Simple modeling... stuck on basics!

[-andrew-]

So as you probably realize from my many frequent posts, I've got a project and am jumping back into FZ... and running into specific things I haven't dealt with before (in FZ).

This time... I have a basic object, a wall, 14' wide x 2' deep x 16' high. Easy enough.

Then, I want to make a cutout in the wall, 1" deep, 16x9 proportions, 2" in from each edge and 3' up from the floor.

In SketchUp, this takes about 20 seconds, in this way:

1) Create wall

2) Drag vertical guide in 2" from left (tape measure, numeric input)

3) Drag vertical guide in 2" from right

4) Drag horizontal guide up from bottom 3'

5) Create rectangle on surface,  at 16" x 9", at intersection of left & bottom guides

6) Select rectangle and scale proportionally from top right corner to right guide

7) Push 1"

 (see image); in FZ, I am fighting grids, getting guides in the right place, visibility of guides, inconsistent snapping...

Not sure what I'm missing here, but I think it must be something fundamental. What's the best way to do this?

 

[vva]

In FormZ, this takes about 15 seconds, in this way:

1) Create wall

2) Drag vertical guide in 2" from left > use "Offset a Segment" !

3) Drag vertical guide in 2" from right > use "Offset a Segment" !

4) Drag horizontal guide up from bottom 3' > use "Offset a Segment" !

you don't need > 5) Create rectangle on surface,  at 16" x 9", at intersection of left & bottom guides

you don't need > 6) Select rectangle and scale proportionally from top right corner to right guide

7) Push 1" with the "Transform Tool"

good luck

vva

[-andrew-]

How can I make sure what I create after offsetting segments is 16:9 proportions?

Even if that works, in the long run, I think this would end up creating a lot of extra geometry.

[Andrew West]

One of the great strengths of Form.z is that there are usually many different ways to create the same geometry.  The forums are full of variations on techniques to do things and everyone has their preferred method.  In this case I would just create the wall and then go to the front view in elevation.  Turn on grid snap and set it to one inch increments.  Then go to the rectangle tool, select the 2D surface option and make sure that Insert is selected.  Draw a 16x9 rectangle on the surface of the wall where you want it.  You can now use the transform tool to offset the rectangle in by 1". 

[-andrew-]

Hey Andrew - the rectangle isn't 16x9... it's 16:9 at whatever size it scales up to when fitted between the 2" margin on each side of the structure. 

What your'e describing is the first thing I tried. Seems simple... but doesn't work. When scaling up the original 16"x9" rectangle, it doesn't snap properly to the grid, or, in this case, the edge of the offset segment.

Is there a free screen capture software you know of (PC)? I'll make a video.

[¢hris £und]

1. Start with your wall.

2. set your grid snap to 2"

3. Using the insert option of the rectangle tool, start your new rectangle 2" in and 3' up and draw a 16" x 9" rectangle.

4. Select the new 16x9 face

5. Using the scale tool, scale it up until it is 2" shy of the far edge

6. Using the reshape tool, push it in the depth you want (if your still on 2", watch the - or + values and type the actual distance you want in the direction you want - or.+)

[-andrew-]

Hey Chris - 

I think that was the first thing I tried, and it wouldn't snap properly during scaling. You can see in my image in my first post that not only did I have snapping on, but even tried it with a guide set up at that 2" distance...

I see you posted again regarding scaling a face on another face, so I will go read that but assume it's something to do with this?

thanks

[snow]

1.  create your wall

2. use offset segment tool (insert OFF) to offset 2" from each side and 3' from bottom (you can also use guides here, but it'll take more clicks)

3. define reference plane on your wall

4. draw a rectangle (insert OFF) starting at the bottom left corner with a length of 16" and a width of 9"

5. use a guide to mark the 16:9 ratio of the rectangle in the previous setp

6. draw another rectangle (with insert ON) in the same bottom left corner and follow the guide to the intersection on the other side of the wall.

7.  reshape -1" and delete offset lines, guides, reference rectangle.

 

After doing this, I realize it would be REALLY beneficial if you could lock your aspect ratio in the rectangle tool options...   🤔

 

[-andrew-]

Here's what I did:

1) Create wall (14' w x 2' d x 16' tall)

2) Set grids to 2"

3) Draw 16x9 rectangle on the surface of the wall, 2" in from left side

4) Use uniform scale tool on rectangle, clicking first on bottom left corner (carefully! It's easy to miss it somehow, even with snapping) and then click bottom right corner, and dragging horizontally to the grid 2" in from the right. Clicking on the upper right corner snaps to the corner but will not snap accurately to the grid or guides...

[¢hris £und]

Andrew, I had no problems when I generated it with the scaling/snapping.  Yes, the other post did have to do with this, but more as a bug report, as I tried something else first that I thought would have been faster.  Turns out to not work at all.

I did not use a guide, but just grid snapping set at 2".  Still haven't got used to using the guides.

[-andrew-]

50 minutes ago, Chris lund said:

Andrew, I had no problems when I generated it with the scaling/snapping.  Yes, the other post did have to do with this, but more as a bug report, as I tried something else first that I thought would have been faster.  Turns out to not work at all.

I did not use a guide, but just grid snapping set at 2".  Still haven't got used to using the guides.

Thanks Chris - did you snap using the diagonal corner?

[¢hris £und]

no, went horizontal until I was 2" shy of the wall edge (using 2" grid snap)   admittedly, this wouldn't work if your wall wasn't divisible by 2"

[Justin Montoya]

Great feedback everyone.  I think it's safe to say there are a few different ways of doing this as fast or faster than Sketchup.  That's what I love about FormZ.  It's flexibility to accurately model things quickly.  SketchUp is great for basic stuff, but you really need several addons before it is anywhere near as powerful as FormZ's modeling.