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Lets say I have an isometric cube where you can only see the visible (front-facing) edges, and all the lines have a stroke width of 1 unit.
How can I automatically make the outer lines thicker (eg 3 units) and leave the inner lines the same, or at least achieve that visual effect? I say automatically because the wireframes I have are far more complex than cubes. I want to avoid anything that involves manual selection or doing anything by eye (such as painting a background).
Thank you
Automatically? You want the program to work by thought power maybe? :)
Editing will always involve manually making some sort of selection and then manually making key presses or mouse clicks to instruct the application to make the changes to the selected objects.
You say your wireframes are more complex than an isometric cube.. Can you at least show us exactly what you're dealing with?
Yes, it's a computer program. It's quite reasonable to expect it to be able to recognise the outermost edges of an enclosed area that contains other lines. If that feature is not in this software then fair enough, but don't claim that's it's ridiculous to expect a computer to compute, and then add a smiley as though that excuses you.Quote:
Originally Posted by sledger
No, there doesn't seem any benefit in showing other contributors what a cube looks like. My question was clear and specific. If the answer is no, I'll get some other software.Quote:
Originally Posted by sledger
Please don't hi-jack the thread with chit-chat replies that don't go any way to answering the question.
I'll get some other software.
Good plan.
How are you creating the cube?
The line weight for each cube shown here was changed with 1 click. Is this what you are asking?
Lol. Yes, shocking isn't it? Who'd have thought that anyone would dare ask if this software had a particular feature? What a strange thing to occur: for someone to register and ask on a tight-knit forum. No surprise that the zealots get defensive because their baby software can't do something. I find this funny :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by pauland
Enjoy your horrid forum :P
@Gary, the OP wants to process images, not modify vector drawings.
Figs, no issues with you asking. It's just the pompous, rude response that isn't so good.
The software won't automatically process images to do what you want. It's not a matter of being a zealot - Xara isn't the right software for you and I've already seen enough attitude.
Good luck with your search.
This strikes me as being really easy to achieve and I don't understand the need for any of the extraordinary behaviour already exhibited.
The cube was just an example. I guess the OP has more complex images in mind and many of them.
It's rather hard for any general graphic software to infer depth queues from a single image and then modify edges accordingly - definitely a niche application.
Reasonable answer to a reasonable question (if the OP is still around to see it):
Group your shapes and apply a 1-step contour to the group. The shapes inside are still individually editable and the contour will automatically respond to any changes made to them.
Attachment 98604
Phil
I would still like to know how the "wireframes" were created and in what file format they exist.
The original question posted does not reveal this information so it is really hard to give a accurate answer.
Is this what Figs is asking?
I bet Figs feels really welcome.
Shame on you sledger and pauland.
I'm not sure why I need to be ashamed, DD.
Philm I don't think there are any shapes - the OP was asking if the software could analyse a raster image and deduce the outer edges and modify them. A kind of filter request, if you like.
[ An apology - I misread the original request as a more complex task than it actually is - my bad ]
If the OP is referring to vector lines Philm's suggestion looks good even though it's not totally automatic.
Nowhere did he mention "raster".Quote:
Originally Posted by pauland
I definitely agree with the first and I definitely disagree with the second.Quote:
Originally Posted by pauland
If what he requires isn't available in any software he's looked at to date and we can provide him with a reasonable way to achieve it, I simply don't see the need to be so off-hand with him.
Hello Figs, Welcome to Talkgraphics!
If you could post an example of one of your more complicated drawings and show us exactly what it is you want to achieve it would help us help you :) How are you creating these drawings? are you importing them from a CAD program? or are you importing a raster(bitmap image) that you need to vectorize?
Haters are gonna hate.. :rolleyes:
I'd hoped that the OP would recognise a sense of humour when he saw one. Emoticons can only go so far and in this case the OP chose to take everything negatively :straight:
If he'd have provided a sample for us to see, as I'd asked (this is a graphics forum after all and it is a graphics question) then his issue could have be better understood in order to know exactly what he requires.
