Bend Tool selection names is confusing

[oort]

Since PC got confused as well, I figured I would start a thread on the subject in the Gripes & Grumbles. I mentioned some time ago in the old forum that the Bend tool was confusing because the prompts are not clear about what one is selecting.

Here is what PC said in another thread (quoted without permission... ).

Quote:I think the biggest problem with Bend/Clamped Bend might be the completely arbitrary names, like rod "top","bottom" and "center" (according to whom? what if the rod is laying horizontally and there is no top or bottom? Tongue ) Whenever it asked for 'rod center' for example I would.. well.. selected the center of the section I wanted to bend.. :} but that would always result in both ends of the section bending out and away from the rest of the mesh, making it useless. I thought I just 'clamped' the bottom dammit, why is it moving away from the mesh? I would think.. Rod "center" actually = Rod 'bend around/from point'??? with that in mind things started to behave more as I'd expect.

I'd also change Bend normal to always be bend axis I think.. if I'm gonna bend a pipe to the Left or Right, I'm obviously gonna look at it from the Front.. so selecting a point in the center of the rod (facing me, an axis to bend around) seems much more logical than having to rotate the view, and selecting a point on the side.. facing left/right.. but that's a separate issue I guess

Edit: Here is a quote of myself from the old forum.

Quote:With most Wings3d commands it is easy to figure the tool out without a tutorial. I guess Bend needs to be thought of as bending a rod (doesn't have to be a rod). Still it seems to me that "Rod Center" isn't clear enough.

Maybe "Bend Base Point" would be better than "Rod Center"?
"Rod Top" could be "Control Point" and
"Bend Normal" is perfect as is.

And another one...

Quote:For Basic Bend I think the following might be better???

"Rod Center" might be better as "Bend Start/Control Point".
"Rod Top" might be better as "Bend Range"???
"Bend Normal" is perfect as it is.

And here is a tip from Fonte Boa clarifying things in the old forum.

Quote:BEND NORMAL
remembering
the first step in gif is "rod center" (this point will remain static)
the second step is "rod top" (the end point that will be affect by operation)
and the third one is "bend normal" (Bend "direction")

oort