Hi Ced, with a semi-"blobby" type shape like that you would probably be better off in a sub-d modeling program rather than in a CAD program.

You're pretty much guaranteed that you won't be able to make that out of a single surface if you try to directly surface to that type of top opening because of the sharp corners in the top shape. You can only make a single surface in MoI where the surface is smooth throughout it, any type of sharp corner in a profile is going to get split up into multiple surfaces at the corner spots.

Sometimes though a mix of sharp onto smooth can be done better by building an bigger initial all-smooth piece and then cutting out the sharp outline using Trim on it to cut away some areas rather than trying to build directly to that outline right in the initial surface construction.

> however, I still don't get a 'soap dish' closed all the way around with the exception
> of the 'hole' opening at the top inside the top frame! Aaaaaaagh!

I'm not really able to do much with just a description of problems like this, I really can't help very much if I can't see the things you're describing unfortunately.

- Michael

I'm making every effort to understand Loft/ Flow/ Network & Sweep commands - how to utilize them to make a one-piece surface that wraps around a rectangular top frame (which has rounded corners) - and that the area INSIDE that top frame is the ONLY OPENING in the object!

I get what is sub-d modelling: https://youtu.be/ckOTl2GcS-E however, how far does Moi3d go in that direction to 'fake it?' ha-ha!

Example:

Hi Ced, those are probably just too many constraints that you're trying to apply all at once, I don't think you're going to be able to get a good results with so many constraints.

In order to solve the constraint of the bottom being closed and being a single surface, you would need your loft profiles be elongated at their bottoms and touch each other at a single "pole" point as in the example I posted previously here: http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=8288.12

Using a lot of sections in either regular Loft or Network will tend to apply too much pressure on the generated surface and it will have wiggles and bumps in it as it tries to force a surface through too many large changes in shape in too small of an area. Using Loft with the "loose" style is more tolerant of that and so you might try working with that way of lofting rather than regular loft. Loose loft will make the surface only generally guided by the profiles rather than forced to go exactly through each surface and so it applies less pressure on the result.

Under normal circumstances you would close off the bottom of a shape like you're showing there with a separate planar surface, it will be difficult to try and make the bottom in your case to be part of the same surface as the sides, so you may need to use Flow only for the sides and find some other way of positioning your texture pieces on the bottom area, since it is flat maybe you should just copy your texture objects to there using Transform > Orient instead of using Flow for that area.

- Michael

Yep,
divide and conquer!






Swept top surface - helper surfaces for opening and outer contour (extruded) - blend between them - stencil top surface - blend between blend and cutted top surface.

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you might find
You get what you need - Written by Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Have a nice day
Karsten

Thank you for your input - meanwhile - My interest is determining what are the limits as far as Moi3d can go to solve the problem, before I venture outside -

There is EvoluteTools D.LOFT http://www.evolute.at/software/software-overview.html

There is Wings 3D https://sourceforge.net/projects/wings/?source=typ_redirect

It would be nice to control the file / polygon count weight / size - some of my files are almost 2 million bytes~

The object is like those inflatable rafts - with a flat bottom - all one piece - top is an open rectangular frame, the hull is closed below.

I'll keep at it and let you know the results.

If you want try a new "Subdivide" program maybe this new one can help you! (in its free version)
It has a direct bridge in the two ways with Moi! :)
Rocket 3F : https://rocket3f.com/

Warning: Possible humor, lingo may not be spot-on:



It can be done, however, there are other issues i.e. fitting a bevel into the opening. This is how it's done:

1. Line up centered and symmetrical *helps three closed curves
2. Not *too far apart - it can be stretched or scaled later
3. Make a *fishhook from the edge of the top opening frame all the way around - about 100 ribs - open curves
4. The *fish hook if you want a rounded edge, with a 'long' stem
5. Attach the stem to a *point, which is centered on the back, or bottom level
6. Best to drag points from the tail of the fish hook to the center point
7. Make sure everything is spot-on - connected
8. Loft *from a quad on the top closed curve - using 100 or so *depends square polygon(? lingo - those little square surfaces!) sufaces & 'Uniform'
9. Wire-cut the loft (choose 'closed')
10. Remove the SURFACE
11. Fine tune the 'mesh' points, clean and align if necessary - adjustments
12. Network, top & back rail - then all the 'ribs' (open fish hook curves)

Then you have it! I'll post something later to show
Humberto Quackenbush