# Orient perpendicular to curve - Rhino 5

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631>\
**Category:** Rhino for Windows\
**Created:** [October 13, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631 "2015-10-13T17:23:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tatiane\_Lima](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/tatiane_lima/32/44330_2.png) [@Tatiane\_Lima](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Tatiane_Lima)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/1 "2015-10-13T17:23:29Z")

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Hi everyone,

I’m having problems using the tool “orient perpendicular to curve”. When I try to place the objects in the curve, they are positioned horizontally and not vertically, as the image I attached here (on the left: How it is / On the right: How it should be).  
I am following a tutorial correctly and it works perfectly on Rhino 4, but when you follow exactly the same steps on Rhino 5, this problem happens. (A friend of mine who has Rhino 4 and Rhino 5 helped me following the same tutorial on the two Rhinos and confirmed this to me).

Does anyone have any idea what might be going on?

Thanks in advance,

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/3X/c/2/c2d4e0a7fea4184bdf662bf6588323d37d67d7ae.jpg)

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**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/2 "2015-10-13T17:52:22Z")

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Hi Tatiane- do this in the Front or Right view - which ever has the view through the ring and the CPlane parallel to the object to be oriented. The rectangle can be hard to orient to begin with in a way that the command likes - with the Perp option, I’d set it up as in this clip-

[http://screencast.com/t/ng2s7SWRKJW](http://screencast.com/t/ng2s7SWRKJW)

See also Flow, with the Rigid option - you’d make a linear array and map that from a line to the curvey curve .

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![Tatiane\_Lima](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/tatiane_lima/32/44330_2.png) [@Tatiane\_Lima](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Tatiane_Lima)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/3 "2015-10-13T18:33:06Z")

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Hi Pascal,

Thanks a lot for your help.  
I’ve tried to do this in all viewports, and the result is the same. I just tried to use Flow, as you recommended, but it didn’t work, maybe because I’m not familiar with this tool.  
I got a similar result with Polar Array, but I think it will not be convenient in all ocasions I need to have this result.  
Honestly, I’d like so much to be able to use “orient perpendicular to curve”, because I’ll need to use this often. I don’t understand why in Rhino 5 it’s not possible to do that.

Tatiane.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/4 "2015-10-13T19:56:01Z")

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Hi Tatiane- notice the orientation of the object and the curve relative to the CPlane in the clip…

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![Guy1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/guy1/32/67964_2.png) [@Guy1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Guy1)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 9:31am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/5 "2017-10-05T09:31:11Z")

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Hi Pascal,

I’m having the exact same problem and the video is no longer available.  
I tried to perform “orient perpendicular to curve” on front or right view and I don’t get the desired result (same as in Tatiane’s pictures).  
Can you please upload the video again or explain in more details how to solve this issue?

Thanks a lot,  
Guy

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**Author:** ![tobias](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/tobias/32/489897_2.png) [@tobias](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/tobias)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 9:55am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/6 "2017-10-05T09:55:09Z")

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Hi everybody,  
I encountered this also a numerous times. I tried all different viewports, orientations of the input object, etc. got really frustrated… till I found out that sometimes you don’t need the “perpendicular” option.  
Next time you facing this problem try simply \_OrientOncrv. It might do what you need.

gr, Tobias

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**Author:** ![Guy1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/guy1/32/67964_2.png) [@Guy1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Guy1)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/7 "2017-10-05T17:33:07Z")

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Thanks Tobias,

I tried your solution and a funny thing happened, the orientation was OK but upside down i.e. the gemstone was on top of the ring and upside down. And if I clicked on “Perpendicular” the whole part changed its orientation again and won’t change back.

Any help would be appreciated.  
Thanks,  
Guy

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/8 "2017-10-05T17:55:49Z")

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Hi Guy - I don’t know what happened to the clip - it does seem to be gone - can you send your example file, I’ll see what I can do…

-Pascal

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Guy1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/guy1/32/67964_2.png) [@Guy1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Guy1)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/9 "2017-10-05T18:40:38Z")

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[Chapter 6 - VolumeRing.3dm](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/3X/d/5/d5dee905fac5171e866d6f6a2c5e98a9753b2b41.3dm) (310.3 KB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/10 "2017-10-05T18:59:44Z")

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Hi Guy - in this case, (I know it’s really kind of hard to sort out) the CPlane is not a useful one as the file opens so set that to Front. Then the Perpendicluar options **plus**'Rotate does the job.

-Pascal

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Guy1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/guy1/32/67964_2.png) [@Guy1](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Guy1)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 9:27am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/orient-perpendicular-to-curve-rhino-5/25631/11 "2017-10-06T09:27:13Z")

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Hi Pascal,

Thank you so much for solving this issue and for taking the time to make this video.

Thank you,  
Guy