3DM file that goes with that previous method attached here.

Ahh. Brilliant! The Rhino Patch tool gives some pretty irregular results,
but it does extend the surfaces and trim them, as your principle,
which could have been a hint.

The mirrored matching was only in desperation, but I didn't see any non-planer curves?

Thank you again.

M

Hi Morten - yeah the Rhino patch tool works by initially fitting a totally flat plane through the curves, and then sort of stretches points along the plane normal. It works great for filling in irregular holes where things are not bending around all too much but if you've got areas that curve like 90 degrees away from the plane that will cause problems in those areas.

- Michael

Ok. I also encountered some strangeness with different curves. The patch working as expected on some curves,
and totally unexpected on others. But my biggest issue was the fact that the original flat surface just couldn't
be stretched in a precise way, around the tight bends. And the moi Network function works so well with few curve inputs.

The main thing I sometimes miss from Rhino, is the command window ;)
But maybe I should just get a wacom.
(and maybe the faster trims, although I also dig the visual selection feedback in moi)

Whenever people are complaining about their existing modeler, I always just answer "moi".
But these office people are strangely reluctant to buying additional tools, even as cheap as yours.
"Well we already bought Rhino, now this is not enough?"

Thanks!
M

Hi Morten,

> The main thing I sometimes miss from Rhino,
> is the command window ;)

That's one of the things that makes Rhino have a kind of archaic 1990's feel to it...

It is possible to type in commands to MoI as well - the xyz point input box works as a kind of mini command line. If you push Tab to put the focus there you can then type in a command name to launch it.


> But maybe I should just get a wacom.

The main reason for getting a wacom is if you are already very familiar with using a pen or pencil to draw stuff with and it just feels more natural for you to manipulate a stylus than using a mouse.

If you have primarily spent a lot of time using a mouse and that's actually what you are more comfortable with, then getting a wacom is not going to increase your productivity.


> (and maybe the faster trims, although I also dig the visual
> selection feedback in moi)

The problem with Rhino's AutoCAD style Trim command is that it's inconsistent with the regular "noun, verb" type selection sequence. Having some commands work in reverse selection order from others is one of the things that tends to make Rhino more difficult for beginners to learn.

In the future though, I would like to add an additional "QuickTrim" tool that would work like that which would be useful to more experienced users, see here for some discussion on that:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=4129.3

- Michael

- Definately very archaic. And I never understood why "pl" is not "polyline" and so
on, to make the autocad bridge smooth.
What I do like though, is the ability to keep my eyes on the model, while just tampering away.

- Good to know about the wacom. I very familiar with drawing, but also a looooong time mouser.
Never really been inclined to go wacom.

- "Quicktrim" looks über.

M

Hi Morten,

> - Definately very archaic. And I never understood why "pl" is
> not "polyline" and so on, to make the autocad bridge smooth.

I think "pline" is the official AutoCAD command name? I think there is a default alias set up for that in Rhino. It was not really a goal to be a 100% identical AutoCAD clone like some programs shoot for (especially for stuff like only 1 global UCS which was really painful in AutoCAD with multi viewport modeling) - it was more to just generally feel friendly and really easy to pick up for AutoCAD users.


> What I do like though, is the ability to keep my eyes on the
> model, while just tampering away.

There are other things that get in the way of that in Rhino though too, especially needing to hold down shift and control a lot. A lot of the time people will have to glance down at the keyboard when using those modifier keys along with the mouse.

- Michael

yeah, but If you switch between programs during the day, and in one program a polyline is "pl" and in the other it's "pol.
One is "o" for offset, the other is "of" and so on, you just see yourself making at lot of errors.

The problem for me with the shift/ctrl/alt navigation style is the same. I think its very quick
getting used to "blindly" using the buttons, the problem is more, if you have two pieces of software,
with slightly different conventions. Ie. ALT is the orbit for many softwares, while Rhino is SHIFT and so on.

I havn't used moi that much yet, and should probably setup more of my own short cuts. I very much a fan
of shortcuts, and in a way, it's a good thing, that you have to set them up yourself, instead of getting
into the affore mentioned confusions.

M

Hi Morten,

> I think its very quick getting used to "blindly" using the buttons, <...>

If you watch people closely while they're using them, you can often see them using their index finger to push shift or control when they're using it as a mouse modifier, instead of the fingers they would use for more regular text typing.

A lot of times that makes for a glance down at the keyboard and then back up to the monitor again, and that's a much larger shift than going to a toolbar button that's at least on the same screen and not at some really different angle.

So really a lot of times things that are heavily keyboard oriented with modifier keys often tend to make people look away from the model, not so much for typing in command names though since that happens with your fingers in regular typing position.

That's one of the factors that helps keep MoI able to work with a more "heads up" type workflow, since you don't have to hold down shift a million times in a modeling session for every time you want to select more than one object.

- Michael

Use of the Wacom pen is very cool for artist who want to make some voluptuous curves by hand inside Moi! ;)

"The problem with Rhino's AutoCAD style Trim command is that it's inconsistent with the regular "noun, verb" type selection sequence. Having some commands work in reverse selection order from others is one of the things that tends to make Rhino more difficult for beginners to learn."

I don't know about anyone else, but this statement makes me excited. When you write "[...]"noun,verb" type selection. Having some commands work in reverse[...]" - I wonder if there is an explicit theory somewhere there? - one that links language(and the reasoning it enables), the objective basis of its concepts in reality, and the need to carry that into virtual environments?

Ambimind