I am having trouble with some Boolean operations. I created an object in ProEngineer and after saving it aa an Lightwave.obj imported it into Bryce. I sized and then positioned it and duplicated and expanded the dup, making the original negative and the larger dup positive. I alligned the pair centered front to rear and left to right and increased the height of the original until it cleared the dup. I then grouped the two. Instead of the "shell" I expected, the negative object disappeared in the render and the positive one remained. Before grouping, both showed as they did after I ungrouped. I created a cube and it worked with both objects as expected when I assigned the cube the appropriate (Positive or Negative) attribute. What is going on? Why will the imported objects work with the cube but not each other? Does it have something to do with them coming from one source ?

I'm not sure I understand this, but the positive boolean is the one that remains (shows up) after a boolean operation and the negative part disappears, just the opposite of what I'm reading. So the negative whould cut away from the positive. If I've mis-understood the message ignor me.

Yep.... the positive is what will remain. The Negative cuts away from the positive.

I know what you are talking about.

You can't make a shell that way unless it is just a simple primitive, lol.

Uhm...don't know the technical aspect of how to word why it won't work. It's just the "aspect" of the mesh.

It's not Bryce, it's just principal of the mesh.

Like I said, I don't how to word it, lol.

Other than that, the imported mesh has to be made ready for booleaning. Select the mesh, click the little "E", and select "Solid When Boolean Rendering"

Message edited on: 07/20/2004 23:09

And this may still not work (like AS says), depending how "enclosed" the space the mesh occupies is. For example, Poser figures can be booleaned, but only if exported as single object meshes. If exported from Poser as multiple objects, it won't work right.

Message edited on: 07/20/2004 23:12

With the example of the knot, I would have to go into the program I used to create it and shrink the diameter of the knot, import that 2nd mesh, and use it to cut out the inside of the first larger mesh. AS

A little cross-posting here, but the point is clearer. :^)

AS whatd you make that twisty tubing with? Since that smart pipe isnt downloadable anymore im all outta options.

Lol, that is from a freeware program called "KnotPlot". I used it to make a pic of mine. Red Dragon; http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=486441&Start=1&Artist=AgentSmith&ByArtist=Yes KnotPlot Download; http://www.pims.math.ca/knotplot/download.html KnotPlot Galleries; http://www.pims.math.ca/knotplot/index.html

Re: #6 on the multiple objects... That could be the same problem that people get when trying complex booleans with multiple grouped objects. Try setting all the multiple parts of an imported object grouping to positive and then set the group as a whole to negative. Also one might have to set all the meshes to behave as solid on an individual basis. Just my 2.

Aye, at times Bryce's boolean can be frustrating, but the cool thing about it is that you can erverse engineer it and take a model back apart, if it's done in Bryce. Not so if it's done in a heavy modeler...

Some will allow you the option whether or not to take your booleans and make them "true" or not. Truespace will do that, but I have tried to get into its GUI, and just can't.

OK, Thanks to you all. I hadn't checkeked the "Solid when Boolean Rendering" boxes. I hadn't known they were there. It worked fine after I checked them. Michael

Lol...well, glad it worked out! Per the Bryce Forum tradition, we hijacked your thread into an almost totally different discussion. :o) Just be glad there aren't any kitten pics. (it's happened) AgentSmith

Kittens and baby chicks at war with each other? Say it ain't so!

BABY DUCKS? Be afraid! Be VERY afraid! Them there ducks can be lethal! The next frame will probably show the kitten on its back with its throat ripped out......