Hi All,
Question? I have a grid floor consisting of array modifiers. When in edit mode I do not have an outside edge nor can I make a loop cut to be able to bend the floor for a slope. When I am in Edit I can only select small edges within the grid. Not an entire length as one would do with ALT to select the whole edge.
Is this possible to do this? If so maybe some steps or a screen grab?
Thanks
NC
Sure. Could for example use lattice object and modifier. Curve and curve modifier should work as well, maybe even better
http://www.blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?342302-Deform-mesh-along-curve&p=2681963&viewfull=1#post2681963
Thanks for letting me know it is possible and what I should be looking at to get it done. I read the linked post(s) however I did not see the use of lattice to an array modifier like I have. I think because it is infact an array modifier it does not allow me to select the whole as a whole.
I will learn how to use lattice. I do not know about curve or it’s mod.
Why not apply the array modifier? Remove doubles should weld it all together. You should be able to select every thing then.
Well guys,
I am about 4 solid months into 3d modeling all with Blender. SO when you say just do this or that. Many of us have to go find a video to learn how to use it. Watching video on something I should be able to do… Is not as attractive as something that I can do… If you get me?
Some 3 loopcuts where bending should happen and some along edges to limit subsurf influence on corners. Proportional edit , GZ. Fast and easy.
Ouch, i did not read “have Array”… That’s a bit expensive for floor but then you’re left with mentioned Lattice or Curve mod.
No need to apply Array - Lattice works on top of it. And you will need Proportional edit to manipulate Lattice points anyways.
If you have spent 4 months just modeling (no texturing, lighting, rendering), it’s a good start.
YES, just like everyone else had to learn and have to keep on learning. Don’t expect that to stop anytime soon, you will be gathering information to know multiple ways to do something and being able to plan a workflow for anything you model. Blender is also in a constant change so when tools change or new tools arrive, you have to find out how to incorporate those in your workflows. That means finding out how things work and to know what effect those have in your current way of modeling, if any.
Sure but we’re not talking about the weather here. What you’re trying to do is to deform a dynamically generated polygonal model using a bézier spline as a guide, or by using a deform cage. You can blame your parents for not being born with that information or find the information by trying, watching tutorials, reading manual, and by asking a community.
As much as I’d like to give detailed step-by-step instructions on every post, I just can’t. It takes quite a lot of time and effort and no one is paying me for the time it takes instructing/helping. Giving right and clear instructions means understanding the problem completely, breaking it into small chunks, producing visuals, and for me this also means thinking about the problem and writing the reply in a foreign language.
This is a community, multiple people have the same chance of providing their help and works most of the time, provided that those who ask support want to help themselves.
If you’re happy to help with complex problems in fluent finnish every time I request such help and find the motivation to repeat same thing to others over and over again, then I must admit that I’m just a horrible person and have to eat my words and my hat. If not, then perhaps find the patience somewhere.
JA Thanks, but I think you did not “get me”.
What I was referring to, is when someone posts it Should work.
Curve and curve modifier should work as well, maybe even better
Now why wouldn’t I want to instead, use something that is better?
To me; that means they thought of it in theory and it may work, or may not. IF it does indeed work, then just please state this will work too…BEFORE I go digging thru and looking for those tuts… That is all. Either it does work or NO it won’t. “Should” is a bit inconclusive. I appreciate the time it took to learn how to do this, trust me.
I asked if it was possible you answered ‘sure’ and gave me a screen grab. Thanks! Although it is a plane, not an array. I am going to assume you know what you area sharing and the pic is for illustration only.
I have yet to mess with lattices. I tried my first couple of weeks with Blender and never got it to do, what I wanted. So I must revisit Lattices. Maybe I will get it this time? However I think I should be looking into Curve modifiers, and hopefully I will find a tut that pertains to a curve mod and an array… LOL!
@Cybermonk- Why not apply the array modifier? Remove doubles should weld it all together. You should be able to select every thing then.
I did use the array mod to create the floor in the first. Does this mean for me to just add it again? Then it will have a bounding box and soforth to adjust as desired?
@ Eppo Thanks for the screen grab and info, but the way you worded it; “Ouch, i did not read “have Array”… That’s a bit expensive for floor but then you’re left with mentioned Lattice or Curve mod. ( I assume expensive is render)
No need to apply Array - Lattice works on top of it. And you will need Proportional edit to manipulate Lattice points anyways.” ?? I will look up Wiki, Although that read a bit like a Biochem book over there sometimes. A picture is worth a thousand words. One would think they could add a few grabs (as they do sometimes) when describing over there. That is why I come over here as to HOPE I get a screen grab and a Hi lite when learning.
I will play with doing that part of the model later today or tomorrow, before I come to a solution from you guys help.
THANK YOU!!
You would but only you can know which works best for you. Your illustration shows a bend and said the object uses array modifiers. It doesn’t show this setup, you didn’t attach the .blend, and you’re not showing where you’re going with the thing so I based two suggestions on the illustration only. One that I know absolutely works (the one I tested to make the screenshot) and another that I’ve used before for more complex setups which would work for this and more complex deforms you didn’t tell about, but that one has many if’s. If the model is constructed the way it can deform with curve, depending on what kind of bends you want, if it’s set up properly, if the model has correct transforms. So it should work, not will.
Yes, I know exactly. My text and attached screenshot contain everything you need to replicate the thing. It is an array, uses array modifier and it has lattice modifier after it. All modifiers affect the model from top down. That’s why lattice in the viewport is able to affect the array as a whole, and that’s why curve deform would too.
And speaking of being part of the solution and not the problem, I’m done with this. I’m clearly not explaining things properly so perhaps there are many more among those 200k registered users who can do a better job.
