FlightDeck

Thanks David. Any suggestions for my second question? Currently I'm manually placing the curtain object to align with the door's open angle.

Hi all, I recently discovered the 3D object import option of HDA. I've been trying a variety of models from 3D Warehouse. I think I've gotten a handle now on the various error messages I get when importing files in .SKP format (texture file name already exists, can't find texture file, etc.). One problem I'm still having is some objects do not render correctly. The textures on the objects seem to appear in the wrong clipping order so that rear surfaces (relative to the camera) are rendered on top of front surfaces. This even occurs between separate objects with one background object partially showing through another object in the foreground. Here is an example: (Here is the model on 3D Warehouse: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=udd2bc91a-6a49-4de2-8eb1-aee971e7c116) I've tried .SKP (various versions), .3DS, and .DAE and all exhibit this to some degree or other. Further the results seem somewhat random, varying depending on the order in which objects are added to the model and/or modified. If I replace one of the textured surfaces within HDA with a solid paint however, the result renders correctly, so this clipping issue appears limited to textures only: Any ideas how to get better results with the original textures? (either within HDA or starting within Sketchup) Thanks and regards

Hi all, Is the option for putting panel curtains on doors (or door sidelights) available in the software? I'm thinking of the type that has both a top and bottom rod holding them in place, for example: http://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/5747023264404g I couldn't find a built-in way to do this. It appears I need to work around it by freely placing a curtain object from the library and sizing/locating it so as to coincidentally align with the doors, particularly open doors. If this is the only method, is there a way to make it snap/stick to the doors so that they will stay together when doors are open / closed at various angles? Thanks and regards,

Thanks, Eric! Good grief it's amazing how I forget the simplest things sometimes... I got so fixated on the possibility of a "phantom floor level" in the model because I was inserting floors that it never occurred to me to simply adjust the size/positions of the objects that popped out of place! I did try to resize the corner boards once but was looking in the object properties instead of just grabbing the resize handle... I followed your ideas but left the objects on their original floor levels so the doll house view works correctly. I simply resized the corner boards as needed and adjusted the vertical position of the cornice (and ignored whether the offset dimension value made any sense, which is doesn't), and now the model is fine again. Something must have gotten knocked out of place during the floor insertion surgery to cause all this, as I got a few errors about negative ceiling heights, etc., before I got it all sorted out. Thanks again!

To help visualize, here's a shot from the original model (before the surgical floor insertion down below) showing what it's supposed to look like on the roof: And here's the plan file: RoofBug1.zip Thanks and regards,

Hi all, One of my models has blown up on me..., see image: The problem is the wall corner boards and cornice mouldings mysteriously floating above the structure. This model was originally okay however I had to do some major surgery by inserting an extra floor below the one you're seeing. Since I don't have a version with the Insert Floor feature I had to do it the tricky way by successively copying existing floors to higher ones in order to create a blank floor in the middle. Somewhere during all that work I ended up with this mess on the rooftop. The roof top with the HVAC eqpt on it is actually Floor 4 in the model, not the Attic layer. It's simply a floor with no ceiling/roof, and all the exterior walls replaced by low Railings. The corner boards are behaving as if the original full height walls were present by extending beyond the height of the railings. The cornice mouldings are behaving as if there were another floor above this one, floating in space. From before the model blew up I had their ceiling offset set to -102". This means the height of the ceiling of the phantom floor is 102" above where the cornice mouldings are shown in the image. If I change their ceiling offset to 0" they will float another 102" above their current positions. It appears that for some reason my model thinks there is another level above this roof level and is applying the cornice and corner boards to that, even though these objects are on the Level 4 rooftop level, and there is nothing higher in the model other than the empty Attic layer. I tried deleting / re-adding the corner boards and it had no effect. Any ideas what's happening here? Thanks and regards, KDJ

Here's my theory (not that it matters )... The mirror reflection rendering engine is limited to single flat planes and can't handle objects with multiple planes. All the door types have only a single reflective plane except for two of them: Sliding and an open Bifold. For these cases each panel is on a different plane. If the door Style is set to Glass it appears that it's being passed to the rendering engine as a single object, and then getting rejected because the mirror faces are on more than one plane. If instead the Style is set to Library and any glass-containing door is picked from the library, it appears that the software is sending each *panel* of the door set to the rendering engine individually, rather than the entire door set. Since each panel is only a single plane the rendering engine processes it okay. I suspect then that the fix is for them to update the code so that it sends the Glass Style to the rendering engine as separate panels rather than as a complete door set, in order to better support the new mirror capabilities.

