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THER MACROFORM MACROS
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In addition to the celebrated RailToolz set of
macros, Macroforrn also comes with six other
macros, and the tutorials macro which makes
use of all the macros by showing you how to
use them_ The first, KeyMaster, is a bit like the
configure keys tool in the Macro or Custom
menu in Modeler, with the added benefit of
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for creating organic models that standalone,
but proves to be one of the less
useful tools in practice,
Railtength -
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a tool tool, really, Railtength
mil return the true 3D length of a curve and
allow you to modify it. This comes in very
handy when you ore creating a model out of
a range of parts that need to be fitted together
because you can use it to make sure all
'our curves are precisely the some length, or
fit to a desired area. Ralitength can determine
the length of closed or open curves.
RailMold - a bit like RailBend with a magnet.
Because curves can double back on
themselves, RailMold offers two methods for
dealing with this - smoothing and smoothing
with tacking. Smoothing ensures that no
polygons double back on themselves, forming
ugly lines, and smoothing with tacking
allows you to deform your object as though it
has been fastened to something at the points
of least deformation in the curves you use.
Try it it's easier to see than explain!
being able to load and save different configurations.
Align & Center takes the Center] D and
Center macros one step further by allowing the
user to centre models based on the layout of
models in a background layer, or simply on the
axis of your choice. You can also arrange data
so that the left edge of your model is aligned
to the right edge of another model, etc. and
even resize data to match.
Dimensions is very powerful and allows you
to rescale a set of objects according to the
scale of another set. The example given in the
tutorial relating to this macro has a house
model in the background and a table with a
lamp and ruler on it in the foreground, all of
which are grossly out of scale with the house.
Because you know the ruler has to be a foot
long, it means you can scale the other data in
the layer accordingly and thus table, lamp and
ruler are all scaled appropriately for the house.
Distance & Angles gives you the very handy'
ability to tell the exact distance in all three
dimensions, and the angle, between two
points. If you only have one point selected,
then the distance and angle displayed is that
between the point and the origin.
Slice & Dice will slice up any object in a
number of ways, not limited solely to rectangular,
and NewBox will aeate a cube object Not
much use? Ah, yes, but it will give you a rounded
corner box if you so desire, just like the
ones in the example texture scene that comes
with lightWave.
RailOffset - this tool creates a polygon with
a curve. 111 you need do is specify a width
and how you want the ends to look. Using a
control curve with this tool will result in a
polygon with an outline like your control
curve being extruded along the path of your
apply curve. I know this doesn't make much
sense, but you'll just have to try it
RebuildRall - another tool tool, this one
reconstructs curves that have been built in
the wrong order for use with the other
RailToolz. You can also increase or decrease
the number of knots on a curve using
RebuildRail, making it useful for reducing
complexity in your models.
RaitRout -- this provides a service like a
mixture of repeated bevelling and lathing,
but unlike lathing can work on rectangular
objects. It works by using a router to provide
a 'path' for the extrusion to follow. The router
bits can be saved off for future use and
MacroForm comes with a number of presets
for things like buttons and rounded edges. •
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AMIGA COMPUTING
MAY 19 9 6
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REQUIREMENTS
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PRODUCT DETAILS _
LightWave LightWave 3.5
Product M a c r o F o r m
Supplier A c t i v a UK
Price S 2 1 5 (--E138)
Tel 0 1 8 1 - 402 5770
E-mail oaomedia@chelseaios-com
SCORES
Ease of use B O %
Implementation 9 5 %
Value For Money 9 5 %
Overall 9 0 %
RailScale -- this squeezes your models in a
similar way to RailForm and has a wrap
option that behaves a bit like the Modeler's
spherize tool, but wraps your shape to the
curve or curves instead of a ball.
RailSlice - this tool slices your object using
the points on a curve to determine where the
slices will fall. You can use Rainlice with a few
options to mimic the drill, tunnel, core and
slice modes from Solid Drill and Boolean tools
in Modeler.
RallStretch - this uses a curve to stretch your
model and deform it. It can pull polygons out
of line in much the same way as the magnet
tool and, as with most of MacroForm's tools,
really needs to be experimented with to find a
use for.
Rairrivist - this is the lastsf the RailToolz and
twists your object about a chosen axis. The
degree of twist depends on the curvature of
your apply curve and is ideal for making cloth
and other similar types of object.
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