Stretch Zones

[freshrooms]

I've watched the stretch zone video, but I am still fuzzy on how to do this....  I want to stretch the attached drapery rod and keep the fabric the same.  I've put markers where it seems like I should put the stretch zones.  Can someone help me understand how to do it?

Amie

[Greg_NY61]

Try this Amie and that should work 

[HamlinBC]

Keep in mind that your 2D plan symbol won't stretch the same as the 3D symbol...

 

Your 2D symbol might look terrible, but the 3D symbol will look good.

 

See attached...

[MarkMc]

I used 9 and -9 out of habit to keep things symetric- not needed in this case.

NOTE that after you resize a symbol the symbol will resize correctly in 3d

-but if you want it to look right in plan you have to go into the dbx -2D block and click "generate block" . If you don't and only look at it in plan you will go round and round and...

DAMHIKT

[HamlinBC]

...and click "generate block"....

 

Ahhh...there it is.

 

I couldn't remember if that was it or not.

 

I suppose I could have just tried it.

[Joe_Carrick]

Between Greg and Mark you have exactly what you need.  OTOH, Chief should automatically modify the 2D Block.  Please everyone make this suggestion.  I've asked and asked but I am only one voice.

[HumbleChief]

I think Chief should make this function more difficult to understand and less intuitive - oh wait - there's no possible way, they've already done that it. [/sarcasm]

[freshrooms]

Thanks everyone.  All of the suggestions worked beautifully, although I cannot say I have wrapped my mind around how this works to do figure it out myself next time... argh, Maybe Chief could generate a highlight or something on the image as you set the stretch zones so you know where you are putting it when trying numbers in different boxes.... I know that would help me visualize what the heck I am doing...  So, x=4"... what exactly is that referring to?

[HumbleChief]

I know that would help me visualize what the heck I am doing...  So, x=4"... what exactly is that referring to?

I rest my case.

[Joe_Carrick]

x= 0 will set a "Stretch Plane" at that location so that the symbol will only stretch at that exact location.  You don't actually need a "Stretch Zone" for the x direction in this case, a "Stretch Plane" is sufficient..

[Alaskan_Son]

Ya,  some sort of visual clues as to what we're doing would be nice.  I've watched the video and I'm usually able to get things stretched to the way I want them, but I still don't really understand them all that well either.  Granted I haven't taken a lot of time to wrap my head around them, but its one of the few features in Chief that I can truly say is difficult for me to understand.  I've even sat down with the express purpose of figuring them out and then decided it wasn't worth the hassle...not something I often do.  I'm sure I'll return to it one of these days and get it figured out,  but it doesn't seem like it really needs to be that difficult. 

[freshrooms]

x= 0 will set a "Stretch Plane" at that location so that the symbol will only stretch at that exact location.  You don't actually need a "Stretch Zone" for the x direction in this case, a "Stretch Plane" is sufficient..

So x=4", that means 4" from where exactly....?

[Joe_Carrick]

4" right of the center of the symbol.  x=0 means the center.

The origin of most symbols is "center, back, bottom".

[HumbleChief]

Everyone likes sausage, but no one wants to see it being made. Everyone wants easy 3D controls but no one wants to see the x=.4653 plus stretch zone z= 4.578 and stretch zone y=6.894.

 

Someone is about to chime in (really, I wasn't thinking about you Joe ) and say it's easy once you understand it but I say it's way, way too arcane for the everyday user to have even the slightest idea of how to use this so called 'tool'.

 

I would like the sausage and easy 3D controls, I don't want to watch the sausage being made or have to dig into the bowels of Chief's programming to get what should be simple 3D results - for the everyday user, not the Chief gurus who actually like programming Chief. [/rant]

[freshrooms]

4" right of the center of the symbol.  x=0 means the center.

The origin of most symbols is "center, back, bottom".

Thanks!

[MarkMc]

I won't say it's easy, but I have gotten better at it. I use it often making a lot of cabinet doors which has helped some.

I keep a copy of the pages from the user guide which lists origins and such (can also bookmark the help) to jog the brain.

Every couple of months I forget that I'm supposed to click generate block and pull hair for a while.

 

I find most of the time I am defining two stretch planes one (+) and one (-) for my needs. (Symbol will stretch at the plane of -x and the plane of +x, leaving the rest alone.)

I rarely use stretch zones and honestly still don't get them. (Symbol will stretch between -x and +x evenly -leaving the rest alone.)

 

I still can never quite remember if I should set an origin to plus or minus when it looks wrong and floats out in the room, so usually have to redo whatever I picked first unless I remember to open up some symbol I already set first to see what to do.

 

Note remember to set the origin first when importing symbols, in particular from 3D warehouse, then the stretch planes if needed.

[Alaskan_Son]

I won't say it's easy, but I have gotten better at it. I use it often making a lot of cabinet doors which has helped some.

I keep a copy of the pages from the user guide which lists origins and such (can also bookmark the help) to jog the brain.

Every couple of months I forget that I'm supposed to click generate block and pull hair for a while.

 

I find most of the time I am defining two stretch planes one (+) and one (-) for my needs. (Symbol will stretch at the plane of -x and the plane of +x, leaving the rest alone.)

I rarely use stretch zones and honestly still don't get them. (Symbol will stretch between -x and +x evenly -leaving the rest alone.)

 

I still can never quite remember if I should set an origin to plus or minus when it looks wrong and floats out in the room, so usually have to redo whatever I picked first unless I remember to open up some symbol I already set first to see what to do.

 

Note remember to set the origin first when importing symbols, in particular from 3D warehouse, then the stretch planes if needed.

 

Sounds like you "understand" it about as well as I do : )

[AgChief]

Maybe Chief can incorporate in the dbx an image box showing exactly where the stretch planes are on a symbol as you set them.

Even better would be slider bars for all three dimensions that would show on the symbol image as you adjust the slider bars.

[Kenoeightspot]

John,

 

I like that idea.

[Alaskan_Son]

Absolutely. Count me in.