General Category > ASL Scripts
Script Request: Chain Link Maker
hihosilver:
Thanks NickE! Here's a render with your script (I rotated a few links after to make it more natural.)
spicy:
Cool chains guys, hiho where did you get your chain texture from?
hihosilver:
Spicy: I made the chain texture myself. Though you can download it from this thread: http://anim8or.org/forums/index.php/topic,675.0.html
NickE: There was another request from anim8or.org that I completely agree with if it isn't too much trouble:
--- Quote from: karate5662 on June 11, 2008, 04:04:02 pm ---It would be nice to have a pop-up box that asks for options like a parametric shape, nonetheless, kudos to NickE, for a great script.
--- End quote ---
Then we could have options as in a parametric script to fill in that we could see update instead of guessing and checking using the script. It would be awesome, but if it's not possible no worries because you've done great already!
NickE:
I have adapted the chain_maker.txt script to be a parametric plugin script. There are some issues, though. I am going to do another post with questions about scripts to try to resolve these issues.
It seems that parametric plugin scripts have a couple of "features" that make using the chain_maker parametric plugin a little more challenging:
To activate a plugin, you select the icon, then click or click-drag in the editor window. This, in effect, does two things:
1) De-selects anything you have previously selected (this makes sense, since the script is creating a new shape that is automatically selected)
2) Sets the origin point of the parametric shape created by the script (also makes sense, since most of the parametric shape scripts use a drag sizing method)
The chain_maker parametric script can work around (1), but you have to rename the path you want to follow so that it is pre-pended with the word "chain". For example: rename "path02" to "chainpath02". Click on the "chain path" icon, then click anywhere in the editor window. The chain that is created will follow the path, but be offset to whereever you clicked. You will have to manually move it back into position. I designed the icon to help you remember that you have to rename the path you want to follow. I toyed with the idea of having the script rename the path back to just "pathXX" after creating the chain, but decided against it.
Another issue is that the created parametric object is a single shape. Even if you have multiple paths all renamed chainpathXX, the chains created will all be one shape, even though they follow different paths. To do the inevitable tweaking of a few links that do not turn the corners properly, you must convert the parametric shape to a mesh. You can then access individual links by going to point editor mode, using the face selector to select a face of the link you want to adjust. Use "G" to "grow" the selection to the full link. Then use "t" to select the edges. You can now move, rotate, delete, etc. that individual link. Whew!
The upside to having a parametric script, though, is that you can immediately see the results of tweaking the parameters and get that chain looking just as you like it.
So, it is do-able, just less than convenient and intuitive. Also, you can use the parametric plugin version to find the parameters you like best for your application and then edit the other version to reflect those parameters.
Please let me know what you think.
karate5662:
it works quite well, nice work.
I found that to make a single link part of another mesh, you can select a single face on that particular link, then you can use Shift+G to grow the selection to the full link. tho make it a seperate mesh, you can Shift+G.
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