Maya "fill" a void with a face between 2 polysurfaces

[xin_yi_wang]

Hi All,

I'm new to Maya and just learning it while working on something for the company. 

I have to admit that Maya's interface and work experience is quite different from what I used to work with so I do find this process a little bit painful...

Anyways, please find the image which describes what I'm trying to do.

Basically it's a plane and a sort of mountain shaped polysurface that's been boolean intersected and I'm trying to create another surface to close the gap in between.

I can't seem to be able to find the command "merge vertex" (Maya 2016) and I could use merge but the vertex moves and the shapes get deformed...

Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers!

[brentmc]

Hi,

You could select pairs of edges and use bridge.

You could also use fill hole if there is a distinct edge loop around the hole and then use a combination of multi-cut and target weld to dice up the n-gon created by fill hole.

NOTE: bridge may not work if the normals on the upper and lower surface aren't consistently pointing outwards. (hard to tell from the image)

--

Brent

[mspeer]

Hi!

Mesh Tools -> Append to Polygon

[xin_yi_wang]

Thanks guys for the info. I will try reply to you individually later.

Please also find the 4 view image of the model and I think it will shows better what I've done and what I intend to do.

Do you think I used the wrong logic to create something like this? i.e. Is there something like sculpt a solid and then cut/boolean away the parts I don't want and keep the remaining as a solid? (Instead of trying to patch the hole)

 

Thanks!!

[xin_yi_wang]

Hi Brent

I have tried to use bridge by first combine these two objects and then selected two edges and it resulted in something funny like this:

which isn't quite what I intended. 

About using fill hole:

How could I create a closed curved out of these 2 planes? Is there something like dupedge in rhino?

Thanks

[brentmc]

Hi,

From looking at the images you don't have a solid or a surface at the moment so using boolean would create something that is non-manifold.

If you want to combine these to make a single surface you are going to need to cut away parts of the ground that are below or intersect the sculpted mesh.

Any reason why you don't just use the sculpting tools on a suitably dense plane and then cut away parts you don't want later?

--

Brent

[brentmc]

Hi,

To make this into a closed surface I think you need to reverse the normals on the bottom plane (Mesh Display > Reverse) and also move the top surface upwards so it is not intersecting the bottom plane.

If you do this you will probably get much better results with bridge.

Posting your scene file would also help.

--

Brent

[xin_yi_wang]

I seemed to find a way to duplicate each individual edge now Brent.

But it's all polyline like and not curves. 

I originally build the shape and pressed 3 (I think it's display smoothness?) which resulted it in its current form. But does that mean the lines are actually straight polylines? 

I know this is a different questions. I just thought that I'd ask since I came across with it.

Cheers!

[xin_yi_wang]

Hi Brent,

Thanks for the post!

Please find attached files: the original one as screen captured; and the test 2 per your suggestions reversing the face and elevate the upper parts to make room for bridging. 

It does work, in a way, but the result isn't ideal.

-------------------------------------------------------------

A separate question Brent:

If I would like to make the mountain with a thickness as a "shell" and also make it smooth; to then create a rectangular box for the base and boolean union these two; how would you recommend to do that? It will be like a open cave.

Thanks champ!

[brentmc · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I was able to make a solid surface out of your mesh by:

1) turning off smooth mesh and smoothing the sculpted mesh

2) extruding the edges and pulling them down to fill the sides

3) extruding, reversing the ground plane to make a solid

4) scale/move the ground plane slightly to make sure faces are not co-planar

4) union the two meshes

Hope this gives you some ideas.

--

Brent

[xin_yi_wang]

Hi Brent,

That was brilliant!

Thank you so much!

Could I ask you a question though? How did you extrude the edges of the upper part down to the same level? I first couldn't extrude them straight down vertically, then I clicked a "switch on/off" button and it did extrude vertically but kept the profile shape of the selected edges. 

Also, should I start a new post in regards to my previous question about making a cave like object?

Thanks a lot!!!

P.S. This reminds me of my old 3DS MAX days, which I haven't used in a long time and got used to the rhino interface and working method... 🙂

[brentmc]

Hi,

After hitting the extrude button I did the following:

1) switch to the scale tool

2) tap D to change the scale tool pivot

3) move the pivot point vertically so it is below the surface

4) tap D to exit pivot editing mode

5) scale along the vertical axis (which scales all the edges to the pivot point)

Yes, you should open a new topic for different questions as it is more effective.

Also, please accept answers that solve the issue (and/or give kudos to helpful comments) which makes it easier for others to find answers.

Thanks.

--

Brent

[xin_yi_wang]

Hi Brent,

Thanks again!

I've done what you suggested and understand how the pivot works now!

I've opened another post and hopefully you could shed some lights on.

Best,

ryan