topic Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild in Modeling

multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Tue, 23 May 2023 14:33:27 GMT

Have made railing balusters from 360 degree revolved shell. Baluster has curves but is not very complicated. Saved it as a library object.
There are probably several hundred of them on this project, on multiple levels. Rebuild time has slowed way down.
Any way to simplify the shell or anything else to speed up rebuild?

After sizing, baluster file size is only 7 KB.

Thanks.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Laszlo Nagy — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:44:19 GMT

What is the polygon count of those objects?
You can download and install the Polygon Count goodie. It will be able to tell you.
If the polygon count is high then maybe the GDL script should be modified.
Resolution of curves is 36 by default, which means a simple cylindrical shape is at least 36 polygons, a simple shere is 1296 (36x36) polygons.

You can place a command at the beginning of the 3D Script, for example setting the resultion to 16 (which means a full circle will be made up of 16 segments):

RESOL 16

This will set the resolution of curves to 16, resulting in much less polygons.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

David Maudlin — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:34:16 GMT

laszlonagy wrote:
If the polygon count is high then maybe the GDL script should be modified.
Resolution of curves is 36 by default, which means a simple cylindrical shape is at least 36 polygons, a simple shere is 1296 (36x36) polygons.

You can place a command at the beginning of the 3D Script, for example setting the resultion to 16 (which means a full circle will be made up of 16 segments):
RESOL 16
This will set the resolution of curves to 16, resulting in much less polygons.

Laszlo:

I looked at this approach (there is even a resol statement in the generated script), but the command revolvedshell ignores the resol statement, so the resolution cannot be altered this way.

He could try using the Profiler goodie, which generates a 3D Script that uses the resol statement.

David

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:51:01 GMT

I am supposing that it must be possible in GDL to control this resolution.
So maybe it is controlled by the TOLER command, which is the equivalent of the Deviation from Curves setting of the Magic Wand Settings Dialog.
Or the third possibility is the RADIUS command.
These three are the ones used to control the resolution of curved surfaces and Arcs in GDL.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:49:57 GMT

I checked on the polycount....one baluster has 4,230 polygons made with the shell command. No wonder it takes a long time to rebuild.
The level of detail is set to "off" although I'm not sure what it means or what effect it has on the rebuild.

Also tried using the profiler which is a AC 16 command. There is no profiler in the goodies download for AC 16, so am not sure what you are referring to.

I gather from your responses that there is no way to create the baluster without all the polygons.... no way to simplify it?

See the attached jpeg for the profile I am attempting.

Any other suggestions? What about making a morph out of it.....would that help?

Thanks.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:53:22 GMT

To clarify a bit.....tried using the Profiler....but was not able to figure out a way to create it using that tool. Am assuming it has to be done in plan, right?

Tom

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:07:14 GMT

Can you upload one of the resulting GSM files in a ZIP so we may look at it?

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:25:07 GMT

See attached GSM. I appreciate your help.

Tom

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:26:48 GMT

here it is. Hey....I can't upload a .gsm file. How can I get it to you.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:28:47 GMT

ZIP it and upload the ZIP.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:39:04 GMT

Zip file attached

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Laszlo Nagy — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:13:06 GMT

I checked the script.
Actually, there are two versions of the REVOLVEDSHELL command. The first will do it with the resolution of 36 so it will give you this many polygons.
When you save it as GSM it is saved with this GDL command.
The other GDL command is REVOLVESHELLANGULAR and has two more parameters. In that version you can specify a resolution. I added this option so it will basically create a 16-segment vesrion of the balustrade. The number of polygons will be cut in half but the segments will be visible, so I dont know if that is a good solution, and also it does not reduce the polygon count that much (only 50%, not 90%, which would really be significant).
So I don't know what else could be done about this.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:34:27 GMT

Why not draw it as a complex profile, then simply use the wall tool set to curved, with the center point and radius selected? I would assume it would be much faster than dealing with all those polygons.
Foster

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:19:58 GMT

Hey John:

Good idea on the complex profile and curved wall. I tried it.....polygon count is down to 802, which is an improvement over Lazlo's revision as well.

That's why I like the forum.....large group with different ways to do things.

Thanks again.

Tom

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:52:31 GMT

Tom,

Glad that it worked out for you! I wasn't entirely sure that the poly count would be less than Lazlo's, but am pleased to hear that it worked out. And I agree, this forum is a great resource.

Best,
John

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

David Maudlin — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 13:06:18 GMT

Tom wrote:
To clarify a bit.....tried using the Profiler....but was not able to figure out a way to create it using that tool. Am assuming it has to be done in plan, right?

I am attaching a pdf file of the Profiler instructions.

Objects created with Profiler will use the RESOL statement (it is near the top of the automatically generated 3D Script), so this is another way to reduce the polygon count. The RESOL could be made into a parameter, so the objects' polygon count could be easily user controlled to get the best appearance vs. speed.

David

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 15:51:13 GMT

Will try this method also......will let you know the polygon count FYI.

Re: multiple Shells = slow rebuild

Tom Krowka — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:46:27 GMT

revolved profiler method give an object with polygon count over 5000. Curved wall method with profiler gives least polygon count.