Multi Copy Along a Path?

JoelM3DM

Ok, ten points to whoever can answer this question ...

I need to copy a component along a path. This path is an un-uniform curve, not a circle or straight line. The instances need to be exactly 4" apart on a path that's 20 feet long.

How? Is there a plugin for this?

    -- Joel

massimo

Maybe path copy could do the job?

mac1

Can you post "the path" as skp. What one does maybe a function of how you created it. IE if it is a crazy Bezier or??

massimo

Joel it's something like the picture below that you're looking for? I've made it like this:

Select all your curve and then weld it;
Go to the "copy along path" plugin and choose "copy to path nodes";
Select your welded path and then the component.
That's all. Sadly you can't control the rotation of the component I believe.
I've attached the SKP too.

INNER ARM-1.skp

JoelM3DM

Here is my path and the component to copy. The curved path is broken up into short segments. Forget what I wrote about every 4".

This cube needs to repeated at every endpoint (about 120), with the x on the bottom of the cube centered on that endpoint. (And parallel to the line but I assume they'll have to be rotated manually.) I tried the Copy Along Path rb, but Copy to Path Nodes is not working for me. I got only 2 copies.

     -- Joel

ARM & COMPONENT

JoelM3DM

Yes, something like that - but I need each cube centered exactly on an endpoint.

massimo

And actually they are if I'm not wrong...Only rotated on the "original" xy axes.

JoelM3DM

This is good ... Thanks!

j40

@massimo said:

Joel it's something like the picture below that you're looking for? I've made it like this:

Select all your curve and then weld it;

Go to the "copy along path" plugin and choose "copy to path nodes";

Select your welded path and then the component.
That's all. Sadly you can't control the rotation of the component I believe.
I've attached the SKP too.

Is there an option to enter length value? for instance: I want the distance between the components to be 200cm.
I can see that in the right lower corner in SU appears "distance between: 305cm" but I'm unable to type my value.

massimo

Sure, just use the "copy to spacing" option of the plugin: plugins-->copy along path-->copy to spacing-->input the desired distance-->select your path-->select your component.

j40

Thanks massimo,
But now I see new problem, the components located just at the vertexes/endpoints of the welded path and not at 200 cm distance.
Any idea why is this happening?

j40

Ah.. My bad. I used the "copy to path nodes" instead of the "copy to spacing".
Thanks a lot massimo for the quick response and the help.

massimo

No problem, glad that helped.

simon le bon

Hi Guys,
If I may say: - excuse me Rick - PathCopy is outdated to do that sort of job.

You may use now and very easily
[Plugin] Component Stringer UPDATED Nov. 16, 2009 by Chris Fullmer see some studies I'd made

in conjunction with the absolutely not outdated - thank you so much Rick - Weld v.3.000 by Rick Wilson in order to weld segments in one curve

and in conjuction with [Plugin] BezierSpline v1.3b - 31 Jan 10 by Fredo6 You will find in the context menu the possibility to translate curves in regularly segmented polylines

And Oh! Joël I had loved your movies

++simonlebon

massimo

Sorry, but I don't understand your problem. The plugin has two options to choose from:

"copy to path nodes" will place your components on every node of your path indipendently from the distance;
"copy to spacing" will place your components each other at the input distance indipendently from the nodes.