Yes as I already explained, I apply the Mirror material from the Library to the glass portion of the door. If the door Style is set to the default "Glass", it will not work for some door types and/or positions, as I already explained. If the door Style is instead set to Library and any glass door from the Library is chosen, it works for all door types and positions. I tested many types of glass entry doors, decorative stained glass doors, etc., and they all mirror fine. It is only the default "Glass" style that does not work. While this bug may be related to the "new" feature, I don't believe it's an "old vs new mirror" thing. There is only one Mirror material in the Library when I search for "mirror". Also, all mirror glass always shows as grey and non-reflective unless the scene is rendered in final view or this setting is enabled to do the render in realtime at all times, that is normal. The fact that the mirrors always work correctly using this Mirror library material for every glass door type in the library indicates to me that the "new" material is working fine. It's the legacy "Glass" door style that seems to have the issue.

You're welcome! I don't know much but still happy to help!

Exact same thing. You can place soffits anywhere and stretch them in any direction. Just stuff one in the corner and drag it's bottom surface down to the floor.

Thanks, David. Unfortunately it does both sides so if it's also an end cabinet you lose the needed overhang. I used a custom countertop instead. I'm just surprised that the software doesn't automatically clip countertops at partitions given how smartly it seems to handle other situations.

In the Architectural 2015 version the snap settings are under Edit -> Snap Settings. Hopefully it's similar in your Interiors 2016. Hopefully you can just turn it off, do your angled walls, and then turn it back on. Working without snap can be a real pain, and may cause more misalignment headaches than it fixes.

I did more testing and believe I've uncovered a bug in the software. Just sent a report into tech support about it. It appears that the default "Glass door" type does not show reflections for all door types. If instead of using the default "Glass" door type you use a different door from the Library, it appears that any door containing glass will mirror correctly after applying the Mirror material. Some examples attached. From left the doors are Swing, Sliding, Pocket, and Bifold. Using the default "Glass" type for all, the Sliding door does not show reflections: If the Bifold door is opened, it does not reflect either: If instead of using the default Glass door type I use the Mirror Door SC01 from the Library, all doors mirror correctly even in the open positions: I also tried the french Door F01 and it mirrored correctly. I believe any door with glass will work correctly, and it's only the (legacy?) default "Glass" door type that is not correctly supporting the use of the Mirror material. Until the bug is fixed it appears the workaround is to simply use a glass door from the Library instead of the default "Glass" door type. Edit: I should be saying "Glass" door *Style* (not Type).

Hi Mick, As mentioned mirrors are working correctly in general, it's just that some objects will not show the refections when assigned the Mirror material property. Also I made the small door into a mirror only to show the problem here on the forum; the large doors did not show reflections even before that, so it's not a mirror vs mirror problem. So, still don't know why some Glass doors will mirror and some will not.

PS, not all versions of the software have the same features, so it's a good idea to post which package/version you are using. (You can also add it to your signature settings on the forum so it will appear below all your messages.)