BTW: He mentioned he didn't want to be doing anything by eye (such as painting a background), from which it is reasonable to feel he is talking about a raster image.
What exactly does that mean?Quote:
Originally Posted by sledger
It might also be reasonable to feel he would or should have a sense of humour, but I guess you lucked out there too :pQuote:
Originally Posted by sledger
Can't let it alone...(:|
Except for standard application features that are specific and commonly used in graphics programs, most graphics applications in general don't automatically do anything. Design software is by nature designed to be manipulated for a large variety of results - allowing you to do pretty much any graphic thing you want. Programs that are automatic tend to be less versatile, limiting what you can do. Expecting "push button" results for any graphic program is pretty much a non-existent situation. Simple computer programs do things automatically, complex graphics applications don't - and for good reason.
No, not when a new member asks a reasonable question and gets an unreasonable response. I bet he felt real welcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred C
Very good point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gamerprinter
I think the shapes would have to be broken, then the desired edges selected, and line width changed, then all lines regrouped.
This image is only 2D, but shows lines that have been marquee selected then resized.
- Andy
This is all academic since Figs appears to be long gone and the basic questions are unanswered.
But don't let this impede anyone from responding. ;))
Well, I think this all could have gone better.
Both the give and take. I really hate to see stuff like this posted and growing, because new visitors are going to see how someone else is treated as a new member, and probably shy away from TG.
Figs is asking for a fairly sophisticated process that can be done automatically. Clearly to experienced Xara Designer artists, our program, either Pro or the other version, has no CAD or other architectural features, and the only dimensional stuff that's automatic is the Extrude tool.
Clearly, also, Figs bought a design program with unrealistic or just unguided expectations.
After reading and re-reading Figs' original post, the solution to the problem necessarily involves more than one program. He wants the front faces (the "outside" as he calls it) to be thick lines and the back-facing polygons which you wouldn't usually see unless the structure was made of glass, to consist of thin lines.
You need to generate the geometry at least twice, front facing, and then both front and back. What I did in the attached Xara file is I used Cinema 4D to build a complex polygon as Figs had mentioned, didn't do an isometric view but the perspective is fairly flat. From there (and several modeling programs have this feature, not just C4D), I exported the model to EPS, specifying front face only, then total wireframe and then shaded just for the heck of it.
I imported them to Xara, grouped each import, and then went about setting line width.
Attachment 98616
This is the wrong product, and thus somewhat of the wrong forum to address Figs' question, but not because it's a mean and/or nasty place.
We accept all kinds here, ya gotta have somewhat of a thick skin at times, but I think we practice tolerance and genuine help and guidance to a much higher degree than other places I've been.
My Best,
Gary
Gary, I think you've misinterpreted the original post - just as I did.
Figs describes a cube where only the forward faces are visible - so no hidden lines.
His request is to thicken the outer edges - as demonstrated by Philm.
Paul
Paul, Figs mentioned "inner lines" and "wireframes", although yes, he did originally , mention visible front-facing edges, and the gist of his query was that he had geometry that was much more complex as his target for completing.
If I did misinterpret Figs' query, it's a pity so much acrimony was generated so quickly, because I thought my solution was a novel one and we might never know what, specifically, he needed to do.
I do a lot of work in various applications, believing in the right tool for the right job, blah-blah-blah, but the finished look usually leads me to Xara. I think I've designed over 50 birthday and Christmas cards over the past decade, and every one of them for print is a Xara file: I need text, I need color correction for output, I need trim guides, and so on.
-g
This is how I interpreted his request, either filled or unfilled :
Attachment 98618
Well, if Figs decides this is not the place for him, I think we've extended ourselves to this request earnestly and professionally, and I think the interpretation, Frank, would make a lovely drawing of a gemstone! :)
Attachment 98619
-g
I didn't know about this feature, quite awesome!Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilM
You can edit the objects and the contour follows.
I used to duplicate objects, combine, put to back and tweak the lineweight.
It would be nice if you could apply contour properties when pasting attributes though...
Cup of tea!
Marc
Cookies anyone? ;))