Rick Eloy

Amem.

Actually, you can draw just like you would in AutoCAD, using the keyboard entry area of the create tab. The thing is that drawing something with coordinates is really tedious, and if you think that our job is (normally) to bring some existing design to life, I really don't see why I would need Max to draw the same way as ACAD.

After more than a decade using 3d studio, I really think there's no need for a complex CAD modeling feature whatsoever. And, depending on the way you model your stuff, CAD is almost useless. I do all my stuff in Max using box modeling and never missed AutoCAD for that. I started modeling in AutoCAD and when I migrated to Max I started wondering why ACAD wasn't more like Max (now there are more tools like Max's, but still not the same).
Anyway, this is a wishlist, and if you would like to see more of CAD in Max, that's fair. But, from my side, only some minor things are to be missed.

__________________
Rick Eloy
reb digital - Really, I'm doing it for the kids...

paultwyman

I would just like to see some options available during spline creation. Maybe in the shift right click quad menu allowing you to change creation method once you have started (not sure if this is mathmatically possible during creation? perhaps thats why it hasn't already been added) and maybe the ability to add a distance in XYZ from last point created. Although you can create a spline completely using the keyboard entry you cannot add a distance once you have started to create one by hand. I just think it would be a nice little feature that could improve workflow sometimes.

Tommy Burns

Great post Derek I totally agree with you. I use Microstation for modelling and it's amazing and really fast because you have all these tools and more. How could it be a problem to have a tool like accudraw in Max? People saying that it would be a burden on Max as a visualisation program. In my line of work which is Architecture you need a lot of precision in your modeling its not all about how good it looks. Yes you can use other programs to model but who needs the burden of referencing, file linking (which has a mind of its own at times),merging, importing, exporting, scaling etc. All of this in my opinion could be erased if we could all just model in Max, completely saving countless amount of hours.
I would love to do all my modeling in max but the only thing that stops me is the tools that Derek has asked for. How difficult would it be to put in these tools ie. place a line with distance, copy something from a reference point that is not included in the object you are copying?? input a distance that you want the object copied/moved too.
I am sure that people have all got their own way of doing all this but wouldn't it be nice if they brought out a set of tools that we all could use the same way and if there are people out there who think they are a burden to Max? just turn them off.
Theres no doubt about it that max has other tools which are far ahead of other programs so why not have the real basic ones I don't understand this at all. This is why this would be on the top of my wishlist which would leave me with a hell of a lot more time to check out all the fancy tools that max has.
Once again great post and fingers crossed hey!!

ben-csab

You can copy that way. Just press spacebat to lock selection, and you can move/copy from an external point.

Tommy Burns

What a quality tip you don't know how easier thats gonna make
my life
Cheers Ben!!

derek forreal

hi All,

good to see some some support for my request. i have been thinking of ways to make the cad tools as 'invisible' as possible. here are some suggestions:

3 point rotate & 3 point scale - these could be incorporated in the current rotate and scale icons. the existing scale icon, for example, provides access to three different tools. it should be simple and invisible to add a fourth. similarly, an extra function could be added to the rotate icon .

Relative coordinates - an option within the preferences could be made to switch between absolute and relative input. this could then be mapped to keyboard

More (and 'smoother') snapping options (intersections etc) - simply add to current snaps

Inferencing & Guide Lines - additional icons in snap toolbar, mappable to keyboard to allow switching on and off

Shift drag FULLY locks axis (currently only locks if desired side is shorter than locking side) - Again, could be switched on and off from preferences dialogue. Better still, preferences dialogue could include 'Architecture Tools' tab where all 'accuracy' tools can be controlled

Input Box (to type in sizes as you draw) - see 'relative coordinates' above

The ability to change window/zoom/pan mid operation - this should be standard.

in addition to this i would like to be able to create primitives in multiple windows - example, create a box. specify length and width in 'top' view, then change to 'right' view to specify bottom and top of box. maybe i should make a seperate wish for this...

finally, a tip i picked up in the autodesk 'area' forum. if you need to align an object or a pivot exactly to another object and don't know the angle of rotation - use the 'tape measure' tool in 3d and 3d snap the tape to pretty much anything you want (spline, any edge of an object etc). now you can use the tape's pivot to align to, or you can pick the tape's pivot to move an object along that axis. great for roof tiles etc