I'm looking to cut multiple sections using multiple infinite planes .. all in one go !!!

I'm also looking to cut multiple objects with a single infinite plane .. all in one go !!!

Cheers Murray for the work round

It's really a tool improvement I'm looking for - and i think quite a good logical one

It would save me hours in trimming multiple bulkheads in a boat for example

I've got an older mouse made by a Taiwanese company called A4tech. It's a four-button jobby with two of the buttons programmable to user-assignable toolbars. A4tech gives these toolbars the excellent names "net jump" and "lucky jump". Despite the cheesy names, each of the 14 buttons on the toolbars can be assigned series of keyboard entries, essentially a "script" for each button, so 28 "scripts" in total, able to be altered anytime at will. A4tech's drivers have worked for me with generic mice that they didn't make, too. It's been useful for tasks in apps that don't have scripting. A4tech's a pretty strong company, and I think from memory their mice are compatible with macs, so maybe the scripting thing will work with macs too, Tom.

thanks Zumer - I appreciate your feedback

However, in my many years of wrestling with complex models in these tools

I already have I thousand workarounds

I'm really looking for tool improvements !!

Perhaps I'm having a blonde moment, but I'm not sure what you're getting at Murray. Naturally, you would have to set up the spacing .. as I would to subtract blocks

Paul, Zumer - I guess Tim would have a problem in splitting an object x times
.. If I look at Split in the history tree, you get 2 results. Splitting an object x times would create an ordering dilemma .. ie : to which result part do you apply the next splitting action ?

Say I had a weird shaped chair (.. and it can happen) .. what if I want to break it up into say 20 solids for CNC'ing a prototype. I know I can select the part and split - select the result and split again .. and on and on

All I want to do .. is .. just like the "cut sections" tool .. I wanna be able to select and object and chop it up with multiple infinite planes or surfaces I've thrown thru' the object .. but I want to do it in one operation - not say 20

I think it's a fair ask !

Please don't give me a workaround .. i'm not setting a challenge - I'm just stating an improvement I've wished for thousands of times in the past 10 years using these tools

Check out Delftship:

http://www.delftship.net/delfts...511125c911505f2fcaeadd04

I use it to get my bulkheas into place. Here is what i do:

-- create hull by points placed into interface (or, modify an existed, user-submitted model)

-- go to the view menu item to add frames ............

-- decide which way to 'throw" the bulkheas (i "throw" away from the moulded side/ forward of the bulkhead mould line forward of amidships, and i "throw" aft of the mould line of a bulkhead aft of amidships.

-- decide on the thickness of any given bulkhead and place points for the bulkheads

-- fair the hull as much as i can do and retain sanity (if you buy the pro version you get automated fairing; in non-pro, you have to keep reviewing the reports giving you speed and resistance calculations information to the point you stop or accept the smoothness)

-- before exporting the model, turn on buttocks, waterlines, etc

-- export as .dxf the model of the hull

-- import into VC the .dxf file and then set starboard frames to stb, port lines to port, and turn off anything that gets into my way

-- use the VC explode line or manually-drawin lines around the bulkheads' frames to stitch the bulkhead.

-- apply materials properties to bulkheads and export VC's reports to use in Lotus 1-2-3 and Lotus Approach (for me, that is; i do NOT use ms abscess nor excel; access is way too overkill, costly, and very non-friendly to end-users who want WYSIWYG reports building and charts-making.)

( If you need scrolling in 1-2-3 and find that XP or 2k or vista killed scrolling, then use Flywheel (which PC Magazine reports on):

go to:

http://www.pcworld.com/download...wnloads/description.html

)

I use numerous layers in VC:

construction, for decks, bulkheads, with port and starboard callouts. Generally, one migth think it makes sense to model one side and then mirror the other. But, i've found that mirroring VC solides turns their mirrors into ACIS solids, and that has, to me, some pluses and minuses.

Enjoy!

Where **VC 5 Pro** will come in handy over VC6 is the surface trim tool. See, in VC6 you cannot (in my limited experience) do surface to surface trim, but you CAN do solid to solid and solid via surface trimming.

I create sideshell stiffeners by using the frames. I create them at some intervals between bulkheads. I create the stiffeners as seperate flanges and webs. I create the web by perpendicularly (perpendicular to the BASELINE, not the curvature of the flange part, (but that has problems if rail-sweeping from the top downward, but it is better to sweep from the baseline up) extending a line inboard. I also create a flange inboard of the sideshell frame curve but also perpendicular to the web, wide enough to be a decent (conforming to available steel shapes commonly available). I then sweep the flange first so i can see the flange when i need to sweep it. Then i sweep the web. I then thicken each. Now, i have the chance to assign properties and get weigths and centers.

Be warned though: if you're designing megayachts or cruiser type hulls, surfacing and thickening the sideshell, bulkheads, decks and stiffeners will grow the original 2 MB file (in my case) to well over 40MB intially and then to 140 MB, for just ***1/3*** of the hull, not even counting the superstructure. I would imagine the file growing to 500MB plus just for a properly thickened, plated model of the 4 items mentioned. Once you get into ladders, toe kicks, bulkhead stiffeners, under deck stiffeners, pipe hanges, models of Wartsila diesels or gas turbines (be sure to comply with their reproduction restrictions, or use hand-made boxes to suffice for the excess detail...), and so on.

Also, if you use Wartsila's engines models, you need AutoCAD to "burst" (rather than explode) the engine blocks. I tried in vain to get VC6 to open some of the models, only to have some VB (or some such visual basic) errors pop up and unceremoniously crash VC6. I had to burst the diesel engine model maybe 4 times, going from 1 block to 19, to some 100 to some 1900 objects. But, after doing so, VC sweetly imported the engine and the model rotates fairly nicely.

Wow, that is nice!

Another problem with the models of Wartsila's diesels is that although the .dxf files start out as ~ 2MB (blocks), then quickly grow to ~100MB if they don't actually crash VC6. But, if bursted, they are not near that size when saved. I'll have to take another look, though. But if i had not had access to AutoCAD, I probably would have had to use something else to successfully open the .dxf file.