Boolean operations involve complex math. Boolean engines are very complicate pieces of code and there is no perfect algorithm for this task.
Spline Combiner uses 3dsMax’s ProBoolean engine to perform boolean oprations between splines. This functions work generally very good, but there are some exceptions.
There may be occasions in wich Spline Combiner‘s Boolean Splines tool cannot resolve the boolean operation properly. For example, in some cases after the process, all the shapes disappear or the resulting shape is wrong. Don’t panic! This is not an error. It’s a known limitation and it happens just in particular cases. We will point those cases and show you how to solve them in a few steps.
The image above shows 3 cases in wich the Boolean Union operation fails and how to use Spline Combiner’s Detect Intersections tool to workaround this.
The most problematic situations, as you can see, are those involving overlapping vertices and lines between shapes.
As a general rule, to overcome these cases, you can use the Detect Intersections tool. The steps are the following:
- Select the shapes
- Open Detect Intersections rollout
- Tick ‘Between different shapes’
- Choose ‘Split’ option and ‘Detach elements’
- Press ‘DETECT INTERSECTIONS’ button. The plugin breaks the splines apart by intersections, detaching all curves.
- Delete the unwanted parts manually
- At the Tools rollout, press ‘Attach Selected’ and ‘Weld Vertices’
Ready!
This method and works for almost all the cases, since the algorithm Spline Combiner uses for detecting intersections is very accurate and effective.
Try it! If you have any doubts or consultations please leave a comment down here or write us through this Contact Form.
Cheers!
