Understanding NURBS

 From:  Hamish Mead (HAIRYKIWI)
7293.3 In reply to 7293.2 
Hi Michael,

Many thanks - your explanation and the links helps my understanding a little more at least. I can't help thinking though, that being able to play with a mathematical model of a NURBS curve, where all the parameters can be interacted with, would really help.

Are you aware of anything equivalent to this Cubic Splines example on desmos.com, for a NURBS curve?
...some time later...BINGO - these interactive NURBS example should help a lot:
http://geometrie.foretnik.net/files/NURBS-en.swf
http://ibiblio.org/e-notes/Splines/NURBS.htm
http://ibiblio.org/e-notes/Splines/None.htm
I found this page also helpful: http://www.miaumiau.cat/2010/04/nurbs-in-flash-part-1/

(These were the previous closest I came to finding anything useful, [left in because they look interesting] but they're all 'only' NURBS libraries, not interactive examples:
http://verbnurbs.com/
http://threejs.org/
http://libnurbs.sourceforge.net/)

Where this is all leading ultimately, is that I think I want to be able to take a NURBS curve I've drawn in MoI that matches my requirements graphically, then convert/export/derive the mathematical expression of it and embedded that a MoI javascript. Why, because I'm struggling to achieve what I want using a polynomial expression, and I still need the javascript to further deform the geometry, regardless of whether the geometry is expressed as a polynomial or NURBS function.

Any ideas/suggestions appreciated.

Thanks again,
Hamish

EDITED: 9 Mar 2015 by HAIRYKIWI