Hi Mark and all..
You can do it simply like this.. but its lattice on lattice..=) (This is
one of many ways I bet.. dunno if its the best...just one fast one I thought
of...)
1. Create your Helix curve, and edit it as you want.. maybe the first and
last point in the Center of the ends..
2. Lattice Map (pointwise) the helix curve to a 2 point curve..(or 3 if you
want to later deform the helix...)
3. Make duplicates of the mapped HELIX Curve... as many as you need...(was
it 27 springs you had in yoru thingy?)
4. Now Multiselect the first helix duplicate... and the first 2 point curve
and use the 'Reconnect' Tool in the Lattice Mapping Tab..
(Step 4 , 2 point curves that you already have in your thingy)
5. Repeat step 4 until you have reconnected each duplicates to its own 2
point curve of your nice thingy... (would be good here to be able to do step
4 for all in one go..)
If you dont have any pre made 2 points that you should use..
then after step 2,
3. Multiselect 2 point curve and Helix curve and drop to new level (d key)
4. Place three copies of this level, onto the 3 sides of the a Cube (that
has been turned into a Crhono Body)
5. Then multiselect the Chrono Body (Cube) and the three Levels (each with a
2 point and a helix in them)
6. Macro Record ON
7. Duplicate (Ctrl + d keys)
8. Move (m key) the copies to the right of the originals, so they connect as
they should in horizontal directioin
9. Macro Record OFF
10. Execute the Macro (Ctrl + g Keys) as many times as you need
copies....for this direction...
(Select and delete the Helix level that is to the right side of the
screen...(the not needed one..)
11. Multiselct all Chrono Bodies and CurveLevels... (with the original
Chrono Body level as the First Selected !!!)
12. Use the 'Rotate' Handle and Rotate 90 deg, so you have them all in
Vertical Direction...=)
13. Execute the Macro once again... equally many times as you did in Step 10
(Select and delete the Helix levels that is to the right side of the
screen...(the not needed ones..)
14. Do Step 12-13 for the third dimension.. ! if you want or need ..=)
15. Do the hard task, and Lattice map all the 2 points curves points to each
needed Cube..=)
(Or in instead of Step 15, do another hard task way, Step 16)
16. Multiselect all 2 point Curves, and enter point edit mode, then select
those points that should belong to a certain Cube, and make a 'Point Group'
of those points, Then drop this 'Point Group' into the Chrono Body the cube
belongs to.....for it to work in the simulation, do this... In Anim Rec Mode
move the 'Point Group' one gridunit, and back again, just to add a chor to
it..
(Repeat Step 16 for all needed...)
17. Do the next hard task, setup all the needed chrono springs...
Would be nice with some tools for setting up repetative things like this in
an easier way...!!!
Is there a way to set things up so one can change one helix for another
object or so, and all others use the new object ?
(I thought of Instances, but those cant be mapped or so...hmm )
Also could be nice with a built in feature into the nurbcurve itself, that
no matter how the curve is shaped, it would stretch out in the direction
(Straight line) between the first and last point, when either of those
points are moved.. the curve would stretch accordingly..
(but this would only be an Option..=)
(on the other hand.. there are so many features one would want, before this
one.=)
Just thought of it..since its abit lol to do this lattice on lattice way..
.. abit double =)
Ok.. hope any of my steps above makes any sense at all.. ..
if there are any questions just ask..
if I made any mistakes, point it out..=)
Take Care
Best Regards
Stefan Gustafsson ( Beg-inner )
A Proud Owner and User of Real3D and Realsoft3D..
Yes, as always there are many ways to solve this, this was just the first
thing that popped up in my head and it's really efficient, just two points
needed. But how would you uniformly stretch and lattice map a real helix
curve... maybe a cage. Hmm, this could solve the VSL 'stretching spring
thickness problem'.
good luck,
-Mark H
