Curving and handling rope lights

[marlem2000]

Hi, everybody!

I'm working with rope lights but I'd like building a shape with one of them and I don't know how to do it. I know I can apply cuts and curves to rope lights in the working plan view but I can't do it in other views. Any ideas?rope-light.plan

[TeaTime]

Rope Lights wont be able to do this - you'll want to look up 3D Molding Polylines. I'd draw in in as a CAD Spline and convert it to a molding, set it to a Lighting material that has an emissive glow.

[marlem2000]

5 hours ago, TeaTime said:

Rope Lights wont be able to do this - you'll want to look up 3D Molding Polylines. I'd draw in in as a CAD Spline and convert it to a molding, set it to a Lighting material that has an emissive glow.

Many thanks for your answer, TeaTime. Well... I guess I need more practize  but at least now I know the process.

Off topic: is there a way to smooth a bit lines?I do everything manually and I can't find a way to sharpen curves.

[TeaTime]

Sorta - here's what I'd do, start to finish:

In a Wall Elevation, draw a polyline rectangle and shape and break the top edge

Use Change Line/Arc to create a few curves

Copy/Paste, Paste Hold Position and Convert Polyline to make one of them a 3D Solid

Then Disconnect Selected Edge on both sides

 
Then you can use Convert Polyline to make the top, curved line a molding polyline, set it's size as needed and its material to "Lighting White", and voila!

 

[marlem2000]

It works! The problem is I don't know exactly the process. Let's see: Do I need to copy and paste the polyline to create the 3d solid and the ropelight separately? Then, what is the Disconnect Selected Edge option? I must confess I only have worked with the fillet lines, the chamfer ones and the Change line/arc options. 

[TeaTime]

Disconnect Selected Edge literally disconnects the selected edge (the one with the red handle) from the rest of the polyline, looks like you only did it on the left side and not both. If you selected that Right leg of the "rope light" you could hit Disconnect, then delete that bit.

 

BTW if you ever find yourself asking "What does ___ do?", just float your mouse over that tool and press F1, it'll open Help right to the topic on that tool.

 

Only need to copy once. The idea is to sketch out the shape with CAD, then convert it into a solid, but since you want a molding to follow the same shape, that's where you copy paste. Should end up with just two objects, the solid and the molding/rope.

[marlem2000]

I've been searching for information about the "Disconnect" option and I think now I know what it means. I've been making some practises with mirrors. For the moment, my designs are a bit rough but I think I've walked one step ahead.

Many thanks for your big help, TeaTime!