Creating the Entablature and Roof Script

The next step is create the entablature and the part of the Peristyle roof that is visible

There is a potential problem and one that had me stumped for a while. As I mentioned surfaces created from a complex aggregate curve profiles like the detailed entablature will bog down computer memory and create huge files that are almost impossible to render in Rhino or any other program.

• One trick is to just use planes and texture map them. This is a decent but not great solution since you loose the outlines and shadows of a true 3d model.
• The other solution is to use the complex curve profile and then use only "render jagged and faster". This is actually ok but is not good for export unless the program you are exporting to supports trimmed nurbs.
• The third solution is to mesh the nurbs model to a polygon mesh. This is good a solution because rendering is fast and it makes updating and exporting files fast and seamless. Do this last because it represents a finished part of the model.

I use all three methods. This is because command scripting makes it easy and you get the benefit of all worlds depending on your particular needs. 

Reminder: If you want to add textures to your polygon mesh files for rendering in Rhino you need to add them to the nurbs model before you mesh the model. This is because Rhino will then establish UV coordinates for the bitmaps that will translate into the polygon mesh. But if you mesh a nurbs object without any UV or a bitmap assigned to it there won't be any UV info to transfer. So if you want to texture your mesh objects for rendering in Rhino remember to texture map them when they are nurbs objects before you polygon mesh them.

Notice the entablature is really a picture frame molding in an abstract sense. In this case we can use shear first to find the correct in-between curve profile and than use the modeling commands Loft or for scripting sweep one Rail.

First the simple plane method. This is really good for fast visualization

1. Copy the script in the left hand column below.
2. Make sure perspective viewport is active.
3. Run the script by clicking the commandpaste icon.

! merge c:\tutorialscripts\entablature\entabprofile04.3dm selcurve sweep1 enter selcurve delete selnone

The script creates a simplified flat Entablature and the sloping parts of the Roof that are visible.

Create a more complex entablature by referencing the more complex curve profile. Import the entabprofile01.3dm file

1. Copy the script in the left hand column below.
2. Make sure perspective viewport is active.
3. Run the script by clicking the commandpaste icon.

! merge c:\tutorialscripts\entablature\entabprofile05.3dm selcurve sweep1 enter selcurve delete selnone

The script creates this more true to life complex entablature and roof. Select all and delete