Boolean Splines

[DrBuckaroo]

I am running VIZ 2008 on a new computer running Windows XP Pro SP2 and cannot perform a boolean function on two closed spline objects. Even a simple task of creating two overlapping rectangles, converting them to editable splines, attaching them, selecting spline function and then creating a boolean union does not work (i.e. nothing happens, no union occurs). I have been working on this issue for about a week with Autodesk technical support and they have not found a solution either. I've taken videos of my process and sent them to Autodesk, so I know I am doing it right, but no luck. Autodesk had me completly remove the software and go through this lengthy computer cleanup process and then reinstall and apply hotpatches, to no avail. A simple process of unioning (or subtracting or intersecting) two closed spline objects does not work. Attached is a short video showing the results. I could fit the full video size onto this post, so the video starts off showing two overlapping rectangles that were both converted to editable splines, then they were attached, video then starts from this point and shows the result of trying to create a union between the two rectangles.

Anybody else having this issue? Any ideas?

Thanks!

559_3AxeKZHyxuxPTZDKjyYs.zip

[Steve_Curley]

Is this relevent - from the old Area? Refers to Max9 but it sounds similar.

http://discussion.autodesk.com/adskcsp/thread.jspa?threadID=589027

It's gone midnight here - I'll have a look tomorrow in Max 2008 and see if I get the same results.

[Tim_Wilbers]

There have been some Editable Spline issues in the past. The first workaround has been to add an Edit Spline modifier on top and perform the action, whatever it is, in the modifier.

I do not know if that will help in your case, I do not have VIZ and cannot replicate the issue.

[Steve_Curley]

I just tested Max 2008 in the same way I tested 9 (see link a couple of posts up) and got exactly the same inconsistent results. The same problem still exists but it is proving extremely difficult to find a sequence of events which gives consistently incorrect behaviour.

[itrymybest]

After watching the video, when trying to Boolean the splines, something does happen. In the command line (don't know if that's proper term) at the bottom Max gives an error: "ERROR: Final boolean weld stage failed". This statement tells me Max is trying and is unsuccessful instead of not trying at all.

I know this isn't an answer, but it may help when talking with Autodesk.

[DrBuckaroo]

This is the original author of the post. I finally got a solution from Autodesk. They said to try two things. One - Reverse the vertices and Two - make sure no segments are on top of other segments. When I did this, it worked! They said it is not a bug, but just the way it works. Thanks for everyones input. I appreciate it.

Scott Smith

[Steve_Curley]

When I tested this reversing the operands did indeed work most of the time but not 100%. None of the tests had coincident segments.
Almost everything had (or appeared to have) an effect on the final outcome:-
In which order were the 3 shapes created - even down to whether Circle02 was a new shape or shift-cloned from Circle01.
Which shape was chosen for conversion to Editable Spline
The order of attaching the remaining 2 shapes
And finally the order in which the booleans were preformed.

Now you see why I said I couldn't get consistent results - there are just too many factors affecting the final outcome. And this is "as intended"? I think not...

[Anonymous]

This is a bug that has been in 3d max since version 1.0 and despite all the updates and upgrades nobody ever bothered to fix it. I'm doing a lot of architecture and bump into this bug at least a couple of times a day. You're never sure if a boolean on two splines will work or not. There have been many complaints before about this issue, but nobody seems to listen.
Try this: draw a large rectangle, uncheck 'start new shape' , draw a small rectangle through one of the edges of the larger rectangle, shift-copy this smaller shape a couple of times, then try to (boolean) subtract them from the large rectangle one by one. Some will work, some won't and it's completely unpredictable.
You know what? Things worked fine in the ancient 3d Studio for DOS... but never worked properly in 3ds max.

[Anonymous]

Hoping this could help, I have found this solution at the - hope I got it right! - problem about applying boolean to splines. When you create splines - for ex. a circle and a T to put inside of the circle and then trying to cut it out - you have to do it this way, in order to have the boolean work: do a circle as a new shape, then tick off "Start New Shape" and make another shape. At the end they have to be the same colour, as they have been made in the same instance. Then convert them to editable splines and after that you can use the boolean tool to join or subtract or intersect them. In case you should need to add another shape, you can make another one, convert it to editable spline, attach it to the already made shapes and use the boolean with all of them. I tried about an hour and I got this result. Hope it helps and that I am not out of topic.

[Anonymous]

Not off topic, just a year and a bit late 😛

[Anonymous]

Is this issue finally solved in 2010?

- MLB

[Steve_Curley]

I would have to do a lot more testing, as I did back when this was a "hot topic", but a very quick test does suggest that considerable improvement has been made. Or, in brief, I just tried it 3 times, in different ways (method of construction, sequence of attachment etc etc) and all 3 worked. Make of that what you will.

[avolution]

Bug confirmed in 3ds Max 6

This is a bug that has been in 3d max since version 1.0 and despite all the updates and upgrades nobody ever bothered to fix it. I'm doing a lot of architecture and bump into this bug at least a couple of times a day. You're never sure if a boolean on two splines will work or not. There have been many complaints before about this issue, but nobody seems to listen.
Try this: draw a large rectangle, uncheck 'start new shape' , draw a small rectangle through one of the edges of the larger rectangle, shift-copy this smaller shape a couple of times, then try to (boolean) subtract them from the large rectangle one by one. Some will work, some won't and it's completely unpredictable.
You know what? Things worked fine in the ancient 3d Studio for DOS... but never worked properly in 3ds max.

[Anonymous]

Can anybody confirm that this bug is finally solved in 3ds max 2010?

MLB

[Steve_Curley]

All I can say is what I said earlier - I tried it quickly and it seemd to work.

Why don't you download the Max 2010 Trial and try it yourself?

[stenionet]

I tried this and it worked:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=5582408&linkID=9241177