Maxsurf FAQ list

• After importing a file from Rhino, I can't trim particular surfaces.
• Can I open an old Macintosh Maxsurf design on a recent Windows version of Maxsurf?
• How do I create a linesplan from a Maxsurf design?
• When I calculate offsets, I don't get offsets at the intersection point of two surfaces?
• When I calculate offsets, there are no offset points at the bonded edges or knuckles/corners?
• Cannot Add Control Points
• Which version of Maxsurf should I use?
• How do I use Prefit inside Maxsurf?
• How do I get my offset data into Maxsurf?

Problem: 

Sometimes a model - imported from Rhino as .3dm - can not be trimmed in Maxsurf because there are trimming curves in the model that lie exactly on an edge or intersection curve. This causes problems when Maxsurf tries to calculate the trimming regions.

Symptom:

After you select "Trim Surface##" nothing happens; you don't see any highlighting.  

Solution: 

There are 2 workarounds:

1. Import the Rhino model without replicating the trimming and then manually re-trim the model.When importing the model this way, the trimming curves get ignored during import.
   
2. Display | Contours | Trimming Curves, select the curves and delete them by pressing the delete key on your keyboard.

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Yes you can. All you have to do is add the .msd at the end of the Macintosh design filename. For example: "fishingboat" is renamed to "fishingboat.msd" and then opened in the latest Windows version of Maxsurf.

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Maxsurf allows you to export DXF files from any view window in a "what you see is what you get" kind of way. This means that if you want to create a linesplan in AutoCAD for example, you:

1. switch to body plan and select your display options: eg turn sections on, bonded edges, feature lines, edges, half display, show and hide surfaces, Grid etc.
   
2. Then use the File | Export | 2D DXF option.
3. Repeat this for Plan and Profile as well.
   
4. In AutoCAD you can use the Import | Block and select the DXF files. Make sure you select the "Explode" option and specify insertion point on screen. All lines should be on separate layers in AutoCAD (eg B12 for buttock 12 etc) which makes it easy for you to use tools like Quickselect to select all buttocks and/or assign a specific colour or line type etc.

See the Maxsurf manual on DXF export options:

http://www.formsys.com/extras/FDS/webhelp/maxsurf/exporting_
a_maxsurf_design.htm#Exporting_a_Maxsurf

http://www.formsys.com/extras/FDS/webhelp/maxsurf/2d_drafting
_data.htm#2D_Drafting_Data

In general it is recommended to switch to highest precision before exporting. This increases the number of line segments that are used to draw the curves on the surface.

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You can calculate the offset points at intersections with trimming off only. It is currently not possible to calculate the offsets with trimming gray or trimming invisible.

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Make sure you have Display | Contours | Bonded edges and / or | Feature lines switched on.

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This is an issue relating to customizable toolbars.  If you have added the following commands to a toolbar "Contours..." or "Smooth Interior Controls", the add control point command will stop working.  If you remove all these listed commands from the custom toolbar control point adding will work correctly.  This issue only relates to 12.0 to 12.03 versions of Maxsurf.

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There are a number of different versions of Maxsurf, which vary in price and capabilities, giving you a product to suit your needs and budget. We explain the difference between the different versions to help enable you decide which version matches your requirements.

* Maxsurf is a NURB surface modelling program with a full range of hull fairing tools, curvature analysis displays, 3D viewing and rendering, built in plotting and printing, DXF and IGES import and export, calculation of offsets and upright hydrostatics.

* Maxsurf Pro allows an unlimited number of surfaces to be used and also contains a parametric transformation function that automatically modifies the surface model to match required hull coefficients.

* Maxsurf Plus is an affordable, limited surface version of Maxsurf,  featuring most of Maxsurf Pro’s capabilities with a limit of six surfaces available for use in any one design.  The parametric transformation function from Maxsurf Pro is not included.

* Maxsurf/T is an affordable, limited surface version of Maxsurf,  featuring most of Maxsurf Pro’s capabilities with a limit of three surfaces available for use in any one design. The parametric transformation function from Maxsurf Pro is not included.


Please note that Formation Design Systems offers upgrades from one version of Maxsurf to the next version for the difference in the current list price. This means that if  for example you are using Maxsurf Plus and wish to upgrade to Maxsurf  Pro, we can email you the access code for Maxsurf Pro and all you will be paying is the difference between Maxsurf Plus and Maxsurf Pro.

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Prefit can be used as a standalone or as a plug-in inside Maxsurf. Before it can be used as a plug-in in Maxsurf you will have to activate Prefit from the Edit menu and restart Maxsurf. This will give you access to special Genetic Algorithm surface fitting functions that will help you do highly accurate surface fitting tasks whilst maintaining the fairness of the control point net and surface. Prefit as a plug-in inside Maxsurf can also be very useful to help calculate the internal shape of a developable surface.

For more information on Prefit see:

• Prefit product page
• Prefit FAQ

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You can simply copy and paste your offsets into the Maxsurf Markers window from for example a table / spreadsheet program like MS Excel.

Tips:

1. Make sure you first add a large number of new markers (you can easily delete the ones you don't need later, but this makes the copy and paste easier)
2. Arrange your offset data in Excel in the same column order as in Maxsurf

Related information:

Related information can be found in the Maxsurf manual

• Markers window.
• Fitting surfaces to markers. 

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