Terrain Update Icon Appears Majically


IggySwartz
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I'm new to using terrain tools. I have installed a terrain for a plan. While working on non-terrain items in this plan often, but not always, the update terrain icon appears. To remove it I have to click on the build terrain tool. Is this normal?

Thanks

 

X-12 Premier

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Thanks, but I'm not sure this helps. As stated something has affected a change to the terrain and the icon means that a build is pending. I suspected that but what does changing a cabinet size have to do with the terrain? I'm doing normal plan object changes, not terrain object changes, like cabinet resizing when the icon shows.

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This is pretty normal when you auto rebuild terrain turned off.  Basically, changing all sorts of things will end up invalidating the terrain model.  So you can either turn on the auto rebuild or ignore the indicator and rebuild the terrain manually whenever you want to be sure it is up to date.

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12 minutes ago, Dermot said:

This is pretty normal when you auto rebuild terrain turned off.  Basically, changing all sorts of things will end up invalidating the terrain model. 

 

HUMM....   Has something changed ?   Pretty sure your previous comment was also in reference to X12

 

image.thumb.png.dced0732dc8e70bbd0e530943e8969fc.png

 

Very confusing for a new user and frustrating for the rest of us who have been using the software for a while. :(

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14 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

 

HUMM....   Has something changed ?   Pretty sure your previous comment was also in reference to X12

 

image.thumb.png.dced0732dc8e70bbd0e530943e8969fc.png

 

Very confusing for a new user and frustrating for the rest of us who have been using the software for a while. :(

Yes, very frustrating; I've been using since 1993 V1. When Terrain tools became available, I ignored them because I did not need to use them. I'm just now learning I'm not too interested in using them again.

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Just now, HumbleChief said:

Why can't you just turn 'on' auto build terrain? The icon should then disappear.

 

The point is that chief gave us the ability to turn it off for performance gain.  But then stuck an ugly icon to our cursor so we would not want to turn it off.  You can turn off the icon but then you loose all the other useful warnings that may pop up.  It is just a mess and Iggy is correct, what do kitchen cabinets have to do with terrain ???  Chief just twists the narrative to make it a sound good  when it would be easier just to fix the problem.

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Just to try and clarify again...

 

That symbol just means that something that might affect your terrain model has been changed and the program thinks that the terrain needs to be rebuilt.  Lot's and lot's of things can affect your terrain model in ways that are not always going to be obvious. 

 

For example, when you modify a cabinet that is attached to a wall, the program will rebuild your rooms so that your room moldings will be correct.  When the program rebuilds rooms, for any reason, the terrain model may need to be updated because the terrain heights and/or the hole we cut out for the building are dependent on the rooms and may need to be automatically adjusted.

 

The bottom line is that you can let the program automatically rebuild the terrain when it thinks it needs to or you can manually rebuild the terrain whenever you want to.  The symbol is just telling you when the program thinks that a rebuild needs to happen.  You can ignore this symbol until you want to be sure the terrain is up to date.  You can also choose to turn off the indicators but I don't recommend this.

 

If you still find this confusing, then I would highly recommend that you turn on auto rebuild terrain and try not worry about it.

 

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22 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

 

The point is that chief gave us the ability to turn it off for performance gain.  But then stuck an ugly icon to our cursor so we would not want to turn it off.  You can turn off the icon but then you loose all the other useful warnings that may pop up.  It is just a mess and Iggy is correct, what do kitchen cabinets have to do with terrain ???  Chief just twists the narrative to make it a sound good  when it would be easier just to fix the problem.

Interesting, never looked at it that way and was never really bothered by it but understood if it bothers others.

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"Chief just twists the narrative to make it a sound good when it would be easier just to fix the problem."

 

I'm not really sure how my trying to explain how the program works, which is actually very sophisticated and quite complicated, is twisting the narrative.  I try very hard to explain things as clearly as I can but have found that if I provide too much detail that it only confuses people more.

 

Regardless, I apologize if my attempts to explain this were not as helpful as you would have liked.

 

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2 minutes ago, HumbleChief said:

Interesting, never looked at it that way and was never really bothered by it but understood if it bothers others.

