I have a model with one single interpolated curve which is wound up like a ‘knot’. I would like to apply a pipe to that curve, but only get pipe failed without any further information. How can I work out why the pipe fails?
Here’s a link to the file https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B6Ge6LUDb5eTYWtDYnczbUc4XzA?usp=sharing
Thanks for any suggestion!
Hi Michael - the curve has 16,000 + control points - I don’t know what cap there may be on Pipe, but I suspect it is well below that.
-Pascal
so cut it in bits and apply the pipe to those? How many sections would you think are the most optimal?
Try using the “half-method” (cutting the line in halfs, on cut at the time and test Pipe), then you will find very quickly the limits.
// Rolf
great - did the trick. Used divide and split - a single split in two halves worked already. Could have tried this earlier; instead I thought there might be some other inconsistency I needed to check 
Thank you!
just out of curiosity, how did you make this curve? and what is it for?
maybe using a thicker line may work either if its for visualisation.
Hi Richard, sorry for the delay - saw your message today only. Well, it’s our attempt to model the interactions on a chromosome using a dynamic system and a ‘chain’ with limited flexibility. Given that it’s statistical data, there is no 100% fit, but one gets an impression of the complexity of the process that switches genes on or off. The calculations were done in a custom software; points exported and imported as interpolated curve into Rhino. Pipe thickness is problematic - in some regions you quickly don’t see anything anymore - I wonder if there is a better way of looking into a knot?
regarding the density of your thickened pipe, i am not sure what to suggest since i have absolutely no idea how that could look like. from my understanding is that you are dealing with molecules whos atoms are connected through electrons and line up to this genes. so actually there is not much to display, a pipe could do but if you say its too dense then i have to ask what you are trying to show and maybe there is a better way… will this be animated? to which detail will you show it? maybe using kind of a translucent cloud instead of a pipe could work. interesting topic of course, i am not very educated in it unfortunately.
you can also use a dotted line
or underlay it with a line on another layer and play with the thickness/visibility
but that all depends of course where you will render it and if its animated.
