Remedy

When changing the smoothing function parameters, it is useful to bear the following points in mind:

• Energy #1 and (to a lesser extent) Energy #2 produce patches that appear to be pulled tighter than Sculpted.

• The directional tensioning of Energy #1 and (to a lesser extent) Energy #2 can produce excessively hollowed patches. This can be overcome by changing the relative magnitudes of parameters A and C (on a trial and error basis), which should be kept in the range 0 to 1. It is rarely beneficial to change parameter B from 1.

• Sculpted uses parameter D, to which it is highly sensitive. Higher values of D produce fuller shapes.

• If patches are defined using data points from a well-faired, dense set of inactive curves, try setting the smoothing function to (None).

When a smoothing function is required to form the interior shape of patches, but a close match is required between the patch edges and active curves is required, the following procedure is useful:

Find a close match between the patch edges

1. Open the Patch Options dialog.

2. Select (All Patches) from the Patch ID box, so that the entire surface will be rebuilt.

3. Check the Use data points box (Data Points page).

4. Select (None) for the smoothing function (Smoothing page).

5. Make sure none of the Preserve boxes are checked (Rebuild Options group, General page).

6. Click Apply. This will cause all the patch boundaries to be rebuilt from the active curves without the effect of a smoothing function. If there is little or no data available from inactive curves, the interior shape of patches will be very strange - don't worry about this!

7. Select a new smoothing function - Sculpted #1, Energy #1 or Energy #2 (Smoothing page).

8. Check the Preserve boundary network box (General page).

9. Click Apply. This will cause the interior of all the patches to be regenerated using the new smoothing function, but not the patch edges.