Reduce number of edge rings

Question

I have a tube that has too many edge rings. I would like to reduce them with a 10:1 ratio or something similar. When I try and use a decimate modifier I get bad topology. Is there a non-manual way to do this?

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Related: Select every other edge loop – gandalf3 Mar 30 '14 at 22:48 — gandalf3, Mar 30 '14 at 22:48

ideasman42 · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-29T05:22:46.837

8

In the upcoming 2.71 release there is a better way to achieve this.

Select edge ring (Ctrl+Alt+RMB)
Checker De-deselect, See note below!
Select -> Edge Loops
Mesh -> Delete -> Edge Loops

Note:

In 2.71 support has been added to deselect alternate edge-ring, See: https://developer.blender.org/T40324 This is detected automatically.

Previous answer, obsoleted by the method above

This is possible but a little cumbersome

In vertex mode select a loop running along the length
Select -> Checker De-seelct
Hide
Set edge mode
Unhide
Deselect the vertical loop
Select -> Edge Loop
Mesh -> Delete -> Edge Loop

enter image description here

Footnote, it may be worth adding a skip option to edge-ring select, which would make this only 2 steps.

edited May 29 '14 at 05:22

answered Mar 30 '14 at 06:20

ideasman42

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This is not ideal but it works. – Vader Mar 30 '14 at 12:13
A tool/option to select every nth edge/face ring would be awesome if it could be done ;) – gandalf3 Mar 30 '14 at 22:47
2

@gandalf3, probably we'd just add an option to the existing edge-ring select tool. – ideasman42 Mar 30 '14 at 22:50
Updated with a less cumbersome method. – ideasman42 May 29 '14 at 05:24

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Dec 22 '15 at 18:56

Try using the dissolve tool... its available in the same menu as the delete options...

1: select edge/vert 2: press X 3: select your dissolve option

this basically deletes the selected edge/vert without affecting the geometry around it (ie: remove an edge without deleting the connected faces and thereby joining them)

sorry I can't find a single step (automated) way to do this...

related docs:

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.63/BMesh

Reduce number of edge rings

2 Answers2

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