Let's say that for example I have a lamp with 15 identical screws in it.
I modeled everything, but I realize the 15 screws look bad, so I want to edit them. I want to edit just one of them, and the rest will update accordingly.
The lack of this feature got me frustrated many times, and (being honest) I thought about switching to another software, but I love it too much, so I always made the effort.
So I can already see that, see that new list in the browser named "components".
Best wishes :)
Max.

Hi, some good ideas in that list. Here's a couple I would like to see at some point:

A method for arranging objects into groups as shown below



A way of assigning a pre-existing name to a newly created object...




:-) Mark

I would like to see a more powerful fillets package.

Also a way to better organize the Objects list.



Thanks.

Hi Mark,

> A way of assigning a pre-existing name to a newly created object...

There are a couple of plug-ins that can help with this currently -

AssignName - set the name of an object from a list of existing named objects:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=3830.4

AssignPresetName - set the name of an object from a fixed preset list of names in a text file:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=3830.8

- Michael

Changed my top-priority wishlist entries to:

• A view-based move, rotate and scale tool, for quick view-based manipulations in the perspective view. I really miss this.

• A local coordinate system, remembering the orientation, scale and direction of each object, with a matching move/scale/rotate gadget around it when objects / elements are selected.

Maybe it's already possible. In that case I'd love to know how. Right now my workaround is to set the CPlane to a new object orientation every time, and switch to a front/side/top view to get the rotate/scale gadget around my selection. But that's too elaborate.

FISRT! Polygonal like modeling (Like T-Spline)!
SECOND! Instances!

Thanks Andrei,

I've read about Rhino's T-Splines. Would be great indeed. The perfect cross-over between poly and NURBS modeling.

Hi Metin,

>Right now my workaround is to set the CPlane to a new object orientation every time, and
> switch to a front/side/top view to get the rotate/scale gadget around my selection. But
> that's too elaborate.

Check out here for a script that will set the cplane to the 3D view direction, that might help to ease this process somewhat:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=2599.4

- Michael

Hey, that's great, thanks for the pointer, Michael!

Just added this to the list (no high priority for me, but very welcome nonetheless):

• A smooth / relax function for a selection of curve / surface points, with an adjustable strength / number of iterations.

Added (medium priority to me):

• Viewport navigation enhancements:

— Resizable viewports in the quad view, so you can make one or two views larger without having to switch to a full-screen view.

— Ability to switch to a left / back / bottom view in the quad view, in stead of having to go full-screen for that.

— A camera / viewport roll control (e.g. middle or right pen/mouse button together with Alt, Ctrl or Shift).

Hi Metin,

> — A camera / viewport roll control (e.g. middle or right pen/mouse button together with Alt, Ctrl or Shift).

See here for how to set up a shortcut key to do this:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6680.2


> — Ability to switch to a left / back / bottom view in the quad view, in stead of
> having to go full-screen for that.

Set up the following script on a shortcut key and it will allow you to do that - when you trigger it, it will reverse the view that the mouse is over:

script: /* Reverse view under mouse */ moi.ui.mainWindow.viewpanel.reverseView( moi.ui.getActiveViewport().name );

- Michael

Muchas gracias, señor Michael! This is very useful.

I wanted to stop throwing my two cents, but here I go again.
While MoI is an excellent tool for modeling (best I ever used so far), at the moment it lacks some very important features that are mandatory to start competing with other software on the market.
For most of us, modeling is fun, but it's pointless if we cannot easily produce the technical documentation needed. And you know that, you cannot deny that you HAVE to switch to another software for that. For example I had to import into Rhino for making simple sections, which is absurd.

Modeling and drafting:
- Dimensions and simple constraints (ref. http://solvespace.com/index.pl).
- Simple drafting tools such as line types and thickness as properties of a style, text, hatches.
- Dynamic boolean difference,
- cutting planes for making the production of technical drawings faster and in a non-destructive way. They help a lot during the thinking process, too.

Project management:
- Instances.
- Nested groups.
- Please an optimization in the object stack when in isolation mode. In complex scenes, drawing starts to become sluggish.

So that's really all.
Thank you for your time.
Max.

Max ...

Yes ... those are the ones I wish for, too.

I wince a little every time I have leave MoI to finish my working drawings.

cheers,
eric

Hi Max, I do think that all those things will get into MoI eventually, but re:

> at the moment it lacks some very important features that are mandatory to start
> competing with other software on the market.

It's just never really been a primary focus for MoI to have to "compete" against other software, the focus in MoI is about trying to make it quick and easy to do simple things. If you need to do things outside of that for your particular field of work, then it's totally normal and expected that you would use MoI in combination with other software that does those other things. As long as MoI does something useful for you, that makes it a useful tool. It does not have to do everything you need in order to be useful.

I hope that sort of explains things a bit, as to why MoI does not yet have those particular features that you need.

However having said that, I am definitely trying to add to MoI's feature set over time and eventually I think it will do all these things you are asking about.

Until then using MoI alongside other programs is actually what I expect for people to do.


> And you know that, you cannot deny that you HAVE to switch to another software for that.

I've never denied it, in fact it's what I recommend !!

- Michael

Hi.
It's not like I am saying that all that stuff is needed to work better, that is just a list of what in my opinion is missing to make it a complete package: if I would have to choose strictly, a big optimization in our workflow would be having Instances, Nested-Groups and Cutting-Planes. We have to be able to output all the drawings we need directly from MoI. Then, of course, we have our favorite software for lay-outing, dimensioning and printing, so these things are not top-priority for many of us.

> It's just never really been a primary focus for MoI to have to "compete" against other software

That's a shame, MoI has everything it takes to compete with other software, and with just few new features, it should compete with the head held high. You are doing an excellent work. You should be more proud of yourself!

Thank you,
M.

Added:

• A manifold mesh check and vertex weld treshold value in the polygon format export dialogs. Now sometimes an exported mesh turns out not to be manifold, but after auto-selecting the non-manifold edges of a mesh in Blender and welding the vertices with a certain treshold, the mesh becomes manifold and suitable for 3D printing.

Added:

• Saving of mesh export settings with MoI 3DM files.

I find Moi so much easier to use than Rhino but I find myself still using Rhino for everything. The three things I would wish for in Moi are blocks, importing of meshes (many times I have to create around another model and most times it's mesh.. ug!), and the use of rhino plug-ins. OMG imagine Moi + grasshopper or Evolute! *DROOL*

Hi DrNo - use of Rhino plug-ins is pretty much not at all feasible because plug-ins are very specifically built to run inside of a particular environment, so they are highly dependent on everything being set up exactly as it is in Rhino. Various services like how the UI works, how point picking works, how selection works, etc.. etc.. are all somewhat different in MoI than in Rhino. Direct plug-in compatibility would only be possible if MoI was set up to be an almost 100% exact clone of Rhino and of course if it was set up like that then what would be the point of having MoI in the first place...

- Michael