Extrusion Editor
on this page: how it works | the window | example
Find it: Click its button on the Create palette:
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This creates a default shape which you can place in your scene. After
placing, the Extrusion Editor appears.
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You can also select a shape created with the Extrusion Editor and press Ctrl-e
to launch the Extrusion Editor for further editing.
Use to:
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Create tube-shaped extrusions to form objects like vases, fountains,
and columns.
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Create triangular or cylindrical tube-shapes.
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Create torus shapes.
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Create shapes with more complex spines by defining connecting points on
the grid.

Click image for full view.
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The Extrusion Editor contains five grids: Section, Spine,
XScale, ZScale, and Twist.
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Change your view of the Spine grid by using Examiner Viewer shortcuts, or
select Decoration in the Viewer pop-up
menu.
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Change your view of the Section, XScale, ZScale, and Twist
grids by using Plane Viewer
shortcuts, or select Decoration in the Viewer pop-up menu.
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The grids show coordinate numbers by default when you pass the cursor
over a grid. Use the Options menu to turn off the
coordinates.
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By default, dragging snaps endpoints to the grid.
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Undo and redo operations by using Ctrl-z and Shift-Ctrl-z.
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The triangle count of the selected shape appears at the top of the
Extrusion Editor window.
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Note: You cannot edit an extrusion further in the Extrusion
Editor after it has been modified in the PEP editor.
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Options: Set snapping
tolerances and turn off coordinates.
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Parts: Deselect Top or Bottom to create a
shape with exposed edges. For example, a vase has one open end with
exposed edges. (The top endpoint appears yellow; the bottom is red.)
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Section:
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Drag points, click to create new points, or delete points to change a
shape's appearance.
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Press Init to clear the current shape.
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Press Circle to change the shape from the default
triangle to a circle (this increases the triangle count).
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Select Close to generate a new segment between the
endpoints of the shape.
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Spine:
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Click in the Spine grid to create new segments on the shape. Drag
points to resize the segments. Delete a point by clicking on it and
pressing Backspace.
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Drag the segment endpoints to resize the segments.
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A shape with no spine appears flat.
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Press Init to clear the segments and endpoints from the
grid.
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Press Circle to create a torus shape.
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Press Semi to create a half-torus shape.
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Select Close to generate a new segment between the
endpoints of the shape.
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XScale:
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Drag points to change the x-scale of the cross section about the spine
point for that section.
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Press Init to clear all points.
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Deselect Gang X-Z to move segments independent from
ZScale.
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ZScale:
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Drag points to change the z-scale of the cross section about the spine
point for that section.
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Press Init to clear all points.
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Deselect Gang X-Z to move segments independent from
XScale.
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Twist:
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Drag a point to twist its corresponding segment.
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Press Init to clear all points.
The following shape was created in the Extrusion Editor to illustrate
the relationship between the shapes in the editor windows and the
extrusion they create:

Example Extrusion
Here are the shapes that create the example extrusion:

Section

Spine

X and Z scale (ganged, so they're both the same)

Twist
Finally, here's what the inside of the extrusion looks like. The darker
shapes were manually inserted to show you exactly how the twist moves
the spine. Compare this to the solid image of the extrusion above.

Inside of Example Extrusion
Jump to: Extruding Points, Edges,
and Polygons