Guest deadseasquirrels Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 I am trying to draw 3D models for the first time, and something is confusing me. Sometimes when I draw a rectangle and it asks for a length width and height it seems the width means something else and the width means something else. I think the width means the distance from the z-axis on the XY plane, but then sometimes it is the distance from the Y-axis on teh XZ plane. I am just wondering if there is a good way to keep that a constant, or to remember which the length, width, and height is referring to at any given time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest robfowler Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 The way I normally draw a box is to use the Box tool from the Solids toolbar then enter the starting corner co-ordinates. When prompted to specify corner or (Cube/Length) type in L and press Return. The length now goes along the X axis, the width along the Y axis and the height along the Z axis. The command line should look like below to draw a box 100 long by 50 wide by 20 high starting the corner at 0,0,0: Command: _box Specify corner of box or : Specify corner or [Cube/Length]: L Specify length: 100 Specify width: 50 Specify height: 20 Try this method until you get used to it. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest deadseasquirrels Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 That is my thinking. But when I do that, the width and the height seems to get mixed up now. I'll try it again to confirm. But I remember when I started doing this, everything was fine, the 3D was as how you described it and that was my understanding of it. But then something happened and everything got screwed up. Is there a possibility that something may have screwed it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest robfowler Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 Try resetting your UCS to World. Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mercedes Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 If you want to draw a 3d rectangle or a 3d box try this: Select FRONT view in the view pull-down menu Select LINE in the draw pull-down menu Pick a point to start the box Enter the desired dimensions EXAMPLE @10 You now have the front profile of the Square or Rectangle Type PEDIT select the square that you have just drawn Type Y to make all lines polylines Use the JOIN command by pressing (J enter) then press enter again to exit the command Check if the square is joined (one piece) Type Extrude and select the square Type in desired length for the depth of the square Press enter twice to exit the command Use the 3D ORBIT command to view the 3 dimensional square. *You may draw any desired shape in front view and PEDIT it together so it is on piece, then you can use the EXTRUDE command to make the object have the desired depth. **You can also EXTRUDE an object by drawing its front profile then draw a desired path move the object to the endpoint of the path. Type EXTRUDE select the object you want to extrude Type P for path then select the path. Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 When I teach solid primitives I avoid the BOX. It is hard to visualise what is happening, whereas a CONE with radius and ht is easy. Also before drawing switch to SE ISometric view so the 3D world is more apparent. Just draw a rectanlge then EXTRUDE it and forget about box. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate M Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Mercedes, why not just use the PLINE command to draw your profile (or RECTANG if it's a box), and skip all the PEDIT steps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryDsouza Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Let me think! Did you try resetting your UCS to World. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randolph Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Hi folks, 1) A rectangle is flat and has no height. 2) A box has a height. 3) Please don't forget about the box command. It's the most important command in 3d modelling, at least for architecture ... 4) Mercedes, that will work, but you can also walk from Vienna to London via Rome. Concerning the original question: 1) turn the UCS icon on ("View Menu" > UCS Icon > On) 2) when you change views with the "little cubes" in the "views toolbar", the UCS is automatically changed to be xy-parallel to the view. This is confusing. The collegues are right: go to "UCS > World" 3) If you choose "Visual styles" > "realistic" a navigator cube should appear. This is quite helpful to navigate. 4) Go to some iso view. 5) Click the box command 6) draw a rectangle and pull it up. 7) Forget about other methods. EG, extruding a rectangle is only useful, if you want to create a box with an offset of another box. That's it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Did you guys notice that you're responding to a post from 2004? If they haven't figured it out by now (6 years later) they never will. Time for a different career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randolph Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanx, ReMark, and no, I did not. That's the 2nd time I didn't watch out before waisting my time ... just because it was on the top ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Third time's the charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeScott Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 lol! Randolph had some great info though.. It's good to see a new answer with reasoning. I always polyline my (primarily) rectangular shapes and extrude. I guess I need to get with the times, I've been on too many early versions of AutoCAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randolph Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Thanx, you're welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portews Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Did you guys notice that you're responding to a post from 2004? If they haven't figured it out by now (6 years later) they never will. Time for a different career. I come six years later and ask the same question. Thanks for the help guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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