@pilou said:

Post the element that gives you problem (save as V6 for a more large audiance)

Thanks for looking at this.
Here is the part of the model that is giving me. Again, what I'm trying to achieve is an offset that I could create to add to the model so it would look like the photo I included above.

I saved it in V6, I am running 2017, if that's of any help.

Thanks again

edge offset problem.skp

Thanks Dave,

I have that tool and just tried it again but it doesn't seem to really offset the way the offset tool would unless there's some setting in there that I'm missing. It would need to off set the entire edge equally in all directions but doesn't seem to be able to do that.

Thanks pilou,

That worked great and I was able to create a continuous edge with Weld as you can see in the image. However, with that edge selected, as soon as I click on the offset tool the selection goes away?

I have a face on a curved surface. I did not create the model but am trying to make it more accurate to reproduce the trim you see in the photograph. The curved cut out shape is accurate so I thought could use the offset tool to create the the trim by pushing the edge out. However, the lines creating the shape segmented. I know about "Weld" and would be happy to use that, however the shape is so segmented that it would take forever to select each line and weld it. So I'm wondering if there might be an extension or method for just selecting the face and then from there, the edges of the face so that I could weld and then use the offset tool. If I just select the face, the lines around the cutout disappear as soon as I touch it with the offset tool. Is there some extension for doing this or another method to achieve what I want.

Thanks

I have been running the trial version for the last 30 days and in that time, have created a lot of vray materials that I want to keep. I just purchased a licensed version but am concerned about installing it and losing these materials and their settings. I had sent a ticket directly to the chaos group earlier today but they never responded and I believe they are now closed for the weekend. If someone here can help, I'd appreciate it.

Also, there is nothing in any of the documentation that says anything about whether a licensed version can be installed over a trial venison. And because of my concerns above, I do not want to uninstall the trial version until I get some guidence.

Thanks

I downloaded a collection of materials from 3d warehouse. After opening the skp and opening Vray (Next), I saved all the materials to a library folder. When I bring in the folder to vray assets library, only a few have images associated with them in the library. However, if I drag one of those into the scene and open the settings in Vray, I can see the image in the icon window in the settings pane. I tried opening and closing the sketchup file as well as opening the library in a different skp.
Also, in the actual folder containing the library, all vrmat files have jpg files also with the same name. How can I get the sample icons to show images in the library samples that show up when that library is selected?

Thanks
Sketchup 2017
Latest Vray downloaded last week

thanks, seems like there might be something there to get me going. Found the same file for vray sketchup which is what I'm using. Will update results.

I want to use a simple studio type of backdrop to create shadows and light reflection onto the subject, but I want to end up with a white or transparent background when the final render is done, creating a ping file. I don't want to have to clean up and remove the backdrop thats behind the subject if possible to make it transparent. I've tried a few things like painting the backside of the backdrop with a transparent material. I've looked for various settings in vray also but no luck. Would appreciate some help.

Sketchup17
Vray Next for sketchup

Thanks

I'm am trying out vray to see if it will work for my purposes and unfortunately the first model I need to test has a transparent png file on a face and although, I've researched and tried many fixes, none seem to work. I tried posting in the Chaos forum but as a new user, they are not allowing me to post so hopefully I can get an answer here. I have rendered this same model successfully, with no artifacts using irendernxt but was trying to see if I could get more realistic renders with Vray.

I'm using sketchup17 and whatever version of vray I just downloaded from their site. The png image, which is being used as a decal, has alpha channel transparency. Here is an image of what's going on which also shows my settings. The faces on the textured surface are not reversed and I have tried various settings within vray besides what you see here. I also tested it on an newly created surface, same problem. I attached that image also. Also, the artifact would be seen in the center part if the background was a different color. I must be missing something. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

I just found in a recent thread, a workaround which somewhat works. That is to move the image a fraction off the face. I did not have to explode it as others have said. But I still think there should be a setting somewhere that would avoid having to do this so I would still welcome any answers.

OK thanks. I saw that technique and actually tried it a little but it seemed tedious and I didn't use parallel placement to the curve which may have been the downfall. Thanks

@dave r said:

The rectangle is 13/16 in. wide. I'm not sure how you inserted the texture but curiously, it shows as 2-35/64 in. wide.

Part of the lateral alignment probplem is due to the mismatch. The other has to do with the position of the rectangle and the shape relative to the origin. When you sample off the rectangle, the texture's position in space is also sampled and applied. I'll see if I can make a better example showing that.

As for the bending distortion, that comes from projecting the texture. It might be easier to understand the projection distortion if you put the rectangle directly in front of the shape. In this case you don't want it to be projected.

Again, I'll make an example for you.

Thanks Dave, I'd be curious though I must admit, I ended up using ThruPaint and it was a piece of cake. But still, if you have time, I'd like to see what you're explaining

@dave r said:

Thru Paint is an excellent choice. I did it without any extensions. First, I reimported the image as a texture and made it the correct size for the application. (3/4 in. wide). I placed it on a 3/4 in. wide rectangle aligned with the curved shape. then sampled from it an applied it to the curved surface.

By making the texture the right width in the first place, that fixes the issue of the lateral alignment.

So Dave, are you saying that the width of the rectangle I had was off? I thought I had set it to 3/4.
But still, that may have affected the lateral alignment but my main question was about the distortion at the curves. Is that what caused that problem also?

Very nice! Will look at that in the morning. I did a search for "Texture" in extensions and Sketchucation and this didn't come up. I do have a number of his tools but not that one. Thanks

Here's the model shape and image. Thanks

curved texture application.skp

I know this has been beaten to death and I'm familiar with the technique of importing image as texture on flat surface and then "picking material" from flat surface (set as projected) and painting it on to curved surface. That is what I used here.

(note I had not bothered to align the texture image to the surface. I'm waiting to eliminate the curve distortion before I spend time on that)

I've done this before and I can't remember whether I used some plugin that I no longer have or did something different. But this time, no matter what I try (changing the length of the flat surface for example) the pattern this time distorts on some of the curves more than others.

Would appreciate any help. Thanks

Looks like this Fredo tool, Joint push pull, is terrific and should do the job. However, no matter what parameters I set with the Round Push Pull tool, I can't seem to get the edges rounded so it would look like a 1/4 round t-molding. Does anyone have a suggestion for how I'm using this tool or a better place to post for an answer?

Thanks

I'm trying to create a curved edge molding on the surface with the arrow. Most of the tools that would be obvious don't work on a curved surface. Can someone suggest an alternative or an extension that might do the job? Thanks

That is beautiful. I actually had the tool collection but there were so many of them that I missed this one. And the function i needed only scratches the surface (pardon the pun) of Thrupaint and that only scratches the surface of the collection. Amazing.

Thanks, and thanks Fredo

I've been using the projection method to apply a inlay trim to a curved surface. It worked fine for the inside curve but not on the outside where it becomes distorted as it get's close to the end. I'm not sure if that is what's making the difference but any help would be appreciated. Thanks

I have a model with some fairly intricate components that have a good number of textured materials on them. Moving around the components is getting troublesome (slow). I'm wondering if there is a plugin that will allow for temporary removal of materials so that the components can be positioned easier. Then, of course, they would need to be re-applied.

Thanks

Mike

Running sketchup 14 on PC

16GB ram

Intel 3.5Ghz