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When I receive a PM request, and the response is of a general nature applicable to many situations, I prefer to post in public to better support the community.
Scaling AEC objects.
Basic rules I use when working with AEC objects:
1. Never use the Scale tool.
2. Never use the Rescale World Units utility.
Scale is good when used at the sub-object level on mesh and poly objects, but it is not appropriate for AEC objects. While it appears the object is larger, the dimensions in the objects parameters have not changed. If you Scale an 8 foot tall Wall 200%, it still is an 8 foot tall Wall, with a Scale Transform applied. This applies to all parametric objects. Scale a Sphere with a radius of 100 to 200%. Open the Modify panel and the Sphere still has a radius of 100, but it has a Scale transform of 200% so in the viewport it is twice as large.
As AEC objects do not have the same sub-objects as mesh and poly objects, scaling at the sub-object level is not always possible. Example, you cannot Snap to a vertex in an AEC Wall, however you can Scale an AEC Wall Segment to change the length of the wall (using Pivot Point Center).
Rescale World Units has the extra added unwanted feature of offsetting the object’s position in World Space. Doors and Windows change the parameter values, but Walls simply change position in World Space. This will give unexpected results if you have AEC Doors and Windows in an AEC Wall.
Basic procedures I use to change the size of AEC objects.
1. If the object has a value parameter, use it.
2. If I must Scale, I’ll convert the objects to Editable Mesh or Editable Poly and Scale at vertex sub-object level, or apply an XForm modifier and Scale.
3. If I must use Rescale World Units due to a Unit Scale difference between two scenes, then I’ll convert the objects to Editable Mesh or Editable Poly and Rescale the selection or the scene.
I prefer to use option 1 above, and only option 2 and 3 when absolutely necessary.
All of the AEC objects are fairly straight forward in setting the value parameters, except AEC Walls. For the AEC Walls you need to operated at the sub-object level.
To change the Height or Width of a Wall:
1. Select the Wall object and in the Modify panel go to the Segment sub-object level.
2. In the viewport, select the segment (the portion of the Wall you want to operate on).
3. In the Modify panel, change the Height or Width values as needed.
To change the length of a Wall:
1. Select the Wall object and in the Modify panel go to the Vertex sub-object level.
2. In the viewport, select and Move the desired vertex or vertices. (Note: You can use Scale on Pivot Point Center, with a selection of segments to lengthen the walls.)
Special Note:
In the Rescale World Units dialog, a scale factor of 1.0 is the same as using the Scale tool at 100%.
Tim Wilbers [FA]
College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Visual Arts
University of Dayton
http://www.udayton.edu/
3ds Max: 7.5, 8, 9, 2008, 2009, 2010
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