Measure Objects For Volumes

[maya31]

I am in need of volume measurements. Is there a way to get the volumes of objects out of Maya. I know the volume tool is in with measurement tools but it does not seem to measure correctly. For example If I have a 1 meter by 1 meter cube the volume should be 1 cubic meters. When using the measurement tool volume Maya does not give the correct dimensions. It appears Maya

[joojaa]

Well every piece of calculation in maya is internaly in cm, so it makes sense to produce everything in that unit.

INfact yuou should NOT change maya unit to meters EVER, you should just use a conformed cm=m space where you know one cm is one meter. because you can realy easily end up with problems with precicion suing iother formats. But thats not all should you ever use particle dynamicas your just makeing your life ultra hard on yourself.

You knbow by default mayas configured to such cm=m thinking by the way!

[naughty]

hey Dave, if it's not too late for you, PLEASE put your default units back to cm.. you can still pretend one Maya unit is 1 meter, but you'll be saving yourself (and your collegues if you have any) an infinite world of pain if you do...

Joojaa, you should maybe post a pinned message to the "New Users" and "General Usage" boards telling people never to change the default units!

:nathaN

[joojaa]

QUOTE(Naughty @ 10/04/06, 12:31 PM) [snapback]249163[/snapback]
Joojaa, you should maybe post a pinned message to the "New Users" and "General Usage" boards telling people never to change the default units!

Yeah, maybe into the Faq. thing is every time i post this message people tell me im insane and i need to explain teh non-unit theory to pople who realy think computers undrstand units.

[maya31]

Thanks for the tips. I know maya units are CM but try telling engineers that and they go crazy. Meters is what they want at actual size. So I create in actual size for them. But come render time I scale down to cm since maya does any way. As for the volume question I had I believe we have figured that out also. by typing in the command line

computePolysetVolume;

Maya runs a mel script to determine the volume of the selected object. We will have to test it out more but it seems to work.

Thanks again for the tips.

D

[joojaa]

Im a eingeneer (even a mechanical one) and dont jump up the walls! computers dont get units. Infact if you never told you engeneers the unit is cm they wouldnt mind bevcause quite frankly theyd never notice the difference.

Infact im working in company that has to add units to the eingeneers liking, the poor sods realy think their life becomes easier by this task, but thing is it isnt going to get. I can see the implementation and i can say that all its going top do to thhose poor bastards who dont undrstand computational scienses is more headaches.

If the internal unit is allways unit X its easier jut to call x whetever you like, thisway atleast you have a chek on the precicion.

set the base unt to km or Mm and see maya viewports starting to disort the models

Thing is no computer program ahs units just numbers.