Hello,

Is there a script that would create isocurves at points along a surface? It would be helpful in some instances for line shading technical illustration. Thanks.

Hi OSTexo, the regular Construct > Curve > Iso command will let you click several points on a surface for generating isocurves, are you looking for something different than that?

Max also wrote a script for generating multiple isocurves in one shot I think, look for MultiIso on his file archive: http://moi.maxsm.net/media/files/ the thread for it is here: http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6841.1

- Michael

Hello Michael,

Something similar to Maxs script, the limitation of that script being that I cannot select multiple curves with associated surfaces and have isocurves created across all the surfaces equally according to distance or number of isocurves. I am currently doing a workaround where I select a set of curves, Join them, create a Point at the end of the curve and then run Array > Curve > Align to Surface to get a point set moving along the surface. I then use the Curve > Iso tool to select the surface and create the isocurves that are snapped to the points created along the surface. It would be helpful if I could select the points and the isocurves would automatically be created using the points as the guide if that makes sense. It would save me from having to manually point and click on each point and create the isocurves. It's not a limitation, just a work efficiency improvement.

This sort of line shading is very beneficial for illustrating curvature of an object and MoI is doing a great deal of heavy lifting on this, it's getting me further than I could ever get with vector illustration programs alone, thank you again for such a great application.

Hi OSTexo, so you mean something like select one surface and a bunch of already existing point objects that are on that surface and then generate isocurves at each point?

- Michael

Hello Michael,

Yes, exactly as you described.

There are plenty of techniques to hatch in vector programs but exporting those isocurves out of MoI and carving them up based upon object lighting takes the cake, you can't replicate that without enormous effort in vector illustration programs alone. Thanks.

Hi OSTexo, please try the attached script, I hope it does what you are looking for.

Select one surface or face and one or more point objects that are on the face before running the command.

- Michael

EDIT: updated 9/13/2022 to fix bug if Repeat checkbox set.

Hello Michael,

The script works great, thank you very much. I don't even have to be exact when it comes to selected points, it just seems to ignore the ones that are not on the selected face.

Hi OSTexo

In relation to your post of the 5th June 2016 (7978.3) where you show a 3D view and MOI lines on the surface in red - can you tell me have you extracted in some way these lines to a flat 2D view from the 3D view with perspective and if so how ? as per your .png image

Many thanks

Andy

<< if so how ?
Export PDF ?

Hello Andy,

I either run the Make2D command from the MoI command line, save to AI using the MoI export command or run Make2D in Rhino and export from MoI once I've pasted the Make2D output from Rhino into MoI. I then do some post processing in AI or CorelDraw depending on the type of vector art to be output.

The reason I still use Rhino for some line work is that in some instances its Make2D command seems to draw a more connected set of lines that require less cleanup. This is not entirely consistent and seems to be model dependent. I have to strike a balance, the MoI linework can get wobbly sometimes and will not always connect up cleanly but on the other hand when the model is right will output a much smoother line with a lower point count than Rhino that is much easier to manage in post. The other thing I like in Rhino is the ability to set lighting and environment maps within the Rhino viewport, select isometric views and send a raster PNG of the model to a file with a transparent background. I throw these layers together and am able to output an entirely vector image.

I'm confident that MoI will have the lighting, mapping, positioning and output tweaks in the future, which will result in further countless hours being saved and will solidify MoI3D as a necessary tool for technical illustration.

Great thanks OSTexo for your in depth explanation
Much appreciated
Andy