Which, okay, it makes sense If software is constantly getting features that normally would have warranted a new version and additional money than the company. Precision work in Blender Blender Mama. Without pretending to be a cad drafting tool, Blender has more precision functions than people usually believe. Without pretending to be a cad drafting tool, Blender has more precision functions than people usually believe. Everything can be built with the g. K5rWPWi-JM/hqdefault.jpg' alt='Blender 2.5 Snapping Tools: Full Version Software' title='Blender 2.5 Snapping Tools: Full Version Software' />Everything can be built with the greatest accuracy. I really value this and it was a decisive point when switching to Blender as my full time modelling and visualising tool. I used to model in cad software so I had high standards and for some time did feel rather frustrated with the differences and difficulties. One challenge was the lack of specific documentation I couldnt find all info I needed in one place or any place and I believe that is still the case today, even though more professionals, many architects among them, are starting to use Blender and more information is to be found on the net. The Blender official wiki is a very well written resource but for the Blender first timer could be a little difficult to navigate it and find the relevant chapters, so here is an attempt to put together the info drawn from my own experience with precision work in architectural modeling in Blender. This post is more like a listing of the useful functions, meant to be followed by a second post with some hands on examples. Topics Using units. The first important step for precision work in architectural modeling is noticing the Units. I work in meters 1 blender unit 1 meter. To do this its not necessary to change the default units settings but you can go to the Scene Panel in the Properties window so you can have the units properly displayed, most convenient for those who use Imperial units. This feature was not here before Blender 2. To bring reference to scale in a Blender file, check this posts importing dxf drawings, importing cad plans as images. You can choose to keep or not a representation of the 3. D global axis in the bottom left corner of the 3d Window to remind you anytime how your world is leaning, through the User Preferences window Seems the icon keeps to the global axis no matter what axis system you are using. More on changing the coordinate system below. Keyboard numeric input and axis constraints. Transformation actions in Blender translation, rotation, scaling, in both object and edit mode can be constrained along the x,y or z axis by pressing the corresponding keys x, y, z. After pressing the constraint key, numeric input can be directly entered on the keyboard. If you enter numeric input without first entering a constraint, by default Blender constraints the action along the x axis. Example to move 2. G z 2. 4 enter. Mouse and keyboard actions are dynamically displayed in the lower left corner of the 3. Folder Lock 6 With Serial Key there. Scenarist Bd 5.7 Serial. D window Alternatively, if you dont need to be precise to a digit, you can press the constraint key and just move the mouse following the values displayed in the left corner. By pressing shift while doing this, youll be able to change the value in smaller increments. Pressing MMB after a initiating a transformation is another way to activate constraints, just move the mouse near the axis you need. Another type of constraint is created by locking an axis. Press Shiftz for instance to lock the z axis and move or scale just in the xy plane. Extruding edit mode is followed by default by a translation action on which you can use constraints and numeric input. Wiki on axis constraints. Manipulators. Manipulators are a shortcut for transformations axis constraints. Instead of selecting an action, then the constraint, with the manipulator activated you just grab the manipulator icon by the needed axis, then proceed with the numeric input. You can check just one of the three manipulators for translation, rotation or scale or any combination between them. To select multiple click shiftlmb on the icons in the 3d window header. Wiki on manipulators. The Transform Properties toolbox. In the 3d window, pressing N will open the Properties toolbox, docked on the right side of the window In this area you can set the exact size of an object, its location and rotation. When switching to edit mode the toolbox changes a bit to show the location of selected elements. To change the values in the numeric input boxes you can click to write the numbers on the keyboard then press enter, or you can scroll with LMB, best holding shift pressed too. Part of this data, location and rotation, also make a short appearance when creating a new object, in the Tool Shelf docked on the left side of the 3d window, press T to open it. This option disappears soon after clicking anywhere else outside this panel and getting on with your work. However, this area doesnt seem to bring more to the game than the Properties Shelf except in the creation of spheres, where you can set the number of faces After changing size you should apply the transformations scale and rotation using ctrl A. If you dont, bad things will happen when using modifiers and some other stuff. Wiki on Transform properties. Numeric input for modifiers. The following modifiers are so useful in architectural modelling and they come equipped with numeric input array, mirror, bevel and solidify some details on the latter here. These modifies are perfect for the precision lover. Not only for the numeric input but for the fact numbers can be changed at any time unless the modifier is applied. Array also comes with a merge option that makes arrayed objects to lock nicely one to another, no overlapping parts. The mirror modifier has no true numeric input but it is a precision tool, as the mirroring axis is the objects origin or another object that can be precisely positioned and it also comes with merge and clipping options. Wiki on modifiers. D cursor. This intriguing red white circle like a little target in the Blender 3. D view usually annoys newcomers because they start clicking with the LMB trying to select stuff the way they do in other software and instead of selecting, this thing keeps appearing under the mouse click The 3. D cursor is a helper point you can use a great deal in precision work and its functions are scattered around Blender. Its not an object so you cant move it as you do other Blender stuff. Ways to place it in the 3d space ShiftC moves it to the origin of the axis coordinates. LMB click moves it with no precision though anyplace in the 3d space. In the Properties panel 3. D cursor tab you can numerically enter its 3d coordinates Stick it to a selected vertex, or selected object origin, by way of the Snap Menu brought up by ShiftS. In object mode Or edit mode Ways to use it once its properly placed It can be set as a pivot point in the 3d window header and used in rotations, scaling, mirrors You can snap something to it in object or edit mode, again by way of the Snap menu ShiftSYou can use it to change an objects origin in the Object Tools tab, found in the Tool shelf docked on the left of the 3d window T or if you are an extreme shortcut fan you can easily use ShiftCtrlAltC DNew objects are created at the cursor location. You can use it as a pivot for the spin function Object origin. This is shown as an orange dot and is sort of the insertion point for the object, not the same as the geometrical object center. The location coordinates of an object shown in object mode in the Transform tab of the Properties panel are its Origins coordinates. For newly created objects the origin is placed in the geometrical center.