Hi Paolo,

> Question: is there script allowing me to draw
> a circle or oval, tangent to three or more curves

No, currently there is not any tool available in MoI to calculate that kind of circle.

At the moment your best bet is to use Rhino, which does have a command for doing that.

I'll take a look at adding this in to MoI.

- Michael

Hi Paolo,

> Question: is there script allowing me to draw
> a circle or oval, tangent to three or more curves

For the next v2 beta I have re-written the circle and arc tangent commands, so that it will be possible to create a circle tangent to 3 curves. It will also be able to find a circle tangent to 2 curves and through a specific point which the previous one was not able to do either. You'll still be able to enter a radius value which will then behave the same as the v1 command.

Here's what the new version looks like:



I hope that will be useful for you! Please let me know if it does not do what you need after the next beta is released.

- Michael

> No, currently there is not any tool available in MoI to calculate that kind of circle.

> I'll take a look at adding this in to MoI.

Less than 3 day for implement this new feature... unbelievable support!
You are the best Michael!

Luca

It's the same for an ellipse?
oops may be made with 2 arcs tangent ;)

Hi Michael,

Thanks i am looking forward to it

Funny that, I needed this a few days ago. Cool!
Thanks Michael.

Cheers

This is wonderful!

Marc

Hi Pilou,

> It's the same for an ellipse?

No - an ellipse does not tend to work in calculations similar to these because there tends to be an infinite variety of ellipses with slightly varying dual radius values that will match.

With a circle these situations have just a single circle solution, that makes it more possible to target that for an automatic solution.

- Michael

Very useful addition....won't be long before im working in MoI and not Rhino :-))

Top job!

Hi Michael,

> No - an ellipse does not tend to work in calculations similar to these + automatic solution<

Don't you think someone,sooner or later will find a
mathematical solution

I would say 'Never say never'

Hi Paolo,

> Don't you think someone,sooner or later will find a
> mathematical solution
>
> I would say 'Never say never'

Well, the problem is not that there is no solution, it is that there are a huge number of solutions of slightly varying ellipses.

There probably wouldn't be a good way for the algorithm to judge that one ellipse was better than any other, except for the case of having 2 equal radius values which is what the circle solution is...

To narrow down the huge number of solutions to a single one would probably require more steps like picking additional points or specifying a particular minor and major radius value. That is certainly possible to do, but it would make for a rather complex UI (kind of like a big "Ellipse control panel") for something that is just a rather obscure thing...

If building an ellipse in that specific manner is an important thing for you, you will probably need to get some specialized software that is focused a lot on ellipses and conic sections. Programs that are specialized in that will be able to devote a lot more detailed and complex UI to that problem.

- Michael

Ok Michael, i am satisfied with
your answer