Posted by gary veasy on February 08, 1999 at 22:44:10:
In Reply to: Re: DW w/ PowerCADD posted by Rod Terry on February 08, 1999 at 17:37:53:
Rod:
As far as the import goes, everything comes in at scale but all items are lines (or plolylines?, but I think lines)
It doesn't recognize a door from a wall or a tree or an attic vent. I then use the imported image, made up of all these lines, as a base to then draw the model. I basically extrude up new objects, drawn on new layers and assign color or materials through the info box. Then I add detail. The windows are created by cutting openings into the solid planes.
Now I should emphasize that I have chosen this method because this model was based on an already established building footprint site plan and in fact a preliminary floor plan. However, if I was doing more schematic design, rough and unbound by my already established parameters, I could do it much faster. There are very quick tools that will turn a block into a "building" with 4 walls with user defined thickness: "wallify". And shapes can be tweaked very easily if the design is at the very early stages. I have chosen, so far to use DW as a design "proving" tool. Thats is, we come up with a preliminary design that we intuitively and based on experience, think is correct, then I use DW to "prove it out".
As far as time, it is hard to say. I do much of this in my free time because there have only (so far!) been a few instances where I both HAD to do it and had the time to do it! That being said, it probably took me a week min. of nights to do the model. And in answer to your last question, yes, you can basically "fly" (walk) around the entire model (or through it) and then render any view. Most of the images on my site were then exported as picts (mac, although there are windows formats) and, at times, embellished in Photshop. The time it takes to render is dependent on SO many variables so I won't even go there, but DW provides several different rendering options including Radiance online which I used to do the interior shots.
I hope I have helped you understand my approach. Please feel free to post more questions here on the board if you feel the need! Amongst other questions might be why I don't just extrude up the lines that come into the DW via the import. Suffice it to say this is possible for a very prelininary model but prefer the more sophisticated look of solid walls, etc....If any other users have a different appraoch it might be helpful to exchange ideas on this topic, perhaps as a new topic at the top oif the Board....
Gary