Why Is The 3-D Molding Sometimes Being Put Under The Drywall Or On Wrong Wall?

[Fun2Learn]

HI. I have been having problems with 3-d molding lines . I have been consistently having problems with the vertical 3-d moldings (applied in cross section) being installed  under the drywall surface on certain walls. Although I can often see the outline of the molding, I can't select it unless I  delete the drywall surface; then I can see the color and details of the molding and can then select it. This has happened on several walls. Also, I have noticed that sometimes when I draw a 3-d molding line, it actually puts the molding on a wall 30' or so behind the original wall on which I was trying to apply it, despite making sure I was well back from the edge of the wall! I also am having this problem as I am trying to put additional trim onto the outside of a decorative column surround--it keeps putting the trim under the wood surround! Is this just a quirk of the program that I have to live with?  Any ideas? Do you find it better to draw a line and then convert it to a 3-d polyline, or draw a polyline solid and then convert it  to a molding line or?  Thanks in advance for any helpful tips you can give me.

 

Also--is there a way to change the default molding that is drawn when you draw a 3-d molding line or polyline?

 

Thanks,

Phyllis

 

 

[lbuttery]

Phyllis:

 

no ideas ???

 

but you may be able to select the molding by using the tab key to cycle thru the objects in that area ???

 

Lew

[DRAWZILLA]

Do you have the inside, outside checked correctly.

[Fun2Learn]

Thanks Lew for the suggestion, but I have already tried to use the tab key to cycle through to select--the molding is definitely at least partly underneath the surface though. Perry--I will try to see it the inside outside wall thing is perhaps the problem. I forget that even interior walls have an interior and exterior side. I am not sure yet how that affects moldings, but I am going to look at my plan now and will get back to you all! (I did ask Chief tech about this and they didn't have any definitive answer, though they did have a good work around for one particular area I was having problems. However I would really like to understand what is actually causing this behavior as I am having it in other instances as well.)

Thanks much,

Phyllis

[Fun2Learn]

I just double checked to see if reversing the wall layers would help. I tried reversing the wall layers of one particular wall that was giving me problems with the molding, then applying the molding. The molding appeared in outline only (no color) and could not be selected. Then, just for the heck of it, I tried reversing the layers again, while the molding was still on there. After I did that , I could see the white color of the molding!!! However, I still could not select it until I deleted the wall surface ( 1/2" drywall--nothing fancy or unusual).

 

Oh well, I can probably work around this, but just wonder what is going on. I was wondering if it is a quirk of x6, but if no one else is experiencing this....

Thanks again for trying to help,

Phyllis

[glennw]

Do you have the inside, outside checked correctly.

 

 

I think what Perry is referring to are the settings in the 3D Molding Polyline Specification dbx...Moldings panel...Selected Profile Offset section.

Try changing the Extrude Inside Polyline setting and see if that does the trick.

Or play with the Offset values if the above doesn't work.

[Fun2Learn]

I checked the "extrude Inside" polyline setting and it doesn't make any difference whether it is checked or unchecked.  (this was a vertical molding line applied in cross section.)  I am coming to the conclusion that it must be a computer quirk in the program or something about my particular plan.

 

Thanks anyway.

[jcaffee]

If I'm working with moldings in elevation, I exaggerate the molding size.  Then, switch to plan so I can grab it and position properly.  Then I resize to final. 

 

Often it takes a few tries in plan using the "Next" button to select the molding.

 

jon

[Fun2Learn]

Thanks, Jon. These are vertical moldings (casing that has to be applied manually around an unusual opening), so I have to use 3-D moldings which have to be applied in section, correct? 

  How do I change the default molding to something larger so I can grab it easily?

Thanks,

Phyllis

[ebdesign]

You can draw 3D molding p-lines in plan, although I rarely do. Usually when they are drawn in an elevation/section they attach to the closest wall surface. Usually.

When I draw them, I always use a very narrow clipped section drawn directly in front of the wall.  Select the p-line in elevation while you still can & note the layer. What layer it goes on can vary depending on how the 3D molding p-line is created. If you can't find it in plan view, use the All Off layer set w/ just that layer displayed & you'll find it. it's usually on the 1st flr, but that may not always be the case either. If you know it's there, but still can't find it, just group select the area where it is & then deselect everything else until that is the only object left. Multi segmented 3D polylines need to be group selected somehow to move them anyway.

[jcaffee]

Ok, I've done this in vertical on furniture.  If I remember, draw the molding line in elevation, when you select the molding, give at an exaggerated size.  E.g., if the molding defaults @ 3x1/2 make it 8x3, so you can see it in plan view.  Then, in plan select the molding by whatever means you can.  When it is selected you will have one "edit" handle which you can use to drag the molding into position.  If it's not where you expect, check walls/surfaces behind what you believed the insertion point is.

 

Once dragged into position in plan, move back to elevation to verify, then reset size in the dbx.

 

jon

[glennw]

Time to stop guessing and post the plan.