Default composition display and lost compositions

Dirk Van Thienen

When you slice a wall that has already been assigned a composition, the composition display of the new wall object is turned OFF.
Is it possible to set this default to ON for new objects?

I also noticed the following when pulling the height of walls:
I have an outside wall with different plies and the inner ply is connected with the inner wall that has the same material. Apparently the plies get lost and the 2 walls are joined as one object with a single material. How do i avoid this?

edit: found AUTOMATICCONNECTION variable but can't find any description

ty!

Dirk Van Thienen

"The DMEXTRUDEMODE sysvar changes the behaviour of the DMEXTRUDE command. The help correctly states:
when extruded outside the existing solid (left) the result depends on the value of the DMEXTRUDEMODE system variable, which is stored as the sum of the value of the selected options."

• 0: the new solid is unified with the existing solid. There is no interaction with intersecting solids. This is the default option for 3D Modelling."

Unfortunally this is not what i'm experiencing.

Extruding a wall's height in 'Auto' mode results in all solids to be joined that touch this wall. Of course i could use 'create' mode and join afterwards. But that's 2 steps.

Tom Foster

I was annoyed by exactly that last-para problem, but DMEXTRUDEMODE = 0 was the solution. 'Touch' = 'Intersect' as far as this variable is concerned. No?

Michael Mayer

I would like to be able to all time access and change such settings.
Not hidden deeply in infinity Settings Dialog.
But accessible from a "Tool Property Panel".
A single, unique, dockable, more content and powerful Panel,
that replaces and unifies all different other UI solutions like "Prompt"
or "Direct Modeling" STRG Panel.

(I would rather prefer to just click on a direct modeling panel's Icon
with my mouse than switching my attention back to keyboard anyway)

For me such "glue together" or not, create Void or Volume are different
options - but they are equal in priority - so belong to the same control (Panel).
I want to access them at the same time and mix them as needed.

Dirk Van Thienen

@Tom Foster said:
I was annoyed by exactly that last-para problem, but DMEXTRUDEMODE = 0 was the solution. 'Touch' = 'Intersect' as far as this variable is concerned. No?

Yes, intersect, but DMEXTRUDEMODE = 0 has been set and still solids are unified...

Jacob

Hi Dirk,

DMEXTRUDEMODE = 0 is the default value when working in a Mechanical Profile (in that context it is often necessary to automatically union solids when direct modeling). The BIM profile has by default DMEXTRUDEMODE = 3. Can you try setting it to 3 and see if you still experience this issue?

Tom Foster

Praps I meant DMEXTRUDEMODE = 3

Dirk Van Thienen

Yes, but when set to 3 and when using dmextrude command in auto mode, it creates a new solid (the extruded part)
It's 4 that does the trick.

Louis_Verdonck

HI guys, please notice the 'Hot key assistant' at the bottom of the screen: tapping the Ctrl-key toggles between available options (subtract, create, unite). Depending on the user profile (BIM or Mechanical) the default behaviour (= AUTO option) of DmExtrude is create (BIM) or unite (Mechanical).

Michael Mayer

OK, the "Direct Modeling" STRG Panel is called 'Hot key assistant"

But do the 4 Options cover really all desired options for Extrudes
between create/unite, cut but also create and such things ?
As far as I remember I had situations like Extruding something parallel
to a Wall when touching - and how it will interact with other perpendicular
Walls following, or when Cutting through multiple Slabs, to also create a
volume, or, not cutting Slabs and just creating a Volume,
where I tried to switch between both, Settings Defaults and 'Hot key assistant"

Even if I am wrong here or using the wrong Tools,
I think it would be great, easier and more logical to unite all these equal
important options in a single panel with checkboxes, that you always
find at the same place with the same familiar behavior.

Like for all actions where there is some kind of Copying involved :
Auto Repeat, yes/no
Allow individual distance input when copying, yes/no
Use fixed Distance, yes/no, input = XXX.XX
Use distance origin from start, yes/no,
or from last Copy, yes/no
....

Text or Icons, Options hidden or grayed when not applicable.
That it keeps these settings when you need those with your Tool later again.
Maybe a Reset to default Button or shortcut. (Or a "Keep my Settings", on/off)

As it is currently with 'Hot key assistant",
there is alway so much redundant repetition needed, like :
STRG+Re-Select, Reactivate Tool, STRG, STRG, STRG, ...
(But keep your Mouse from Moving while Typing ...)
Repeat n times ....

I quite often want to draw a lot of Rectangles in row.
Or apply a bunch of Commands in a row for a complex Selection.
Or Push Pull a Face of a bunch of Solids for always the same distance
during the day, even if I used other Tools in between.
Or extrude things in 4th 'Hot key assistant" Mode only, half a day.