R.Stewart Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 To measure things I have to make a box or something to use as a measuring stick. Some sort of measuring tool would be great. I know it's a big ask but if they could make something like the temporary dimensions like in revit that would be awesome!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyDroid Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 I do that too, but if I need precise measurements I use the Tape tool located in Create -> Helpers. Not sure if that's what you're looking for... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Stewart Posted June 4, 2011 Author Share Posted June 4, 2011 Actually that seems like it would do the trick. What about a section box? I'm sure people have requested that yeah? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 In the Tools menu, there is a Measure Distance command. Could be what you are looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Homeless Guy Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 Autodesk will make no apologies in the fact that Max is not oriented towards 'CAD' modeling, and I really don't think they will ever try to make it oriented towards CAD modeling. If you really need accuracy it is best to model in another program and file link via DWG. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just a fact. While a pain sometimes, it can also be an asset. Not being tied down to accuracy allows you to think more freely, and simply model and design without the need to spend time on mathematics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Stewart Posted June 5, 2011 Author Share Posted June 5, 2011 Autodesk will make no apologies in the fact that Max is not oriented towards 'CAD' modeling. haha if only there was a happy medium between revit and max where you could move things where ever you wanted and just have that freedom to model like in max, yet have the pin point accuracy of revit. Revit is too restrictive, max is too loose. Max wins in the end though because at least it lets you move things freely. I think all fields would benefit from a section box though right? We aint the only ones who build stuff inside other stuff. I'm going to drop a request for that now:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Hart Posted June 5, 2011 Share Posted June 5, 2011 It's really annoyed me over the years that you can't just enter a dimension for a straight line - like sketchup for example. If I'm helping people to learn Max it's difficult to explain why there are things like IK, soft body collisions, and hair - and yet you can't input a line dimension (and you need a 3rd party script to do so). Sure the tape works, but in every release I've used the measure tool mentioned only seems to work 50% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Stewart Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Bruce Hart, that name is familiar. My max teacher at Southbank Tafe Mike Gibson talks about you all the time:D Yes, it blows my mind that such a sophisticated and complex program would make it so difficult to just draw a line at a desired length. So you've got my back on a more advanced measuring tool/dimension input? That's 2 now autodesk!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Hart Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Bruce Hart, that name is familiar. My max teacher at Southbank Tafe Mike Gibson talks about you all the time:D Well that's embarrasing Mike first taught me AutoCAD way back in 1991 and 3D Studio DOS/Max a bit later. It's good to see he's still going strong. As Travis says - Max is meant to be more free-form than a CAD package. It took me some years to get out of the accurate CAD mindset before using Max as the main modeling tool. A lot of people use AutoCAD to draw up accurate linework first and then take it into Max or Sketchup for modelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Stewart Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Well that's embarrasing Mike first taught me AutoCAD way back in 1991 and 3D Studio DOS/Max a bit later. It's good to see he's still going strong. haha don't be embarrassed mate be proud, Mike has shown us some really cool stuff that you've done. Really you are an inspiration to all of us at the Tafe. Yeah Mike is still going strong, and he loves his job which is great to see. He did tell us that you use max as your main modeling tool, and since joining up with this website I see that that's the case for most people on here and I can totally understand why. Like if you want to delete a curtain wall panel in max you just delete it. Where as in revit if you want to delete one it says NO!! YOU CAN'T BE DOIN THAT!! with it's flashing lights and sirens going off. Slowing down the process. I've been wondering a lot lately about the future of max modeling and I'd love to know your opinion. Do you think that BIM models will completely take the place of max models because of all the useful information? I'd way rather model in max than in revit, I have my 3DATS books next to me and I'm getting suck right in. I know a lot of people in arch viz work off preliminary autocad drawings that they get from an architect or whoever, but as revit is slowly taking over then I guess the arch viz folk will be working off preliminary revit models instead. Would that be a fair assumption? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeC Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 There is also the Measure tool under the utilities panel which will give bounding box dimensions and volume and surface area info should you need it. I guess the thing with max is that it is not a design tool, and for most intents and purposes, you don't need that pin point accuracy. I can't really think of an instance where I will be working on an image that you'll ever see or know that something isn't 100% accurate up close. Its just a case of building a workflow that works best for you and what you are trying to create. On another note, I find it interesting that Brisbane always seems to have such a presence here on the forums. I guess the industry has grown a lot since I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R.Stewart Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hey Luke, yeah I did find that tool. It's pretty good but not really one that we need to use too often at all. I just really liked the accuracy of revit. I'll never go back to it though haha. The freedom of Max far out ways the accuracy of revit in goodness. I know it's uncool to like revit but I think if there was a combination of the 2 that would be a really powerful program. For sure I've notice a few brizzy lads on here. Justin and Bruce from the buchen group have been a big help for me and a big inspiration as well. I went in to meet them and they gave me some great resources. Melbourne is where it's at for 3d though. I've seen way more jobs advertised down there than up here. I plan to move down there asap. did you study in brisbane? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeC Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Ah fair enough. Max will never be as accurate as revit unfortunately. I understand where you are coming from though - I'm sure a lot of people would find it handy. On a side note in terms of accuracy, max doesn't like large numbers, so the further you get away from 0,0 , the worse its accuracy is. So make sure you don't build anything in world coordinates and shift it to the center of the grid instead. Yeah I studied in Brisbane but it was 10 years ago now and there wasn't too much available in the way of courses. To be honest, I studed in Maya and learned all my Max knowledge on the job. As for Melbourne, I lived and worked there for 3 years, and your right, there is a lot of work down there. Its got more interesting work - bigger projects / more architectural based jobs vs the civil / engineering that is mostly available in Brisbane, but it is my experience that the jobs in Brisbane pay better then Melbourne. Mind you, Melbourne is a lot more fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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