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Author Topic: What's the smartest way to use a RC rooftile macro on lots of identical houses?  (Read 589 times)

ShaneMcG

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Hi there!

I tried searching for the topic, using the search engine, but got no results. If I still missed the topic, please refer me to a similar thread. So, here's my issue:

I'm working on a new living-quarter, featuring lots of town- and duplexhouses with pitched roofs. There are four general types of houses, with lots of instances, but the rooftile type used will be the same on all of them. I plan on using one of the great Rooftile Macros, as they work great.
But I wonder what's the smartest way to do it, then using a Macro for the one side of the roof, cloning it for the other side and then cloning both x-times for every roof doesn't really look smart... Also, it's not really flexible, as - let's say I'd have to change the rooftile type - I'd have to change it for all the cloned RCs, as they cannot be instances, due to being applied to different outlines...

So, my question: is there a way to use the RC rooftile macro in a way similar to the scattering in FP? In FP one scatterer can be used for multiple surfaces/outlines.

Thanks in advance!

Dragan

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Hi.
For roof creation you can check this tutorial:
https://www.itoosoft.com/tutorials/creating-roofs-with-railclone?back=page%3D4%26tag%3Drailclone

For multiple houses, you can attach all splines into one. To get more control you could separate splines by MatID, use Master Style, Markers User Data...
There is no straight answer because everything depends on your workflow. RailClone is highly adaptive to various situations especially if you can project future tasks on your project.
If you can give us more information about your workflow maybe we can give you some more specific advice.

« Last Edit: January 24, 2022, 10:02:08 PM by Dragan »

ShaneMcG

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Thank you very much for the quick response and the link! I already watched this video and should've actually known the answer myself, as the video explains everything in a really good way. My bad...

Anyway, now that I already started this thread, let's make the question more specific, by answering your question:
In a first step, I'll modell all the houses and extract the outlines of the roofs, exactly as shown in the video. Now, probably to make everything work with only one RC object, in the next steps I'd do the following:
1. Attach all the splines together
2. Check the direction and if necessary reverse their directions
3. Give the splines on each house (or maybe on each houstype?) a unique MatID
4. Use the spline object for the Clipping area of the Rooftile macro

Right?

Later, I plan to do the same with the gutter and downpipes, so in the end I'll have only 3 Railclone objects - one for the rooftiles, one for the gutter and one for the downpipes! This is exactly what I am after!

But, again - as I already opened this thread, do you mind elaborating a bit more on the use of Master Style and Markers User Data?
This would be great!
Thanks again!
 

Dragan

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so in the end I'll have only 3 Railclone objects - one for the rooftiles, one for the gutter and one for the downpipes! This is exactly what I am after!

Exactly, you got it right.

Master Style - basically you can reference RC objects (copy/paste) and override only selected parameters.
good example: https://youtu.be/sI-XGOkOBUk?t=529

Markers User Data - RailClone5 introduced Marker for the A2S Clipped area so basically you could have unique parameters for each house. Only User Data from the First marker on the Start position will be used. Seams like a limitation but you could get a very much of it with smart use.

Since RC5 is just released there are not many videos/tutorials to give you a good example.
You can check the webinar on wendesday: https://novedge.com/blogs/webinars/whats-new-in-railclone-5?fbclid=IwAR1tCcB803AZ0H33wfqMmxcgu7pEaPfH8MVLgJIPQ0crY6nh3_2um5HothI
I guess Paul will have some good material to show as always.

However, when you get to the point you have all splines ready let us know and hopefully, we will find a nice solution for your needs.  ;)

Best Regards
 


ShaneMcG

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Wonderful, thanks again for your time and the links!
Once I prepare my model, I'll surely get in touch.

Generally though - in terms of ressource usage, viewport performance etc. - is it better to have one RC object, attached to one complex object (in my case - all the roof outlines) or multiple RC objects, attached to very simple objects (only one roof outline)? Or do both options make no difference in terms of performance?

It's not an urgent question, just general curiosity, so please answer, only if and when you have the time for it!
Thanks again and have a good eve!