<sub>Well, it can get frustrating and we all have Fridays,13 at the times not scheduled on the Calendar every now and then. Take a break.
As to me, i’m not the Blender Academy Scientific Award winner nor have Distinguished Problem Solver diploma. Take it, use it or drop it.
And please pardon me for interrupting with useless or irrelevant suggestions 
or not a perfect English, which is my 3rd. </sub>
Floor is, ehrm, floor and if that is not a texture with normalmaps, specular maps and some i-robot vacuum cleaner but instead is made out of Arrayed mesh elements it’s costly to overall scene vertices count. And rendertimes. IMHO.
To bend properly one Array element needs to be reasonably subdivided; if not, surface will appear jagged not smooth or will have artefacts. For the plane example above subdivision is done by Subsurf modifier. Same image depicts Proportional editing in process and button with tooltip.
I’m going without slideshow unfortunately - floor Array, Curve example. http://www.pasteall.org/blend/30707
How to:
Hey dude I was not trying to bust your chops. I was just making a suggestion. I thought it might be easier for you to edit your mesh with the array modifier applied
Thanks Eppo and Cybermonk. I am sure this will all make sense to me after I spend a few hours on a tut with it.
Cybermonk I tried adding adding the array (again) with nothing except for what would be expected; it doubled the object 1 value by default. No chops busted. Ja making a big deal about it. Should work but it doesn’t FWIW not to bust your chops.
I tried to save it as a file and export it alone (so you can show me, or see for yourself) but I do not have permission it states when trying to do so. Maybe a 2.71 error. I am also getting another error every time I open Blender about my 3 measure tool script… Not to get off point here. So maybe this is why my end is not working for your help?
Eppo I downloaded your blend file and am having a hard time understanding the three mods to execute what you have done. Thanks. Again maybe all this will make sense to me after a few hours of tuts. As stated prior I will look into the two of them to resolve this one thing. I messed with this GD thing for an hour easy already…
Peace
Ouch… You have supercomputer at the disposal, don’t you? No wonder you can not upload example; what’s the compressed (option on Toolshelf when Save) file size of this :
Edit: Addon’s author says - “guess, i need to revisit it…”. If it works for you, fine. That’s not a fault message from code.
I probably will shoot a video of Array - Curve, later today ;). Well that certainly be Chaplin’s style one - no color and sound either - hate to hear me talking, especially, foreign words :D. Sry…
Consider changing floor to plane during modeling/tuning. Pull it out for a final shot only.
verts=1521520. Way too many. But a very beautiful number.
This is pretty much the same thing as JA12 suggested. Play with the blendfile and the settings and move the lattice verts around in edit mode to understand what’s going on. Watching videos is no substitute for actually dragging objects around in Blender IYKWIM.
Lattice_floor.blend (893 KB)
Hey guys,
Like I stated, I am new to this Blender and learning about size and so forth. The grid floor is only what was explained to me by Sanctuary to build. I followed. I did not add any more sub surface etc… I am now learning (1st project) about size and I also am turning off objects outside of cam view. Along with Light Ray Node to assign what is cam ray, what is diffuse.
EPPO_ what’s the compressed (option on Toolshelf when Save) file size of this : I do not know what or where this is.
My scenes render pretty quick I guess. I have em pretty clean at 1:42 sec per frame 1280x720 caustics on, shadows on, CPU (Volumes) I am only rendering at 45 samples due to it looks pretty clean and video need only be 72dpi not 350 that a graphic artist maybe accustomed to. Plus the magic of gaussian Blur in final out… (computer build I made is in signature) To do it again, I would lose the quad card (not use adobe’s 3d raytrace option) come over to Blender to make my 3d stuff. I would instead add two GTX 580’s bridged SLI or whatever it is… 1st build too. LOL
To get back on point (sorry) I think Lattice is my only option to manipulate an array modifier like the one I have. Again, I have not used the curve mod or lattice with success. I will watch some vids on it. In the meantime I added another grid to slope it as needed. I am however checking back and trying your suggestions… Thank you! IDKNWYM BTW DB Thanks for the file. Peace.
Here is a snap of a grab to check it out…
I would suggest the mesh deform modifier. It similar to the Lattice modifier. I have better luck with it than the lattice modifier and it’s more customizable. Basically you bind your mesh to another mesh (simpler mesh). Lattice is basically a cube. The mesh deformer is any shape you want. In the the case of your floor a scaled cube would do. I’ll post a few images.
File size can be seen in Explorer if that’s win. And since recently you do not need to use compress tools - arj, rar, tar, 7z and such - there is a checkbox on T-panel when you do File ->Save - Compress. blend file’s size gets significantly smaller by checking that knob.
I suspect you could not upload file since it’s size was too big - there are limits on forum.
Yes, i saw specs, question was more like rhetoric 
- say, if this was a floor in some nice room render i doubt sculpting would be used to imitate wood grain (which would lead to comparable vertex count, more or less). Usual procedure is to make some real geometry and then by means of blender and/or image editor produce textures to imitate this applying textures to the simple plane. It depends on hardware ofc but for my box 1.5 million vertices cause some overheating and certain lagginess…
Vid is in the upload stage - will take some time - have asymmetry in comms.
^^ Will be here after G scrutinies. Mind you - i’m not the best in the movies :D.
LOL If you know what I mean about watching a lot of videos and tutorials and then when you get started you realize that some important basic item is missing from your knowledge. Anyway from your scene it looks like you are doing OK.
I made the file to give you some familiarity with using the lattice. Too often people think of the ‘enclosing cube’ paradigm and forget the flat plane aspect of lattices. Remember that the lattice only has an effect when edited in edit mode, but the control it exercises over the object extends to any location you might move the object to. I usually put the lattice inside the object but in this case I left it just outside for you to be able to see it.
