Shortest walk

[Marisa_z]

This is a more general question, I’m working with shortest walk for the first time and am wondering if anyone knows if it would work with a more complex geometry, one that is wavier and has more complexities to it. Thank you

[michaelvollrath]

Hi @Marisa_z,

Given the same logic used in your last post you can input more complex meshes as well.

It should work just fine in 3D meaning you can feed it a complex network of lines derived from curving shapes, slopes, slants, etc.

If you have a particular piece of geometry in mind that you are struggling with feel free to upload

[martynjhogg]

I would imagine it would work but might give undesirable results where the geometry has tight curvature so the closest point might jump across a gap between the surface rather than finding the closest point without leaving the surface.

I don’t know if the closest point part of the definition is smart enough to find a path restricted to being on a surface only.

[AndersDeleuran]

@Marisa_z

… one that is wavier and has more complexities to it

This topic has many different cases and solution that might be helpful:

Shortest path - taking obstacles and the terrain into account

Hi, I am interested in performing a shortest-path analysis which takes the terrain into account. However, I am not aware of any method that works in a 3-dimensional path structure. For example, I want to find out the shortest paths between the points in red. These paths could be the ones shown in blue, if they take obstacles into account. If not, it may generate the dashed line in blue [afbeelding] I came across this fairly rudimentary algorithm that uses Galapagos to optimise the shortest p…

[michaelvollrath]

@martynjhogg

I don’t know if the closest point part of the definition is smart enough to find a path restricted to being on a surface only.

I think you avoid this with an edge graph instead of points only.
The edges would be on the surface so you would have to worry about the “gaps” being jumped even on a folding surface like this…

“Marching Closest Points” on the left, Edge Graph on the right:

[Marisa_z]

reading this over now

[Marisa_z]

I haven’t tried any specific ones yet, Have just been playing around with it this weekend but I’m going to start on it today and If I have any I will Be sure to upload them here!!