The Community for Architects, Landscape & Lighting Designers
Vector based drawing programs for people that draw and make stuff?
Do any exist?
I've just spent ten minutes trying to join three lines together to make one shape, there are 2-3 pages in my Quickstart guide on this, none of the methods seem to work very well and just add more options.
Why don't the builders of "creative" tools use the most important design maxim of less is more and do less better, instead of bolting on more and more useless options like some crappy mobile phone.
It doesn't work like someone draws.
Draw the form you want, it a filled form or is it a line, job done.
Why so many types of object within one application which conflict?
It's either 2D or 3D, filled or not filled, editable or not editable.
Why is a "solid" allowed to pass through another? In my experience, none of the materials I use do and yet this ghost like behaviour makes joining parts in any real sense a complete pain,
What is the program for? Designing objects to be made, the vast majority of modern materials come in sheet form, so why can this 3d form, but not that one be folded flat to make a template?
Music software was like this for years until we got sick to death clicking through options and windows solving or chasing software problems instead of making music, ditching the bloated "do everything" environments of Cubase and Logic for more focused applications like Ableton.
Same thing has happened to Photoshop and CS, bloated, cumbersome full of cheesy "effects filters" instead of a focus on the image you have. like a software Amateur Photographer mag.
Machines (I include software) should make tasks easier, but we seem to become the slaves of ill thought out software environments.
Well the problem is still there.
Looking forward to an afternoon with veneers, glue and a warm iron.
ugh...
rant over.
Andy
I've just spent ten minutes trying to join three lines together to make one shape, there are 2-3 pages in my Quickstart guide on this, none of the methods seem to work very well and just add more options.
Why don't the builders of "creative" tools use the most important design maxim of less is more and do less better, instead of bolting on more and more useless options like some crappy mobile phone.
It doesn't work like someone draws.
Draw the form you want, it a filled form or is it a line, job done.
Why so many types of object within one application which conflict?
It's either 2D or 3D, filled or not filled, editable or not editable.
Why is a "solid" allowed to pass through another? In my experience, none of the materials I use do and yet this ghost like behaviour makes joining parts in any real sense a complete pain,
What is the program for? Designing objects to be made, the vast majority of modern materials come in sheet form, so why can this 3d form, but not that one be folded flat to make a template?
Music software was like this for years until we got sick to death clicking through options and windows solving or chasing software problems instead of making music, ditching the bloated "do everything" environments of Cubase and Logic for more focused applications like Ableton.
Same thing has happened to Photoshop and CS, bloated, cumbersome full of cheesy "effects filters" instead of a focus on the image you have. like a software Amateur Photographer mag.
Machines (I include software) should make tasks easier, but we seem to become the slaves of ill thought out software environments.
Well the problem is still there.
Looking forward to an afternoon with veneers, glue and a warm iron.
ugh...
rant over.
Andy
Views: 78
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andy on -
How to draw a continuous line which has straight elements and arcs to make a complete form?
I just wanted one surface off the 3D form (like the cladding) however "convert to polygons" gives me a surface of hundreds of disconnected triangles instead of one 2D surface.
So I am starting over tracing over the symbol in another layer in 2D.
It's giving me gip.
Tracing over a 3D symbol to make a 2D version of the surface, I have to change drawing tools from straight line to arc as I go around the shape. I can get the outline I want but how do I make it a continuous one?
By selecting two or more and using "combine into surface" I just get a beep and no change.
"Join" tool does nothing.
Is the only way to draw an outline by using combinations of already closed polygons and circles and add/clip?
?
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Permalink Reply by John Keating on -
Have you tried selecting all the elements and choose "compose" from the "Modify" toolbar.
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Permalink Reply by John Keating on
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.......... or am I missing the gist of your query?
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Permalink Reply by Vincent Cuclair on -
......patience is a virtue... :) , sure many options can be frustating however a lack of options can be equally frustating.......
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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I know Vincent,
sorry for the rant, you are right about patience and how many times have I said that to a student!
However, sometimes the simplest tasks become infuriating when digitised.
3D software engineer boot camp would be like sculpture classes: lump of clay first.
When it's as immediate and efficient as that or a pencil and paper you can have the other toys.
But it's afternoon, I've eaten and done my tracing at last, even if the computer extended the task by several hours, at least it can be cut out now!
I love solving problems really...
: )
Andy
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Permalink Reply by Vincent Cuclair on
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I know the feeling Andy :) I'm self educated over the years in AutoCad Point, Bentley Architecture, ADT, VW and ArchiCAD (in that order), the trick is to understand how the program designer(s) think, once you find this red line things get easier....however it is at times frustating and irritating especially when deadlines are involved....... I have never been involved in any kind of forum, however since joining NNAs forum, which has been a goldmine of info and education I'm hooked.......it's a great sorce of help ( and now this forum :))
I realize I never answered your original question........use the Polyline tool, you can choose the type of line section in the mode bar and the end result is a closed shape with or without a fill.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Henderson on -
Hi Andy
I feel your frustration and know the feeling well having been there. I tried to get a refund when I first bought VW I found it so difficult to get a handle on. Now you couldn't get me to change from it for all the tea in China. Here's the secret to VW...Get Jon Pickup's manuals, there is no body who explains VW better. Go to http://www.archoncad.co.nz/ , seriously you will not regret it. Forget trying to learn VW by looking in the help file, that only tells you what things do, not how to use them. If I was you I'd email Jon and get his recommendation as to which manuals to purchase.
Cheers
Mike Henderson
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Permalink Reply by John Keating on
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Hi Andy - hope you got your problem sorted! Not sure if the "compose" tool in version 11.5 is the most appropriate. I apologise if my previous responses seemed abrupt but had a deadline approaching way too quickly!
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Hi Guys,
don't apologise for an abrupt reply to a moody rant!
I am getting a handle on this slowly and indeed it is time causing frustrations.
Finally I did get one whole piece sorted yesterday, it is the profusion of object types which has been the most perplexing and seemed unnecessary. A solid, a solid subtraction, an extrude, etc... those boxes that tell that it's "illegal in this mode." "to re-edit geometry" but not how!
However, after realising that each part I have drawn has a very layered history itself, it has become easier, although this means more redrawing to "solidify" edits.
This is all part of software design making many options available no doubt and a good thing, but it does rub up against my minimalist, honing instincts for sure.
I'll check out these J.Pickup manuals too.
Hangin' in there!
Cheers,
Andy
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Permalink Reply by Matt Hobbs on -
I have been using vector works for years.
The best way can Put it is to try to use 2d boxes and circles to clip boxes
If you have an odd shape drawit using the polygon tool
If you need to clip the box or polygon with a arc, convert the arc to clip the polygon
convert the arc to a polygon and close it in the object info box you may need to
modify the arc handles using the polygon edit tool to add more handles or stretch handles.
once you get used to creating 2d ploygons then you extrude them
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