Full Version: Nodebundle for playing with nodes

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Hello Barry,
I will try it. A frame is something like a local coordinate system. So it defines the basepoint and the orientation in space for some factories which creates geometry who need an alignment (basepoint,u-direction, v-direction)e.g. for circles. Sorry about my english - I'm not a native speaker.

Have a nice day
Karsten

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Thanks Karsten

RE: Loft2

That does the trick. Brilliant

RE: "A checkbox would be better"

or even better a pulldown menus for each of the options built into the node.

In the meantime, I think Inputs for each of the settings (Closed, Cap Ends & Styles) would be useful, or at least more explicit.
This could be paired with a new "String" node for entering strings such as "Normal" "Loose" or "Straight"; while the other options
could be dynamically set by logic/math nodes. That way where required settings are visible in the wiring diagram.

But this new loft node suits my purposes very well.
Thanks again

- James

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Hi Karsten,
just to show you the results of your help.

Thanks
Barry

Image Attachments:
Animation.gif 

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Hello James,

I'm glad to hear that it works for you in a first step. But I don't know which way is the right one regarding to the Features a node have. "Keep it simple" has the Advantage, that everyone understand the function without explanation. A full featured node can do everything for you, but you have to wire a lot of stuff - sometimes for things you never had thought about in the past. It is difficult to decide that concerning a consistent node Format. But, yes that's was my intention - to discuss about that and collect the ideas.


Have a nice day
Karsten

p.s.: With computers we are solving problems, which we would not have without him.

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Wow,

very useful to reduce wasting material or to optimize packaging. Some days ago someone asked in a thread about optimiziation the nesting for 3D-Printing - maybe someday it is possible:-)

Have a nice day
Karsten

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@ Karsten
Does your last opus is auto sufficient or we must take some files from Max Plugin or some files from your previous one ?

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Hello Pilou,

I didn't tested it by myself, but I hope I have put everything needed in the file. Maxs core files are also in the archive. If you want a new loft- node you can replace factories2.js with the posted one. Infonodes can also be installed, but I think Barrys new one would be a better choice.

So please, backup your files and test it - you should have some new nodes - if not I did something wrong.

Have a nice weekend
Karsten

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Hi Barry,

At first it was not apparent to me what was being illustrated in your animated gif.
But now I get it...very clever! Can you please upload the .nod file?

Thanks
- James

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Hi James,
I should have put an explanation of how it works.
It takes an X & Y area and fills it with objects based on the bounding box and gap.
So if you alter the gap the rotation or the area it automatically updates.
You will need to install Karsten's infnode from an earlier post and to get the high
accuracy bounding box amend line 27 to this: this.bbox = inObj.getHighAccuracyBoundingBox();
I added a Centre on origin in the animation but it tends to slow the process down when adjusting.
You should use the top view for it to work.
Cheers
Barry

Attachments:
AutoArray.nod

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Karsten et al,

I'm attempting to build a toroidal helix form.
The coil rail works well but I am experiencing difficulty attaching the profile for sweeping.
I've output x,y.x info from inputs to generative array into point&frame for circle ,
and at first it appears to be on the right track, however as the animation shows
changing the coil size shifts the profile from the starting point of the rail.
As a consequence the sweep does not give the desired result.

Any thoughts?

-James

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Hello James,

Good to hear, that you still make experiments:-)
I had a look on your file. There are two problems in my opinion. First - the placement of the circle dosen't fit allways with the startpoint of the railcurve and the second problem is the orientatiion of the u-and v-line. I think the "sweepnode" is difficult to handle and we have to think about, how we can make it easier to use. The name sweep is also not very handy - any ideas? For the orientation it would be also better, if the iCurve-Node would give a frame for start and endpoint, but I didn't find a solution for that at the moment. And I think a native sweep node would also be very useful. I've attached a changed file, that isn't perfect (orientation of the profile dosen't fit) but works in a first step. I hope that you can find a solution based on it. To analyse the problem, I have cloned some objects and gave them to the output - so cut the wires or delete the clone-nodes.

Have a nice day
Karsten

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Thanks Karsten,
That is an improvement, but I have not had any luck with profile orientation.

RE: "The name sweep is also not very handy - any ideas?"
Perhaps Array_along_path.

Thanks again
-James

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Hello James,
yes, I agree with you! Very difficult. Nomally PDE, but not usefull to handle. I think about the idea to calculate start and endframe of curves. Maybe it is possible to calculate it with approx. secants and a Lagrange Interpolation to get start-/end-tangent. I don't know how much work it is at the Moment and which precision we will get, but that can simplify the Problem alot. Another solution could be a simple Helix and flow it to circle - only if you really need a solution next time.

Array_along_path -sounds good!
Have a nice day
Karsten

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Hello Karsten,

RE: "To analyse the problem, I have cloned some objects and gave them to the output - so cut the wires or delete the clone-nodes."

I also find this a useful practice. A nice implementation would be a "Preview" checkbox in the info panel. This would achieve the same effect without redundant wiring.

Have a great weekend
-James

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Hello James,

a preview is possible, but I think that we need also a checkbox, because editing text is not very effective with a lot of nodes - so we have to wait till Max next release. Nevertheless I am working on the problem to place profiles normal to curves, I have made a new node that gives also a approximated startpoint frame. It sometimes crashes, but at the moment I can't figure out why - . The deviation to a tangent snapped line is between 0.0002deg and 0.008deg in my first test. Maybe someone will have a look to improve it or have some tipps.

Have a nice day
Karsten

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Hello James,

I have fixed the problem :-)



Have a nice weekend
Karsten

Attachments:
gcurvetest.nod

Image Attachments:
gcurvetest.gif 

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More and more powerful!

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Hello,

here are some new nodes for playing: Curvature-Analyse, Sweep ...

A nice day to all
Karsten

Attachments:
blend.nod
bridge.nod
infonodes.js
SubDiv.js

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Hello Kirsten

Sorry I have not replied before now; I have been away for a few weeks.

>fixed the problem :-)

Yes that is much better thanks.
The new sweep node does the job perfectly.

I greatly appreciate your work on these
James

Image Attachments:
toroidalhelixSweep.jpg 

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Hello James,

I'm glad that it works:-) and an aesthetically result, also. An idea that I got, while I'm looking to the pictures: If you want to control the diameter depending on the curvature of your rail, I have made a node for that in the Infonode.js. It calculates the minR and maxR of curves. This could be used to avoid squeezed surfaces. I didn't made a tryout, but maybe also an interessting experiment:-)

Have a nice day
Karsten

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