Hi Tom,
not sure if this may help but in Blender there is an addon called Tissue that converts surfaces to hexagon mesh.
I've been using Moi to model and sending them to Blender via BMOI_Connector mentioned on this forum.
Anyway I have tried using an ico sphere created in Blender converting it to hexagon mesh and instance the gem stone onto the faces as shown in the photo.
On the left Sphere without smoothing, right with smoothing.
You can then bring them back into Moi via BMOI_Connector bridge.
Hope this helps.
Barry
Ps:this video may help
https://youtu.be/asBwqJKkFb4

Thank you ! That could be useful. Question is it may be worth the tine to get into Blender
as I never used this software before.

You can't wrap something on any volume/Surface with the Flow function ?

Hi Pilou, Flow distorts the objects to adopt them to the targeted surface or curve,
But diamonds come with standarised sizes / carat and cuts.

So maybe you can try Elephant! ;)

Hi Tom,
Here is a link to Bubble Chart, a dynamic circle technique example:
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/06/us/politics/convention-word-counts.html#Obama

The link is not a political statement, just an example of circle repulsion, like for electrically charged circles. (Underlying Javascript code can be viewed and copied in the brower.

The Bubble Chart link is from here:
https://github.com/d3/d3-force

So if the moveable circles are all the same size, and the boundaries and any internal boundaries are also charged, but non-moveable, the layout would settle down to some sort of hex grid, inside the boundaries.
It would also be nice to be able to add or remove a circle.

Haven't studied the code...

Well, it is 2d planar, not on a 3d surface.

- Brian

Tom,

Here is a test using the Node Editor. The qhull creates the diamond solid object from the outside point configuration of a triangle facet. The diamond is sent to a sphere point array that is orientated from center.

Qhull3d Ref:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=9581.217

Wayne

Vasturiano has at least 2 other related github's, some with 3d features.

- Brian

ps Wayne's node is cool.

Brian, those bubbles are impressive - Grasshopper takes it one step further :
https://www.grasshopper3d.com/video/circle-packing

Thats great Wayne, thank you I will have a look !!

Still looking for javascript code for "repulsion" with the d3 code.
SteveHaroz and Mike Bostoc have d3 javascript code for many projects, some partially relevant to "repulsion:\".
They seem to be oriented towards Information graphics, (charts) rather than geometry.

https://bl.ocks.org/steveharoz

- Brian

There are tutorial about d3-force here:

https://tomroth.com.au/d3/

Apparently d3 is "chart" graph software.

I'm thinking that a good programmer could adapt the js code to nodeeditor and MoI, to do the "Gem Paving".

Do not know how to apply the repulsion to nodes on a brep surface which is 3D, but locally relatively flat.

- Brian

Brian, it is impressive what´s out there as building blocks for any purpose.

I dont know how many jewellery designers use MOI as their tool, but certainly
they are there as proven by the GemArray script. Covering an area with Pave
(there is hexagonal and a square grid for the little pins) manually is quite a challenge.
Otherwise a programmed solution would need to be pretty sophisticated to serve its purpose.

I spent a few hours looking at charting app, d3-force simulation.
Steve Haroz's ds-force testing ground program has interface sliders, for a number of the force choices.
Output is SVG graphics. It has a multiple sliders input panel, and is live.

The output would have to be converted to MoI planar geometry, and input would be a bunch of circles.
Maybe a MoI script could be done, with users able to manipulate the circles on the screen, with the mouse?
Or Nodeeditor?

There seem to be no boundaries, nor3d surfaces...
Maybe a bunch of anchored circles could form boundaries?
I read that there are 40,000 d3 examples. A bunch with d3 force.
One has the circles "afraid" of the mouse. Phylotaxis layout is a default.
Connecting Links, (lines, also called edges), is not needed...

Anyway, it was fun.
I think I will go back to some other projects now.

- Brian

Hi Tom, do you have the Gems?

I can start with the polygon and grab the points, then do a few array directions to get a nice patch. CopyToPoints will place all the little corner gems and the large one is arrays with the points...

Then you could do a flow to your surface.. A little aditing to get the base object the shape you want to match the "frog" (Maybe a top view outline)

Anyway...

Added note...

"""""Flow distorts the objects""""

Well, only by a difference in the base and target surfaces...

That is where the work is. To get a base surface that maps well to the target surface.

I think mike or chipp did a tute on this part

Ref:

https://vimeo.com/118113245?width=800&height=480

Cuty luxuous!

Brian, thank you for your ideas !

Hi Burrman. I added an example surface with a 2mm gem.