Create a curve between 2 curves with some offset

[aktxyz]

I am fairly new to grasshopper (have a sw background so hopefully that helps) … so far it’s very neat.

I have 2 curves, and I am generating a middle curve that has a slight offset … like you see in this pic …

The GH for this step looks like this …

So right now I am using a scale NU thing to offset the middle curve “outward” by some factor.

BUT … what I really want is to be able to have another curve INPUT that is actually the offset to use, and ideally that offset would not just be out along the x axis, it would be out along the normal of this surface …

I am STUMPED on 2 steps
1 - how to offset along the normal (instead of x axis)
2 - how to offset by some amount defined by a curve (would basically just have a curve that is not part of the model, but is the aligned with the model and could control this offset/bulge along the model)

I can share the source files if that is helpful

[davidcockey]

@aktxyz

1 - how to offset along the normal (instead of x axis)

In Rhino there is OffsetNormal for offsetting a curve normal to a surface.

[aktxyz]

That sounds and looks perfect … but really would like a grasshopper component for it but not finding one?

it does sound like you can create your own components (and in C#) so maybe that is the next rabbit hole to go down

[TomTom (Tom)]

If you want to stick to native components: In my understanding you could try to offset the surface and then you use pull curve. Since pull curve is a basically a normal projection it should mimic this command. But I would double check if it’s really the same.

[davidcockey]

@TomTom

f you want to stick to native components: In my understanding you could try to offset the surface and then you use pull curve. Since pull curve is a basically a normal projection it should mimic this command. But I would double check if it’s really the same.

One way to obtain a variable offset curve would be to use a variable offset surface. In Rhino there is the command VariableOffsetSrf.

@aktxyz Unless you need an exact offset curve you should consider using “Loose” options when generating the offset curve. That preserves the structure of the curve and number of control points. Other options add control points as needed for accuracy.

[aktxyz]

thanks all … will give some of these ideas a try