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Author Topic: Spiral shapes: cave, cone  (Read 18067 times)

B_twist

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Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« on: March 30, 2016, 03:06:57 pm »

I modified Bob IT's cone plugin years ago into a spiral.  Then, because there wasn't enough parameters available I made a second plugin to modify the previous one. 
Yes, you can use multiple plugins to modify a single parametric shape. 
Build the spiral cone using 'Spiral_0' plugin then use 'Spiral_Ec.a8s' for changing eccentricity to the cone shape. 

Plugin S_Tunnel builds a 6 sided tunnel in spiral direction.  Modify height, width of tunnel; rate of climb, rate of radius increase or decrease, CCW/CW rotation, Tunnel twisting. 
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neirao

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Re: Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2016, 12:26:40 am »

i love the Spiral!!!
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B_twist

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Re: Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« Reply #2 on: April 08, 2016, 01:23:03 pm »

Sorry to those who downloaded the spiral_0 and Spiral_Ec files.  I had them in my Scripts directory and didn't verify that they may only be a partial work in progress.
I'm reworking the method used to pass parameters between two or more plugins.  The plugin will only return one mesh-shape and attempting to modify a separate second mesh won't work with one plugin.  The new method will be to reserve the first six points (index 0 thru 5) for parameter data.  Then start vertexes at index number 6.
   the main drawback is that you will see stray points in the wire-frame editor.  Also I will reformat the option for file output to be '%f $tab   description', so that other software can simply read the first value of each line for a predetermined structure.
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Raxx

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Re: Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« Reply #3 on: April 08, 2016, 03:57:05 pm »

I used to use the UV data of the last X amount of points in order to pass the parameters of other shapes. This is no longer needed now that there are set attribute functions.
« Last Edit: April 08, 2016, 03:57:14 pm by Raxx »
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B_twist

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Re: Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2016, 05:11:45 pm »

Raxx - I've read through your post for Attributes.  The second plugin I started for the spiral cone-ribbon will need to use most of the existing parameters plus 5 others defined in the new plugin.  Eccentricity of X:Z ratio and inputs for 'POW(n, exp)' for height and lateral growth.   
   I haven't played with the attribute function to see if I can use both quaternion and point3 fields.  I presumed not because bringing up the attribute GUI only allows one type. 

   This is where I need to remind users that you've created tools for cleaning up extra points.
I've cleaned up the 'Spiral_0' plugin and will give it a new icon and name.  Next up is reworking the 2nd plugin to read the mesh points and 'parameter-points'. 
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Unobtainium

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Re: Spiral shapes: cave, cone
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2017, 10:53:59 am »

Raxx - I've read through your post for Attributes.  The second plugin I started for the spiral cone-ribbon will need to use most of the existing parameters plus 5 others defined in the new plugin.  Eccentricity of X:Z ratio and inputs for 'POW(n, exp)' for height and lateral growth.   
   I haven't played with the attribute function to see if I can use both quaternion and point3 fields.  I presumed not because bringing up the attribute GUI only allows one type. 

   This is where I need to remind users that you've created tools for cleaning up extra points.
I've cleaned up the 'Spiral_0' plugin and will give it a new icon and name.  Next up is reworking the 2nd plugin to read the mesh points and 'parameter-points'. 



Any news on this? :)
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