I’m trying to draw multiple parallel curves that will then be turned into Pipes. I can’t distribute the curves due to their shape(s), and because at different points along the curves, the distance I want to ‘distribute’ them will vary. What I really want to do is distribute the points that are common across all the curves at certain places along the curves in a given direction. the attached screenshot shows the curves with points turned on. I guess my question is, is there a command for this or some other way of doing this?
distribcurvepoints.pdf (126.7 KB)
Hi @Pharris65,
I wonder if you could expand on what you mean by “distribute” here? I’m not getting a clear picture.
If I speculate, might it help to draw arrays of points for each control point set, using the spacing you need. then draw control point curves, snapping the control points to the array points? Or draw an array of parallel curves, then select individual sets of their control points and use scale-1d on those control points to spread them out as you wish?
Regards
Jeremy
I think, more the latter, but let’s say (as per my diagram) I have 24 curves (that will eventually become pipes) that I want to distribute at one end with a gap of x, at another point with a gap of y and at the other end with a gap of z (think ‘fan out’). The distribute command works on the curves themselves, not their points, which is what I want. You reference the 1-D Scale command - I’m not sure I get what you mean as I thought the scale command was effective a multiplier of the size of an object in 1, 2 or 3 dimensions ?
If you apply the command to the objects’ control points, as opposed to the objects themselves, you will adjust the spacing of the objects. However, on reflection I don’t think this is going to work because when you scale one set of control points the curve will also move somewhat at the adjacent set(s).
One other approach you could explore is to draw the two end curves and tween them to get intermediates.
yeah, I tried tweeting, but it’s really awkward as a) you need to know upfront what all the gaps are going to be going into it as once you set your two ‘outside’ curves, the math for the tweens is baked b) it assumes all the ends of the curves (then pipes) are going to be aligned, but as I’m drawing a cable run, that isn’t the case, as they all start at the same place but end in different places…
what I really need here is a ptDistribute command (with normal x/y/z directions etc), that takes a set of points across whatever the control points are part of, that then basically spaces them out as necessary. Another way would be as an option for the SetPt command i.e. you select more than one control point and you have a distribute option that spaces them evenly or based on some gap value