Dragan

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Again, it is all about your preferences.
RC can handle a very large number of polygons thanks to Display Viewport modes for Complex objects and if you have a lot of RC objects you can control them via RC Lister.



ShaneMcG

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Hey there again!

So, I started implementing what we talked here and - as for the roofs and roof tiles it works pretty fine so far! Same with the gutter.
Only thing I don't get to work as supposed to is the downpipe. On the one side of the house it looks great, but on the other brackets and the spout face in the wrong direction. So far I solved the issue by simply cloning the RC object and making a second one for the backsides of the houses.
But is there any way of solving this, using only one RC Object? Manipulating the lines didn't help - neither rotating, mirroring or reversing solved the issue.

Huge thanks in advance once again!

Dragan

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Hi
Please, can you share more info with some images or preferably a scene file saved for the lower Max version so more users can open it?


ShaneMcG

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Here's the file: DOWNLOAD

Lowest Max version I could save in was Max 2019.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2022, 09:53:46 PM by ShaneMcG »

Dragan

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Thank you for the file.
Ok. I see the point. A lot of work placing all the vertical splines and using separate Back/Front RC objects.

I`ll suggest a different approach and use Markers. I just created a simple example file for you.
Place a marker on the Gutter_Base Spline and set the height for each marker. (you can select multiple markers in viewport once you click on modifier)

Sorry, I don`t have more time to elaborate, I`m on a deadline project again.

note1: I just eyeballed the position for the downpipe so I`m not sure if this is 100% accurate (I noted the Transform node in the Style editor if you need to adjust it more). it seems that the original geometry for the start of the downpipe does not match the gutter geometry. The Start_Hole segment seems to be just placed under the gutter so there is no hole on the gutter looking from above. So when placed on the marker position there are some misalignments because of non-match geometry (you can extract all the segments and fix geometry to match it all).

note2: I could make it `auto height calculation` but this will depend on your terrain. You could use Xsplinecoords.z for calculation or some macros, but this is a more advanced approach.

Please let me know if this makes any sense for you.
Dragan
« Last Edit: January 27, 2022, 08:09:14 AM by Dragan »

ShaneMcG

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Thank you for the file.
Ok. I see the point. A lot of work placing all the vertical splines and using separate Back/Front RC objects.

I`ll suggest a different approach and use Markers. I just created a simple example file for you.
Place a marker on the Gutter_Base Spline and set the height for each marker. (you can select multiple markers in viewport once you click on modifier)

Sorry, I don`t have more time to elaborate, I`m on a deadline project again.

note1: I just eyeballed the position for the downpipe so I`m not sure if this is 100% accurate (I noted the Transform node in the Style editor if you need to adjust it more). it seems that the original geometry for the start of the downpipe does not match the gutter geometry. The Start_Hole segment seems to be just placed under the gutter so there is no hole on the gutter looking from above. So when placed on the marker position there are some misalignments because of non-match geometry (you can extract all the segments and fix geometry to match it all).

note2: I could make it `auto height calculation` but this will depend on your terrain. You could use Xsplinecoords.z for calculation or some macros, but this is a more advanced approach.

Please let me know if this makes any sense for you.
Dragan

Hi Dragan and hue thanks for your time and help! Please, though, don't let my questions interfere with your own private and work life. I already have a solution, so I can wait for a better one as long as it takes. Anyway - good luck with your project and deadline!

I'll download the file and study it carefully, as I'm really eager to learn and utilize RC as good as it gets! Thank you very much again, for helping me with that!

Dragan

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 ;)
No problem at all, it was 15 min job...
With nested Generators and markers you do not need vertical splines and additional RC objects so it could be more convenient for work/changes. And if you have a flat ground floor then it is one Arithmetic node from automatic height placement.

ShaneMcG

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It's a dope solution! Hopefully others are able to see it and learn from it, too!
I'll experiment with it a lot, for sure!

Thank you!

Dragan

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Hahaha...
No dope, just a simple use of Markers.
Test it first and you will see, it is not as scary as you think.  ;)