Convert mesh from text should return a clean mesh not having double vertices #40021

New Issue

Oliver Bo · 2014-05-04T16:38:40+02:00

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 16:38:40 +02:00

System Information
Operating system and graphics card

Blender Version
Broken: 2.70a and current dev version 2a3cdea

Short description of error
Converting a text to a mesh was not usable for boolean operations and likely other functions.
According to Thread
they found a solution that worked for me: remove double vertices

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error
Open attached blend file
Error:
Open the cubes modifier and select the convert object

Boolean operation didn't work

Good:
Select the removed doubles object in the cubes boolean operator

Works as expected

convertmeshbug.blend

**System Information** Operating system and graphics card **Blender Version** Broken: 2.70a and current dev version 2a3cdea **Short description of error** Converting a text to a mesh was not usable for boolean operations and likely other functions. According to [Thread ](http://www.blenderartist.org/forum/showthread.php?284855-Text-And-Boolean-Problems) they found a solution that worked for me: remove double vertices **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** Open attached blend file Error: Open the cubes modifier and select the convert object - > Boolean operation didn't work Good: Select the removed doubles object in the cubes boolean operator - > Works as expected [convertmeshbug.blend](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F86905/convertmeshbug.blend)

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 16:38:40 +02:00

Changed status to: 'Open'

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 16:38:40 +02:00

Added subscriber: @oliverbojahr

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-05-04 17:33:00 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

Bastien Montagne closed this issue

2014-05-04 17:33:00 +02:00

Bastien Montagne self-assigned this 2014-05-04 17:33:00 +02:00

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-05-04 17:33:00 +02:00

This is producing such meshes by design, you can easily run a removedouble tool after conversion if needed… Not a bug, thanks for the report anyway.

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 18:21:51 +02:00

Changed status from 'Archived' to: 'Open'

Oliver Bo reopened this issue

2014-05-04 18:21:51 +02:00

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 18:21:51 +02:00

Hmm disagree somehow.

Why is there the need to Google, skip to several results.
If it's by design, do you see any other chance in giving the user a hint.

So, I did some more investigations, that puzzles me:
In Blender default font, a capital T is composed out of straight lines. (Handles scaled to 0)

Scenarios:

Letter T -> Convert to Mesh -> "fine" it creates a triangulation
Letter T -> Convert to Curve - Convert to Mesh -> like above (likely the algorithm/or Text is just a bunch of curves)
Letter T slightly extruded -> Convert to Mesh -> Results into 16 duplicate vertices
Curve/Circle slightly extruded -> Convert to Mesh -> fine it creates quads and no double vertices. But not filled
Curve/Circle scaled all handles to 0 (Sqaure) slightly extruded -> like above
4b, 5b) Filling the top and button does not introduce double vertices
Drawing a T and extruded slightly -> Convert to Mesh -> Fine -> Fill top and bottom -> Triangulate -> Fine

I don't know the algorithm, but above examples might indicate, that there are other options than currently chosen.

Hmm disagree somehow. Why is there the need to Google, skip to several results. If it's by design, do you see any other chance in giving the user a hint. So, I did some more investigations, that puzzles me: In Blender default font, a capital T is composed out of straight lines. (Handles scaled to 0) Scenarios: 1) Letter T -> Convert to Mesh -> "fine" it creates a triangulation 2) Letter T -> Convert to Curve - Convert to Mesh -> like above (likely the algorithm/or Text is just a bunch of curves) 3) Letter T slightly extruded -> Convert to Mesh -> Results into 16 duplicate vertices 4) Curve/Circle slightly extruded -> Convert to Mesh -> fine it creates quads and no double vertices. But not filled 5) Curve/Circle scaled all handles to 0 (Sqaure) slightly extruded -> like above 4b, 5b) Filling the top and button does not introduce double vertices 6) Drawing a T and extruded slightly -> Convert to Mesh -> Fine -> Fill top and bottom -> Triangulate -> Fine I don't know the algorithm, but above examples might indicate, that there are other options than currently chosen.

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 18:52:55 +02:00

Additional comments:

Again the letter T extruded a bit and converted to a mesh, produces the following:

The contour is connected and filled with quads and all vertices are connected and share the contour faces (like seen with curve extrusions)
The filling appears to be incorrect
2.1) The top and bottom faces do not share the vertices with the contour
2.2) The filled faces of the upper rectangle of the T contain a zero face

For the case of the T the following manual steps worked great:

Deleted the top and bottom fill faces
Select each contour and fill face using 'F' command
Triangulate faces command

Contour is connected with fill faces, no double vertices, and no zero face

I think you should somehow accept the reopen, especially in respect to the bug summary.

Additional comments: Again the letter T extruded a bit and converted to a mesh, produces the following: 1) The contour is connected and filled with quads and all vertices are connected and share the contour faces (like seen with curve extrusions) 2) The filling appears to be incorrect 2.1) The top and bottom faces do not share the vertices with the contour 2.2) The filled faces of the upper rectangle of the T contain a zero face For the case of the T the following manual steps worked great: 1) Deleted the top and bottom fill faces 2) Select each contour and fill face using 'F' command 3) Triangulate faces command - > Contour is connected with fill faces, no double vertices, and no zero face I think you should somehow accept the reopen, especially in respect to the bug summary.

