Itoo Software Forum

RailClone => RailClone Pro (*) => Topic started by: Pixelab on June 20, 2015, 01:55:10 PM

Title: [Solved] 2 questions on a railing object & empty objects
Post by: Pixelab on June 20, 2015, 01:55:10 PM
Here attached a railing that finally looks like I wanted to. Looks really good in render, but I want to improve a bit the object for special situations and eventually make the style more "elegant"

Also, thanks for the new general padding parameter / segment, It really helps to simplify in those situations !

(http://s2.postimg.org/ab4e795p5/image.jpg)

First question :

I've added a "spacer object" to move the 2 glass panels apart on the corners and on the evenly spearation. Problem is that I had to do it with a "spacer" obect (a simple tiny plane you can see under the corner) and I was wondering if there is a more elegant way to style this. I tried with a padded default empty segment but it somehow doesn't work and messes up the padding of adjacent object. I neither wasn't able to "center" the spacer on the corner.

(http://s9.postimg.org/tuvjbhwn3/Capture5.png)

Second question : Is it a way to prevent the posts to appear on short segements of the spline, like those 2 posts. Either remove the 2 posts, or make it one centered. This might involve some conditional parameters but I don't know where to start nor to look at in the help files.

(http://s27.postimg.org/nmb4kduf7/Capture4.png)


Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: Rokas on June 20, 2015, 02:43:52 PM
1st problem- i did what You tried, and managed to do without any problems.
2nd- I went with assigning mtl id=2 to short spline segment and limiting posts to mtl id= 1.

Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: iToo on June 21, 2015, 09:41:46 AM
Thanks for your help, Rokas.

Initially, the second problem would be solved with a Conditional node, based on the length of the spline's section (a section is the path between two Corner or Evenly points).
But since corners are placed between two sections, there is not any condition that we can use. We should need some kind of "Next-Section", "Previous-Section" conditions specific for corners.

I added this improvement to our to-do list for next updates.
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: Pixelab on June 22, 2015, 03:21:28 PM
Thanks Rokas & Carlos for you answers !

1- Rokas, Could you upload the file in max 2011 ? I've tried again and failed again >_< thx a bunch for checking this out

2- Assigning another Id is indeed the workaround I've found, and yes, after some attempts with the conditional operator, I've noticed that the "current section" doesn't work well with corner segments. "Next-Section" or "Previous-Section" would be great, as long as it doesn't complicate the object too much ;)
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: Rokas on June 22, 2015, 03:28:15 PM
sure, BTW, don`t You mind me borrowing this style in my future projects ;) ?
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: Pixelab on June 22, 2015, 04:53:01 PM
sure, BTW, don`t You mind me borrowing this style in my future projects ;) ?

You're welcome  :P

I saw that you did put "alignment right" for the empty spacer object and a transfrom/ padding right to solve the problem. Still wondering why this has to be so complicated but thanks for the solution !
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: iToo on June 23, 2015, 10:28:26 AM
I saw that you did put "alignment right" for the empty spacer object and a transfrom/ padding right to solve the problem. Still wondering why this has to be so complicated but thanks for the solution !

I must explain this. In RailClone 2.2.1 we fixed a bug related with the size of empty segments. Copied from the release notes:

- Fixed: length of Left Padding on empty segments is double as intended.
  Note: to keep compatibility with existing scenes, this fix is applied only in styles created with v.2.2.1 or above.


All RC objects created with RC 2.2.0 and before work in the old way (with the bug). You can check if the fix is being applied or not using Maxscript:

$.createdversion

If this value is 221 (from RC 2.2.1) or greater, the padding of empty segments is computed correctly.
So, in this case you could use an empty segment with Left + Right padding, or alternatively using "Fixed Size", and it will be centered correctly.

To "upgrade" an old RC object, just update the parameter:

$.createdversion = 250 (or any other value greater than 220).

Hope i have clarified this issue.
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: Pixelab on June 23, 2015, 10:38:38 AM
I saw that you did put "alignment right" for the empty spacer object and a transfrom/ padding right to solve the problem. Still wondering why this has to be so complicated but thanks for the solution !

I must explain this. In RailClone 2.2.1 we fixed a bug related with the size of empty segments. Copied from the release notes:

- Fixed: length of Left Padding on empty segments is double as intended.
  Note: to keep compatibility with existing scenes, this fix is applied only in styles created with v.2.2.1 or above.


All RC objects created with RC 2.2.0 and before work in the old way (with the bug). You can check if the fix is being applied or not using Maxscript:

$.createdversion

If this value is 221 (from RC 2.2.1) or greater, the padding of empty segments is computed correctly.
So, in this case you could use an empty segment with Left + Right padding, or alternatively using "Fixed Size", and it will be centered correctly.

To "upgrade" an old RC object, just update the parameter:

$.createdversion = 250 (or any other value greater than 220).

Hope i have clarified this issue.

WOW, that just fixed everything and now it works like intended. I was about to request a new sizable empty object, because it's way easier and the node graph is easier to understand than using padding. Fixed size empty elements are really useful.

Whats strange is that when I type the commands in the listener, It returned 0, is it normal ?

Code: [Select]
$.createdversion
0
$.createdversion = 250
250

Do I have to do on every RC object, or new ones will be good ?

Thanks a lot !
Title: Re: 2 questions on a railing object
Post by: iToo on June 23, 2015, 02:20:37 PM
WOW, that just fixed everything and now it works like intended. I was about to request a new sizable empty object, because it's way easier and the node graph is easier to understand than using padding. Fixed size empty elements are really useful.

Whats strange is that when I type the commands in the listener, It returned 0, is it normal ?

Yes, that's normal for objects created before v.2.2.1 because this parameter was not implemented. So it returns 0 as default value.

Quote
Do I have to do on every RC object, or new ones will be good ?

No, it's not necessary. For new objects it's intialized to 250 (or the version which they have been created).