I really like MoI but the one area I don't like at all is object selection. Currently I am working on inlays. Please look at this short animated gif:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/njessnzabgbsh2t/MoI3D.gif?dl=1

I am clicking on the various objects after performing a boolean subtract while keeping the parts. I cannot tell what is selected and what isn't. There seems to be three slightly different shades of yellow involved.

Even though I have performed a boolean subtract it seems all of the objects are still sharing the same top surface which is causing this confusion.

Usually I have to click multiple times in an empty area to get the current selections to be deselected.

I general I find the selection system painful to use.

Any suggestions on avoiding this?

Thanks, Andy

this strange color with scratches ... it happens when it's a duplicate object or face or surface ( sharing the same coordinates ) delete one

double surface and double sphere = binz visuel ;)

I would but I am working with inlays which means creating a design on a surface, extruding, and then boolean difference keeping all of the parts. During this the parts are overlapped. I can't delete anything because I need everything.

Andy

I see various parts of a door ? on your gif

extrude some of them to see what to do ( gives various colors ) maybe it will be much clear

or move a part of the pieces ... perform your actions on this pieces

and replace them with snapping where they are initially

Hi Andy, that is called "Z fighting" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z-fighting) and yes it's when you have duplicated objects occupying the exact same surface area.

The main way to avoid it is to remove or hide the duplicate copies if you don't need them for the immediate operation.

If you can post your .3dm model file that you show there and maybe describe a little more about what steps you need to do for the boolean that would make it easier to make some suggestions. It's hard to guess just from the screenshot alone why you are needing the duplicates.

Often times a more convenient way to keep an object around is to select it and use Ctrl+C to put it into the clipboard, then when you want to recover it use Ctrl+V to paste that in rather than keeping a set of duplicates around while working on stuff.

Sometimes using undo in combination with that can be good, like if you do a boolean and then see that you want to keep the whole cutting object around, you can use Ctrl+Z to undo the boolean, then select the cutting object and use Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard, then redo the boolean (I mean using Ctrl+Y Redo, the opposite of undo rather than actually running the boolean command again) then Ctrl+V to paste and that will then resurrect that older object into the current model again.

Also another thing that may be useful is you can use the Esc key to deselect objects as well as clicking on empty space.

- Michael

Here is another one:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gs9orai9xgq2yo3/MoI2.gif?dl=1

The outer profile is extruded. The text is just 2D shapes on the top surface. As I zoom in and out the selection changes to indicate the insides of some of the letters are no longer part of the selection and then they are again. This is quite confusing. Sometimes I select an object and it doesn't include the insides of 2D shapes on the surface, but then I zoom in and it does.

Andy

Thanks Michael for the reply. I don't have any duplicates. I need the inlay parts and the base that the inlay is cut into. So it's:

1. Draw 2D sketch on top surface of substrate
2. Extrude 2D sketch into substrate to create the inlay
3. Boolean diff to remove the inlay from the substrate.

Only after step three I no longer have overlapping parts.

Maybe the solution I need is a script that can take a 2D selection and perform the extrude and boolean diff in a single step. Then I would only need to select the 2D shapes.

Note that I get the overlapping surface dithering effect even if I only extrude the outer profile, so there is only one solid involved but the insides of the 2D sketches appear to be another surface.

Andy

Hi, Andy.
Use layers and styles helps in this case.

Hi WN, yes I was able to figure it out by changing the color of the base part and then started renaming the parts as I went. :)

Andy

don't place KAREN on the object

extrude KAREN name elsewhere

when it's extruded select all the letters ... place on the piece with round shape and perform boolean diff

After a bit more fiddling around it seems the issue is caused in my second example by creating text using "surface" instead of "curves". If the text has it's own surfaces and it is on top of an extruded object surface then it becomes painful to try to select the text to extrude it because MoI can't work out based on the location of my clicks which surface I want.

Andy

Thanks corchet. The problem is not extruding, it is how to do the boolean diff if I cannot select the extruded text. I.e. after it has been extruded and positioned where I want it.

Andy

Hi Andy, if you're still stuck please post a .3dm model file of your case that you are having difficulty with instead of only a screenshot. That will help to give you some advice.

- Michael

Hi Andy,

re:
> The problem is not extruding, it is how to do the boolean diff if I cannot select the extruded text.
> I.e. after it has been extruded and positioned where I want it.

Can you please post a .3dm model file with the extruded text that you are having difficulty selecting? Then I will be able to show you some possible techniques.

But my guess based on your description is that the easiest is to probably use the Edit > Hide button when you are at the stage of the boolean where you want to select the extruded pieces. That will hide the base object so it will be out of the way and you can then see the extrusions easily to select them.

Another way to do it is to use some window selections.

I do have some ideas on making this kind of embedding operation to be easier in the future, either with a "depth limiting" option in the boolean command or with an automatic boolean incorporate into the extrude command when you have curves and also a base solid selected. That's something pretty high on my list to figure out after v4 is wrapped up.

- Michael

duplicate the piece with round shape ... ctrl c ctrl v .... and move it

delete the other

now you see only the text Karen ( work on it .. extrude fillet etc ... ) and place the result on your shape for boolean or other action

Andy, in your case, you should use extrude - both sides.
Hide and Lock commands in combination with selection.

Michael - I've been uploading animated gifs not screenshots. Try opening the gifs in your web browser from the local file. It seems Dropbox only shows the first frame of the gif which is a pain. Can this forum allow URLs to embed images? I can't see anything relating to markdown.

I now tried doing this:

Select substrate
Under styles click on Red
Click on the eye next to Red to hide the substrate
Select the inlay parts
Under styles click on Blue
Click on the eye next to Red to show the substrate
Click on the right of Red to select it (yellow dot)
Click on boolean
Click on Done
Click on the right of Blue to select it (yellow dot)
Click on Done

but this results in the substrate becoming hollow rather than just having a pocket for the inlay. See this animated gif:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xfiwwd4skf0wpm0/MoI3.gif?dl=1

File is attached.

Andy

Hi Andy, yes I've been seeing the animation but a file is also very helpful because then I can actually repeat your steps over here, see if there are any issues with the geometry like are they slightly off position, etc... and also use your objects to demonstrate what can help.

The animation is great for helping to understand what you are seeing but the .3dm file helps a lot with testing and offering solutions.

- Michael