topic How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side? in Libraries & objects

How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 05:38:42 GMT

I have created a library part to represent a back woods outdoor toilet typically found in America. I am using the object in a presentation on "adaptive re-use" where I take this primitive outdoor toilet and transform it into a modern living room furniture piece. In the attachment, I need to tilt the outhouse about the "x" axis, so that the top lays down toward the observer. Is there a script that will do that?

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Barry Kelly — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:18:26 GMT

Just add an angle parameter to your object - call it say .... ang_x

Then at the beginning of the 3D script just type .... ROTx ang_x

Now you will have an object with a rotation parameter that you can adjust to what ever you need.

Barry.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Ralph Wessel — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:59:30 GMT

Patrick wrote:
In the attachment, I need to tilt the outhouse about the "x" axis, so that the top lays down toward the observer. Is there a script that will do that?

If you want a quick and easy way to do this, take a look at OBJECTiVE. It can automatically add everything required for an object to be rotated (or cut) in 3D, and provides visual tools to apply the operations. Referring to the attached image, you would only need to:

1) Select the object in plan (or elevation)
2) Select OBJECTiVE's 'Rotate' tool
3) Specify an axis and angle of rotation.
4) Results in 2D and 3D.

In other words, it's just like using the ArchiCAD's 2D rotate tool.

For more information, take a look at http://www.encina.co.uk/objective.html

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:15:50 GMT

Ooo... Thanks for the scripting tip. It worked for me fine, sort of. I have attached the result, but was surprised. My expectation was that it would have simply rolled down on it's side about it's x axis, but instead, as you see, it kicked up and away, as if the axis was 20' or so higher. Would this have anything to do with having 'built' the original model some place other than at 0/0?

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Erich — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:45:26 GMT

I assume that you saved the part from the floor plan based on the question asked and the behavior exhibited. If so, then yes, it has everything to do with how/where you built the part. I appears that you built it about 10' away from the origin.

You can do various things to the script to correct for this but it will be much faster to move the part to the origin and save it as a new part. It may take some experimentation to find the correct location, but I would start by locating the portion of the part that you want to rotate around right at the origin.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:16:42 GMT

Rather than faffing about moving the object to 0,0 or fiddling with the script adding rotx's etc, why not just select the original upright object (where ever it is), press F4/F5 to open it on its own in the 3d window, activate the axonometry / parallel projection mode and select side view, rotate the camera to the correct viewing side (the required view from above). OK that and save the contents of the 3d window as a new library part.

This will produce a library part that is rotated the right way, which actually 'calls' the original object in its script. This has the advantage of automatically updating if you update the geometry of the original object at a later date.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Karl Ottenstein — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:14:07 GMT

I certainly second both the addition of the ROT command(s) or OBJECTiVE.

The behavior of the rotation based on where the object was built is another plus for OBJECTiVE for users who prefer to be visual about the whole process and not deal with scripts.

A plus of the script approach - once built at the origin - vs even saving it with a 3D side view - is that you can animate the rotation of the object. The angle can be incremented over X frames of animation, changing with each N_ (glob_frame_number or something like that).

Of course, if one wanted an animation, it is infinitely easier in Artlantis Studio and with much more control... Either Studio or Render will let you rotate any object - you simply convert your object (outhouse) into an Artlantis object (AOF) within Artlantis so that you can rotate it.

Lots of options... 😉

Karl

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Barry Kelly — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:30:34 GMT

Patrick wrote:
Ooo... Thanks for the scripting tip. It worked for me fine, sort of. I have attached the result, but was surprised. My expectation was that it would have simply rolled down on it's side about it's x axis, but instead, as you see, it kicked up and away, as if the axis was 20' or so higher. Would this have anything to do with having 'built' the original model some place other than at 0/0?

Sorry I didn't really think about the position you may have saved the object from.
I'm in the habit of creating objects from the origin (0,0).

You will probably find some move commands at the beginning of you 3D script.
i.e. ADDx, ADDy, ADDz, maybe even som MUL commands.

You will want to move the "ROT ang_x" command so that it comes after these movements.
This will put it at the same position that you modelled the object and therefore rotate from its base.

Ralph's OBJECTIVE tool (although I don't have it) is certainly a brilliant tool and will do much more than simply rotate an object.

There used to be a free ROTATE tool from Cigraph if I am correct - but I believe they now charge for it?
And it might even need it's own WIBU key as well?
And all it does is rotate existing objects.

Barry.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Barry wrote:
There used to be a free ROTATE tool from Cigraph if I am correct - but I believe they now charge for it?

There's another one here made by Peter Devlin... Didn't try it but it should do the job.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:02:05 GMT

Braza wrote:
Barry wrote:
There used to be a free ROTATE tool from Cigraph if I am correct - but I believe they now charge for it?
There's another one here made by Peter Devlin... Didn't try it but it should do the job.

I have tried it and it works very well.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Erich — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:57:12 GMT

Obviously there are many answers to this question but all the same the question arises again and again.

This leads to an idea. It seems that is would be a very simple thing for Graphisoft to add a few variables to the Auto-scripted objects to provide built in rotation of such objects without adding to the code. Already we get proportional sizing, etc. Why not take things just a little further and make lift ever so much easier for the end users? If the software is simple to use then the users will be happier and sales should go up.

Just an idea.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:05:53 GMT

This is more complicated than that.
Normally a library part has a 2D Script and a 3D Script, which control what is generated in 2D and 3D, respectively, for the library part.
Now, if you start rotating the object around in 3D in all directions, then the 2D cannot be scripted. Only the PROJECT2 command can be used in the 2D Script which simply instructs the program to generate the 3D of the object and take a 2D view of it (usually from the Top).
But this is very time consuming compared to the simple 2D symbol of the object.
So regeneration time of the 2D view of project file would start to become greater and greater.
This is not to say that it is a bad idea, I am just giving this as a thing to be taken into account.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Erich — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:53:54 GMT

Laszlo,

Of course you are right. I had only been thinking about the 3D aspects.

Still, while you and I and many others on this forum are perfectly capable of making parts rotate as we wish, there are many others out there than are not as proficient or find this intimidating. Honestly I do not know how often users make use of auto-scripted parts or how often they would need to be rotated. I do so, but only infrequently. As you suggest, using project2 would allow the flexibility for the 2D at a cost. Perhaps if the standard 2D view remained scripted while the rotated views utilized the project2 would be a workable solution. I am sure that Graphisoft can make this a better user experience though as the complaint is really quite common.

Re: How can I tilt an object to lay it down on it's side?

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:01:59 GMT

Yes, probably that would be the best choice.