Pepakura Designer question sorta kinda related to Millenumfalsehood's XWAU unfold

Inv8r_timmy

New Member
As this pertains specifically to MFs unfold of the XWAU ISD, thought it might be the best forum for it. I started to try and rescale MFs ISD1 unfold to be in the same scale as his resized ISD2. A couple of reasons for this, primarily I'm a huge ISD fan and there are significant differences between the ace and deuce besides an elongated hull and the trench cannons...one huge one is the side profile of the 'neck', the simplicity of the dorsal detail, the main engines, but there's a ton more. Soooo, until the XWUA team releases their Deuce (LATER THIS YEAR!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!) I want to build her out as the ace in that really satisfying size MF went with.

Now, preamble over, what I'm wondering is why Designer does the auto layout so badly? I always end up with pages and pages of one or two pieces, or few small pieces. I've started trying to adjust the layout by hand, but it's incredibly tedious. So....Is there a trick for forcing the program to do the auto layout more efficiently?
 

Millenniumfalsehood

Well-Known Member
MILF?! Well, I *am* a sexy beast, but I don't have the equipment to be a mother . . .


No, there really is no trick, other than having a knack for knowing the most efficient layout which will also be intuitive for the builder. Pepakura always unfolds it and puts the pieces wherever it wants, and doesn't consider efficiency, which is where the human element comes into play. Basically, you have to imagine how the piece ought to fold up, then unfold it in your mind and cut, past, and arrange the pieces until they work. On something like the Star Destroyer, there is a lot of repitition. This translates to quick burn-outs (who here would really like unfolding eight 7-piece turrets? Anybody? Didn't think so. :wink: ).

So yeah, unless someone programs a better way to have the machine "know" where each peice would work best, we'll have to make do with tedious unfolding.
 

blaar

Member
I would send MILF a P.M. and see if he can answer you. :)

Would you mind if I send her a PM too.

See I have this rocket I need help unfolding ....... sign1
j/k

Yeah like falsehood already mentioned. Pepa really does about no effort to space the parts or make sense of it in any way after unfolding the model. Finding all the bits and pieces can be frustrating at time. Especially the small parts. I always have problems selecting them. I found I need to zoom in quite a bit, then while holding down the mouse button on the part that I have selected , zoom out and then move the part to where I want it.

I hope tamasoft can work a bit on the part selecting interface, and it would be nice if there was a way that similar parts can be selected and as you unfold the one part, the similar parts are unfolded the same way.
 

Inv8r_timmy

New Member
Thanks, guys, I was afraid of that. Thereès no good reason for either - Iève used simple free online applications which successfully calculate and spit out graphic arrangements of pieces to be cut out of plywood for construction projects. Itès exactly the same geometry solving problem with pep, so it can be done....grrrrrr.......
 

Millenniumfalsehood

Well-Known Member
There is one ray of hope, though! It's not a trick with Designer so much as it is a convoluted way of finding pieces you've lost or don't recognize.

Open the file in both Designer and Viewer, then select the part you want to locate in Viewer. It'll highlight the part you're looking at in the field to the right, which is exactly the same as it is in Designer, enabling you to drag it wherever you want and modify it so it'll work for you. It's not perfect, but it does enable you to unfold quicker than if you spent time looking for parts. Just remember to save the file often and reopen it, otherwise there will be discrepancies which can potentially confuse you.
 
Z

Zathros

Just having fun! I guess we all have think in the same way. I actually married one. I had to do all the conversion work though. :)







.
 

daishi

Well-Known Member
There is one ray of hope, though! It's not a trick with Designer so much as it is a convoluted way of finding pieces you've lost or don't recognize.

Open the file in both Designer and Viewer, then select the part you want to locate in Viewer. It'll highlight the part you're looking at in the field to the right, which is exactly the same as it is in Designer, enabling you to drag it wherever you want and modify it so it'll work for you. It's not perfect, but it does enable you to unfold quicker than if you spent time looking for parts. Just remember to save the file often and reopen it, otherwise there will be discrepancies which can potentially confuse you.

Alternatively there's the Check Corresponding Face (CTRL + K) tool in designer which basically does the same, and u don't have to use a separate viewer.
 
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