opposite of 'Split'?

[Anonymous]

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?

[Karl Ottenstein]

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

[Rakela Raul]

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

[Erich]

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.

[Karl Ottenstein]

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

[Rakela Raul]

thanks for the clarification Karl !!

[Karl Ottenstein]

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

[Barry Kelly]

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.

[Chazz]

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?

[Karl Ottenstein]

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

[Anonymous]

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.