topic Re: Turning on tangent visibility in Alias Forum

Turning on tangent visibility

Anonymous — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 19:41:29 GMT

Hey there!
Quite new to Speedform, got only a couple months of experiences with it but my biggest problem is finding all the functions instead of using them the right way.

One of the functions which would help me a lot is the editing of the tangents.

As shown here: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/search-result/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/SpeedForm/files/GUID-D5E0C9C1-5EAD-4D79-8CD5-375A04F30BD3-htm.html

Under the point "wavy edges" there is a way to edit forms by using the tangent handles.
Problem is: I don't see an option to toggle those handles.
Also in the edit form window there is no point that says 'Link Tangent Handle'

Overall I've got the feeling that my speedform version only shows a small piece of functions.
Are there differences between the student versions and the normal versions?

Also got some issues with how I get an wheelarch perfectly round, but that's another point 🙂

Thanks in advance!

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Michael-GG — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 14:47:14 GMT

Hi Manu,

the tangency handle functionality is pretty hidden, we need to improve this, I agree. To see them, you need to switch your selection filter inside Edit Form to "Points". Displaying them all the time would be too disturbant.

Once you have moved at least one of them, you will see the option "Link Tangency Handles" (which resets all tangency handles, and is therefore only available once you have modified at least one).

Want to talk about your Wheel Arch problem now? 🙂

Cheers,

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 19:15:38 GMT

Well thank you so much for your reply!
Now I can finally do some fineadjustments on my models 🙂

And yeah, for the wheel arch problem. Knowing how to move the tangents helps a lot, but in the end after a certain amount of time modelling I never really get a perfect circle for the wheelarch. Especially after extruding another row of faces to give the arch some thickness.

I know you can use the method "Pull" to move the vertices to a curve but this also never really matches it perfectly.
In the Autodesk help tutorials and also the new workflow streams uploaded on youtube it is only shown how to create a wheelarch from a curve, extruding it, deform it, and then the tutorials end. Or they cut to a perfect wheelarch right after it.

The "magic" of how to do a perfect wheelarch is still a mystery to me 🙂

I almost think this is the point where I have to send the model to Alias?

Thanks again!

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Michael-GG — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 11:07:09 GMT

Hi Manu,

sorry for the late reply on this, I was actually waiting for another post happening before I wanted to make this. The newest version of SpeedForm has a "Wheel Arch" function, which actually allows you to create the "perfect" wheel arch and some basic car topology.

Do you think more is needed here? I could imagine an option in the pull command to equally distribute your selected points on the reference geometry (an arc in our case). I think that should create the shape you're after, right? What do you think?

Cheers,

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 20:41:00 GMT

Hey Michael!

Yeah, an option as you mentioned would be neat (I guess) 🙂

Oh, there is a a Wheel Arch function? Could you describe where I can find it?
It would be interesting to know how other people aproach the wheel arch-defining without that function.

There are a lot of tweaks and tricks I still haven't figured out yet.

This roadster made by the nichinan group that is shown in the autodesk education is still my top-notch reference for what is possible in Autodesk Speedform:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ovtskNnYe0

Thanks!

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Michael-GG — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 13:03:32 GMT

Hi Manu,

the Wheel Arch function is new, it's in the just released PE1 version of SpeedForm. Other ways to create a wheel arch are creating a curve by "3-Point Arc" (or a circle, and removing some parts afterwards), and using "Extrude" from that to create the base shape.

Okay, will add the "even distribution" option in the pull command as enhancement request.

Cheers,

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

akcanebruakcan — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 09:55:37 GMT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ovtskNnYe0
This is ridiculous
I don't watch because this video hidden
do you have a video link somewhere else
or you can post again please
help please

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

QuasiLoci — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:54:21 GMT

Hi GG,

I am sure I am missing something simple, but I cannot seem to be able to see the tangent handles...Was hoping for a little help.

If click on a body, Edit Form pops up. I then select to vertex mode, and vertexes are visible. II then edit a vertex and I see the link tangent handle icon pop up in Edit Form...But during this process I still did not see the tangent handles.

See attached screenshots of before and after clicking the link tangent handle icon.

Thanks

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Michael-GG — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 07:18:53 GMT

Hi Karderehasan,

sorry, missed your post somehow. I'm not the owner of the video, so I can't change it. Probably it shouldn't have been public at any time, and has been set to private once the owner realized that.

Best regards,

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

Michael-GG — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 07:16:51 GMT

Hi QuasiLoci,

no, you are not missing anything. Looks very strange to me. Usually, the "Link tangent handle" option is only available, if you have modified tangency handles on your T-Spline before. It resets the tangency handles to their original position. If all tangency handles are at their original position, this option wouldn't have any effect, and therefore isn't shown.

The strange thing is, that tangency handles are only available at the edges of T-Splines. But the body on your image looks closed. It should therefore not have any tangency handles to be edited or reset.

I hope this explains how it *should* work. As said, showing the "Link tangent handle" on a selected closed body shouldn't occur. If you want, you can send me the example, and I can have a look.

Best regards,

Re: Turning on tangent visibility

QuasiLoci — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 19:50:07 GMT

Thanks GG,

I think I better understand how this tool works now [with open bodies], thanks for the explanation.

If I run into any further issues I will let you know and send you an example.

Cheers