 

Some people can't work with grid lines or cross hairs stuck to their cursor, which I understand but they can be all be adjusted and customized or turned off.  Not so with the Rebuild Terrain Icon unless you have the latest hardware that does not beak a sweat with the largest plan file and you can leave everything turned on all the time.

 

It seems an attempt was made to streamline the software and isolate the terrain rebuild from all the other 3D items but the implementation of it is not user friendly.

 

It seems you are frustrated by this Dermot, but taking it out on a customer is just wrong no matter how you cut it.

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Quote

It seems you are frustrated by this Dermot, but taking it out on a customer is just wrong no matter how you cut it.

 

Actually, I have a strict personal policy of never posting while frustrated. 

 

Also, to be honest, I'm not sure how my responses can be interpreted as "taking it out on a customer" but regardless, I will apologize again if I have somehow offended you.

 

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7 minutes ago, Dermot said:

Also, to be honest, I'm not sure how my responses can be interpreted as "taking it out on a customer" but regardless, I will apologize again if I have somehow offended you.

 

I may have over reacted but I have never seen a situation like this before because it appeared as though you and another staff member have awarded and taken away possibly all but one of the reputation points in this thread unless others got involved and did not comment.  I don't think I broke any rules or was rude as I was just trying to make a critical point in support of others.

 

You are one of the most knowledgeable contributors on the forum and I have given you quite a number of your reputation points but if there is a problem with the software that needs attention or on the rare occasion you make an incorrect or misleading statement, I would hope that you would respect my opinion.

 

I am working in a plan file right now that has a cabinet in the middle of the room that is not touching a wall or the ceiling or the floor and the Rebuild Terrain Icon pops up randomly even when the same edit is done to it.  You may know the answer to that, but I just don't want to see the Rebuild Terrain Icon when working on what seems to be a totally unrelated item.

 

What you said in the previous thread makes sense but the insight you have shared in this thread might suggest another look at the programming is warranted as it could only result in improvement for everyone.

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2 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

 I am working in a plan file right now that has a cabinet in the middle of the room that is not touching a wall or the ceiling or the floor and the Rebuild Terrain Icon pops up randomly even when the same edit is done to it.

That's pretty bizarre behavior. I keep it on so have not experienced that. Should it be addressed? Dunno...

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2 minutes ago, Chopsaw said:

I may have over reacted but I have never seen a situation like this before because it appeared as though you and another staff member have awarded and taken away possibly all but one of the reputation points

As an outside reader.... that is exactly how it APPEARED to me as well.  Goes to show how email and electronic communication in general can be so easily misinterpreted.

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1 hour ago, Dermot said:

You can also choose to turn off the indicators but I don't recommend this.

 

But if you need too occasionally just uncheck the Behavior Indicators checkbox in Preferences > Edit >Behaviors  at the bottom

 

any of these could be attached to your Icon - so it might be worth a look to as why it's there before you turn off the Indicators 1st.

 

image.thumb.png.8a35c65808b6c52e1eb3697dcea0af44.pngimage.thumb.png.bc8869c9190361e22a2386424c95f4c3.png 

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Well, I certainly got an answer to the question "is this normal?" The answer is ... YES.

5 hours ago, IggySwartz said:

I'm new to using terrain tools. I have installed a terrain for a plan. While working on non-terrain items in this plan often, but not always, the update terrain icon appears. To remove it I have to click on the build terrain tool. Is this normal?

Thanks

 

X-12 Premier

Well, I certainly got an answer to my question, "Is this normal?" Answer is ... yes. Thanks to all, and Dermot for your eventual explanation. Kbird1 gets kudos for explaining what the forever nebulous "Behavior Indicators" means.

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Well, it's obvious that the terrain need not rebuild for things unrelated to the terrain.

So the rebuild routine should be made more selective  OR the user should be given the option of turning that indicator off individually.

I guess you could save a copy of the plan file and then delete the terrain from the current plan.

Yes, that's a sledgehammer solution. Personally I just turn auto terrain on and live with any slow down that it causes.

 

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