topic How do I model a glass railing? in Modeling

How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Tue, 23 May 2023 16:03:07 GMT

I'd like to model a railing on a sloped surface similar to the one in the pic. I tried the railing tool but in my model I don't see the panels of the railing (I don't see any panels at all, just the toprail, the outer posts and an empty space in between). The toprail has a rectangular profile in the model but I want to change it a circular one (under toprail settings - rail21 is selected which is circular in the image but rectangular in the model).

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Steve Jepson — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 22:52:26 GMT

lots of ways to do it. I modeled some of this glass railing as beams, exploded to morphs, some of it as walls where it was useful. Use glass material.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Barry Kelly — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 01:24:08 GMT

It is quite easy as a railing.

Set your segmentation. Set the top rail and choose the profile. To be continued...

Barry.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Barry Kelly — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 01:28:08 GMT

Make sure you add an internal post and make it 'invisible'. Add a panel and click between the post to place it. Also open the default GS template and have a look at the favourites in there.
You can also export/import these to other files.

Barry.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 09:07:59 GMT

Thank you, Steve and Barry! My railing made with the railing tool is visible only in the edit mode. When I exit this mode, I see only the outer posts and the toprail. I don't know why the panels are not visible in the 3D.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

David Maudlin — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 12:38:57 GMT

anto_bg wrote:
My railing made with the railing tool is visible only in the edit mode. When I exit this mode, I see only the outer posts and the toprail. I don't know why the panels are not visible in the 3D.

Check the 3D Styles dialog box and see if Transparency is on. This may make the glass panels nearly invisible.

David

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:28:10 GMT

I unchecked the Transparency option in the 3D styles menu but the panels didn't appear (all other glass surfaces became opaque). The edit mode is still the only mode where I see them.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Barry Kelly — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 01:12:24 GMT

What happens if you change the panels to a different material?
Or add fixings?
If you have a railing with balusters do they show?

Barry.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 08:41:29 GMT

In the edit mode I changed the glass to another material but I was still seeing the glass panels, in the 3D view -the panels were again invisible. When I added inner posts and/or balusters - they were visible in the 3D view.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

David Maudlin — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 12:40:14 GMT

anto_bg:

The "glass" you are seeing in the 3D Window is actually the Segments & Nodes, try hiding them in the upper left editing palette. In your Railings Settings dialog box, the Panel should appear green in the preview, so click the "+" button and then click in the panel area to add the Panel to your scheme.

David

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 13:00:02 GMT

If I hide "segments and node" - I see the railing without any panels in the edit mode. When I go to the panels settings in the menu - the panel is not highlighted in green (and if I try to add a panel with the + button, nothing happens). All other elements of the railing (toprail, handrail, balusters, etc) are either highlighted in green or can be added manually with the plus button.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

David Maudlin — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 13:07:44 GMT

anto_bg:

You need to click in the panel area of the preview after clicking the "+" button.

David

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 13:49:16 GMT

I am trying but nothing happens - the pointer of the mouse turns into a pen and I click in the middle of the panel area but that's it, no green panel shows up.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Lingwisyer — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 06:05:12 GMT

Do you have an inner post? It can be set to invisible, but it is required for panels as far as I know.

Ling.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Barry Kelly — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 06:28:24 GMT

anto_bg wrote:
I am trying but nothing happens - the pointer of the mouse turns into a pen and I click in the middle of the panel area but that's it, no green panel shows up.

I am not sure what is happening.
In your previous image there is no panel because the "-" button is grey - meaning there is nothing to delete.
So you should be able to click the "+" button, move to where you want the panel and you should see a black pen.
Click then you should see the green panel.

Barry.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 09:26:12 GMT

If I try to add panels, this is what happens and I don't see a panel in green:

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 09:29:34 GMT

If I want to add other elements, I can easily add them:

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

David Maudlin — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 12:20:47 GMT

Antonia Ivanova:

After clicking the "+" button and moving the cursor to the panel area in the preview window, the panel area turns grey before clicking to add the panel. Have you tried:
1. New & Reset and adding the panel in a new file?
2. Restating ArchiCAD?
3. Restarting the computer?
I don't know why this is not working for you.

David

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 20:26:13 GMT

I found the root to the problem. In the railing settings under panel favorites (the top left button) my railing was set to a basic railing by default and that's why I wasn't able to add panels.

Re: How do I model a glass railing?

Barry Kelly — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 01:20:19 GMT

Thanks for letting us know you found the problem.
I am still unsure what was happening.
I don't see a 'Basic Railing' favourite in the template (AUS version).
No matter what favourites I pick (even the 'Blank Railing' with nothing but invisible end posts), I can still add a panel.

Barry.