Create solid-appearing 3d models of a subsurface
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Ok. I right clicked and Unlocked it. So what does it mean to be locked? Just dis-enables any modifications?
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Exactly.
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Still something peculiar about that group. I selected all the groups in the project (with intent to rotate them all in unison), and now this trouble group (the one that was red and I unlocked) remains black instead of blue when the supergroup is selected and it fails to rotate with the supergroup. Any ideas?
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Hm. Try to edit it and see if its content i not locked (thinking of your unusual way of handling raw geometry on different layers within groups, I wouldn't be surprised)
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Thank you. Editing it seemed to jog it out of its confusion.
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I would like to adopt the workflow you and others use. I believe you create raw geometry on layer 0 and cut/paste it to a layer you have defined. I have tried that and only in a few instances have been successful--I go where I want it pasted and find both Paste and Paste in Place grayed-out. Specifically, I cut or copy selected elements from layer 0 (typically the selection would be from a group so I would be in group edit mode in layer 0 with layer 0 active), close the edit on layer 0, activate the destination layer, and then find the Pasties grayed out in the pull-down menu! I'm doing something wrong.
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You still think of Layers like some "places" where you can cut and paste things from and into.
Think of them like some kind of blinders instead which - when turned off - are shut and close your view from them. So to "put" something onto a different layer, just select that entity, right click > Entity info > and there just change the layer.
If this raw geometry is within a group, edit the group, select all inside and follow the steps above.
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<of course Gaieus beat me to it>
I think most of us do something more along the lines of:
Create geometry always on layer 0. Then select the portion you want to move to another layer. Once selected, turn it into a group or component. Now select the group/component. Open the Entity Info window. Change the layer that is shown there to the target layer. Now the group/component is on that layer and all inner raw geometry is still on layer 0.
I rarely if ever use cut and paste. Hope that helps,
Chris
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Looks like its coming along. I'd be interested in poking around the file to see your group and layer management. I'd bet we could show you some great tricks to help manage a file like for future reference.
Chris
PS what does it look like with hidden geometry not visible?
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The view without edges is okay, but some of the drama is missing. The lighting also appears "overexposed" to my taste when the edges are turned off. I would very much like the Profiles edge style if all the edges other than the perimeter edges would remain hidden, which they won't. The no edges view is better on close-ups (see second attachment), probably because it does look so washed out by the lighting. I thought I had remembered from my review of the video tutorials that there were lighting settings possible, but I can't find those now. I have a very full featured lighting controller (with five spot directions possible) in a geophysical 3d visualizer package--I think I was thinking SU had the same.
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@gealagie said:
...I thought I had remembered from my review of the video tutorials that there were lighting settings possible, but I can't find those now...
Maybe it's simply the Window > Shadow settings dialog?
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I have also played just a little bit with Styles and Shadows. Most of those Styles are cool but a little too arty for my technical application. I think Simple Style (under Default styles) is my choice among those (see attached). I didn't play with Shadows much--the model naturally faces north so unless I can get the sun to rise in the ne and set in the nw, I would have to rotate the whole shebang. I can do that, of course, in a saved alternate file. I might try that.
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Even better to go to Window > Model info > Location and there you can set the North angle without even touching your model.
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I know I am loading this forum up ahead of responses, but today I'm going to present the work so far to The Deciders (at 3pm US CST), so I'll probably try a few more things and then I want to poke around with Look Around, Position Camera and Walk--which until now I've not even tried out! Somehow I got the impression early those were basically tools to "shoot" an animation, rather than ways other than the zoom, pan and orbit tools to observe the model. I want to know more about creating a fly-through animation--beginning with whether it's possible without additional software--but today I'll have no time to learn all that.
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Well,other than they ask you to show things separately, no. But then you can always open the "intact" file saying this is your presentation file while that is your working one.
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Yes Gaieus those are exactly my thoughts.
Wow Pos Cam and Look Arnd are cool but being set to the scale of a mere human (i.e., 5' 6" over the surface) my model is a bit overwhelming! Here's something I had not foreseen: in Look Around I type the elevation I want my eyes to be (above the surface I'm standing) and I get weird things happening--usually I end up beneath the surface. Then I remembered--in all these imports the Z (blue) is negative. The entirety of my model is underground with a small exception. It would be helpful to adjust a setting where the little Position Camera icon man "lands" his eyes about 200-300 feet over the surface, rather than at 5' 6". Do you know how?
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Well,these tools are mainly meant for architectural walkarounds and such but...
When you position the little dude, you can type 200' and hit Enter easily.
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Yes, I typed 200' and Enter, but it appears to get a little confused when you are standing 1860' below the surface!
I'll tell you though, the Walk tool is the solution to being able to view features down in the "canyons". Before this I viewed and edited in those places by making groups obstructing my view invisible. Walk sets the camera without regard to what geometry is behind you. Dhuh! Like touring inside a building! Hey, I'm still an infant, okay? -
@gealagie said:
Hey, I'm still an infant, okay?
Yes, I can see that.
Problems with the walk tool may appear if you want to "jump" onto a higher level than 22" (a max./fairly high step height). That's why I meant it's more for architectural use.
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Thanks for the advise, Gaieus. And thank you, Chris. Although I would like to very much, I may be unable to share the file of this stuff with you. This IS of a confidential oil "bidness" nature--and I really need the whereabouts of this actual geology keep secret (my personal info as well, Gaieus!). I don't want the Government of Madagascar, no, Corsica (Tasmania? Falklands?) to become upset that their area has been exposed.
As it turns out I have a reprieve to a later date for the meeting I mentioned, so I can explore a few more things to better sell the idea of replacing 2d map representations of 3d geometry with solid 3d modeling.
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