Extrude Spline working in reverse

[RadioRahim]

As you can see in this video, I am trying to extrude a spline but it is extruding the negative space instead of the other area I want to extrude. Anyone willing to show a newbie how to extrude the other space of the spline?

Cheers!

[leeminardi]

Create a "bridge" from the outside profile to an internal profile as I have done in the bottom left hand corner. My red arrows outline a single spline.  You may also need to create bridges to the other internal profiles as well so that you have one single spline defining all the edges.

[RadioRahim]

Thank you for your reply. While I understand the logic of your answer it does not seem like the correct way to make this work. Your method may 'work' but it feels more like a workaround. I mean by this logic could I not have just used this image below that has a border around the entire shape? As someone who has done stencils for a long time I understand the concept of buildings 'bridges' between 'islands'.


I tried using this particular image with that in mind (before I posted here), while also trying out same image (but inverted), but both of these yielded the same results as posted in the original video. 

I guess what I need to know to move forward is how 3DSMax is choosing what is solid and what is negative space. Simply inverting the image has no effect. 

Thanks Again. 

[leeminardi]

I created the following crude test shape by making several closed lines.  I then selected one of them and used attach to add the other lines to it.  Applying an Extrude modifier produced the shape at right.

[RadioRahim]

Sorry for the long delay in response. I really do appreciate the help. I am still stuck with the same problem now that I am getting back to trying to fix this.. Can you tell me how you made several closed lines as described in your last post? I tried attaching a bunch of stuff and got nowhere. 

[leeminardi]

Can you tell me how you made several closed lines as described in your last post? 

1. Create, Line, then specify the vertices of the line placing the last vertex coincident with the first.  You will be asked "close spline", answer Yes.  Do this for all the closed shapes of your design.
2. Select one of the splines and right-click it and choose "Convert to Editable Spline".
3. Now click Attach in the modify panel for the Editable Spline and pick the other splines..  This will make the collection of splines a single object.
4. Apply the Extrude modifier and specify the amount of the extrusion.

[Anonymous]

hello.invert the map(black to white and white to black) and try again.