Author Topic: Handling messy scenes?  (Read 6676 times)

2016-07-26, 04:43:51

Benny

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I've received a scene in Revit format and imported it to separate objects based on their materials, as that is the fastest way I know to get it generally render ready.

However, the down side is that elements like walls etc becomes one object and the whole scene very messy to handle. In this case I need to render a room in the middle of the building and it is difficult to separate things that are on the level above or below when looking in wireframe. I would need something like the section box they have in Revit. Anyone heard of a plug in like that? Anyone with tips on how to handle something like this? I would like to work orthographic so a camera cutoff plane wouldn't help either.

2016-07-26, 09:15:39
Reply #1

Benny

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Played around a bit and both quick slice and slice requires that all objects are selected, which becomes a bit heavy. Will experiment more.

Clipping planes are not useful here, I need to move around and manipulate the scene.

Section generate a section so not what I'm looking for.

I would like to try Scalpelmax and see what that can do, but at $150 or so it feels a bit over priced for my use.

I googled Revit section box and that would really be something, what an incredible tool.

2016-07-26, 10:24:36
Reply #2

fellazb

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Then why not export a section box from Revit?

2016-07-26, 15:58:44
Reply #3

Benny

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I don't have (or not it that well) Revit so it would be a bit inconvenient but not a bad idea.

The other problem is that I do many shots of the same house with views that see other areas so I'm looking for something that can help me in the modeling/tweaking phase.

I was mostly interest in what other people do with complex scenes though?  Organize everything in layers that can be shut off?

2016-07-26, 16:30:11
Reply #4

Frood

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Organize everything in layers that can be shut off?

Yes, this. Additionally: Xref scenes (which could again have layers you can control in your main scene).

Good Luck


Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2016-07-26, 16:40:29
Reply #5

PROH

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Yes, that is also how I do it :)

2016-07-26, 16:52:33
Reply #6

Benny

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Thanks. I kind of do it, but I typically import revit files by materials, which makes it very fast to get the scene up and rendering. Problem is of course that for example all glass becomes one object and subdividing it is time consuming, and lost if there is an update to the revit model.

Anyone working with revit imports that would be kind enough to share some knowledge?

2016-07-26, 17:34:21
Reply #7

Frood

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but I typically import revit files by materials

Makes no difference, you can still divide the model in to parts by detaching elements (subobject level) from the material mess :)

that for example all glass becomes one object and subdividing it is time consuming

If you mean making single objects by "subdividing" then it's a matter of 10 seconds:

1. turn object to mesh if it's not already one
2. weld vertices with apropriate distance
3. go to element subobject level
4. find "explode" in the mesh rollout
5. enter 95 as angle
8. press explode with "Objects" active

Good Luck


Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2016-07-26, 17:35:22
Reply #8

Frood

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Yes, that is also how I do it :)

Maybe the reason is: There is no other reliable way in Max to do so :)

Good Luck

Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2016-07-26, 17:46:12
Reply #9

Juraj

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Same here. Just layer the shit but otherwise power through...

Lot of cleaning up stuff, merging together,etc..

I hate the files, but they still make the work faster. Revit + custom windows (our) + floorgen modifier + CoronaEdge for chamfers.
Please follow my new Instagram for latest projects, tips&tricks, short video tutorials and free models
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2016-07-26, 21:02:23
Reply #10

antanas

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 Yep it is inevitable and even if I mostly use Archicad and not Revit, principle is the same one needs to do manual layering merging and cleaning, there's no other way (
 What is the most frustrating, that there is nothing close to bim like floor\elevation\section system in max - and how much it would benefit all of us archvizers out there is hard to understate, well a lot - just imagine manually placeable floor and elevation views with a max and min object viewable heights\distances )), and what's even more frustrating thing about it is what, I believe, it would be possible to do using some not so complex tools done in maxscript combining currently available 3dsmax's viewport clipping and layering features into something like that system, yet no one, nor the people capable of doing it, nor autodesk (though they don't do that for obvious reasons) seems to care.
 One useful tip to add besides rambling would be this
rather basic but often missed trick which is very useful for working on some specific part of the building or some larger scene in general )
And yeah - don't forget editable mesh with it's hidden edges function - when you finish editing some, let's say, walls with all their crappily cut out windows doors etc. it an be quite handy to convert them to editable mesh (if done by edit mesh modifier then all non mesh editing modifiers like uvw maps or something like corona displacement can be preserved) and hide all those nasty cad\bim generated edges (or any not so nasty but still distracting support loops etc) to later work with somewhat cleaner or at least more pleasant looking model - takes not too much of a time to do but can make navigation in 2d wireframe views way less frustrating and WAY less distracting for sure - as an example think of how the sketchup's geometry's realy looks like and how the user sees it and interacts with it in it's viewport )     

2016-07-27, 05:57:13
Reply #11

Benny

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If you mean making single objects by "subdividing" then it's a matter of 10 seconds:

1. turn object to mesh if it's not already one
2. weld vertices with apropriate distance
3. go to element subobject level
4. find "explode" in the mesh rollout
5. enter 95 as angle
8. press explode with "Objects" active

Good Luck

Thanks, that was extremely useful, never dared to do something like that before with these sometimes massive models. I must say I'm a bit nervous what happens if I get an updated model (I have it linked) but I guess I'll worry about that tomorrow.  :)

2016-07-27, 06:10:15
Reply #12

Benny

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What is the most frustrating, that there is nothing close to bim like floor\elevation\section system in max - and how much it would benefit all of us archvizers out there is hard to understate, well a lot - just imagine manually placeable floor and elevation views with a max and min object viewable heights\distances )), and what's even more frustrating thing about it is what, I believe, it would be possible to do using some not so complex tools done in maxscript combining currently available 3dsmax's viewport clipping and layering features into something like that system, yet no one, nor the people capable of doing it, nor autodesk (though they don't do that for obvious reasons) seems to care.

Personally I think that section box thingie they have in Revit would be awesome:

It has apparently been improved recently as well, now you can just select some of the objects of interest and choose selection box:

The speakers are unfortunately a bit slow to get to the point, speeding them up 50% or so helps and they are pretty short.


2016-07-27, 14:49:13
Reply #13

antanas

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Yep a good thing that one and Archicad too got some very much similar one which can make life ten times easier in some situations and it would be no less handy to have simmilar tool in 3ds max for sure, but there's no such thing yet and I highly doubt it will appear in a near future (