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HLEP

1111

[listTools title="TerrainAxe Help"]

---Total 286 views---

---Total 286 views---

Updates(April 20,2017)

1089

  1. A new selection tool ,SameDirFaces,was added,which can select faces that has same normal as selected face

  2. RoadlineSys:Road Width parameter can be got after creating road lines. The width of road shoulder can be adjusted One way road lines can be chosen , median width can be adjusted. Fixed a bug that make road lines creating failing at top level of sub-objects.

  3. ClearDupShps,fixed a bug that duplicated splines can't be cleared.

  4. MoveOnDir can work normally.

  5. AdvArray: The mid-points of ring edges can be used as path to array objects.

  6. CapEdges:Before,the new polygon can't be created if endpoints of border share on same edge,but now can.

  7. MoveVerts:Supplied an option to ignore border vertices when moving vertices.

  8. Web license type :fixed a bug that can cause TerrainAxe disable when another new 3dsmax window is opened.

---Total 388 views---

---Total 388 views---

A Very Important Update

1000
  1. PlaceMesh can directly embeds polygon surface in terrain.This is a very important features,with which terrain landscape modeling suddenly become very much simple.

  2. RingMap has been removed from TerrainAxe because of duplicated functions.

---Total 241 views---

---Total 241 views---

Setup License Server for TerrainAxe

961

License Server for TerrainAxe is a program running in host PC ,with which you can run TerrainAxe on multiple PCs in a same local network.The number of PCs that can run TerrainAxe is the number of licenses.Once you start License Server you can active TerrainAxe on client PC.

(more…)

---Total 3,912 views---

---Total 3,912 views---

Improved Stitch tools for Editable poly

923
Stitch tools create new faces between selected open edges(borders),which are mainly used to connect roads and terrain.

In this update,stitch algorithm has been improved and enhanced,error probability is reduced greatly,no longer need to clear jags of borders but final triangluation is much better.
(more…)

---Total 379 views---

---Total 379 views---

Installing License Server for TerrainAxe

902
  1. In lastest version of TerrainAxe ,a license type "Network" has been added.
  2. The license type need to install license server program in one PC as host,all PCs within allowed number can run TerrainAxe.It is no nessaray to active TerrainAxe for every PC

Install license server on host

  1. Inatalliation is very simple,extract "TerrainAxeServer.rar" file in a directory,run inside TerrainAxeServer.exe ，the UI shown below：

    2. TerrainAxeServer

  2. Click button Active TerrainAxe,a dialog popped,as shown in the below picture.

    TerrainAxeServer01


    Above Request text editor is request code, send the code to author to get license text ,enter it into the below text editor.Paste Lic button can paste directly the content of clipboarder to the text editor.
  3. Click Active TerrainAxe ,license text will be writen in a lic file in the program folder,"License file was read successfully" will display in below text window.

    4. TerrainAxeServer02

  4. Close "Active TerrainAxe" window,an user list will shown in right list box,All items are shown as "Waitting",which indicate that the program is waitting for clicents to connect.The list in the pic contain 50 items which indicate 50 PCs can run TerrainAxe.

    TerrainAxeServer_Active

Installation in client PC

No need to install client program, which will run with TerrainAxe.Remember set License Type to Network and keep TerrainAxe Server running.

  1. A client program "TerrainAxeClient.exe" will begin running when start TerrainAxe, the UI shown as below picture.

    2. TerrainAxeClient01

  2. ServerIP is host IP,that is the IP address of PC that install License Server.Enter the IP,the format like "192.168.1.1"；

    3. TerrainAxeClient02

  3. Click ServerIP button,the IP will be written in to registry,thus you don't need to enter the IP next time.
  4. Click Connect,the message as shown in below picture indicate connecting is successful.At same time the PC's IP and host name will appear in list box on host.

    5. successful connecting


    Client is appear in host side

  5. Run UIMan in 3dsmax，click install, it indicate activation is successful that a message as shown in below picture is shown in MAXScript listener.

    6. Activation is successful


    No need to connect again when runing other 3dsmax because they share one same client program.

---Total 575 views---

---Total 575 views---

Basic Tutorial---Make a road on the terrain.

882

Download Max file 

  1. Topologize

    Why topologize model?There are  three main reasons.

      • Sufficient topology lines can insure roads  be deformed correctly.
      • UVW Mapping need sufficient vertices and edges.
      • Watching a scene more fluently ,help to improve rendering speed.

    The road in this file is an editable polygon converted from a spline shape ,the layout of vertices is not regular because original dwg file is not good,so CutByAgl is used a lot to cut road.If the number of vertices on bothside of road is same ,ConnectVerts is better.


    Lay out topology lines for road

  2. Smooth Road

    In the Step,MoveVerts is used to conform  the road to the terrain because of lacking level data,then  SMRoad tools  to smooth road ,at last conform faces covered by road to it.In the basic  version ,SmoothRoad (which has a user interface) can be substitute for SMRoad tools,you can watch last video to see how to use it.


    Smooth Road and conform it to terrain

  3. Connect the road to terrain

    In this Step, the road is attached to terrain,the holes are capped ,then StitchVerts is used to topologize new polygon.StitchVerts is unavailable in Lite version ,you can use AdvConnectVerts to substitute for it.


    Connect Road to Terrain

If you are using  basic version of TerrainAxe,you can watch the below video to complete tutorial.


