[Plugin] FollowMe and keep (v0.04 update 20090210)

gilles

I've been waiting for this tool for a while.

Thanks.

But there is something wrong:

It does not really follow the path, see attached files.

And sometimes SU quite.

OSX 10.4 SU6

FAK.skp

Jean-Franco

Hi, that was also my remark from yesterday. Have a look at the beginning of this thread.
You have to place a construction point at the origin of your curved path. Then it works.
This is equivalent to scene 2 in the WiKi's file FAK.skp

boilingsnow

@gilles said:

I've been waiting for this tool for a while.

Thanks.

But there is something wrong:

It does not really follow the path, see attached files.

And sometimes SU quite.

OSX 10.4 SU6

I think it will be no problem if you make the path in the middle of the profile instead at one side of it.

wikii

@gata said:

I have some paths where both versions of the script failed. On the bright side, they will be good for future testing.

Edit: More fun things to play with (done on the figure 8 path):

different results if the path is welded verses non-welded.

if the edges of the extruding face are also selected, the extrusion face is reversed and the extrusion location changes.

download v0.03
all problems in your skp is solved.

wikii

@gilles said:

I've been waiting for this tool for a while.

Thanks.

But there is something wrong:

It does not really follow the path, see attached files.

And sometimes SU quite.

OSX 10.4 SU6

Add a construciont point at the start piont of path and select it before running.

bellwells

@xrok1 said:

an option for the sweep to start at the beginning of the line no matter where the profile is drawn would make this perfect. maybe a checkbox for start at path or start at profile. then maybe a normal(size of path) or distance from(size*distance from path) instead of the construction point. it seems a pain to make a construction point?

I think this would be a great improvement. Regardless, this is a tremendous script, wikii. Thank you so very much!!

gata

Good job. There was a big improvement in just a few hours.

Using the same SKP file with the face position in the same locations, some of the face profiles extruded on the wrong side and one relocated.

In all cases the path, construction point, face+edges were selected to run the plugin.

Paths that intersect will most likely need to be done in sections. Plugins have limited mind-reading abilities, but version .03 at least was able to do extrude something along the entire complex path in one step.

(These two paths upset the last plugin attempt to correct the follow me twist.)

FollowMeKeep .03.jpg

pilou

Is there a conceptual difference with the Profile Builder by Whaat ?

thomthom

@unknownuser said:

Is there a conceptual difference with the Profile Builder by Whaat ?

PB uses the FollowMe tool to create the profiles and therefore suffers from twisting. This one if a custom implmentation that prevents twisting.

pilou

Thx for precision

wikii

@gata said:

Good job. There was a big improvement in just a few hours.

Using the same SKP file with the face position in the same locations, some of the face profiles extruded on the wrong side and one relocated.

In all cases the path, construction point, face+edges were selected to run the plugin.

Paths that intersect will most likely need to be done in sections. Plugins have limited mind-reading abilities, but version .03 at least was able to do extrude something along the entire complex path in one step.

(These two paths upset the last plugin attempt to correct the follow me twist.)

Try to reverse face before using FAK.

dtrarch

Wikii

Any chance of adding an align face/profile perpendicular to endpoint fcn?
Maybe just a separate script would do or does one exist that will pick face and align by selecting the endpoint of the path??

dtr

gata

Wikii,

I got mixed results by reversing the face. Sometimes the reversal worked, sometimes not.

People who want FAK to model nice looking roads in a landscape would have some intersecting paths.

I mistakenly selected two faces for the plugin to extrude at the same time. FAK made 2 groups. One good, and one looks strange.

FAK .03 test 2.skp

wikii

v0.04 updated.

pilou

you pass from rbs to rb
So I can put your crazy plug in the Tools menu! Thx!
Seems there is yet a lilbug
if I incline & rotate the curve to the ground that works

lilbugs.skp

Ecuadorian

It's because the profile itself is kept vertical!

pilou

yes auto intersect

wikii

@unknownuser said:

you pass from rbs to rb
So I can put your crazy plug in the Tools menu! Thx!
Seems there is yet a lilbug
if I incline & rotate the curve to the ground that works

there can‘t has vertical segment in the path.
for the reason? you think it.

gata

Wikii,

All attempts to extrude a profile - from several locations and profile face orientations - on the figure 8 path worked very well.

The way reversing the profile face only changes the orientation of the extruded faces is very nice. People making tunnels, or are otherwise are more interested in the inside of the extrusion will like this feature. It's a keeper.

FAK did not like quite like extruding unless the face was at the end of the selected path. The shape was fine, but the group moved to a new location.

And when I ran the script on the entire path, at least one face did not close near the path intersection area.

FAK .04 test.jpg

davecoopstl

Take a look at this model of a basic roller coaster track.

I drew three circles as the profile: one for the main beam, and two for the coaster rails.

Look at the top of the hill, how the rails cross paths and switch to the opposite sides of the main beam.

Is this expected behavior? Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to keep this from happening?

Hope someone can help.
Thanks!
Dave/

Here's a simple roller coaster track, but the profile is 'reversing' at the top of the hill!