Hi, I can help with the first issue. The software has a object you can place called a Soffit. It's located in the menu with the Cabinets. You can add/modify them in the 2D floor plan view or in the 3D views. (I end up using both.) When you place one it usually snaps to the corner along the ceiling at the top of a wall, just like in your photo. You then adjust its length, height, and depth as needed. You can place multiple ones of these in a space, and they can overlap/intersect each other if needed. They seem to be the default "problem-solving" building block in the software, but their placement in the Cabinet menu can be non-intuitive for new users. Should you need something similar but with some angled sides, there are additional pieces in the Library called Wedges, in different orientations. Soffits plus Wedges give you a lot of flexibilty to make custom geometries, and you can assign any materials to them that you like. As for the angled walls, I'm not sure what is happening there. For myself when I create angled walls it doesn't seem to affect others unless the wall pieces are very small. I find it helps to make the wall pieces much larger than needed at first and then slide them into place. Also holding the Ctrl key while drawing/moving walls (and other objects) allows more accurate placement. Then you can use the Make Parallel / Perpendicular option to ensure things are aligned as you need them. Hope that helps

...okay if I assign the Mirror Door SC01 to the large sliding doors (instead of using the Glass door type), and then change the inexplicable Thinset Mortar material to Mirror, the doors show reflections: If I instead directly place a Mirror Door SC01 in the model, it will not show reflections. Still need the Glass door type to show reflections though like it does for the small pocket door, as that's the only door type that lets me change the frame widths around the glass portion.

...I can also add that the library obect "Mirror Door SC01" also does not reflect for me, although "Door S01 (mirror on back)" does. For the former, its properties showed that the mirror portion was assigned the "Thinset Mortar" material, lol! I changed it to Mirror, and still no reflections. This model has been doing some strange things. A while ago a large number of objects in the model had inherited a wicker material. It was everywhere..., car bumpers and mirrors, door and window frames, cabinet hardware, faucets, etc. Somehow the Default Settings had gotten this material assigned in multiple places. I reset them all manually. This thinset mortar incident is making me wonder if it's happening again, and if that might somehow explain why some mirror doors are not working.

Hi, I've assigned the Mirror material to the glass panels of some sliding doors and the reflections are not appearing. For example see attached screencap: The small door on the left has had the Mirror material assigned to the glass panels and it shows reflections, while the large sliding doors on the right do not. Both door types are set to Glass. I tried reversing the facing of the sliding doors in case the reflections only render on one side, but it made no difference. While researching in the support resources I found a comment that the object needs to be largely flat in order to render reflections. If I assign Mirror material type to walls or floors, they will render. If I assign it to a flat door trim or baseboard moulding, they will not. If I assign it to the frame of one of the mirror objects in the library (bevelled mirror), the frame is not reflective. So, I can see that some objects will not render reflections, however I can't understand why the glass panels in one door type will render reflections while another will not. Any ideas? Thanks and regards, KDJ

Thanks, Eric. I had to do the same. And in cases where that wasn't appropriate, I had to use the custom countertop feature instead. I checked some earlier models I made and it seems the countertop never stops at the partition. I hadn't noticed before because my overhangs were smaller. KDJ

Hi folks, encountered an issue today with countertops crashing through cabinet partitions (and adjacent appliances). For example the one shown in the image shows the countertop with 2-inch overhang sticking through the adjacent partition and into the refrigerator. I haven't noticed this issue before and recall the countertops always stopping nicely at partitions. Any ideas what is causing this? Thanks and regards, KDJ

This is essentially the method I described in my original post. Instead of creating two single doors and sliding them together until they merge, I simply checked the "Double Door Only" option, which seems to force the same outcome. In any case, it appears that the "carriage doors" included in the default library are only compatible with the "Garage Door" door type, which flip upward when opened. I guess what we would need is a carriage door graphic for only one door instead the of whole pair, and then it would work. Thanks again, KDJ

Jo_Ann, if I understand your option correctly, it's not a movable door that I can open/close and set to different opening angles. Treenet, if I uncheck the Double Door option I get only a single door swinging from one side. I find it bizarre that the library has so many carriage-style garage doors and yet apparently they are not supported. Guess time for an email to support? Thanks, KDJ

Here is a second pic that hopefully shows the issue better:

Hi Mick, I'm not understanding your first question. It's a double swing carriage door that I want (one door on each side). The way I did it gives me a double swing door, but the graphics are wrong because each swing door ends up with the graphics of two full carriage doors on it instead of only one.