How to draw a box around an object?

Support Basics & Interface
1

Hey guys.

I have a triangulation and would like to draw a box around it like shown in the following image:

opticsSnowMicroCtSample.png829×789 377 KB

The positions of the corners are known. It is important that this box does not cast a shadow. How can I achieve this with Blender?

Since I’m a beginner, I would appreciate a step-by-step description :o.

Regards,

aer0

2

If you know the axis points for each corner, you can just create a cube and then change its corner vertice’s axis points to match.

In the menu at the bottom of the screen go to Add > Mesh > Cube (if you deleted the default cube).

Press Tab to go into Edit mode.

With your mouse cursor in the 3D view window, press N to open the properties panel.

At the top you’ll see the Transform coordinate fields.

Select each corner with the mouse and then change the coordinates as needed.

3

All right. With this I’m able to get the cube in the size that I want. Thank you.

Do you also know how to render the edges of this cube only (see image of my first post)?

I experimented in the Edit mode and deleted the faces,


but then the edges are not visible when I render it.

4

on bottom header you could also select box mode for the object !
then might be easier to follow it

happy bl

5

Blender_007.png1920×1032 176 KB

  1. Starting point
  2. Object mode, select, “set origin” from the tool shelf or ctrl+alt+shift+C -> origin to geometry. Switch center option to bounds center from the operator panel on the bottom of the tool shelf
  3. Shift+S -> cursor to selected
  4. Add a cube (shift+A, or any other place primitives can be added)
  5. Have the added cube selected, then shift+select your original object so it’s active, then right click on the dimensions field on the 3d view properties (hotkey N) and choose “copy to selected”. The cube should now be positioned and the same size as the bounding box of your original object, but have to select the cube and ctrl+A -> scale to have unscaled version of it.

How to make it not cast shadows depends on the used render engine, which wasn’t mentioned, and the wanted appearance is not clear. If the default render engine is used (blender render) and an actual wire should be rendered, could add a material and then switch its type to wire and toggle cast and maybe receive off from its shadow options.

Since this is the support forum, should probably mention that the most basic mesh element is a vertex, not “vertice”.

6

My explanation didn’t take into account that you just wanted the frame of the cube. JA12 offers the best solution.

7

Also, if you want actual polygon geometry that will render in both BI and Cycles you can use the wireframe modifier on your cube.

wireframe.jpg923×654 129 KB

8

Thank you guys :)! This works quite well.