Hi Michael,

Yes I can understand having a realtime feedback for this kind of tool require much more power computing that simple polys.

About the offset :

I get the circle offset position before the sweep, however it only works for ground plane, but not when the driving curve has to touch different object, like the first image sequence I post, or for the little example here :



>> Offset from surface while drawing - one way you can possibly do that now is to drag out a construction line on the surface normal before you place the point. You may need to do a little slight of hand to type in the distance before you finish the construction line to place the end at the distance you want.

I see the idea, and I just try it right now, not very easy :S Probably a solution if I have a unique wire/tube in my model, but I can't imagine placing thousand of wire like that. More over it's also hard to edit the curve afterward (and keeping the offset of course)

>> A kind of "running offset distance" is an interesting idea but may be somewhat difficult to set up, a surface normal has 2 directions on it and it may be difficult for you to predict which is the "positive" side on any given free-standing surface. So just setting a single value and then doing single pick, pick, pick after that probably would not do it properly, you would need to do something like 2 picks with the second pick indicating which side... Might be rather awkward to set up.

Well even 2 click doesnt sounds that bad, I'm quite ease with the MoI navigation so I'm not that affraid by the awkwardness.
Just wondering too, isn't this double normal problem resolved when you works with solids ? It's a bit like the meshing process right, when a geometry is closed you can define where the normal is looking at. (Just a non pragramming lazy guy shorcut :))

>>
Aside from the twist parameter though you can add in additional profiles to control it.
>>
Still tunnel vision so the obvious escapes me! duh.

Adding the couple extra profiles made this work.

>> The circle can be positioned quickly by use of Circle / Diameter, followed by rotate widget:

Interessting method, but it requires a couple of more step if the sweep rail is more 'organic' like the rail I build above ... not so easy (impossible) to align the cicle/cross sections with the gizmo method when the rail is turning around something (helix).

Seems a solution indeed (in fact cross sections don't have to be align with the rail, so it's probably a little bit faster than I thought)

I will apply that tomorrow and see how it comes :)

Thanks BurrMan and Michael !

I just did 5 on your model pretty quick! I used to struggle with the "rotation tool". It just didnt work with my brain (granted I never put in the effort to practice and understand it). I wonder, could you use the rotation tool well? The little rotation gizmo has me smiling.

It could be this is that difference in the way people process, which is a profound "MoI" characteristic. I'll bet PAQ is great with the Rotation tool.

Food for michaels thought and a not so obvious example of why MoI will be so successful. Thanks for the lesson PAQ.

Hi PaQ,

> Just wondering too, isn't this double normal problem resolved
> when you works with solids ?

Yeah that's true - it just becomes more and more of a pretty specialized thing that only works in particular circumstances.

That's kind of something that would be built directly into the point picker logic itself, mostly I try to have things that go in there be sort of more general purpose use type things and not so much just for one very specific thing.

From some of your later comments, it sounds like putting in an offset circle may work for you better than you thought? You probably don't have to put one in on every spot, just in strategic locations where the path goes through a major shift in direction.

It may be possible to do something with the construction line with a keyboard shortcut to help make that easier. I'll give that a try. I'm not sure if there is enough stuff exposed to script to make that work, I may need to add some stuff to make it work for the next beta.

- Michael

Is time win to use Array curve for put some circles on the curve then rotate them, and kill some useless?
Then make the sweep
And here it's a particular situation! it's a little rope!

Hi PaQ, the best it looks like I can do for scripting with the current version is something that will set the distance constraint for you with a keypress, so that once you start dragging a construction line you can strike a key and have a distance applied to it, rather than needing to type in in over and over again.

This will do that:

script:var pp = moi.ui.getActivePointPicker(); if ( pp ) pp.setDistanceConstraint( 1.0 );


The way that works, is you start dragging a construction line and have it along the surface normal straight snap, while you still have the mouse button held down, strike that shortcut key to apply the distance constraint, and then release your mouse button to finish the construction line.

Then move your mouse to find the "end" snap on the construction line that will be 1 unit along it from the surface.

You can probably execute that sequence pretty quickly.


You'll probably accumulate a lot of construction lines on the screen with that method. You can also set up another key to erase all construction lines (without exiting your current draw command) by setting up this shortcut:

script:var gd = moi.geometryDatabase; gd.removeObjects( gd.getObjects().getConstructionLines() );


It should be possible for me to add some more things to be available for scripting for the next beta to actually position the offset point all in one shot with a keystroke I think, I will see about adding that stuff in but that won't help until the next beta.

- Michael

Script language is some fascinating as condensation ideas for create a result in a few time!

Michael,
How did you move the center point of the rotate widget. I'm stuck here. It looks like you drag it but i drag the whole object.
Burr

I'm sorry I got it, Ckick and let go! It's not a drag.

Thanks,
Burr

[EDIT]
WOOOOOOW!
[EDIT]

Hi Burr - yup, click and let go on the rotate grip initially to switch to "wheel mode".

Once you are in wheel mode then that center point stays on and you can go grab it and reposition it.

While in wheel mode dragging on a wheel will do a rotation, and clicking somewhere out off of a wheel exits the mode.

- Michael

Hi Michael, thanks a lot for the script, quite handy ... but do not waste to much of your time in this.
It's still takes me to much time, whatever the method : the tangant construction line method, or the circle along curve one.

At the end, it takes the same time (or even more) than using the standard method, and editing every control by hand to adjust the rope intersection.

Great discussion, guys. I've been using LWCAD v3 to assist with my similar piping needs. That's means I have to depend on getting my models into LW (cleanly) to continue my work...

Anything to assist with these piping tasks within MOI is certain appreciated!

-Will

Well the job Im working is also rendering with lightwave :P ... a bit to late to learn/use/buy for lwcad too :(

I wish a could place 100 of them, but I will not have the time ->

I was wondering how come and you spot all the bugs in MoI, now I know, eager to see it finished...