Offset Surface Tool - Wall and Slab Offset

[setz]

There used to be separate options for Wall and Slab Offset amounts for the Parallel Tool (now named Offset Surface Tool).

 

These options were very useful in that 99% of the time I only require Wall Offsets and would set the Slab Offset to 0.  Currently it requires extra steps to reduce the top and bottom surfaces back to where they were prior to the offset operation.  I do prefer the single field input for distance over the previous system.

 

Perhaps adding radio buttons for "Wall", "Slab", and "Wall and Slab" would be a simple way to implement this functionality.

[allanjl]

Setz,

 

My work is architectural and I deal with multiple floor levels all the time. I don't recall extra steps when I offset. Usually I offset a plane whatever distance I input, then I simply thicken it to whatever the new slab needs to be. I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Maybe you can post some images?

[setz]

Hi Allan,

 

I'm speaking of the effects of the Offset Surface Tool on solid objects.  I actually don't use this tool on Surfaces because I invariably want to make a solid from the offset surface and the Thicken Tool does this in one step.  The Parallel Tool (used on solids) from V6 had these options:

FormZ 8 does not have the Parallel Tool anymore but it's function has been replaced by the Offset Surface Tool which has only one Option, the Distance field.  Here is example of what the Parallel Tool offered previously, and which I would like to have available again:

The Cube on the Left has been offset by "Wall" only and cube the Righft has been Offset by "Wall and Slab".  The option to expand a solid only laterally and not vertically although seemingly obscure and unimportant was actually super useful and I miss it daily.