Dynamic Sections?

VisualARQ
1

The Video Tutorial shows the creation of “Dynamic Sections,” which apparently perform like Rhino’s clipping planes.

A Dynamic Section tool/command isn’t available on my current installation of VisualArq 2.1.2.12223 (which I’m about to update to current). The help window for this command refers to Dynamic Section view, though. Is it concealed or has it been superceded?

2

Hi @Djhg,

In VisualARQ 2, the dynamic section has been deprecated and replaced by realtime per-viewport sections, using the new section manager, which is just like the level manager, but for sections:

image

The new implementation has many advantages:

  • Support for section attributes
  • Much faster as section is computed using OpenGL, not mesh-mesh boolean like in Dynamic Sections.
  • Per-viewport sections
  • Works with block instances
  • Jogged sections
  • Is it possible to have a level cut and a section cut in the same viewport

image%20(1)

The only drawback is that is no longer possible to render a section, but this feature will be added in future VisualARQ releases.

Thanks,

Enric

2 Likes
3

Not sure it’s working properly on my system, Enric. It doesn’tdisplay the thickness of objects, but it does in fact display (though in the same anomalous way) in Rendered View mode.

DJHGRenderedViewSection
DJHGRenderedViewSection1382×723 153 KB
DJHGShadedViewSection
DJHGShadedViewSection1382×723 187 KB

4

HEre’s the project file.

SavoieTutorialFromTemplateCurrent 005.3dm (10.2 MB)

5

HEre is what it looks like with Shadows. You can see that the cut surface isn’t displayed.

DJHGRenderedShadowsViewSection
DJHGRenderedShadowsViewSection1382×723 168 KB

6

Other issues:

  1. Solid fills don’t become activated in Section Views despite following directions from the tutorial video.
  2. Unless I have saved and reopened a project containing a non-updating Section view, it updates if I move it, even though “Auto Update” remains unchecked in its properties.
  3. However, now that I have saved and reopened the project, all objects except windows and a couple of walls and slabs (only, but not all, ones that have been edited) display as wireframe in Shaded mode
    DJHGShadedAnomalies
    DJHGShadedAnomalies1382×723 476 KB
    (images attached.)
7

Hi @djhg This is what I see when I open your model with VisualARQ 2.2.

image
image.jpg985×496 155 KB

What VisualARQ version are you using? I don’t know what makes your model not be seen properly in section, but just install the last 2.2 version and let me know if the problem persists.(http://www.visualarq.com/download/)
Cheers,

8

Thanks Francesc. Sorry about that - I thought I was up to date.
That fixes everything except item 2 above: Though Section View’s properties have “Auto Update” unchecked, it updates when it is moved unless the project has been saved, closed, and reopened. Please check that out on the project I sent and let me know what you think.

9

@djhg plan and section views don’t update automatically when saving or opening a document even if they have the “Auto-update” option enabled. This is done on purpose because if these 2D drawings were complex and took long to generate (which is something that may happen if there is a big amount of geometry to draw), you should wait for them to be generated everytime you open or save the model.

10

Thanks, but the problem isn’t the behaviour with saving, francesc; it is when a section updates when it is moved, though auto-update isn’t checked or desired.

11

That should not happen. Can you share a model where this happens? (visualarq@asuni.com)

12

It happens in the same file where the Plan Views update unwantedly (and others) please see that email.

13

… now that I have emailed the correct version of the file…

14

@djhg the plan and section views update when you change their layer, not when you move them (and regardless of the “Auto-update” status)

15

On my system, it updates them also if they are moved with the gumball arrows.

16

Ok. I cannot reproduce this behavior. I wonder what you are doing different. Is it possible you can record a short video or an animated gif and send it to visualarq@asuni.com? That way I can figure out what’s happening. I use this app for gifs: http://www.cockos.com/licecap/
We can also arrange an online meeting if you prefer.

17

Here it is.
I changed the layer of the rightmost plan and it updated, as you know.
I undid that layer change.
I moved the plan up with the gumball arrow and it updated.
The same thing happens with the elevation, which becomes a section.
But it doesn’t update if I use the CLI move command.

RogueUpdates1
RogueUpdates11549×645 95.1 KB

18

@djhg Thanks for the gif.
This is what I think it happens:

  1. When you change the layer of the PlanView object, the plan view regenerates (this is how it actually works)
  2. When you undo the layer change, the plan view doesn’t update until you move it.
  3. What does it happen if you move it a second time without changing its layer? Does the plan view update then?
19
  1. But only if you move it with the Gumball arrows, not the CLI?
  2. No, it doesn’t update again when moved with the Gumball arrows a second time.
20

I must add that it is annoying that plan views are recalculated each time I move the text object. Another strange thong is that after exploding plan view the text is not movable (it’s model text, not just rhino text object). So adjusting it to desired layout is painful.