Issue with the Connect Line Tool

[Corey]

Apologies for such a late reply, but here are the steps that I took to receive the strange extrusion (I honestly have no idea what I'm doing). What steps would I have to apply to reach well, the appropriate stage. What steps must I take to use the inset tool as a replacement for the contour?

On a side note, what I did might make a good spiral staircase of some sort..

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fkvnslwim0vj7n...T.gif?dl=0


Oh and thanks for still helping out!

[micheus]

What steps would I have to apply to reach well, the appropriate stage. What steps must I take to use the inset tool as a replacement for the contour?

They are almost the same - just the new one has more options (controls).
Anyway, by activating the command using RMB will result in "extract" operation, but without you finish the command you can do two things:
- move -> to scale the new region created (D);
- dragging (keep LMB pressed while moving) to define the extrusion distance (Bump).

So, for this tutorial, what is proposed is you just run the command and finish it without any adjustment. You can do that by just acting the command [RMB] followed by a finish action [RMB] (see the Information line).

You also have another option to get the same result by using Extrude command and changing nothing too.

For the Circularize command, that information in the tutorial about the "flatten step" you also will need to pay attention to the Information line - in this case, to the right side of it.

For the step which you read "Now move it outward by a little bit." you can use move normal command that will move the face forward in this case, since it's a flat face.

[Corey]

Tutorial Step 1. Select a region like so, and make a contour with 0 value. You can use tab and set Dx to 0 while the contour command is active.

Our Step 1. Select a region like so, then make a inset with 0 value [RMB] followed by a finish action [RMB]. Alternatively you can get the same result using the extrude command and changing nothing.

Tutorial Step 2. With the contour area still active, press L for Loop. Then with the edge loop selected, circularize by 100%. You can also save a flatten step by using the flatten option while circularize is active. Look at your status bar to find the appropriate keystroke to enable it.

Our step 2. With the inset/extrude area still alive, press L for loop. Then with the edge loop selected use the Circularize command [LMB]... Exclamation

My query: Now with this step, in the right click menu, when you hover over the circularize command it says in the information line [L: Flatten, Equalize and Inflate selected edge loops too make them circular]. I choose the [LMB] Option, then on the right hand side there is a toggle "Flatten/Don't Flatten". I make it display "Flatten", I then hit tab set 'Diametric Factor' = 0, 'Circularize = 100%'. If I am doing this correctly this does not match the tutorial image and instead has more diagonal lines, this also deselects all of the edges.

Tutorial Step 3. Then press shift-L to select the region inside the loop. Then dissolve the faces. Now move it outward by a little bit.

Our Step 3. For the step which you read "Now move it outward by a little bit." you can use move normal command that will move the face forward in this case, since it's a flat face.

My Assumption: After we fix up the previous step, I imagine this will work perfectly, at the moment I lose selection of the edges and after re-selecting, and hitting 'Shift L' I only get one face. If I don't Hit 'Shift L' and move outwards I get a standard cylinder movement.

[micheus]

Tutorial Step 2. With the contour area still active, press L for Loop. Then with the edge loop selected, circularize by 100%. You can also save a flatten step by using the flatten option while circularize is active. Look at your status bar to find the appropriate keystroke to enable it.

Our step 2. With the inset/extrude area still alive, press L for loop. Then with the edge loop selected use the Circularize command [LMB]...

you don't need to change the second part of the process - it's OK for the way it is.

My query: Now with this step, in the right click menu, when you hover over the circularize command it says in the information line [L: Flatten, Equalize and Inflate selected edge loops too make them circular]. I choose the [LMB] Option, then on the right hand side there is a toggle "Flatten/Don't Flatten".

I make it display "Flatten", I then hit tab set 'Diametric Factor' = 0, 'Circularize = 100%'. If I am doing this correctly this does not match the tutorial image and instead has more diagonal lines, this also deselects all of the edges.

It's only a misconception about the operation. If you hit [1] and see the text "Flatten" in right hand side it's because you choose the "Don't Flatten" option (that's the active one).
The nice thing about the preview actions in Wings3D is that by switching between them just hitting [1] many times you should be able to see the different result.

You also can play with actions - moving or dragging the mouse - and cancel the action by hitting [ESC] - It's the way you run try/error process and learn how the command works or what you can do using its options/variations.

Tutorial Step 3. Then press shift-L to select the region inside the loop. Then dissolve the faces. Now move it outward by a little bit.

Our Step 3. For the step which you read "Now move it outward by a little bit." you can use move normal command that will move the face forward in this case, since it's a flat face.

the "Our Step 3" is not replacing all the "Tutorial Step 3" - only the last part of the text. It was a suggestion. You could use move along an axis in case it become aligned with one of three axis; or you could use move along axis with the [RMB] for pick the axis to move the face along; ...

Don't be afraid to test the commands options, even getting wrong results. You always can cancel it ([ESC]) or if finish it you still can use Undo [CTRL+Z] for switch between current state and previous one or [CTRL+ALT+Z] to undo many steps back.

[Corey]

Hey I'm getting more of a square than a circle, do you think you'd be able to test out the tutorial for yourself? Here is the link to the model (Hopefully this saves you some time, if you can help, as it is just before the step)

Thanks.


Link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4iuxbw1m2ofi24...wings?dl=0

[micheus]

Hey I'm getting more of a square than a circle, do you think you'd be able to test out the tutorial for yourself?

I already tested it for sure.

I download your file. If you tried to apply circularize to the object in that state, you will never get the right result, sorry.
Didn't we talk about to apply Inset using the RMB option?
That option works for region selection and LMB works for each face in the selection.

By just moving along the normal the selection you provided in the file I saw you must be used the LMB. Check the image bellow - 2nd picture - and compare with the last picture in the first row.
The first row show you how to fix that and the second how to reach the result you are looking for:

[Corey]

You are a legend! Haha, the clean-up command a long with everything we discussed earlier gave the successful edit!

While at one stage I somehow ran the circularize command and received a somewhat similar extrusion (after using a different restarted model, which for some reason didn't require a clean-up), hitting backspace actually deleted the entire thing! Which was because I rather foolishly had mistaken the tutorial for asking for 'D = 0' '100%'. This also gave me the strange square.

Thanks again, just for my own interest what does the clean-up command actually do?

[micheus]

It will remove faces with "zero size", isolated vertices, smallest edges and maybe something else. It has a RMB option which you can set some parameters.

But what about the process? Did you finally was able to produce the right shape?

[Corey]

It will remove faces with "zero size", isolated vertices, smallest edges and maybe something else. It has a RMB option which you can set some parameters.

But what about the process? Did you finally was able to produce the right shape?

Yes I successfully got up to the next part of the tutorial and am now attempting to make my propeller match the tutorial as close as possible. Which can be difficult considering how there are only "Play Around" measurements. I will certainly come back here if I run into anything beyond explainable.