topic Re: opposite of 'Split'? in Modeling

opposite of 'Split'?

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:43:24 GMT

i have used the 'Split' command to break up some walls and now i need to 'combine' certain parts again (i.e. make 2 parts into a whole).

i have tried all the Reshape operations but nothing seems to be able to join the walls again - is there a way to do this?

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:48:27 GMT

Unfortunately, not possible.
There is the line consolidation command but that works only for linear elements.
Of course you can trace your Walls with lines, do line consolidation on those lines and then trace those lines with Walls.
But just redrawing those Walls might be faster than this.

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:02:23 GMT

thanks for the quick reply. i would have drawn them again but they are in a tricky situation (intersections etc.) so i think i'll just leave them as they are.

thanks anyway.

note - maybe one for the wishlist?

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Laszlo Nagy — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:14:03 GMT

Yes, you can always make a wish.
Wishes many times come true.

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Karl Ottenstein — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:30:58 GMT

Derek wrote:
thanks for the quick reply. i would have drawn them again but they are in a tricky situation (intersections etc.) so i think i'll just leave them as they are.

It is painful that GS has not provided a wall-merge feature yet.

You can use the magic wand to recreate your walls from the split walls. Then, of course, you have to re-insert your openings. Eyedropper from the old wall, place in the new, and then drag to align. As I said, painful.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Djordje — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:01:43 GMT

Derek wrote:
i have used the 'Split' command to break up some walls and now i need to 'combine' certain parts again (i.e. make 2 parts into a whole).

i have tried all the Reshape operations but nothing seems to be able to join the walls again - is there a way to do this?

Did you try Unify?

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

rocorona — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:14:00 GMT

Did you try Unify?

Good attempt. Unfortunately Unify can only join Lines/Arcs/Polylines to make a single Polyline

(but I had to try it to be sure...)

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Laszlo Nagy — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:44:07 GMT

Djordje wrote:
Derek wrote:
i have used the 'Split' command to break up some walls and now i need to 'combine' certain parts again (i.e. make 2 parts into a whole).

i have tried all the Reshape operations but nothing seems to be able to join the walls again - is there a way to do this?
Did you try Unify?

Shame on me for not suggesting Unify, but Line Consolidation instead.

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Anonymous — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:29:35 GMT

Djordje wrote:
Did you try Unify?

that's the first one i tried!

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Erich — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:36:38 GMT

This is possible to do with the tools we currently have. Select both walls, go the to Model Menu>Select Complex Profiles>Select Merge Walls. While it is perhaps not the most obvious place to look, it does work and your previously split walls will become one.

HTH

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Karl Ottenstein — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:23:32 GMT

Erich wrote:
This is possible to do with the tools we currently have. Select both walls, go the to Model Menu>Select Complex Profiles>Select Merge Walls. While it is perhaps not the most obvious place to look, it does work and your previously split walls will become one.

Actually, this is something entirely different. The Merge Walls does not join separate pieces of wall that are broken along their length. Rather, it takes several walls that are placed next to each other to represent a single wall and creates a profile that allows the assemblage to be drawn as one wall.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Rakela Raul — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:28:25 GMT

can you convert to a regular wall ? after the joining ?
great lecture guys !!

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Erich — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:59:14 GMT

Karl,

You are correct, this will make a complex profile wall and is useful to make odd shapes. However, as Raul noted, once your previously split walls are merged, just change the wall from a complex profile to a standard wall and things are back to normal with the previously split wall now joined.

At least it seems to work here unless I am still missing something.

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Karl Ottenstein — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:00:13 GMT

Rakela wrote:
can you convert to a regular wall ? after the joining ?

Hi Raul,

No - only a profile is created, and because of the structure, it very well might not correspond to any composite (were it possible to convert back to a composite). AC makes it easy to take a composite, or an assemblage and make a complex profile, but not the other way around.

Cheers,
Karl

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Rakela Raul — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:10:54 GMT

thanks for the clarification Karl !!

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Karl Ottenstein — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:18:02 GMT

Erich!

You're the man! This does indeed mostly work, and it isn't something documented, and it may not have been intended by GS.

Merge Walls as I described it (walls next to each other, lengthwise) creates a new assemblage profile. The user manual describes this as "Create Complex Profile from Parallel Elements".

But, walls abutting lengthwise does work as you say! My apology! If the walls are all the same wall structure, the result is a single wall. If different structures, it appears that the thicker wall becomes the wall shape for the entire assembly.

(The resulting walls have a profile called "Custom" - which must be captured to be viewed/edited.)

As you say, you can convert back to a 'normal' wall.

But the caveat: the walls I tested this on were complex profiled walls already with the reference line set inside the profile next to the core by proper fill placement. After a merge, the newly created profile has the reference line on the outside. When I switch back to the original/desired wall structure - easiest via eyedropper/syringe - this new reference line is honored, and my wall has ended up shifted from the original location by an amount equal to the skins outside of the core.

So - great trick!! But, careful with your reference line locations - perhaps marking the ref line position of the walls before the merge so that you can move the rebuilt walls back to where they belong.

Thanks!

Karl

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Barry Kelly — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:14:01 GMT

Great tip Eric.
I never would have looked there.
It's not the most straight forward of methods but it does work.

A couple of things to watch out for.
Associated dimensions will be lost.
All of the "Apply Structure's Settings" and the "Enable Skin Priorities" buttons will all be off by default when you replace the comple profile wall with the composite wall - unless you eyedropper/syringe as suggested by Karl.

Barry.

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Chazz — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:04:43 GMT

Erich, great tip. Nice to learn something new after all these years with the software. But I would second the opinion of many that UNIFY should work with walls, beams, etc --at least walls of the same type or height or something.

Karl, can we send Erich the tee-shirt and coffee mug?

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:07:11 GMT

Chazz wrote:
Karl, can we send Erich the tee-shirt and coffee mug?

If I had the power. I copied the tip into the Tips forum so that GS will see it in case they are still giving tip awards.

I'll go drink a mug now in your honor, though, Erich. 😉

Cheers,
Karl

Re: opposite of 'Split'?

Anonymous — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:53:09 GMT

i just saw the same tip on the 'wish' that i posted and was coming back here to tell you guys.

it does indeed work but i still think there should be a seperate 'Merge' tool amongst the 'Reshape' commands, specifically for construction elements.