Booleans

[oldhippie_tom]

Hello, I am writing to ask if anyone may me familiar with the Boolean command in Maya, I am using version 7. I have had some success and failures with this and can't seem to always get it to work. I have it delete both of the objects at times when I use it. And that happens with any of the 3 options (Union, Difference, and Intersection). I do like what you can do with the Boolean command, but don't understand why it will work at times and not at others. Is there a rule, other than you select both polygons?

Any guidance on using this command would be appreciated.

[Shogunato]

http://www.digitaltutors.com/chit_chat/showthread.php?t=222&highlight=booleans

hope this helps

[oldhippie_tom]

It helped alot as he told of using the history and that will be of a big benefit to me to may adjustments after I have used the command.

But the problem I am having once in awhile is that both objects disappear when I execute any of the 3 command under Boolean. I am modeling a car and at time I use the body parts to use the Boolean on. I have during the course of building the car used Sub-D. But I always convert back to Poly before using the Boolean.

I was hoping for and answer as to why both objects would just disappear like that. I have tried Cleanup and to Conform Faces, thinking maybe that may be it. But can't find the answer.

Thanks for you referral to the tutorial as I had said the memory retention will of alot of use.

[laxman]

I was hoping for and answer as to why both objects would just disappear like that. I have tried Cleanup and to Conform Faces, thinking maybe that may be it. But can't find the answer.

Thanks for you referral to the tutorial as I had said the memory retention will of alot of use.


It just does. If you did everything it said in that other chit chat, then there nothing more to be done. Maya has always had a horrible boolean tool, unfortunetly version 8 is no different. Your only option is to do whatever you want manually using normal techniques such as poly split and extrude.

[Shogunato]

Usually i prepare the geometry with split poly tool before using booleans.

But like said Laxman, sometimes booleans is a nightmare and doesn't work.

[oldhippie_tom]

It just does. If you did everything it said in that other chit chat, then there nothing more to be done. Maya has always had a horrible Boolean tool, unfortunately version 8 is no different. Your only option is to do whatever you want manually using normal techniques such as poly split and extrude.


Thank you so much for your response. I am glad to hear it happens. I wish it didn't, but now I know. I am sure that I do everything correctly as it does work about 50% of the time. But very frustrating when you are in the middle of trying to make something and Boolean doesn't want to work. I have version 8 of Maya but put it away as I had a problem with it. In version 8 when I used the Extrude Tool and switched from Local to World the manipulator when jump to the middle of the grid (0,0,0)

Shogunato, I will try the Split Polygon, but in most cases I believe at one time prior to that I have used it. It is a tool I use alot. I also use Cut Face abit also. I appreciate your replying to my posts and trying to help.

Thanks Guys!!!!

P.S. With Booleans like that and concidering how the Sub-D is in Maya, it makes me look at XSI. Any chance you may know of a Car Tutorial for XSI? Or how to set up Ref Images for car modeling. I have just purchased the Digital Tutor 'Introduction to XSI 4.2'.

[laxman]

BTW, is you have XSI version 5 or higher, you should get intro to XSI second edition. And once you go through the jet bike project, you should know how to use all the tools required to make the car. Then you could probably watch the maya car tutorial and follow along in XSI with little problem.

[oldhippie_tom]

BTW, is you have XSI version 5 or higher, you should get intro to XSI second edition. And once you go through the jet bike project, you should know how to use all the tools required to make the car. Then you could probably watch the maya car tutorial and follow along in XSI with little problem.

Laxman, I have Version 5.11 and as you suggest I should also get the XSI Second Edition. I am catching on quickly to XSI. And alot of thanks to whomever made it mimic Maya in alot of ways that make it comfortable.

It is fun learning and improving!!!!

Thanks again for your help!!!!

[laxman]

I know what you mean, whoever though to make the QWERTY short cuts and camera movements really has a feel for what people experience when they move between apps.

[oldhippie_tom]

I know what you mean, whoever though to make the QWERTY short cuts and camera movements really has a feel for what people experience when they move between apps.

And I am finding as I go along I am adding some of the XSI keyboards shortcuts to my QWERTY keyboard and getting the best of both while I am learning.

Again, thanks for your help. Since I have posted this on alot of message boards I have seen the same problem and I gather it has been since at least version 4 that I saw others having this happen.

[kitneyi]

Hey there

another thing that you can do to make sure your booleans work is to make sure that the normals for each face of your poly is correct. If they are not then you have things happen like both objects dissapearing etc.

You also get this problem when you are trying to boolean a very high poly object onto a low poly object or visa versa.

Hope it helps

Ian