Imagine a box modeled with three segments in each of the x-y-and z axes, that is, a square nine-segment box. I would like to be able to convert that box to a latticework of two-point polygons so that the resulting 3D object looks like a playground jungle-jim. Of course, I could just kill the polys and manually connect each pair of points with a two-point polygon, but I bet there's a less labor intensive way to do it. In fact I'm sure there is because I've done it by accident, but I don't remember how. I think this might be a useful method of creating ropey nets and spider webs and such. Anyone know how to do it?

Tom Desmond

The key is, to use your bevel tool. Right click,lasso,hit (b) bevel , inset(Value) shift (0) ,then hit (b) bevel, inset(0) shift(value),this time use opposite values (b)bevel inset(-value),shift(0), and one more time (b)bevel inset(0) shift(-value), I use this method all the time, to create square tubed structures. For webs, try a cone , select all the points,set value=0(flattened to 0), select an arrangement of poly's and metaform, then try the above method. You could bevel(inset) once and (c)copy, (f)flip, then (v)paste, and (m) merge points to make a flat structure................hope this helped a little

Steve Lennox

Yup. (One way, at least.)

1. Use Bevel (inset = 0, shift = 1 mm) on all the polygons in the object.
2. Do a Merge Points with an absolute value of 10 mm.
3. Do a Unify (Polygon Menu).
4. Do another Merge Points with the same absolute value.
5. Do another Unify.
6. Hit Polygon Statistics ("w" key) and select all the 2-point polys.
7. Copy them to another layer.

Notes:
A. The measurements given assume your object has enough room around its points to allow Bevelling and Point Merging without combining some of the original object's points. Adjust the settings accordingly for much smaller objects.

B. Don't know why you have to do TWO Merge-Points/Unify passes, but it's necessary to get this to work right.

Thanks for asking this question... I had no motivation to figure this out till seeing your post. :)

James G. Jones