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Feature wish list - please add you own requests...


3dworks

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when a new FZ version is about to be released, it's an exciting time and at the same time makes me think why certain requests never make it into the new version.that's why i would like to open a thread with this topic and let revive those old requests. let's post some of the never fulfilled wishes of us old and new FZ users, hoping that FZ developers find a way to implement them ;-)

 

 

* import options (especially DWG): autocenter and presets

 

i'd start right away with an old request for an import dialog which can handle the fact that many CAD files (as such we use mostly DWG here) have large origin offsets (because they are using custom internal studio setups). with each new client we have it is a time consuming trial and error procedure to import the scene at the right scale and with the correct offset. we have to use a process which includes separated x and y negative coordinate copying from the coordinate window into the import 'move' coordinate boxes. takes time and is error prone. a solution to this would be to implement an 'autocenter drawing' button (with an option to keep z coordinates as they are), and additionally a preset function to store the scame and move factors for consistency when reimporting the DWG's.

 

 

* facetting options based on number of circle subdivisions.

 

i am still badly missing this, since the whole facetted/smooth modeling paradigm in FZ6  was changed to 'display resolution schemes' with FZ7. in FZ6 you could build entire facetted models based on the number of facets per circle, which is still quite relevant if you build models for the gaming industry, for example. i remember you promised to bring back those V6 options when further developing V7 but i never did see any improvement on this one. i can live with custom schemes setups but this is definitely a missing option which needs me to go back to version 6 sometimes.

 

to be continued... pleas feel free to add your own requests to this list...

 

markus

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* select by criteria using active element(s)

 

populate checkboxes of the select by criteria dialog with the attributes of the current selection as far as possible. or better add a context menu 'select similar'...

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 I really miss the ability to assign a texture map material a distinct wireframe color.  By default now the wireframe is always "material average" and for all my texture mapped geometry I have to go in to each object and assign it a wireframe color individually.  Very awkward.  For what its worth some of us still work quite extensively in wireframe mode and this would keep things much more organized.

 

One thing that would make a huge difference in Form.z is the ability to assign a material a displacement map rather than just a bump map.  Most  modeling programs have had this for quite some time.

 

If I select an object/face/ point/ etc and  click on a tool then decide to switch to another tool the selection goes away.  I then have to reselect the geometry and then click on the correct tool.  This worked much better in 6.7. 

 

I would love the ability to stop a render in the middle of it when I see a mistake.  On simple models this works fine but on complicated ones it seems that form.z uses all of the system resources and hitting Command period or escape has no affect.  The only solution that I have ever found is to make sure you save your project prior to hitting the render button.  Then if there is a mistake you start the task manager and force quit the program.  The other option is to constantly hit Command period in the hopes that you catch the system between scan lines. 

 

Please bring back the ability to put openings in walls/geometry in wireframe mode.  Resorting to the boolean dif tool is slow and awkward.

 

Please bring back the old functionality of the trim with line tool rather than the new slice tool.  It was much more versatile.

 

improve the ability to import Revit models.   And all other imports for that matter.  Right now I have to bring them into Max, simplify them and break them up to get them into Form.z.   I have found lately that everyone designs in 3D these days and they all think they are doing me a favor by providing a model.  Form.z is very intolerant of bad geometry.  Rightfully so.  However, some of my projects have no 2D drawings and the only thing they give me is the model to work with.  If this is the case it usually doubles my work load to take each piece of a model isolate it and rebuild it.  I have always just accepted that this was unavoidable but I have also found that when Form.z can not properly open and render an outside model other programs can.  So I do know that it is possible.

 

And lastly,  Please Please Please find a different rendering engine. 

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In 8.02 when drawing a 2d shape (i.e. wall, ploygon) and then extruding it later, the height does not work correctly.

That is in top view: click the shape, input value in the prompt pallette - I always get 0,01m extruded, no matter what I type in.

(Only in top view, works in 3D view)

Will this be fixed ?

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I would like the old feature of importing lighting or views from another file directly in the lighting or view palettes. It saves time of opening another file and waiting for Z8 to paste over. 

 

Clarissa

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Andrew - if you assign a Layer override you can choose the edge color and it will display that for all the objects on the layer.  Turn on/off the override at necessary.  I work in wireframe a lot also and like colors.  Not sure if that helps or not, but just thought I would suggest it.  It sounds like you want to identify by material though and perhaps that was a feature from v6 that has been lost.

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Section Tool ability to use a segment (cuts perp to active Plane) rather than limited to face-polygon as a cutting plane definition.  Ability to disable "edit" behavior for direct, quick and efficient functioning of this tool - click on segment or face, click on target object, done - no dialogs.

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Section Tool ability to disable "edit" behavior for direct, quick and efficient functioning of this tool - click on segment or face, click on target object, done - no dialogs.

 

You can -- just uncheck Dynamic, no?

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Amount/Speed of screen rotation could be increased or made adjustable in Prefs.

 

For Example, Dragging the mouse across the full width of the screen produces about this much rotation of the scene in different software:

 
Vectorworks ±1170º
Maya ±1000º
3D Coat ±630º
Modo ±560º
Rhino ±540º
FZ6 ±530º
FZ7 and 8 ±180º
Sketchy Up ±135º
 
​With such a small amount of rotation, repeated "pawing" with the mouse is required to orbit around an object.
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Clones.  They were simple and wonderful alternative to Components and very helpful as a quick and convenient tool in the modeling process.

Unlock Components, and set them to update automatically?

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I wish for a full screen or at least editable size window for the component manager and higher definition thumbnail views to make selection from a large collection easier.

The component manager is, however, much improved since V7 and it is very much appreciated.

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