command: subtracting

[rollie]

ok...im not sure if this will become a problem, but just checking before i go to far and can go back. im designing a building and have created different layers for example the walls, doors and windows etc. however when u use the subtract command, to create the door and window openings and also to show the walls inside the building, the whole thing becomes one. meaning if i highlight one line, everything is highlighted, walls, doors,windows etc. and the colours have changed, everything is the same colour as the walls, and not their individual layer colour.

 

would this become a problem down the line when im adding materials and furniture etc, as there doesnt seem to be layers anymore??

 

thanks

[Hedgehog]

When you use any of those commands... union, subtract or intersect... all of your selected components will join together as one entity & become a more complex (less easily edited) solid entity... so make sure you only select the components that you actually need to perform the operation & be aware that short of the undo button (or lots of backups) there's little you can do to get back the originals further down the drawing process without re-drawing.

[MaxwellEdison]

Work one wall at a time. When you subtract, the object being removed is deleted from the drawing and all you are left with is the original wall with some holes. If you select multiple walls at once to subtract from, the walls will be unioned. You may find this will work to your advantage in some cases, but in general work one wall at a time to avoid this. If you want the walls to be joined use the union command.

[rollie]

then for the walls ive drawn a single line to for the shape, then offset it to creat the thickness. would it be better if i done each was completely seperate, i.e different rectangles for each wall?

[Hedgehog]

Not necessarily, so long as your happy with them all being one entity on the same layer... it certainly saves some time.

[MaxwellEdison]

You will need a rectangle (or closed polyline or region) to be able to extrude the solid to begin with. As has been said many times in your other thread, extruding lines will NOT give you a solid which can be subtracted. It will give you a surface.

[rollie]

but i dont understand, everytime i try and subtract an individual was within the build so that the lines show up when i command HIDE, the walls stick together but doesnt actually do what i wanted it to do, which was to show the walls within the building