The "Follow me" Tool is quite powerfull to acheive that. See attached SU file for ideas. Room with thick walls floor and ceiling in one move.skp

What do you mean by "outlines"? Those fat lines? If so, open the Style dialog (Window menu), go to "In model" tab > Edit > Edge settings and uncheck profiles. If you want to hide the edges totally on the outlines only, that's not possible although you can uncheck them there as well to turn them off globally.

The plugin honoluludesktop is referring to is called proper animation. Also see this topic in the Ruby forum.

another great tool to deform and twist shapes is the FFD tool (Free Form Deformator) easy to use and with great results. only make sure, that your faces are subdivided enough before you use it. (I used it to make the shack in this image more skew)