How can I connect two shapes with a mesh? - 3dsmax

pixaeiro

Hello,
I have two rectangular shapes with corners, and I need to connect them with a mesh like this:


In this case I used the Terrain compound object, but I had to convert the mesh to Editable Mesh and delete the faces inside the green shape.
Is there a modifier or object type that can connect these shapes?
Thanks!

Axi5

These are splines? I think you're after the cross-section and surface/nurbs tools.

If you convert to an editable spline, attach them together so they're both in the same item layer and then use the cross-section tool (next to the attach button) to join them. You can then apply a Surface modifier and you'll get some "proxy" polygons there that you can then put an edit poly modifier on.

There's also a cross-section modifier but I've forgotten how to use it, I don't think it requires you to attach the splines which is nice.

Here's a small clip demonstrating it.

I hope this is what you want, if they're polygons then you just want to use the edit-poly attach tool and then bridge them, or alternatively Cap tool and then connect the verts.

musashidan

You don't need to use any of the surfacing tools. You can just convert to an editable poly or add an edit poly mod to turn it to geo. And connect your verts from there (quicker than messing with the spline connection tools) 

You could also just use 'display the spline in the viewport' option on one of the shapes and change it to rectangular for the same result.

pixaeiro

Thank you AXI5, the Cross Section and Surface modifiers work well for what I need. I will use this method.

Thanks Musashidan, but I need a method that doesn't involve manual editing, this will be used in a script I'm developing.

Another method I found is using the Loft compound object, but it requires a tiny polyline.

musashidan

If you use the second method I suggested there will be no manual cleanup. It will produce a quaded mesh.

pixaeiro

I see! Fantastic.. I didn't know about rendering splines with rectangular cross sections.
Thank you Musashidan!