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-05-04 20:14:07 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

Bastien Montagne closed this issue

2014-05-04 20:14:07 +02:00

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-05-04 20:14:07 +02:00

Would have to ask Sergey the exact reason, but remember we closed other reports like this int the past… Again, a bug is something that does not work as intended, this works as intended!

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 21:08:20 +02:00

Changed status from 'Archived' to: 'Open'

Oliver Bo reopened this issue

2014-05-04 21:08:20 +02:00

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-04 21:08:20 +02:00

Bastien, could we ask for a second opinion.

The reason is, that it does not work as I intended and certainly needs an improvement. I cannot judge about priorities, schedule or complexity.
I'd expect a filled and good designed letter as the T is to create a manifold, non zero face, non duplicate and non intersecting mesh.
That's what I expect from a function called: "Mesh from text with fill set to true"

Hence: To me the text fill option does not do a good job in the case of the letter T and possible others.

If I follow your arguments, that it was intended to create meshes of bad quality by intention, I'd expect to read this in the documentation and expect there are good reasons for it.

From manual:
Fill
The fill options control how the text curves are filled in when text is Extruded or Beveled in the Geometry Panel.

Front
Fills in the front side of the surface.
Back
Fills in the back side of the surface.
Fill Deformed
Fills the curves after applying shape keys and modifiers.

- Might appended with (not meant offending, really)

Creation of filled text is a complicated task. Fiilled text does create non manifold, unconnected and zero faces. Filled faces are not connected to the contour. So it is not recommended to use this function for 3D print, sculpting and boolean operations without cleaning up. In these cases we recommend to use the function remove duplicate vertices, which might solve some problems. You might also consider the remesh modifier or better filling faces manually.

Bastien, could we ask for a second opinion. The reason is, that it does not work as I intended and certainly needs an improvement. I cannot judge about priorities, schedule or complexity. I'd expect a filled and good designed letter as the T is to create a manifold, non zero face, non duplicate and non intersecting mesh. That's what I expect from a function called: "Mesh from text with fill set to true" Hence: To me the text fill option does not do a good job in the case of the letter T and possible others. If I follow your arguments, that it was intended to create meshes of bad quality by intention, I'd expect to read this in the documentation and expect there are good reasons for it. From manual: **Fill** The fill options control how the text curves are filled in when text is Extruded or Beveled in the Geometry Panel. **Front** Fills in the front side of the surface. **Back** Fills in the back side of the surface. **Fill Deformed** Fills the curves after applying shape keys and modifiers. - Might appended with (not meant offending, really) Creation of filled text is a complicated task. Fiilled text does create non manifold, unconnected and zero faces. Filled faces are not connected to the contour. So it is not recommended to use this function for 3D print, sculpting and boolean operations without cleaning up. In these cases we recommend to use the function remove duplicate vertices, which might solve some problems. You might also consider the remesh modifier or better filling faces manually.

Bastien Montagne removed their assignment 2014-05-04 21:19:13 +02:00

Sergey Sharybin was assigned by Bastien Montagne

2014-05-04 21:19:13 +02:00

Bastien Montagne commented

2014-05-04 21:19:13 +02:00

Added subscriber: @mont29

Sergey Sharybin commented

2014-05-05 17:12:25 +02:00

Changed status from 'Open' to: 'Archived'

Sergey Sharybin closed this issue

2014-05-05 17:12:25 +02:00

Sergey Sharybin commented

2014-05-05 17:12:25 +02:00

This is a known behavior of current text tessellator which produces open manifold. I'm not sure why you mention that likely other functions would have issues boolean is really a special case which expects closed manifolds. And even if the text case is supported, it's still possible to confuse boolean modifier with other meshes.

It's always possible to improve the things, but such things are out of the bug tracker.

Thanks for the report, but it is a TODO which is already listed there http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:2.5/Source/Development/Todo/Tools#Text_Editing_.283D.29

This is a known behavior of current text tessellator which produces open manifold. I'm not sure why you mention that likely other functions would have issues boolean is really a special case which expects closed manifolds. And even if the text case is supported, it's still possible to confuse boolean modifier with other meshes. It's always possible to improve the things, but such things are out of the bug tracker. Thanks for the report, but it is a TODO which is already listed there http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:2.5/Source/Development/Todo/Tools#Text_Editing_.283D.29

Oliver Bo commented

2014-05-05 22:43:26 +02:00

The fill algorithm creates non manifold and zero faces and do prevent functions like 3d printing, boolean operations and Sculpting (likely more).

I understand it's a known limitation. I'd rather make a note in the manual and would also adopt the text in the todo list

Text Editing (3D)
When converting filled/beveled text into a mesh - there are many doubles and zero faces.

The fill algorithm creates non manifold and zero faces and do prevent functions like 3d printing, boolean operations and Sculpting (likely more). I understand it's a known limitation. I'd rather make a note in the manual and would also adopt the text in the todo list **Text Editing (3D)** When converting filled/beveled text into a mesh - there are many doubles and zero faces.

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Convert mesh from text should return a clean mesh not having double vertices #40021