Make road with TerrainAxe Basic

Download max file 

---Total 6,316 views---

---Total 6,316 views---

Manager

867

AxeSetting

AxeSetting

  1. AutoCAD Import

    2. Specify the directory and filename for DwgImport,Click long button to specify a dwg file in openning explorer window ,which filename will be shown in blow text box,you can also enter manually a filename.
    Then every time you excute DwgImport,which will import the same name file from the location without popping a dialog.
    DwgName The filename of the file imported by DwgImport .
    ImportTest
    Used to test importing,A AutoCAD Dwg/Dxf import options dialog will be popped, make some setting for your next dwg file importing.

  2. SmoothRoad

    Affect the behavior of SmoothRoad tools.

    FlatOther If checked,SmoothRoad will mapping the height of every vertex to the other side of road,or only smooth one side.

  3. WeldToEdge

    4. Control the behavior of Weld Verts to Edges tools.
    ToTargetIf checked, the welding of [Weld1VtToEg] and [Weld2VtsToEg] will happen on selected edge ,or at selected vertices;
    WeldIf unchecked ,no welding happen,Weld2VtsToEg and SuperWeld will create a polygon or multiple polygons between selected vertices and selected edges;
    Keep TopologyIf checked, SuperWeld will extend topology lines from old polyons occupied by selected vertices to new created polygons.
    Weld ThresWelding threshold for Weld_Vts&Egs.If welding fail or gaps still exist,try to increase the value.

  4. PolyToStair

    5. Control the behavior of FacesToStair
    StairWidSpecify the width of a step.
    StairHiSpecify the length of a step.
    WeldIf checked,the created stairs will be welded to terrain .
    CreateCurbIf checked,curb for stairs will be created.

  5. AutoFillet

    6. Control the behavior of SmoothRoad(Rad)

    Radius The initial radius of round corner.
    TanToEdgeMake Arc for round corner tangent to adjacent edges.

  6. PickPoint

    7. Control the behavior of FreePolyand ShapeEdge.
    SnapActive snap mode when pick points.
    PlaneMode Used keep all picked points within one XY plane.

  7. Material and UV

    8. Set options and parameters relating to Material and UV operating,such as FreePoly, UVPaver.
    GrayMatSpecify the material for new created object by TerrainAxe,such as curb generated by SweepEdge;
    NewFaceIDSecpify the ID for new created polyon,such as FreePoly
    U WidthReal demension in world space ocuppied by on unit in U direction in UVW space.
    V WidthReal demension in world space ocuppied by on unit in U direction in UVW space.
    Map ChannelSpecify which channle UV tools will operate on.

---Total 303 views---

---Total 303 views---

How to learn TerrainAxe?

852

 

Many users are used to learn one by one all tools of a software ,but it is not really a good idea,because even though you can manipulate all tools,but you will be puzzled, you don't still know when and how and where to use them ,and don't know why the tools exist.

As we know, terrain landscape modeling is a very hard work,it is not like surface modeling which can use few control points to control complex modeling,and not like building modeling which can be freely pick a part of entire model to modify ,because it is generally regular .Terrain landscape modeling need often disruptive modification on terrain.For example,you are going to make roads on terrain,where are you begin?Use boolean and comform deform object as before? Another example,if your modeling has been completed ,but you need to hack a clearing from terrain to place a building by the side of the road ,which tool will you first call in mind? Some users generate curb,sideway and stone paving ,but roads are still flat,how to do after ajusting level difference of roads? how to do in next connecting work to terrain?

 

So ,it is impossible to modeling for terrain landscape as modeling for other type of scense,we need a new completely different idea to guide us to find an efficent workflow,which can avoid plenty of unusful jobs.The peculiarity of terrain landscape modeling decide there is only one workable thread,which has been write in the article MAIN THREAD OF MODELING TERRAIN LANDSCAPE .It is a very important arcticle. It is very necessary to read the arcticle before learn TerrainAxe. The thread is the most direct and efficient we can find,because of which every tool exist.Follow the thread to search tools you desired and understand them,thus you can freely use TerrainAxe .

 

Why use a software like Civil3D to modeling terrain landscape?Maybe somebody ask.It is really a powerful software,but first of all,this type of automate software need complete data ,but the data we can have is generally insufficent;Also we have many individuation requirements,which can be solved by ajust data or parameters.Only preparing  many individe tools  to  let users freely combinate them can   meet our defferent requirements,this is also the time to show the power of TerrainAxe.

Hope everyone who is interested in TerrainAxe can realize earlier the value of the software.

A tutorial and its 3dsmax file were also provided,Basic Tutorial---Make Roads Through Terrain.

---Total 2,058 views---

---Total 2,058 views---

Update(August 21,2016)

841
  1. Add a License Type option for UIMan,with which user can select which way to active the product
  2. Add a AxeSetting menu to Quad Meuns,with which user can make some preset for TerrainAxe
  3. Fix 2 bugs for AdvArray:1. Sections can't be saved correctly when renderer is missing ;2. children of copied object can't be scaled correctly
  4. Fix the problem that faces covered by above object can't be selected correctly in CoverFcs and ConformToRoad
  5. Documents for Roundverts,AppendPoly,Weld Vert To Edge,UV Paver Tools have been updated.

---Total 361 views---

---Total 361 views---

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