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Amapi 3D v4.1 Tutorial ...easy examples |
Two years ago, before I started to use Amapi, the most that I would do with modeling was to create geometry, even though I wanted to be able to also include textures and lights. With Amapi, I found that the modeling became easier, and that using textures and lighting in the model was also easy and effective. Now it is rare that I don't create a complete model with these features.
The target of the following tutorial is to help you to learn the Amapi 3D interface and to allow you to build all the models that you can imagine. While this tutorial does not cover 100% of the Amapi 3D interface and capabilities, I hope that you will find it a good start.
Get ready to - Think... Model... Amapi!
Olivier DRION
odrion@club-internet.fr
http://perso.club-internet.fr/odrion
Special thanks to Blaise Zapparata for his help in the translation from French!
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The first thing that you need to do with any new application is to get comfortable with the interface.
Amapi 3D has two interface modes: Standard and Natural Design Interface. The Standard Interface is a familiar floating toolbar, and exposes the Amapi modeling tools in the typical fashion. The Natural Design Interface mode is offered as a way to present the modeling tools in the way that you work: Select a tool set, select a tool, use it, put it away.
Since I like the NDI so much, the examples in this tutorial presume that you are also using it.
You can set Amapi into Standard or NDI (Workshop) mode via the Edit>>Preferences>>Workspace dialog.
Start Amapi 3D and select the Natural Design Interface. You will see a tool set on the right side of the screen. There are three tool sets available to you in the NDI: Construction, Modeling and Assembly. To toggle between these on-screen tool sets, simply move the cursor to the extreme right of the screen (the "Amapi bounce").
If you are more comfortable with a Standard Interface, the icons in the NDI and the floating toolbar of the Standard Interface are exactly the same.
I prefer the Natural Design Interface, which is the most intuitive and allows for faster modeling.
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AMAPI MAP |
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Construction Tool |
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Modeling Tool |
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Assembly Tool |
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Control Panel |
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Amapi's "magic" keys |
The first tool set displayed on the NDI is the Construction tools palette, which is used to CREATE new geometry.
The most commonly used tools are described below by following the links.
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| Primitives | Draw | Text Tool | |
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| Curve extract | Surface extract | Extrusion | |
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| Sweep | Double sweep | Ruled Surface | Hull Surface |
The second toolset is Modeling tools palette. These tools are used to modify and adjust EXISTING geometry.
The most commonly used tools are described below by following the links.
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| MetaNurbs | Mold | Bend | Stretch |
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| Delete | Smooth | Filet | |
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| Thickness | Boolean and punch tools |
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The third tool set Assembling tools palette. These tools are used to adjust EXISTING geometry in the scene, control their scale, their number, etc.
The most commonly used tools are described below by following the links.
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| Duplicate | Mirror 3D | Rotate | Move |
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| Proportional scale | Snap | Lay on | |
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| Weld | Unfold |
The Amapi Control Panel appears at the bottom of the screen. It can be set to always be viewable or to be activated when the cursor is touched at the bottom of the screen (Autohide). Use the Edit>>Preferences>>Workspace to set this.
The Control Panel provides icon-based shortcuts to common operations. Follow the links below for details.
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| Group | Ungroup | Show or Hide | Scene manager |
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| Zoom in | Zoom out | Hidden faces/Visible faces | Perspective/Plan |
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| Point of view | Measures | Textures editor | Info |
The space bar on the keyboard is used for a number of toggle selection controls that are dependent upon which tool you are using at the time:
- No Tool Selected - toggles from the current tool set to the Rendering and Animation Tool Set
- Sweep Tool active - toggles between different orientations of the sweep.
- Single Axis Scale Tool active - you can lock your modifications onto one axis.
The arrow keys can be used to adjust the current camera view incrementally. The left arrow shifts the view toward the left, the up arrow shifts the view up, and so on.
To achieve a panning effect, use the control key with the arrow keys.
5 : Top view 2, 4, 6 : Front view, Left view, Right view 8: Rear view +, - keys Create Geometry Tool active - (Sphere for example) Allows you to increase/decrease the number of faces generated.
Modeling Tool active - (Smoothing for example) Allows you to increase/decrease the number of faces generated.
Boolean Tool active - Toggles between add, subtract, union.
3 : Zoom in . : Zoom out
Option key (for Mac) , control key (for PC) :
Allows you to access sub-tools that are available with the currently selected tool. For example, when the Wand Tool is showing, the selection tools (Lasso and Bull's Eye) can be accessed using the Option Key.
If you hold the shift key and move the cursor around, the cursor will snap to the nearest point.
When an object is selected and no tool is active, Delete will remove the selected object.
When using any tool, the delete key will undo your last action.
Use the tab key to access data boxes that appear at the lower corner of the screen.